CEU eTD Collection In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Kyiv Graffiti: Production ofSpace in Post-Soviet City Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology Social and of Department Sociology Central European University European Central Budapest, Hungary Nadiya Parfan Submitted to Submitted 2010 By Supervisors: Vlad Naumescu Vlad Supervisors: Andreas Dafinger CEU eTD Collection agreed to be my informants and Aphex Twin. Aphex and my informants be to agreed writinginstructors Thomas Rooney Timar,and Eszter Kyivgraffiti makers whokindly my academic Andreasand Dafinger, my Naumescu Vlad supervisors I am grateful to Acknowledgements i CEU eTD Collection changed under the influence spatial underchanged of the recent transformations. graffitiitselfhow has bygraffiti and challenged is and shows urban how perceived space meaningKyiv Italso inspacethisdistribution isdistributed contains. social graffiti what and paperexploreshow initialthe on this spaces. Standing point and ofbigger scaleplaces types city and region.Along these lines graffiti physicalbrings concrete together and differentplace linked with world outer the many on levels: it designates certain neighborhood,surface, street, Each piece of single is graffiti andstructurally determined particular, structure-challenging. This paper examines Kyiv graffiti This asa Kyivgraffiti local,paper examines global and convergence and of general Abstract ii CEU eTD Collection REFERENCES REMARKS CONCLUDING 3.2 3.2 3.1 CHAPTER 3:KYIV GRAFFITI. PLACES AND SPACES AND OFEVIDENCE SOURCES METHODOLOGY CHAPER2: 1.3 1.2 1.1 CONTEXT 1: FRAMINGTHE CHAPTER INTRODUCTION CONTENTS OF TABLE ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS O A I T T C N DA HE HE FTER THE RITICAL UT OF THE OF UT C P H RODUCTION OF ONSUMPTION OF OOD L ...... II ...... ITERATURE T : ...... 50 ...... RAM S T HE ...... 1 ...... TREET : D I NNER IALECTICS OF IALECTICS : S C ...... III R S PACE ULTURE EVIEW ...... I PACE C ...... 47 ...... ITY ...... 9 ...... 28 ...... 13 ...... 5 ...... , M D Table ofContents EDIA OING , ...... 5 ...... N G OTHING LOBALIZATION ...... 20 ...... 38 ...... 20 ...... 18 ...... iii CEU eTD Collection Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( connotations etymologicalavoid thelatter time-place becauseoftheirrelevant subwaygraffiti, I graffiti, hiphopgraffiti). 2 information ontheissue: acceptanceonlyproclaimed officialit the transliteration in Romanletters. The latest version is slowlygaining popular 1990s amongUkrainian officials agreed on “Kyiv”languagethe name, transcription whichcity of wasinternationally promoted inSoviettimes. However,in as the oneforeign which better resembles Ukrainian language1 sounding and language speakers and, I assume, will sooner or later replace “Kiev”. More the changethe of isstrikingspace andtime too pass unnoticed. to graffiti with happenedhas to what but School”, “New-York the of theadherent as considered might be 1990s, late the back to which dates subculture, Ukrainian graffiti east. further andWestern Europe overseas–to itbeforehad travelled bloomed, which writing graffiti with graffiti covered heavily trains subway 1970s early tags, the recall if they especially wouldNew-Yorkers, say. not be surprisedcity surface they withwould be wondering why is somebody doing that and what they suchare trying to things: a on leave nicknames the incomprehensible whilenotice theirgarbage Taking of who people cans. ago itand boxes light was fences, walls, the on signs theirnumerous the like just – inhabitants Kyiv of city in if not a colorful spray can with a pair of working gloves. them special ishidden intheirbags, whereone marker find normally would pen a waterproof Those are invisible for the majority makes What from seen when outside. from fellow citizens are nodifferenttheir makers, who Every day most of them walk, travel, ride and wander around the city. So do Kyiv graffiti between-East-and-West past and post-socialist present, is hard torelate to any of them. On the San includes Paulo, London,Amsterdam,New York, itsKyiv, Paris and Berlin.with rich it isinevitablyany is sensitive Thelist why of city. to given domainsparadigmatic graffiti Themostcommon term for itwould be “subcultural graffiti”, but many parallel formsarealso used(New York currentEnglishlanguagethe toponym In “Kiev”is usedmoreThe often than“Kyiv”. first comesfromRussian There are over three million people living in modern Kyivin million living modern There areover people three By definition, the type of graffiti I am dealing with here http://www.uazone.net/Kiev_Kyiv.html Resolution of the Ukrainian Commission for Legal Terminology. Introduction ) 2 occursonurban surface,which 1 , the capital of Ukraine. of capital , the October 14, 1995. October 1 CEU eTD Collection changed under the influence spatial underchanged of the recent transformations. will how urban show space is andperceived challenged bygraffiti and howgraffiti itself has graffiti is inspace distributed meaning and whatsocial this In I distribution contains. so doing bigger scale andspaces.places Standing on initial this pointI will further explore how Kyiv region.lines Along these graffiti physicalbrings concrete together and differentplace types of city neighborhood, and street, worldit certainlevels: surface, outer onmany designates linked each fact, isthe with graffiti In pieceof single determined andstructure-challenging. as understood a convergence of local, global and and general structurally particular, as a form of response to thedwellers. Not only with graffiti comes “all-included”setof the urban novelties,is it also used process of city for transformation. norm adaily become have shocks mental and sensual that harshly so changing In my work Kyiv graffitimalls, business centres, parkings and omnipresent advertisements. Urban landscapeis should be years. informer recent is pillar Thesocialism hugeof Soviet nowbeing with shopping stuffed change has atremendous experienced city The transformation. of urban process post-socialist theongoing indicates Kyiv that primarily Iargue graffiti social context. from broader the graffiti. Soviet in post- trend-setters one of the as a centre, regional important is So, Kyivalso once. here at different types and forms, which would elsewhere refer differentto stages of time, are present dynamics. Itresults in qualitativethe variety graffiti of within the relatively small quantity: On hand, other the historical “delay” inKyiv’s graffiti career is by compensated intensivethe this recognizeposition. from areeasierto trends some global perspective: inaglobal telling bemore can periphery that Iassume for research. case attractive Kyiv consideran reason to one hand, it stands on the periphery of the graffiti world. Paradoxically, this is exactly the Certainly, phenomenon the of a graffiti is not thing-in-itself it and notdoes standapart 2 CEU eTD Collection the spatial triad. At first, I view Kyiv graffiti as the spatial practice inherent in spatialthe Atfirst, I view the triad. Kyiv particularthe as inherent spatial graffiti practice is – of my main concept theoretical space and they structured division basedontheactual are and analysis. visual with aspects some cartographic participant observation – methodology my introduce I chapter next the In mediascape. and globalization of field Appadurai’s1975), PierreBourdieau’s (1990)concepts (1983)theory Arjun of the and Jefferson, (Hall, subcultures of theory notion practice, of spatial (1984) Michel deCerteau’s from I supplement main the Further, derived theoretical skeleton with perspectives theoretical its help.with conceptualization graffiti of JeanBaudrillard’s and(1976) (1974) reinterpret fromwhich I construct up.Hereuse ground the sociology the by spaceof Henri Lefebvre framework, major theoretical the to Imove latter the From problematization. of same angle through the Theseto my relate geographically or either discourse. case existing scholarly the within my research integrating for relevant are which studies, several select I publications universalthe logic(global of graffiti production). and post-Soviet) urban, (local, linkage unique the bilateral between on rest inferences, which scale broader insome also consists mycontribution from Apartthis my to case. respond which contextualization, andhistorical framework new theoretical Iconstruct generalizations qualifier socialistfrom the denotation of the region”. the In of order removal to the avoid with died thenot misleading has and discourses scholarly and lay both in misconceptions very ishas led to real that astrategy dimensions “conflating comparative (2001:14), distinct “post-socialism”. of usually mean whatAs they under Judith Bodnar argues socialism and runtransformation the short which make process, post-Soviet similar cities but Soviet of impact deeper the account into take to important is it Yet, cities. post-socialist with In the following parts myIn followingthe parts findings presented and are ethnographic The way analyzed. with reviewliterature numerous The following starts ongraffiti.the Of the chapter Present study accedes to the larger field of urban sociology and anthropology dealing 3 CEU eTD Collection end I makeend I some concludingremarks aboutmy study andits point limitations. out the At networks. global into integration and mediatization progressing the by substituted are This brings me to the media space, where graffiti’s representational failures in the urban space cultural by is how economy. it appropriated cultural dominant the and investigate production and the perceivedspacesgosideidentify byside. I position the inof graffiti the relations of conceived the media, where and institutions of cultural space the reach Finally, I articulated. is space conceived for the claim graffiti’s how Ianalyze Also, of city. the of part this profile social the and landscape historical and natural the with distribution graffiti juxtapose is I possible this representation underwhich discuss conditions the To space. representational of relations move the innerproduction.city, asthe potential After I this which I consider to the in position their and subculture graffiti with involvement people’s young between connection the HereIproblematize neighborhood. city post-Soviet –the urban space 4 CEU eTD Collection Bushnell’s on isJohn inthismajor region the literature scholars.reference by The considered graffiti elaborated. sensibly been not has which phenomenon, origins – in 21 the For research. such as graffitimodern nor in graffiti for separate reasoning conjunction do they comprehensive provide butneither merits, hasits own vocabularies in these Each of 2001). Freedman, Feenberg, Kyiv. It termspolitical (Millon, of action urbanuprising direct Moissac,and 1998; Nochlin, 1978; calls for in is thoughtof 2008), whereasthe1968 1988; Austin,Dickinson, 2001; 2001;Macdonald, the more and (Lachmann, youth subcultures ethnicity, ghettoes deals with graffiti research usually generaloften understanding is which inParis, related graffiti 1968 May is reference historical important Another Philadelphia. to European ofis by USgraffiti dominated namely1970s-1980s a lesser and,– New York to degree, the region.latter the science In matter. social of subject delimitation in time-place wellas as background, The two are criminology, linguistics,history arts varies andIt inmethodology sociology. and theoretical accompanied by different Review Literature 1.1 Critical paradigms: US of of 11 20 late the and Rus Kyivan of graffities medieval between continuity the on lot a draws Bushnell observations inmid but 1980s KyivMoscow, (Kiev) appearsthroughout also thebook. 1980s graffities according to their linguistic characteristics and subcultural However, content. andsubcultural linguistic characteristics their according to 1980s graffities not alotonly interestinghe data,but of historical provides makes also a of classification th century folklore. He argues that Moscow subcultural graffities are rooted in tradition the arerooted subcultural graffities Moscow He arguesthat folklore. century th East-Central Europe, especially Soviet and post-Soviet countries, wererarely countries, andpost-Soviet Soviet especially Europe, East-Central The disciplinary scale of Anglophone scholarship on graffiti comprises psychology, century graffities century on orthodox walls of the inSaintSophia’s cathedral Kyiv. Bushnell Moscow Graffiti: Language and Moscow Graffiti: Subculture st century there is a lot of graffiti with no first-hand ethnic or activist or ethnic first-hand no with graffiti of lot is a there century Chapter 1: Framing the Context . It is primarily based on the author’s 5 CEU eTD Collection phenomenon, butits connection with urban space should be problematized and reflected. “urban graffiti” taking the category of urban for granted. Needless say,to graffiti is nota rural itgraffiti,hasbeenthough by often Many dismissed wouldresearchers. call subject their of any characteristic fundamental spaceisthemost with Association space. sociology of be forfind Kyiv appeal dealingwith synthesized reasonable to to respectI graffiti.this it In has to framework A new theoretical my for research. optics theoretical satisfactory extract to andresearches. theories social existing none of the graffiti Kyiv if all.about article inher use of Golovakha at Inna concepts, social sociological Thus, deep historicallinguistic/semiotic classifications, perspective, grand random and determinism Bushnell inmany (Bazhkova, Lurie, Shumov, focusways Golovakha, 2004; 2004).They on science (Clarke, Hall, Roberts, 1975; Jefferson, Hebdige, 1979). seem especially given unjustified extensivethe discussion subcultures in on social 1970s subcultures by This Mauer useof (Mauer,1981). Dawid conceptandthe titling book the of and (Bushnell, elastic concept” 1990:216)andlimits himself a singleto linguistic theory of his lifetimeand gained popularity only in Soviet late times, severaldecades after his death. 3 Bulgakov’s and movements fans,besoccer countercultural hybrid asocial of to graffiti” turns out heissubculture, with actually Consequently, social dealing “Moscow different groups. subcultures. Whilehisintention is investigate to lessone more homogenous or graffiti and by subculture graffitiesIn my Bushnell confusesproduced graffiti (different) opinion, profile. social graffiti’s Moscow resemble they how in doubtful initially conclusions his find I Mikhail Bulgakov – Kyiv-born Russian and Ukrainian writer and playwriter, who was banned by Stalin during So, neither the classical studies nor scholarly literature “around the case” could be used be could “around case” the literature scholarly nor studies classical neither the So, modernThose fewtouch andRussianscholarsupon Ukrainian who graffiti resemble The Social Meaning of Asocial Graffities Social Meaningof The 3 worshipers. It happens worshipers.is It avery becauseBushnell that“subculture thinks elusive refers to Lotman, Barthes, Jung, Lebon, and Lebon, Jung, Barthes, Lotman, to refers 6 CEU eTD Collection “simultaneously “simultaneously a visual sign and atextual 2007:149). trademark” (Chmielewska, as itinis which treated expectably (tags), graffiti” “signature to approach and semiotic study Warsawof and Montreal by Chmielewska.Ella Chmielewskafrom departs linguistic some other attempts to position this region’s graffiti in space – such as the recent comparative housing, which partly downplaysspatial expressions of urban social structure. Yet, there were is mapping themethod abundanceof socialist moreproblematicCentral Europe even dueto East- in Besides, regardto context. current in apply it to difficult whichmakes scholarship, tensions the authors refer to housing policy and the real estate market. explain signs social thedangerof spatialized these border To informing transgression. functioned as often thegraffities Locations of housingspace. of division ethnic reproduced graffiti their Accordingdistribution. to territorial origins observations, graffitithe gangs of Cybriwsky lend credibility andneighborhoods theirwas subdivision.mappingthe ethnic It helped technique that Ley and to positive dependencepublicity.in localizedOther graffitiesstrongly Philadelphia on were basisthe of between ethnic profileforin maximal alesserdegree, for and,competed mostthe exotic andinaccessible places of the blocks and 1974:492). In casethis themain followed graffiti distribution transportation arteries. Kings amount of graffiti celebrities, “the self-proclaimed kings of the walls” (Ley,small for Cybriwsky, asplayground city inner the identified They city. the of structure spatial in location their to according them between markersanddistinguished as viewedterritorial graffities aspects including differentdimensionshow graffiti bearsof space. Ley upon and Cybriwsky many in research graffiti of example outstanding be an to seems study Their in Philadelphia. by urban geographers DavidLey and Roman investigated whoCybriwsky, the 1970s graffiti unsurprisinglyis from earliest comes the one publications geography. It onmodern of graffiti body of the city, which did not attain further elaboration in due course. The first such try Unfortunately, geographical approach to graffiti gained little credence infurther little credence graffiti gained approach to Unfortunately, geographical There toexplorephysicalwere some graffiti’s attempts promising social relation andto 7 CEU eTD Collection context. valuable:it isvery space, place and urban graffiti of inseparability shows the and locality further discussionsubcultural about dynamics ofBelgradebelieve graffiti, thathertribute I to loyal towards graffiti. Radoševi Although loyal towards local werevery light factthat inhabitants the to This brings also power. autocratic political by in appropriated media the timewhenwere communication and self-expression regular According to Radoševi to According concrete, other)seemedon the from graffiti for city.appealing very the writers all around hand,of lot of anda greenery, one a lot the quay, and (nearby on physical river environment which itgave a veryposition in important newof Besides,blocks. hierarchy the district’s the in built the area” (Radoševi be first block to it because the was 45 –“certainly style graffiti in the context of Miloševi of New-York theemergence She describes Serbia. city capital of the of district New Belgrade andview imagery language justand inasmuch as they tospace. are related physical space andits meaning. social Inmy fromI wouldstart preferresearch to latter the what she refers tois rather urban iconosphere and linguisticmilieu and much less of an actual Yet, situ”. “in but in itself, viewed be not should and phenomenon asite-specific is graffiti that argues Chmielewska stretches. suburban along the pieces areconcentrated elaborate and or more tags the throw-ups stencils, bysmall isdominated centric”offhand innerWarsaw itsand with surrounding compatible visuallandscape –avery –whereasthe“linguo- dense inThus, centrethe of Montreal graffiti bold,gets largeandto be persistent visibly tangible by surface. city is strongly defined Chmielewska, appearance Accordinggraffiti’s to context. sufficient and extendittries to byquestioning graffiti’s locality and linkagewith urban Fortunately, linguistsand other semiologists unlike framing sheclaimsthatnot this is One morefind case mentioningI worth is Ljiljana Radoševi ü , New Belgrade walls became a channel for alternative for channel a became walls Belgrade New , ü era urban process. The first graffiti appeared in Block ü provides for background provides asthe all details these ü ’s study ’s study of ingraffiti the ü , 2009:162), 8 CEU eTD Collection if space isif space the a knowledge product, of space should expound the of process production. family labor,power relations). andrelationsof (division production Thirdly,organization) of sexes, agegroups, social between (relations represents different of reproduction relations meaning, its social society, eachmode space produces space. Social own of production, Secondly, human each of thought. subject and the reality objective – asthe disappearing is space natural the Firstly, implications. several has claim This product. asocial as space whoin usedit(Merrifield,2004:69).Lefebvre’s theirstartingis works point ideaof the social geography Davidurban theory wingto and Harvey,Fredric scholars, and Jameson some other Englishin 1991.Ithasbecome in oneimportantmost books Anglophoneof the human here on focus I for approaching at graffiti.look acloser take to going space,Iam which science of space: “spatialist”of MichelFoucaultimportant undertheorizing accusing most the as to arguably far so goes Lefebvre statuses. epistemological different with phenomena of multitude random confused and misplaced far too many times. What has been thought of as “space” turns to be a spacewere spacemathematicalmental space,actual and physical Abstract transparent space”. of “thecreate science inability to further and consequences epistemological certain hascategory by long Thisbrought beenappropriated to andmathematicians. philosophers space asHenri an vulnerable ofsocial Lefebvre (1974), place to According analytical theory. ofSpace Production 1.2 The It is not surprising that Lefebvre’s criticism is just a preface to his own project of Graffiti move Graffiti not inscholarship did much of direction the space becauseis a Production of Space Production of who deal materialwith things (Lefebvre, [1974]1991:4). betweenmental and betweensocial, of the space philosophers thespaceof people and bridges gap the betweenthetheoretical (epistemological) realm thepracticaland one, his discourse’. Foucault neverexplainswhat space is thatit he is referring norto, howit which subject may the take up aposition ofand the speak objects withwhich hedeals in Thus, Michel canFoucault calmly that‘knowledgeassert [savoir] is also the space in , main the by work inLefebvre written into1974 and translated 9 CEU eTD Collection makes it possible to think about graffiti of of makes itpossible thethink to representation relations about reproduction. as hand, contemporary graffiti can beviewed attribute as of an youth certain subculture. This relates with space. This is why its place in the spatial triad still has to be identified. On the one elaborate her full-fledged in not how graffiti analysisgraffiti and position of textual does her before him mentions briefly only author the But (2009). Carrington Victoria by Australia to change and appropriate. necessarily Representational spacenot space is dominated coded. which imagination the seeks Representational spaces lifeartsand, undergroundside arelinked tothe or social of therefore, impact. practical certain have which codes, and signs verbal knowledge, of form social engineers. They are tied to the relations and urbanists planners, of scientists, spaces of production conceptualized to spacerefer of Representations and tend to be expressed in the coherent. logically thatthey are imply necessarily not which does and cohesive, continuous be must practices Spatial reality. life,routine useof in arethe space Spatial everyday practices space. of understanding Kant’s and Descartes’ of “straitjackets” dualistic abstract the avoid model to aims in the elements three between relation The dialectical space). spaces (perceived representational and space) space (conceived of representations space), (lived practice spatial of It is triadspatial consisting for the thispurpose. tool atheoretical science of spaceoffers absolute terms: space is a process. This makes itnot so easy to grasp analytically, but the new power. spacecomes to abstract the which from abstraction process in the lies space of history Western The exhaustion. of andthepointof momentitshas creation space– the Fourthly, history every [1974]1991:37). inseparablepresentthemselves as astwo aspects, not separabletwo ideas” (Lefebvre, forand productionprocess the “production product space of Basically, spaceisequal to Lefebvre has beenreferredtoin 2000s study the ingraffities of the US,UKand possibility of Lefebvre cancelsany of space social dynamicnature Stressing the 10 CEU eTD Collection meaningless graffities made the symbolic intervention of ghetto into the city.into Baudrillard’s the ghetto of intervention symbolic made the graffities meaningless Baudrillard,For youngRicans BlacksandPuerto whocovered suburban with trains their was “neither [1976]1993:76). (Baudrillard,although pornographic” political content their nor as form a tags viewed1970s NewYork of graffiti protest He “seriously”. totake theorists of space. representations tothe in impact comparison have graffiti spacesincluding by small appropriated representational practical conceivers, the is representation of language the Since problematic. usually is verbalization intelligible its some representation create alternative redefineand space to an ambition graffiti expresses because muchthey are lessinstitutionalized if andhave coding, weaker at all.though Even coherentsystems ofnon-verbal symbols and signs” (Lefebvre [1974]1991:39). spaces maybe said,again though exceptions, totend morewith certain lesstowards or graffiti “overlays making physical space, symbolic useofits Thusobjects. representational by type of this spaceproduced Representational graffities. artists andpolitical for street is This thecase itspace. representational can the and be considered between writers taggers, descendants, whom they provide with meansthe living.of Graffiti isproducedby not full orlower middle workers time class butby people, their those social involved which(yet) ascribed to not groups inthe relations of are production. basicthe for practicingprecondition graffiti. Asa time-consuming activity itis structurally is which leisure, mean young hereI people’s of production By relations inpractice. everyday On (Lefebvre hand, other the [1974]1991:32). graffiti production andreproduction embraces sometimes accompanied, sometimes by not, symbols of age –ofyouth and of old age” malefemale, of and are sexualsymbols of reproduction relations of the “Representations The issue of graffiti coding was nicely described byJean Baudrillard –one of first the space from distanced conceived by the are graffiti created spaces Representational communication insider the beyond goes wheregraffiti contexts, in specific Also, those 11 CEU eTD Collection position of graffiti in spatial triad. toclear inorder upthe graffiti of analysis Baudrillard’s specific account intotime-place take thesisin for Baudrillard’s committee dissertation doctoral sociology. Ifindit reasonable to member of wasa Lefebvre andPierreBourdieu, Barthes with Roland together intellectuals), is Interestingly understandable. verymuch(and in amanner of 20 linkage USpotential inthe absence of the the his observations made hadalready Baudrillard regard to graffiti. Given the fact that the graffiti. to Given regard least, in ideas–at Lefebvre’s supplementby inferences Baudrillard actual the analytical sign):mettalurgy has become semiurgy” [1976]1993:77). (Baudrillard, of the operation but (the a difference power) (labour apower longer no realizes matrix urban The code. the of space the as city entire the by replaced been has strategy, general the with factory, as model the of socialization through space, hasdisappeared not inbut, today, line “The exchange. sign and systems symbolic of analysis the to place its give should and date of [1970]2003). ForBaudrillard, with Marx’spreoccupation relationsthe of production went out Revolution changelife.changeis change Thisisthe mainimpulse to of andto space to space is life change to change: social for calls socialist, diehard a being Lefebvre, impulses. political exchange ruled by symbolic dominantcode. the is not just the siteunderstanding of the city resembles Lefebvre’s notion of the conceived space in a forsense that it production, class struggle and exploitation, but the system of sign Nevertheless, I think this contradiction led to the use of different vocabularies, whereas vocabularies, different of use the to led contradiction this I think Nevertheless, The most fundamental discrepancy between Baudrillard and Lefebvre consists in their consists Lefebvre and Baudrillard between discrepancy fundamental most The [1976]1993:77). the city,homogenous a spacedefined as atotalenvironment (Baudrillard, labour, leisure, play manyculture becomeand commutable so on the terms chessboard of conceived, is projected and realized on the everything basis of an analytic definition: which environment,in transport, and sign-functions, and needs of analysis operational We see this urban scenario materialized in the new cities which directly result from the , written after the 1960s urban revolts in Paris, Tokyo, Mexico, Detroit (Lefebvre, Production of Space Production of was first published at the momentthe at published wasfirst th century French The Urban 12 CEU eTD Collection consumption and everyday life. everyday and consumption argues for in deCerteau senseof positive creative marginal process, actors production the them from above. Unlike traditional whatisfor makeit toreappropriate language, thedominated assignedpossible practices to social scientists, common itsthe makes ownuseof poetry, which to institutions. Similar by forced power who treat consumers behavior forms of – strategies to an opposition (tactics) practices Heconsiders (1984). as passive and would like extendto Lefebvre’s ideas with the notion of spatial practice by Michel de Certeau with space.graffiti – andthisrelation the isgraffiti’s of I consumption In to respect this ofSpace Consumption 1.3 The conceived and perceived. the Baudrillard, in position thatgraffiti’s space Iconclude thebetween production shuffles the of by has from described been So, what conceivedspace. the becauseagreeon they perception own for their argue donot frescoes murals and contrary, the space.On representational new building another,to from the window tothe door and tothe subway. This ishow they create a from and one run “forget” architecture the inTags space. position the expressed through “riotof signs” is not asmeaningless as he puts it when translated to spatial terms: the revoltis support the dominantconception levelofthe dominated. WhatBaudrillardon the calls the beradical. beautiful to They are too rebellious. not become decorative, similar to tags. But since of messages oppressed between revolutionary the they solidarity and unity are politically they respect architecturecity code but fromand carethe savage, about “thespontaneous wall” thesefrescoes murals and murals on ghetto walls. With their The third element of Lefebvre’s spatial triad, spatial alsopractice, do hassomething to ghetto conceivedthe meansgraffities reproduce thatIn Lefebvre’s terms spaceand this dominant the from only not symbolically differ graffities “ghetto” view, Baudrillard’s In 13 CEU eTD Collection However, Lefebvrian understanding of space as a social product (not just the physical physical space) justthe (not product asocial space as of Lefebvrian understanding However, have implications. spatial means that wouldBourdieu This thetreating field deny asaspace. not a fordoes Bourdieu, as which pure positionality, field mustit that, the beacknowledged theory of fieldthe of cultural explainto production how is this possible.in But beginning,the included in relationsthe of cultural production. Ifindit promising tousePierre Bourdieu’s equipment specialized and magazines. Also, graffiti is commodified from “outside” bybeing consumed makers aslong spraycans, pay for painting asgraffiti thesubculture within productionthe the process: spatial of practice intoiscommodity. converted graffiti being is It linkedto become of “creative inversely has consumption” this through course of the time type Moreover, meaning. political with supplied is symbolism which in graffities, countercultural streets write the city claimshis the Certeau manner,conception people on poetical that of walking space. In de text – graffiti producersthe dominantcall themselves some to spacescreate alternative only not following: Ireadthisrepresentational as 1984:97). preciselyrepresentation “pedestrian for speech spatial the whichleaves (deCerteau, language, acts” possibility of of city space,the order as the about specifically speaksmore DeCerteau practice. spatial Lefebvre’s but also to newlight brings it because is idea of useful the tactics but triad, in spatial conceived daily routines go somewhere beyond the reappropriation cultureof dominant signsthrough andrituals. onyoung ofyouth also stress by people’s theorists They subcultures. described British the itwas as of graffiti, dimension with subcultural is concordant approach de Certeau’s this point At space. of reappropriation the consumption, creative viewed asthe be also can graffiti how Subcultural graffiti makes its claim for space on a mere symbolical level contrary to contrary level symbolical mere a on space for claim its makes graffiti Subcultural The notion of strategy refers exactly to what has already been described as the described been already what has to exactly refers strategy of The notion (Clarke, Hall, Jefferson, 1975:13-14). Roberts, must also be significant thingswhich bind and articulate them with the ‘parent’ culture significantly differentiate them from widerthe culture. But, since they are sub-sets, there activities, values, certain use of material artifacts, territorial spaces, etc. which identifiablydifferent‘parent’from their culture. mustThey be focused aroundcertain Subcultures mustexhibit adistinctive enough shape and structure to make them writers , too. This is This too. , 14 CEU eTD Collection not relate to the artistic world explicitly. world artistic tothe relate not field #3in These graffiti whodo ofthe autonomous arethe representatives Fig.1). subculture, left the from of recognition (on producersin thesubfield top the andother derives their peers whose benefits, economic no and capital symbolic high with ones the to given is prestige The biggest in here “an (Bourdieu, [1983]1993:40). interestactors show disinterestedness” as Accordingthe subfieldthe main within the fieldto of cultural production. of rule field,the butstill stands atthe dominantpole of (#1 inFig.1). Graffiticlass relation must bepositioned field ininposition atthe it whereis Fig.1), lower) (#2 (left the power negative situated pole, The [1983]1993:38). field of cultural inproduction Fig.1)occupies (#3 dominated the (Bourdieu, whom by they recognize” legitimacy those than recognition criterion other of whorecognize no bythose accorded (“recognition specific degree consecration autonomous, conflictingby structured success ofhierarchisation: heteronomous principles and the two isit into Thus, economic capital. the which canbeconverted recognition), (prestige, form its specificfield capital of hierarchy.The generates andgeneral on positions other inproduction, finalthe Atany momentround. of every intime position fieldthe is dependent isproduction only a relatively fieldautonomous defined relations by power and economic between showing andeconomy:culture cultural particular[1983]1993, the connection field. the within in ofitsbe positionality explained terms of could as asocial graffiti location space andthe of institutions. fieldcultural From this the perspective be of cultural viewed production could space to the streets the space of public from the moves evidently it its location: changes italso place.production take Notonly in graffiti produced fieldthis has socialdifferent meaning, but production, its cultural ownsocialproduction constitutes space, where relations the of makes it reasonable totreat the field of cultural production as space.like Just any other sort of Bourdieu defines cultural Bourdieu cultural as“theeconomic (Bourdieu,production defines world reversed” 15 CEU eTD Collection means of documentation – it has a big impact on graffiti as such. Some aspects of media of aspects Some such. as graffiti on impact big a has it – documentation of means this amediascape, whichIwould space, pure the city transcended call conceivers. Moreover, life isgraffiti,of and usually which due graffitiunprotected short to removal policies of the substitute urbanthe space.films, Photography, media printed prolong andinternet serve to the evanescence of physicalthe body of rapidgraffiti pushed the of growth graffiti media, which of space. representation of the benefits. its Thus,after move to spacethis a spatialis graffiti not anymore,practice butapart andgovernment maintain developers,can use who“culture” to gain or their power economic city planners, –urban actors empowered the by isdefined city the in location their especially sidethe of conceivers spatial in spatial institutions Innerthe triad. organization cultural of and on aresituated Galleries 1988). gallery to the (Lachmann, street isthe from moving career has become inclined in of process the artistic of production. Thefinal stage graffiti desirable graffitists’ from evolution subculturethe gallery to world, course through the of time graffiti Finally, there is one more significant dimension of graffiti – a media space. The Yet, asitYet, has nicely been described by Richard Lachmann, studied who the New York Source: Bourdieu, Pierre. [1983] 1993:38. [1983] Pierre. Bourdieu, Source: Figure 1: Thefield ofcultural production 16 CEU eTD Collection Kyiv it andintegrated into globalthe cultural itseconomy on way back. of theworld created by these media” (Appadurai, 1990:53). available toagrowing number ofprivate and public interests throughout theworld; and imagesto the information (newspapers,magazines, television filmstations, production etc.),whichstudios, now are “Mediascapes refer both to distributionthe of theelectronic capabilitiesto produce anddisseminate flows.cultural Theymake local merge,intersect andredefine and global spaces each other. mediascapes cross different Arjun mentionedglobalized Appadurai, to culture,others above.According unlike levels of territorial of a isproduct Kyiv primarily web.graffiti global the itgraffiti andconnectingto network boundariesit moreis much media for is than establishing – that graffiti factor thedomestic a crucial and create of role the possibility Kyiv of in case But space. media legal in the it placing by subculture illegal the of for global pointswho out on decriminalization the (2006), Snyder by Gregory influence werediscussed One of such flows brought graffiti to 17 CEU eTD Collection my informants neverhad time for such insteada walk and preferred toconverse in themore some of Thus, realization. actual and in of –both preparation terms tours” “guided of nature partial least influenced arbitrary.and sometimes of by was Not all, this time-consumingthe lesser degree, to their own neighborhood. Most of the walking trajectories seemed to be preferences.few They would niggardly in common usually to a refer places the city and, to spatial their of vision elaborate the articulate not did informants my of majority The random. for thefailureof Theotherreason things. was notso projectmy initial of cartographic for suchstate prepared get to notice official wasno there Yet, capital. the hispassageto after Presidentof Ukraine Yanukovych, gave Viktor to acorresponding who order city the major inauguration hadbythe new would the recent cleaningcampaign of the that beencaused say my Many lessresearch. for valuable and,therefore, “less public” leftwere somewhat ones many seasonal graffities inpublicspace hadjustbeen but recent garbage The of removed. my notonly disappointment, To great right bigaftercleaning. unprecedented city 2010, The firstreason for this wasmy thescheduling fieldwork. of Iarrived atKyivin April early and analyze. The outcome of this would be several routes, which I planned to put together on the city map andplacesimportant find makinggraffities like consider graffiti. for they they or attractive other graffities, me their show would they in which tour” “guided a for them ask to going was I informants. key my with interviews walking and observation personal intensive the upon hopes I put but frame, inmy betime feasible not would scale same the of Research mapping. my attention to indrew investigation 1974) Cybriwsky, (Ley, Philadelphia of1970sgraffiti Cybriwsky’s Roman and Ley’s David Specifically, my study. for tool convenient At the stage of the first interview I realized that my initial plan would have to change. to have would plan initial my that realized I interview first the of stage the At Having read the literature on graffiti I was considering cartographic method asa method cartographic considering I was on graffiti literature Havingread the Chaper 2: Methodology and Sources ofEvidence 18 CEU eTD Collection are juxtaposed with architecture, advertisements and other elements of advertisements and of elements with urban surface. other architecture, are juxtaposed visual focusin been way – the on spatial analysis with syntax special processed the graffities graffiti blogs paying special attention the ones to run bymy Theseinformants. havedata later grasppictures Itried both to graffities landscape. and urban browsedmanypopular Ialso Taking observed. I what of documentation photo intensive in the consisted fieldwork my origins. class middle lower or were bilingual.it Contingently,might besaid all intervieweesthat have lowerthe class upper – language, rest in the was mostUkrainian.decided Language by interviewees, of the whom in interviewsRussian was 31.Twowas twenty;wereconducted informant oldest the introduced to me at the last minute, so that I never managed to talk to them live. My youngest were personalities A few the other. on significant limitations, my and hand, on one the time elite.lastdue meetmanaged Someof totheir onesIneverschedule, tightthe to surprisingly marginalincludeboth the graffiti and to writers timeinvolvement I alsotried with graffiti. of subculture. In choosinginformantscover Iaimed to variety the geographical of and origins elders are often mentoringyoungsters, so that there is some generational continuity within the case. Their age rangesbetween teens and thirties,but the greater part is in their twenties. The only met the male. Infact, female saidI she was majority are an exceptional overwhelming into conception aninterview-based research with some aspects. mapping during walks.graffities wereproduced our field my This ishowthe converted cartographic actual interviews. observation:by the Someparticipant of wereaccompanied them structured after fieldwork Iendedupwith nine fortnightly the So, semi- conventional circumstances. Together with the interviews the major source of my evidence was visual aids. Part of Part aids. visual was evidence my of source major the interviews the with Together To my Kyivknowledge, subculturegraffiti numbers overahundred people. The 19 CEU eTD Collection Hood). Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( The music video captures theOld Darnytsia neighborhood in Kyiv: MusicMotors. 2008. “ lines lines of a popular hip-hop song 4 Pechersk, district, and partly (Shevchenko) they Shevchenkivskyi emerged asa of result differentdemographicfor two andterritorial size.Except Podil olddistricts, central and neighborhoods. theirthat is in identity special territorial rooted socio-economicalKyiv of background am with arguing space. do ghettoes and I ethnicdivision of they have nothing1974). Yet, to early US graffiti gangs in a sense that their graffities are territorial markers (Ley, Cybriwsky, isthere a layer solid of neighborhood-based graffiti inKyiv. producers are similar Its to the But later. about speak Iwill which fame”, “walls of or “galleries” walls”, “legal so-called the your is style.” Neighborhood farnot only the forgraffitiplayground making –many prefer shares somebody that pleasant is always it besides, and, in groups work to easier technically marking. mere territory rather than common territorial( origin – contrary to gang graffiti, “teams” they themselves However, call neighborhood. basis of the on mainly are established which is believed to be the graffiti forum: 5 Nothing of Doing Dialectics The da Hood: 3.1 In More information More aboutthedifference between gangsand isavailableat thepopularcrews international “ ɤɨɦɚɧɞɢ ˄̨̦̭̦̬̜̦̖̌̌̌ Since 2001Kyivis officially intodivided ten administrative districts (rayons) of people four ofthree Kyiv areThe majority writers that ingroups to working graffiti of ), “crews” or “clans”. In graffiti slang this connotes an emphasis on stylistic unity stylistic on emphasis an connotes this slang graffiti In “clans”. or “crews” ), http://www.bombingscience.com/graffitiforum/showthread.php?t=1819 Chapter 3: Kyiv Graffiti. Places andSpaces Places 3: KyivGraffiti. Chapter / ʻ̨̖̦̯̏́̚ 5 As Kiot from Kyiv graffiti team Psia Krew explained, “it is “it explained, Krew Psia team graffiti Kyiv from Kiot As http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNJfSmm8eT4 ʻ̨̬̜̦̖̌̌ , ̌̏̚ſ̦̯́ / ( In daHood) In ˁ̨̯̖̦̼̭̖̣̣̦̖̏̏̍̌ by Kyiv-based duo Potap and Nastia Kamenskikh. ” (translation by author) – the opening Tonscans’re ofspray ondawalls ). We ain’t spelling good spelling ain’t We ʻ̨̬̜̦̖̌̌ ” (In da ” (In In da hood In da 4 20 CEU eTD Collection socialization. needed including on basisa daily kindergartensyouth and schools centresfor – the even biggermasyvs (massives). Eachmicrorayon its provided dwellers facilities with the joinedwere biggerinto residential –rayonsunits (districts) of 10,000 to30,000 inhabitants or 12,000 1980).These panel inhabitants (Bater, to multistoriedconcrete or forbuildings 8,000 urban planning wasmicrodistricta densely (microrayon) residential block – populated with of Sovietmajor concept At time the that 1970). (Harris, population doubledthe nearly plants, period: flowthe of dwellers, whocame toworkat rural new-builtthe factories andindustrial Kyiv’s was the Thegrowth peakof urban post-War urbanization intensive(Fig.2). Soviet behave aggressively when hanging outwith hisin mates public; dress up inleather and sports urban as subculturegopniks. usually referredto Atypical gopnikwould bemale young; and After the collapse of Soviet Union microdistricts became the core of new distinguished new of core the became microdistricts Union Soviet of collapse the After Source: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdivisions_of_Kiev Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Figure 2: Kyiv districts 2: Kyiv Figure Retrieved June 1, 2010 June Retrieved ) 21 CEU eTD Collection ( crew is named after one of its street – MetroStroy (MetroBuild), where all of members of the all where (MetroBuild), – MetroStroy its street of is named one after crew bloom. in now is graffiti rayon-based observations: had totally theother whereas opposite leftover, declining 1990s graffiti-makingsite. Interestingly, ofmyinformants one noted that type this of graffiti is a exclusive is their neighborhood but origin, territorial common of basis the on established not only teamsare rayon-based they parexcellence: first two masyv. Kharkivskyi the The in Obolonskyi team NBK inthe RUNS inthe rayon, and rayon,HDSH BCS Solomyanskyi (Solomyanskyi intercrewMetroStroy in Vidradnyineighborhood rayon), the Clan (MSC) New Original Kingdom (NOK)in the Novobilychi neighborhood (Sviatoshynskyi rayon), “rayons”in many crews. active use, graffiti riseto common include Thosecurrently gave belonging its connotes physical noteworthy the to body. of surface territorial rayon, here “Na” word form be“inrayon”. would proper the whereas top of rayon”, “at/on combination, exist not which does literary in Ukrainian Russian language.means the or It could “na becalled “Na (in rayonie” rayonie”da hood). is frequently word a meaningful,used graffiti and anewhybrid gavebirth writing) of the local to subculture, which worldwide (breakdancing,GopnikMCing, DJinghip-hop basic elements lifestyle and of accommodated subculture gopniks’ converted self-expression intowas the morepartly symbolic forms. casual 1990s,underactivity.gopnik In late the hip influence the of “imported” the hop stay: placemadehighly robbery, dangerous to microdistricts street wasa ritualized, though 6 seeds. andsunflower cigarettes clothes; have extremely short hair, if at all, and wear a peak cap and consume alot of alcohol, http://www.exile.ru/articles/detail.php?ARTICLE_ID=8589 The feature storyabout gopniks: “Meet The Gopniks: An ExileSafari”. 2007. Vidranyi, the playground of MSC, is one of the first post-War Kyiv neighborhoods. The neighborhoods areconfusingly (microdistricts),Kyivwhich andcalled both of districts 6 Gopniks inherited a lotfrom criminalthe subculture, which ) The Exile. Retrieved June 1. 2010 22 CEU eTD Collection and muchvery in drawing – manner “dialectics a of of nothing”,doing which was of typical of electrician.qualification amuses himselfmaking Henow construction graffiti, rap-music geta heto wassupposed lyceum, beenthe where had expelled from my life”.Esh make parents cannot useofhim – seemslogical and obvious”. “A forfinds a kid Kyiv whenthe use of himself countries) arerepresentative graffiti-makers. in“missing analcoholic) father” wealthy and (usually parents” “absent workers (migrant Hearguesthat abroad. andmother stepfather has his inand lives Vidradnyi Krew also team, separately from his motherjoined now crewinistwenty.the living Heis2005, in hisbrotherVidradnyi with and uncle – and stepfather,who MSC, of member youngest the Esh, failed. business whosmall their end in the but live company, abroad. Kiot, the membermembers oldest ones Formerly, their hashigherwere running own education. taxi three of Kyiv Psia MSC of none why is understandable it Thus, class. working of marginalization social and unemployment massive the to brought sector industrial of collapse the society: Ukrainian Their parental depression. ofabignationwideeconomic time 1990s – the late came inthe their adolescence generation was the here. erected workers construction for the most vulnerable blocks residential the system with Kyiv was settledconstruction, of underground time inthe social itsbackground members of they and economicprofile of neighborhood livein.the latter The strata thesocial nicely designates MetroBuild Moreover, reference. spatial the themselves through in the early some language combination MSC pattern or culture word popular recognizable tagged post-Soviettelling: it signifies strong territorial identity of team.the Instead of choosing the usual English isfind very representing nameof MetroBuild whyI Clan through the This graffiti. oneself means of islocation major – the and style with thename fact, graphic – together live. In When I asked the youngest of MSC what he was doing, he “I’m enjoying just replied: MSC whathe wasdoing, When youngest Iasked of the Three of four members of MSC were born in Vidradyi in the early 1980s. The peak of 23 CEU eTD Collection Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( which canbe with most timeonly gained experience Yet, ofKyiv long and involvement. 7 in Fig.4). right the (on as pieces well multicolored with graffities. Simplistic tags and throwups prevail (on the leftin Fig.3), but there are several covered study.All thearound playground aredensely walls usedto University, the Esh where Aviation National Lyceum the Airspace of playground of the sports the of cover rubberthe subcultural activities. Vidradnyi graffiti for be case the exactly [1976]1993:14). This to seems (Clarke,Jefferson, Roberts, Hall, makers, who workface at muchthe thesame same jobs,economicparents andlive some of their peers: but they belongdown to the same families, go to theproblems samethe schools, same ‘mean “Membersmay are dominated. look of from walk,‘different’ a sub-culture their talk, act, asstreets’ their as theirparents parents in position social structure, broader both and parentculture the within which the sub-culture inand theirpeers” of that to is prior substance generational The first, other. the on culture”, “dominant and hand, one the on culture”, “parent to in relation identified are subcultures Britain: post-War is subculturesin ofyouth economy. with “double idea articulation” This the accordant of post-communist idlesse “doingby be youthsubcultural appears of tothereminiscence nothing” neighborhood the ofthe their parents, who did On noteconomical ideological 1959). contrary, the efficiency and(Meek, 1957; Novak-Deker, take any new stand in the institutionalized andserved tothestate.highly Children’s andyouth’credited activities were transitional was socialization youth labor, in proletarian involved were parents their when times, Soviet youth”.working In class the“post call Iwould Brits, onesaresomething “narayonie” the post-War working in classyouth GreatBritain,Paul to according ButunlikeCorrigan (1975). Tag,throwup and piece are the basic genresof subcultural graffiti.For more see: The main in graffiti-location the is“rezinka”Vidradnyi rayon Itisnamed(rubber). after http://www.graffiti.org/faq/graffiti.glossary.html 7 The latter require some technical mastery, require technical Thelatter some ) The Words: A Graffiti Glossary. 24 CEU eTD Collection such state such state of couldthings be Iconsider named,but economical factors mostthe important. graffiti writing is ephemeral – new teams emerge and decline every day. Different reasons for has been living in Vidradnyi since early age, and his mate Lodek used to be his mate theresident used has Lodek beenlivinginVidradnyi sinceearly of age, and to a there are also some works by Kyivsingle café, bar or clubgraffiti around. The majority of graffities here is by MSC and other locals, butelite – such as Psia Krew team. Its member Kiot ordering person. the to paint the of rest the back give never they meaning – change have never they that toldmegraffitidistrict, makers fact: arelike NewYork aremarkable in taxi drivers a sense luxury,somewhat a lack. alwayswhich Beavis,they themaker from graffiti Holosiyiv the makeimpression any that was paid opportunity would themhappy– isproducing graffiti My from job them. general offers before accepting candidates them political consider Only few of peoplethe Italked expressed to some political considerations, which wouldmake time: during thepolitical “graffiti election campaigns job offers” appearatspecializedforums. Most of my informants said they would be happy getto orders like that. And they do – time to Pear, Esh’s mate from MSC, was given the paint and paidfor the work (on the rightin Fig.4). “Rezinka” is popularthe “hanging for place foramong youth Vidradnyi out” isthere no According to Esh, mostspectacular According at“rezinka”the to piece wasamade-to-order-job: Figure 3: “Rezinka” (The Airspace Lyceum of theNational Aviation University) Photographs by author Photographs 25 CEU eTD Collection where some graffities could also be seen on the tram cars (Fig.5). walkway leading isdensely coveredwith underground tram thenearest to graffiti stop, intelligible for all graffiti the community thearound world. them makes which graffities, his in letters English uses undisturbedly so Russian, only but Ukrainian, hardly and English speak really cannot who Esh, Therefore network. graffiti into the international integrated is still Vidradnyi social inlocal deep rootedness context its despite made that This here.shows wasalso from Prague graffiti crew CAP by famous the piece spectacular the ago years two or one than that, More nearby. situated dormitory student York City graffiti tradition.All together, this leads to the conclusion that unlike the content of “golden the subcultureage” of andensuressome continuity theand 1970sNew belonging to itits because place findsresurrects carsstill the At samebombing time, the cleaned. regularly facades whicharebeing trams, the andexistence of to graffiti – contrary the especially longer grants this place limited resources of conditions inthe places: to other preferable still is “rezinka” multilayered the why reason the also is this assume I today. can spray hardly afford can was any instead, he that Whatso anymore. about, spoke not he why is this Walls of Walls Thenext place panelblocks arerandomly around “rezinka” the (Fig.4). of tagged Esh told me that they used to make more graffiti on the cars, but he could not explain Figure 4: Graffities on the walls of residential buildings in Vidradnyi neighborhood Photographs by author Photographs 26 CEU eTD Collection is specific sensitive tothe environment. Vidradnyi graffiti, isby which its determined universal the context, spatial global distribution experience, little thousands routines of local– always very and personal. Thisis why they Itcontains their 1984). daily (deCerteau, spatial practices byresidents’ “rewritten” constantly embodiment the than more much is Vidrandyi here, live who people for ofNevertheless, city. Soviet other the urban planning it forbe any could taken of neighborhood: locality the specific for in little stands Fig.4) right concept. (on the streets the language of names OneUkrainian for tableswith the system. Except political and the same centralized andleftwith of housing change the omnipotent untouched USSR the policy of “text” of neighborhoodrelations of production (Lefebvre, 1974). The conception microrayonof was put intoeffect by is inexemplifies doing so thelong run beingconsequences spaceof social embedded inthe and period, post-War the of urban planning standardized therash exemplify functionality and monotony architectural space. Its of visual impression representation Sovietof the residential Figure 5: Graffities on theunderground walkway and tram car in Vidradnyi neighborhood Two decades after the disintegration of after thedisintegration of leavesastrong USSRVidradnyi still Two decades the rayon Photographs by author Photographs 27 CEU eTD Collection Kamenskikh. Music Motors. 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( author) - the quote from the popular hip-hop song 8 graffiti Kyiv two between maneuvers it how in remarkable route tram this find I (Fig.6). connects “old newneighborhoods” to the oldest part of the city – the centre of Podil district City Inner Tram: the 3.2 After spaceasawhole. the to redefine distribution. graffiti So,neighborhood is bounded alocal spatial to no with practice ambition makers expose furtherthemselves neithernor in inquantity, nor in quality, spatial disciplinary isspace undermined.poor economic But condition let not does Vidradnyi graffiti lyceum the controlled of designation the as dominant its claim space:the for makes of very level,local inspace. Atthis graffiti as youth for representation place the the conceived has been and what extend makersduplicate graffiti spatial practice In theirmicrorayon). economy) andspace (Soviet relationsof representation (post-Soviet of production inthe change tothe response viewed asthe be might which practice spatial specific the but how they to use can choose from placethe to them ascribed above. is graffiti Vidradnyi most self-performing, creative and relatively safe. They cannotafford a different place tolive, hop. Thehip street offersyoung of people anumber possibilities, of which they the prefer theof flow globalized Vidradnyi with came making, beto forto which fruitful turned graffiti elsewhere – in different part andof of facades streets theyinhabitthe bread daily gain panelblocks theirthe while parents the city at best, in differentsensitive to thecounty everyday life of the neighborhood. Children are basically leftatface faceto with worst. This social soil rayon” my own confuse never million,would if not a say: “There arethousands, of like yards thisin but world,the Iwill “ ˃̵̡̨̨̛̛̬̦̭̖̯̖̯̼̺̌̔̏̏̌̏ In terms of transportation Vidradnyi is tied to the centre through the tram line 14, which As long as young people are not involved in the labor relations they laborin relations they involvedare particularly As long arenot the people asyoung , ̨̨̛̛̯̥̣̣̦̌ 8 . , ̸̨̨̨̨̛̦̦̭̖̥̦̖̭̪̱̯̬̦̜̬̜̦́̌̀̔̌ ʻ̨̬̜̦̖̌̌ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNJfSmm8eT4 ( In daHood) In byduo Kyiv-based PotapandNastia ” (translation by ). 28 CEU eTD Collection outskirts of outskirts Podil are being district intensively gentrified (Fig.2). in whichdecades. The have appeared recent residential sectors, south-eastern business and buildings, old andlateSoviet industrial times blocks, residential andobjects the expanding This partof neighborhoods). city the is verymixed: one couldlate findhere 19 by(Lukyanivskaof Tatarka and the tram passes Shevchenkivskyi oldthe part rayon, which sensitive type of graffiti. The transition between the two is tangible in between the districts, in bohemian Accordinggraffiti. my to informants,artis street amore sophisticated,surface and street art to graffiti-writing rayon-based marginal from moves the itgradually zones: which connect Podil to the so-called “upper city” – the administrative, business and cultural business administrative, –the “upper city” so-called the Podil to which connect and anumber of old Itabandoned houses. is oneof several the (descents), Kyiv “uzvizes” andArt Fine Architecture Academy of houses themain of National building the This street end. the byat tram (#2 inFig.7),whichthe passes its peakonSmirnova-Lastochkina street Starting (#1in atLukyanivska and Tatarka density Fig.7) the increasesgraffiti and of reaches Adapted from:GoogleMaps . Kyiv, Ukraine. Figure 6: Tram route 14 route Tram 6: Figure Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 2010 1, June Retrieved http://maps.google.com/ th century ) 29 CEU eTD Collection Fig.7). in here (#4 are situated marketbig souvenir and galleries, cafes,restaurants art monuments, uzviz isthemostfamous Kyivof downhills:museums, several architectural and sculptural through woody slopes are theheartland ofKyiv bohemian and subculturallife.Andriyivskyi natural landscapethe chainofKyivNowadays – the uzvizesandpathwayscuttinghills. by determined was initially two the between division The territorial centre. andcrafts trade the as functioned Podil whereas sanctuaries, orthodox grandiose the and throne nobility’s) centrein of Kyiv medieval Fig.7). used (#3In knyaz’shouse theuppercentre times to (royal anonymous, which is why itis hard toidentify social their background. One of mostthe active ecological, vegetarian, rightwing) could always be found here, though there are not many. pornographic, antihomophobic, antisexist, Political stencils andstreet-art. (feminist, stencils pieces, stickers, tags, size small/middle by mainly is represented Graffiti buildings. half-abandoned and abandoned of walls the on concentrated particularly is It district. As ismuch inexpected, more there graffiti lower downhilland in Podil than any other Adapted from:GoogleMaps People whomake their graffiti in Podil come here from all over Kyiv. As a rule they are . Kyiv, Ukraine. Figure 7: Inner City 7: Inner Figure Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 2010 1, June Retrieved http://maps.google.com/ ) 30 CEU eTD Collection an mouth open (Fig.9). with a crocodile image of geometric –the schematic “alligator” is Ura’s team the of hallmark font –is definitely themost repetitive and memorable graffiti piecein Kyiv (Fig.8). The other an image Homer’s“PSKR” in tag– and/or ofadog. andwritten letters pseudo-runic Cyrillic tag by collective the often accompanied and Homer), Ura, Kiot members (Lodek, four all the mostfamous Ukrainian team – both at home and abroad. One could find here different tags by comes from comes reference toUkrainians –theethnic minority inPolandand provinceAustrian-ruled Galicia, where Lodek 9 is Krew graffiti in working thisdistrict Psia groups which take placewhich here.Astake Kiotfrom make “I KrewPsia explained parts inof graffiti those cultural in involvedbecause astheirtheyareclosely considered habitat activities, different of them used members Psia observable size piecesliveoutside in Krew Podil, buttwo places. selected the to study in theones (Fig. 9).This sign can also be found in all biggest Ukrainian cities – each having fewbig universitiesinaccessible most the including sewers), cans, garbage kiosks, boxes, light fences, (walls, here. Moreover,surfaces all Podil at possible occurred “alligator” city cleanings recent of aseries Before this part of the city could be Psia Krew is the old-fashioned Polish curse, which literary means “dog’s blood”. was It sometimes used in Figure 8: Tag by Homer, Psia Krew Homer, by Tag 8: Figure Photographs by author Photographs 9 . Founded in the late 1990s,in isthe . Founded this the 31 CEU eTD Collection centre”. Kyiv, where I usually stay and where I feel comfortable to stay. This is the north-western arts history.arts alsoexplainsher graffities whymany arelocated This atSmirnova-of dormitory AcademyFine whereshe student National andthe Architecture, of studies of Art in understandable lightof the her background. Lenda educational in lives in the Tatarka, is stickers, whichart, producing signs, tags, is andespeciallystreet pieces absolutely for idiots”. yourcomfort visual ruining wearehereandscornfully are saying: culture of the external design, against the background of bad visual taste, graffiti and street art and degraded completely hamadvertisement prevailing of the Against background city. the those who are and withourselves for space the us. regain symbolically It we is graffiti making “By importantcomment: following to understand the roleme gave the group, the unofficial “spokesman” of Lodek, the city the awhole. community as of graffiti in modern Ukrainian account by been intoimplicitly Krew on Psiatargets taken Nevertheless, general the public. Kyiv graffiti or peoplesubculture involved in and but design visual arts, hardly ever they have by arehighly letters appreciated andis whyalligator Thisrunic recognized bythecommons. visual language. They strikeprimarily for graphic originality and minimalism, is which rarely Another remarkable, very Podil-and-vicinityis maker though recent, graffiti Lenda. She the remarkable the use of to be reduced can Krewgraffiti meaning of Psia The explicit Source: Olegator . Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 1, 2010 June Retrieved . Figure 9: “Alligator” by Ura, Psia Krew Ura, by “Alligator” 9: Figure http://www.fotolog.com/olegator ) 32 CEU eTD Collection USSR space bridge “Women Talk to Women” in 1986 10 community. she has friendly relationships with some malegraffiti makers Lenda stands apartfrom the subculture: the even herenter itthough for to was achallenge Lenda says that makers.graffiti Kyiv of community male the particularly, – world male the in feminity of representation by inscriptionjustmy legs” “Lick the or “Lick” it Sheinterprets (Fig.10). asthe accompanied sometimes legs, female crossed of pair –a sign graffiti feminine distinguished it every day and see your own piece – like(#2 inLastochkina street Fig.7). Shealsomakes graffiti “it becauseisin Tatarka pass nice to saying “hi” to yourself”. Lenda is the author of a (#5 in Fig.7) Parlament the near and ministers of – Cabinet even the of front in street, Grushevskogo the at city, the one on top of new President’swinter 2010.Some surprisingly of them survived till springthe inthevery centreof political in face. campaign election the during advertisement In political with boxes this light many to pasted were position Lenda’s workhere reinforced by puritanism Soviet was country Orthodox old an of heritage conservative The Ukraine. in tangible is especially female in which sexuality, totheoppressed be“lick”reference shouldunderstood imperative Sovietsexuality can be summarized bythe famous phrase “There isno sex in the USSR” born during the US- Many mates not understand didher the “some “legs”andsign forLenda’s took snots”. Figure 10: Graffiti signs by Lenda Photographs by author Photographs 10 . Bright pink stickers with Lenda’s sign and slogan 33 CEU eTD Collection June 1, 2010 ( from circulation. Mere on the issue: accused of producingorpromoting pornography. Several large exhibitions were a closed, book was withdrawn 11 to intensificationthe moral of in censorship (Fig.11).Ukraine projects art respondingwith ofstreet In2009-2010hemadeaseries portraits. graphic refined politicians”. political: “No, I am not engaged in the politics. being of fact the I denies haveherself nothingLenda but to do criticism, with social of politicalimpression strong partiesvery leaves and places, which are not patrolled by street-cleaners, so that the work couldas work the aslong remain so that patrolledby not street-cleaners, places,are which experienceit’s topaste showsthat better works the abandonedon fences buildings, and choosing theseuzviz, Smirnova-Lastochkina street and abandoned Podil buildings. Andriyivskyi Hisplaces reasoningfavors also he for Kyiv bank left the of resident the Being arts. the from street is quite Unlike isinvolved Byelov the not others, forms insubcultural of graffiti – hecame tothe common: “These are the places where I often stay. My In2009-2010 some trials have been taking place with Ukrainian artists, writers and cultural institutions being Oneimportant more Podil-based street-artist is Byelov, who specializes in big stickers Source: http://helsinki.org.ua/en/index.php?id=1274199959 Anatoly Belov Figure 11: “Why/How much is Morals?” (2009) by Byelov by (2009) Morals?” is much “Why/How 11: Figure Media organizations call for disbanding of Morality Commission. . Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 1, 2010 June Retrieved . http://byelov.livejournal.com/ ) 11 ) Retrieved 34 CEU eTD Collection 12 prerevolutionary so-called the of yards in inner concentrated mainly is graffiti area: in this works distribution offices and uppermiddle residential class buildings. Aninteresting logic of graffiti notary firms, law foreign hotels, upscale many houses also it establishments diplomatic with “embassy”neighborhood with alot of early 20 northeastern part of Shevchenkivskyi district (#6 at Fig.7). It is primarily famous for being the property. Nonetheless, probability removal of quick forand administrative spoiling punishment private someone’s this is not exactly in On spend much the very centre. high by otherhand,are the time distracted they the the case forfactors. themselves donot here On producers graffiti absence hand, graffiti bytwo one the of that part of the centre, Followingboutiques andmyinformants, expensive logicthe Icanexplainrestaurants. the of whichbuildings, administrative offices, of isfull area, cleaned and thesurveyed policed, most the is Fig.7).This at (#5 district partof Pechersk eastern the of city, the centre “sterile” reaches the means thathis graffiti is noticed andnegatively,by though recognized, general the public. – especially oneswherenudebodiesthe were depictedtogether with symbols.Christian This noticed them street-cleaners the faster than wereremoved pieces Byelov’s Some of possible”. pornographic keepswritingBut time pieces hereandhestill totime. his well-known tag isneighborhood by He used especiallyfavored tomakesomeHomer. provocative days have passed –in nowadaysa sense that they work solo.tend to The “embassy” neighborhood. the of residents the for or insiders the for either observable are and passers-by regular quasi-public graffitiesaresomewhatpresence. So,these –they are hiddenfrom eyes the of The1917 October Revolution is meanthere When Podil slips into “upper of the city” thedensity graffiti itsharply decreases – until Psia Krew’s graffities can be found in the area too. But it must be said that their best 12 houses, whereas the outer, public the whereas outer, houses, give surfaces don’t potential awaytheir th century architectural Together monuments. century architectural 35 CEU eTD Collection One of my informants, who seemed familiar with the historical and subcultural context of message is problematic, especially without author’s information. background commentis without message or problematic, especially brightbutfunctions theirand They look very and all eye-catching, of graffiti (Fig.13). reflect history the on it to tries because “meta-graffiti” call the I would something subculture, ironical graffiti the Some of to/about commentary messages to the (Fig.12).are the them inner blocks conceptual the on walls of residential pieces big abstract the produces size recently Homer got fully into the new type of street activity, which he calls post-graffiti. He create his conceptual his (Fig.create pieces conceptual 14). to ‘buffs” andrepeatedly uses the out, painted which arethen graffities, making “regular” the or graffities. removed of signs the – “buffs” with deals They post-graffities Homer’s of type another Yet canways”. be read as the wordplaywon’t understand whywith I’m doing this, but atcity least, they will cleaners:be able to interpret it in their lives“They becausecentre partof hemost reflexive the Kyiv here. thinks that population own Homer attracts them in work likes to he viewer: the the towards his “demanding” strategy of arepart preferences by graffiti, “Iwhy said get don’t he is doingandwhat thathe is say”.trying to Homer’s spatial Figure 12: Homer’s Post-Graffiti Homer’s 12: Figure Photograph by author by Photograph 36 CEU eTD Collection makers themselves. This is why makers Thisis here is representational themselves. why the notthe space, butrather graffiti graffiti of are “gallery” the visitors the only be by public, the canobserved where graffities in Podil, unlike low: is potential representational its in Fig.2) district Holosiyivskyi the of part northeastern (the centre city is tothe itclose geographically Although river. of Lybid’ the on quays the mainly,“gallery” graffiti “legal walls” – the with majority so-called the the deals makers,whereas Kyivgraffiti numberof by a small chosen are places these Still, of city.the woody theconceivedor hills forrupture spaceproviding thealternative some opportunity use by interrupted natural landscape. hardly Abandonedbuildings, places accessible and historical is space of representation dominant the where centre, city of the parts –those locations of set in particular the intersected are rhetorics visual and discourses way. Different own their attempttoredefinePodil makers –eachin conceived space representational space. graffiti the The type of graffiti describedI have can above be viewed asthe Lefebvrian Source: Source: Homer. Homer. Retrieved June 1, 2010( June Retrieved 1, 2010( June Retrieved Figure 13: “Meta-graffiti” by Homer by “Meta-graffiti” 13: Figure Figure 14: “Buff-graffiti” by Homer by “Buff-graffiti” 14: Figure http://magicsideburns.blogspot.com/ http://magicsideburns.blogspot.com/ ) ) 37 CEU eTD Collection the graffiti makers I talked to. It is due to specific life circumstances that they ended Globalization Media, Culture, the Street: 3.2 Outof up on positionality. and content through both space reflexive,mobilized position its dominant andexpress the and conscious politically towards behave more to Kyiv would graffiti space its ownrepresentational produce politics. To the with themselves associate not do but messages, political explicit some convey Byelov and positionality,butnot the elusive content of his On graffities. contrary,the people likeLenda against “enemy”the and –advertisements Thisbringshis consumerism. somelight to spatial considers himself an anarchist. His games with the city cleaners are part of the bigger struggle stand theclear–he informants, Homerarticulated political my other authority. Unlike confrontation of conceivers’ the direct could thedouble-appropriation, does becalled he what arevery unique: Homer’s buff-graffities respect, “dirty” places.In this structurally time.the Graffiti’s response to dominantthe discourse “urban of isdirt” hidingin the placeall aretaking although issue removals the notraisegraffiti removals expenses of do the treatingit as ordinary urban Therefore,dirt. unlike inmany worldother cities, Kyiv officials cleaners,in whodonotrecognize graffiti face andauthority street the face of the power they Nevertheless, highly aestheticized. makes and perception which their surfaces, textures agreed. landscapehumble, andnot Graffitimakers dispersed urban through primarily perceive municipality. by controlled not but becomes thepublic – private space.Thus,the representational into it the converts space private and heintervenes tothe is really appropriative: spatial His buildings. gesture residential in yards central innerthe the useof is Homer’s opposite the seems exactly from differentcollective –though spatial practice making. graffiti What rayon-based the The fact that they The fact thatthey draw liked turned to always to bemostall the common thing about isKyiv quite space might graffiti overall of the It representational be inferredthat 38 CEU eTD Collection biggest art-fair the Art-Moscow, at presented were works In2007their art-market. coreof the to directly in the region.from someand, that moved marginal independent to the Krew spaces Psia exhibitory extent, In 2008, togetherground for further graffiti’s involvement with the commercial culture. What Imean here is with Paris understand it that the isthey important to prepared also But self-expression. certain alternative street artist becausefor they These bespaces aplatform provided consideredrepresentational could Honet and Belgian Contemporary Art(2006), festival street likeprojects indifferent that: exist Krewparticipated Psia anymore. of donot which most galleries, independent some in graffiti involving exhibitions arts several also were There Incorporated 13 marketing tobe proved manya good for tool bigcompanies – such as street creativity. Thesegraffiti underwas produced special, conditions governable – differently from spontaneousthe were often connected with the promotion of hip especially indicative. hop culture, which of mediaurban culture and popular phenomenon. Krew’s InthisrespectIfind Psia case yearsmade Kyiv graffiti tothe apassagefrom feature marginal practice the subcultural trendy senseit that hasbeengradually integrated into the field of cultural fiveproduction. Inlast its short presence in Kyiv,how Itry keepto balance between thegraffiti good and the evil”, – said Homer. Furthermore, despite is This itself graffities. my with out them paint I evening in the has advertisements, alreadycreate I daytime become some sort of notably, of most famousthe Kyiv graffiti professionmakers areinvolved in professional “In design. the – in a more fashion.in than others: the havesucceededthem or Some photography, graphics visual – painting, formscreativity of to other is everyone attracted fact, in while, street, the Sinckers Urbania As early as in of beginning the weresome2000s there festivals, Kyiv where street The Colors of Protest Colors of The festival isnamed afterthe world famous candy barproduced by the US-based company Mars, Street Baboons at Shuliavskyi bridge (2003), bridge atShuliavskyi in Totoro Garden Gallery (2006) and some others. Graffiti inFocus Snickers Urbania in the Centre for 13 . 39 CEU eTD Collection the genuine graffiti makers. La Petite Porcherie fashion story by story Urapublishedin Lodek and Porcherie fashion genuine LaPetite makers. the graffiti from is what madecomes that isstressed it always time, same Atthe etc. Porcherie La Petite is Baboons;studiocalled their street artproject named the design Street curate silk-screening ILOVEKIEV festival annual the of framework the in Dandys; Kiev forthemselves. Thus, their in 2008exhibition Saint-PetersburgPsia Krewwas rebranded into reidentify symbolically they in which names new and new invent also they importantly, graffitedness” of their “non- the tostress try andhis is This peers whyLodek from art-market. the autonomy relative non-street graffiti’s basis the on benefits economical into projects.converted is graffiti of capital symbolic Not only they changeIn hedoing sofollows what Bourdieu defined asthelogic of fieldthe of cultural production: wall for canvas, as different. types of graffiti position two for him these to important isvery It education”. art but, more our activity]substituted it for [street activity street from our deduced can beetymologically galleries. If the gallery invites us we show our static graphics, which isn’t graffiti – although it paint activity innot to don’t copy principle wallsthe streetin is anycase.Our our the distinguishing “As between graffiti and we artistic production. gallery regardsthe projects, and product, artisticthe valueshould definemarket the value” (KyivFineArtGallery, 2007). market apartfrom have should of artworks, value, the value art the artistic that presupposes profile of is institution this following:openly declared as “The conceptKyivFineArt of commercial The collection. gallery the from canbe whose works purchased andothers, these among listed is now Krew Psia Tsaholov. Vasily and Savadov Arsen Mamsikov, Maksym works withKyivFineArt mostthe expensive contemporary of artists Ukraine –such as group inINXS Psiagroup Krew participated Explaining Psia Krew’s attitude toward this kind of towardthiskindExplaining insists on Lodek attitude Krew’s of activity Psia Strange ButCool project byKyivFineArtGallery. in Lavra Gallery they Gallery Lavra in 40 CEU eTD Collection ( togetherinterested,mightdialogue. butget don’t getthepoint”, People they –saidSo, Homer. with (subconscious)is no there be thestreet, done on cannot this Unfortunately, on wall. the who defecate marginals somemore than graffiti makersare show that butto someact out artists, to was not self-interest moveKyiv graffiti “The to lack to this space is space. aim representational of the alternative, spatial triad: the field of cultural production represents the conceived space, and the reason for itcity, heisworm”. thestreet Thislast Homer’sbrings point the discussion back toLefebvre’s is also handcame to –because is gallery the for themaker bourgeois. Graffiti is aliveinonly the the structuralStrange ButCool for Theisinstead. best this proof about declared disinterestedness” is comment Homer’s underdevelopmentin “interest – the explicitly expressed is never for success orientation Certainly, be andstill successful. art-scene) independent the a lesser makers extent, and,to graffiti of by (recognition consecration specific satisfy degree of principle Theytry the to [1983]1993). itis– for both field“the “the of positions” field and of position-taking” (Bourdieu, softened,or hold allows Psia Krewto flexible position within the field of cultural production 2009). graffiti” scene”(Dzon, “Buying the stuff of LPP [La Porcherie]Petite you aresupporting the local Kyiv “punk- call: following the by accompanied was t-shorts their about advertisements sales online graffiti slang term for the train car painted from top to bottom to from top carpainted for train the term graffiti slang TOP-10. Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 15 involve with the dominant space Bektursunov is the counselor of Kyiv city major Leonid Chernovetskyi, which also proves graffiti’s intention to 14 popularmagazinethe TOP-10 http://lodek.livejournal.com/132509.html Fashion story available at: Lodek. 2010. BothILOVEKIEV festival and TOP-10 magazine are run by Kyiv MediaHolding, whose header Kazbek Their instrategy, ambiguous belonginggraffitiwhich to issubculture emphasized either exhibition in KyivFineArt: “Those wereworthless. “Those in good KyivFineArt: Nothing exhibitionworks http://lodek.livejournal.com/133590.html#cutid1 14 was titled was Top2Bottom ); interview with the authors available at: Lodek. 2010. Interview for TOP2BOTTOM . Retrieved June 1, 2010 – in reference to the international the to in reference – 15 . More than that, one of the ) 41 CEU eTD Collection 16 – Kyiv graffiti madeteam, which itthrough tagging sophisticatedto surrealistic muralism. Tales) (Interesting Kazky is Interesni this for illustration best The home. at mural any make to countries go as far as inviteto Kyiv graffiti makers to paint their walls, itis almostimpossible festival graffiti in Polish participated Notably, Lodek’sbiggest mural was madenot in Kyiv,inbut Wroclaw, whenin May 2010 he abroad. Local areincreasingly migration”. makers production engaged ingraffiti graffiti their sales outlet. At the same time, current state of Kyiv graffiti leads to some sort of “labor expand in company.suppliers aim By promotingto Ukrainegraffiti foreign subculture paint itKiotin by involvedfestivals, actively which aresponsored of organization the graffiti the spray manufacturing graffiti paints) MontanaCans(popular Ukrainian –German-based representative of Motip Dupli international Droup company profit-making opportunity foreignfor capital. Krew’s Specifically, member Psia isKiot a like the other forms of First do. production of all,its “underdevelopment” opens an attractive intojustby globalKyiv is influencedintegrated economy graffiti global processes cultural placesremote in one global retainingspace through their unevenness. Being thoroughly jointing by distance challenges globalization that shows nicely this myopinion, In be. to Paris, where, as they consider, there are much better opportunities for graffiti beto what it has country.other his inWarsaw”, Maybeonly Homer. praise Heand –said and peers Berlin makers often compare Kyiv other cities. to “Ihaven’t seen much this visual of in garbage any institutions of andpower domination. with involvement the the makers to pushes Kyivgraffiti spacethat representational ( of the page): 17 http://just.ekosystem.org/BLOG/?p=409 More on the issue: Thescale of the murals is nicely shown in the following photo and video-report (Lodek’s mural atthe bottom In expressing their unsatisfaction with what I call here representational I call space graffiti hererepresentational with In expressingtheirunsatisfaction what Out of Something – Breaking the Wall Motip Dupli Group. Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( ) Breaking theWallBreaking . April 25, 2010. http://www.motipdupli.com/ Retrieved June 1, 2010 17 16 . At a time when neighboring when a time At . . Apart from spray distribution ) 42 CEU eTD Collection walls of walls praises for them style the aesthetics. Consequently, and in autumn 2009IK of the painted everyone – political called be hardly can murals IK’s raise, they problems main the among Same is true about their content: although one might recognizebeautify. hence, mass they, societywhich andsurfaces, alienationpanoramic big on painted are they because domination againstriot symbolic not do their graffities beconformist: called could with government city contrary, contradict it and attempt to redefine it – by now unsuccessfully. It isredefineitit to and– by important tounsuccessfully. contradict contrary, now It attempt I think that IK muralsNevertheless, impulse. representational in prior the from left the was nothing – city consumers attracting do not serve the dominant conception of space but, on the Lyon (France, 2010)( participate in muralfestivalinValencia 2009) or (Spain, art-caféto decorate the façade in agreedto gladly itis IK nostrange that Therefore, 2009). (Abo, institutions bureaucratic possible all involve and months several take might administration city the with mural the agreeing of procedure The bureaucracy. municipal with struggle means a piece new IK Kyivers,have who already fromglorified IK. Apart considerable financial expenses, every quantity is not likely to increase much in the nearest time – to the great disappointment of There are over twenty murals by Interesni Kazky (IK) throughout the city. Their city. the throughout (IK) Kazky Interesni by murals twenty over are There In this by case,graffiti was fully appropriated sakespace for commercial the the of Bilshovyk Figure 15: Interesni Kazky’s Murals in the Shopping Mall – one of biggestthe Kyiv shopping malls (Fig.15). Interesni Kazky Blog, Source: Photograph byauthor Source: Photograph 2010).In Baudrillardian IK’s terms, relationship Bilshovyk 43 CEU eTD Collection acquiring the alternative representation of of space. representation alternative the acquiring post-Sovietcity conception, which are challengingIK with muralstheir –thoughnot really propagandist(Fig.16). purposes “Plain” beautifying hasyet not beeninvolved inthe dominant serve and madedidactic mosaics to were murals especially and urban Kyiv numerous fromwas inherited approach urban of functionalistic planning the Soviet InSoviet times. This“pragmatic” more thesuperstructure. asthebase as thethan city iswords, treated other In “directly”. somewhat market the iton puts municipality Kyiv benefits economic into which Kyiv is instead not: of “beautifying” urban landscape and converting symbolic capital city, “ideal” capitalist means the Baudrillard graffiti New York about when speaking that note which seem so few in the city, are multiplied through different blog platforms, social circumvention of economic urban governingand expenses, removal Kyivpolicies. graffities, in network global into integration for allow media global”: “more be to scene Kyiv pushes that is context local itthe precisely bemediascape. Paradoxically, graffiti to turns In the light of these circumstances the more profound representational space of Kyiv ( http://community.livejournal.com/stina_ua/10932.html?mode=reply Source: Pan_grunia. 2010. Source: Pan_grunia. Figure 16: Soviet Mosaic at Darnytskyi Boulvard, Kyiv Olimpiada-80 . Retrieved June 1, 2010 1, June Retrieved . ) 44 CEU eTD Collection sign … Global advertising is the key technology for the world-wide dissemination of of fora dissemination world-wide the sign advertising is thetechnology key …Global a into them) accompany that advertising, of especially mediascapes, flows (and commodity through transformed, been has consumer “The politics. local and economy cultural betweenglobal disjuncture of radical the as aresult emerged landscapes”, which “uncertain Appadurai, the type of space graffiti thisproduces waymightbe called one of many the mediation graffiti looms between the physical and the post, a blogand then aFacebook entry, once again multiplevirtual, online.this published In the local and the global. After media physical beingextended vicespace hereto –butnot is versa:“real” into graffiti turned are printed, and pastes them beneath random graffitiesgraffiti. on city walls kind by post- another of yetHomer’s (Fig. canbeillustrated space, which urban than actual the 17). In fact, it exist.is(usually –graffitinot virtual itless Belongingdoes photographed) no space defines to mediatedin and instantly virtual space.Basically, ifit reproduced the is documented not for landscape)domain media. (urban the Thisnewgraffiti inis made city the in tobe order Paulo. What originated in Kyiv is a new type of graffiti, changed which its traditional spatial inlikeSan NewYork or than much cases less is, tangible local hence, identity graffiti, whose 2009). Ifind thisremarkable it inhow globalizationalthe demonstrates nature of Kyiv isin inthefact thatRussian languages internet World used top-10 the (Internet the Statistics, the of in spite – alphabet in Cyrillic none but versions, language twelve has it Interestingly, website blog photo international the is one common most The networks. social used moreeven actively. anaverage Thus, Kyivgraffiti maker isrunning severalblogs and andlow-pricemediamaker appealnew Duetotheirarchitecture Neakone. are decentralized latter the most important is a while and levelsdifferent of specialized media itreproducing on a regular basis. Among the networks, printed media and TV. There are a lot of general media dealing with graffiti once in Homermakes paper stickers, on which user’s comments from social popular networks Element magazine published and byKyivdistributed graffiti Fotolog . 45 CEU eTD Collection computer screen. computer andthe between wall the landscape in uncertain some buthovers actual on the surface city media-graffiti Indeed, is1990:229). full land“creative” agency notof consumer which does ideas for (Appadurai, consumer of well-chosen agency” plethora creative, culturally and Source: Figure 17: “Facebook” and“Livejournal” graffities by Homer Gomer1 . Retrieved June 1, 2010 ( 1, 2010 June Retrieved . http://gomer1.livejournal.com/ ) 46 CEU eTD Collection their alternative representation is very humble it has been immediately appropriated by the appropriated beenimmediately humbleithas isvery representation their alternative factDespite the freedom andand some premisessexuality of other space.that conceived the their city. Those few who really do so reject consumerism, advertising, oppression of personal the contesting of representation produce livingmakers space graffiti theirpractice outside more is ambitiousattracts This makers. graffiti performing whyIhave that assumed spatial by which hereis landscape, natural historical The ruptured space of and conception the Vidradnyi, innercity the some opportunities forprovides transcending the structure. dominant social the of reproduce makers inhabit.practice Unlike local spacethey structure graffiti inspatial their me conclusion the that to hasbrought This quantity and distribution. content, its influences strongly which neighborhood, proletarian former in the isexercised Graffiti youth. class working post-Soviet of condition economic the loaded with are of practice in Lefebvre’s thetype of exemplifies which practice, understandings spatial and deCerteau’s which have neighborhood, explored, graffiti I institutions andmedia.case In Vidradnyi of its with by itselfresided urban spacenetwork of conjuncture butat at cultural the economy not is with dealt have I domain third The centre. city the and neighborhood the – space spaces. global with involvement its and economy cultural story. In case of my way itsgraffiti in guides viewer thecity, itbecausejoins allin them asingle urban weighty thesis it has been developers,nor municipality,Neither and noreven the history couldarchitecture substitute the story of post-Sovietin This NewYork. iswhy understanding graffiti provides a uniqueclue to urban space. urban transformation,they would never be placed on the cars and instead on the surfaces which might noteven exist local Kyiv, subwaybut graffitiesinmodern which they of NewYork copies occur Some embody. Based on my ethnography, I have defined two types of my have types Based in two on ethnography, I defined of graffiti Kyivurban domains When urbanoverlaying numerous landscapes graffiti exposes socialdifferent spaces Concluding Remarks 47 CEU eTD Collection being a case in itself. each small, individual with situation stories of wastoo collection scale upthe Iended the and Since Kyiv graffitirelatively small –very thus, for small convenient ethnographicscale research. Still,inmy as a very dynamic phenomenon,is especially due regrettable to the number Kyiv of graffiti makers, which is finite and It generalizations. which sufficient making for enough not is city in the has observations for spent I onlytime the and informants my of quantity the methodology: my from comes limitations significant of set Another media. and economy cultural to space urban from shift sharp the of that Lefebvre’s flows the and byAppadurai to of described sociology space? disjunctions canwe in whatis andhow accommodate spatial the space triad words, theposition global of production of space, where space is viewed asdynamic in butnotintime locality. In other the of theory in the networks global decentralized the include to how is respect this in which it toresidetends moremore. and The needs tobeansweredtheoretical which question media, new or institutions economy cultural spaces, urban outside foreign in – even context original identity the social local its maintains graffiti Kyiv places. other of multitude the to inasmuch The place isimportant as it in networks. relation stands versatile the informational and economical in global position graffiti’s decides that local the of specificity the precisely imply that local contextis not important for graffiti production anymore. On the contrary, itis Western –consistsEurope in substantialitythe of global agenda. This, however,doesnot paradigms of graffiti making –such as ethnic ghetto in USandthe political activism in previous crucialthe from difference newgraffiti. Its typeof qualitatively the Kyiv represents structural problem, other.the on and hand, one the on agency, interest-oriented personal the of result a as government city institutions and with commercial graffiti’sthe involvement havespace. I interpreted dominant The theoretical problem stated above explains some drawbacks of my study my– especially study of drawbacks above some explains stated problem The theoretical My major ethnographic finding is the discovery theof fact that what Ihave dealt with in 48 CEU eTD Collection social social geography. would definitely benefit from innovativethe mapping methodsoffered by contemporary study Presentin course. were notdiscovered of cartography Finally, possibilities due the make inthe to itisimportant observations frame. time itselfextended alsoapproved recently, 49 CEU eTD Collection Bazhkova, E., Lurie, M. and Shumov, K. 2004. Baudrillard, Jean. 1993.“Kool [1976] Killer, Orthe Insurrection of in Signs” Bater, James. 1980. Dzon. 2009. Carrington, Victoria. 2009. “I Write, Therefore I Am: Texts in the City” Abo, Anton. 2009. Austin, 1992. Joe. Dickinson, Maggie. 2008. “The Making of Space, Race and Place: New York City's War on Chmielewska,“Framing 2007. Ella. Graffiti [Con]text: and Place” Bushnell, John.1990. Bourdieu,[1983] 1993. Pierre. Dick Hebdige.1979. Michel.de Certeau, 1984. Corrigan,“Doing Pall. [1975]1993. Nothing.”in Pp.103-106 Clarke, Jefferson, John, Hall, Stuart, Tony and Roberts, Brian. “Subcultures, [1975]1993. Appadurai, Arjun. [1990]2008.“Disjuncture and Difference in Globalthe Cultural Feenberg, Andrew andJim Freedman. 2001. ( Gosudarstvennyi Muzey A.V.Shchuseva.Imeni Retrieved June 1,2010 Exchange andDeath City ( Communication ( Publishing. Graffiti 1970 - the Present.” Literature War Britain Press. Routledge. Youth Subcultures inPost-War Britain Cultures and in Class.”Pp.9-79 Economy.” in Pp.47-66 169. Events of1968. http://www.muar.ru/exibitions/2004/exibit200804_1.htm http://www.lookatme.ru/cities/kiev/events/89839 http://vivacity.ru/intervie-interesni-kazki . New York: Columbia University Press. L.P.P. Studio Sale X-mas at PLAU. . Cambridge: Polity Press. , edited by S. Hall and T.Jefferson. London: Routledge. Taking the Train:How Graffiti Art BecameanUrbanCrisis inNew York Interesni Kazky, Interview The SovietCity: Ideal and Reality Albany: State University of New York Press. Subculture: TheMeaning of Style 8:409-425. Moscow Language Graffiti: and Subculture. The PracticeofEverydayLife . London: SagePublications. The AnthropologyofGlobalization The Fieldof CulturalProduction. Essays on Artand Critique of Anthropology Resistance through Rituals. Resistance throughRituals. Youth Subcultures inPost- References ). , edited by S. Hall and T. Jefferson. London: When Poetry RuledtheStreets: TheFrench May . 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