Wende Museum Hosts Symposium on Street Art's Political Role in Global Communities

The Wende Museum of the Cold War in Culver City, California, will present a symposium titled 'Street Art Narratives: Community, Demonstration, and Solidarity' on September 14, 2025. This event will explore how street art functions as a form of political expression and community response in regions facing authoritarian governance and conflict, with particular attention to Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Six speakers—Sven Spieker, Shasha Razor, Anatoli Ulyanov, Mitja Velikonja, Mario Ybarra Jr., and Rabi Towing—will deliver presentations from their respective fields of study and artistic practice. Following the talks, two panel discussions will address graffiti and street art culture, as well as methods for documenting these often temporary works for historical preservation. The symposium aims to examine how public art can convey messages of resistance, humor, satire, pride, and direct action in response to external pressures. A reception in the museum garden will conclude the program. Registration is available through an online link.