Not too old for Graffiti!

In a time when street art’s social and artistic merits are becoming increasingly commoditized, LATA 65 eliminates the many cliches that come with street art by widening both its audience and participants.

Through introducing the art of graffiti to a different group of makers, the project hopes to create a solidarity between all groups involved while adding some colorful designs to the city along the way.

Lata65 is a community of older citizens of Lisbon with a relatively young form of art—graffiti (“lata” means “can” in Portuguese). Through workshops attendees learn the history of street art while making their own stencils and tags, ultimately incorporating their work in murals across the city.  

LATA 65 | workshop de arte urbana para idosos from WOOL on Vimeo. 

These bright colors go into run-down parts of the Lisbon, and each new artist is aided by the help of well-known street artists.

Often, the street art that feigns to tackle social issues reads more as stale attempts to cash in on notoriety by a horde of indistinguishable Banksy-clones. LATA 65 works to destroy age stereotypes and turn senior citizens into street artists by providing them with spray paint cans, masks and gloves and finding them free spots in the city to tag up and paint! 

www.widewalls.ch/

www.woolfest.org

Cover image courtesy of thisiscolossal.com