The streets of Santiago de Chile were marked by protests and violent confrontations at the end of 2019 and the walls of the city were plastered with political propaganda, stencils and street art. Photos by Sebastian Kramm in Santiago for Buenos Aires Street Art.
Paste up portraying a protester being grabbed by a riot policeman
Anti-government demonstrations and clashes with security forces led to the deaths of 23 people and left the capital Santiago unrecognisable. Dozens of shop fronts and government buildings suffered acts of vandalism with stencils, paste ups, slogans and political propaganda reflecting the unrest and anger towards president Sebastián Piñera and his government. Some of the propaganda was painted by Socialist Party militant supporters, others by individuals.
Paste up showing a Chilean footballer karate kicking a riot policeman
Portrait featuring former Chilean President Salvador Allende with the phrase “Police torture”
“We are not at war, we are united”.
“We are not at war”, we are united”, says this response to Piñera who said the opposite after the outbreak of violence and rioting.
“Assassin state” and “All Cops Are Bastards”
A wall in the city centre is covered with posters, paste ups and phrases accusing the government security forces and police of brutality.
“Nobody should die for their rights”
“Holy Dignity” – protest art supporting legalisation of abortion
A number of paste-ups and artworks support the feminist movement, the legalisation of abortion and LGBT rights. A number of women can be seen wearing the green neck scarf in support of the right for women to choose.
Feminist icon Gabriela Mistral
Another artwork features a portrait of Chilean feminist icon and Nobel Prize winner Gabriela Mistral who was famous in the 1950s for campaigning for women’s rights.
“It’s a match”
“Rebellion, resistance and love”
Artwork with head of Chilean transgender writer Pedro Lemebel on the left, and Communist politician Gladys Marin who opposed the dictatorship and neoliberalism in the 1990s.
“The rapist is you”
“We are all going to be queens”
Photos © Sebastian Kramm for Buenos Aires Street Art
