Chile Despertó

Chile Woke Up!

What began as a protest against a minimal increase of the metro fare in 2019, turned into a massive movement for dramatic changes to the country’s economic and political system. Martial excesses by the carabineros and military, together with the fanatic rhetoric of war by the president Piñera, reminded protesters of the Pinochet dictatorship and its crackdown on any form of dissent. 

Rubber bullets fired at protesters caused severe eye injuries and in the worst cases blindness. In turn, bandaged eyes became one of the powerful symbols of the ongoing protest movement, together with the police-attacking dog Negro, with his red bandana.

The upheaval and anger that spilled onto the street is prominently visible on the walls of Chilean cities. Activists and artists have sprayed and painted often sophisticated graffiti and slogans on nearly every free façade. 

Especially Santiago de Chile and Valparaiso have become unique and creative culminationcentres for leftist political and subversive Graffiti Street Art.

photos taken with iPhone, Hipstamatic App