City As Canvas: Analysis of Street Painting in Lahore

Abstract

Street painting as one of the public art forms has emerged in the contemporary age as a medium of communication with public, in addition to enhancing the urban spaces. The idea of street painting in Lahore arose as an anti-wall chalking campaign in 2010, under the Street Art Pakistan which is run by Mudassir Zia. This organization aims to educate the public about the local cultures, traditions, and national values through the street paintings. This research article intends to analyze the street paintings executed in Lahore and their impact on the citizens. The space, location, medium, and the mindset of the artist as well as the local viewer play an important role in defining the significance of public artwork. The comparative analysis of the street paintings of Lahore with the Western, South East Asian and Indian street paintings puts forth the weaknesses in the former, highlighting the measures required for the improvement, and comprehending the significance of street paintings and their role in the urban society. The impact of street painting on the naïve and experienced viewers is traced through the interviews at the selected sites in Lahore. Moreover, discussion with Mudassir Zia supports the analysis. Basing on all the reviews, this research evaluates the street painting and its impact to present the suggestive measures for its betterment in the future.