Scratching the Surface is a collection of essays that delves into the world of graffiti and street art, offering reflection and analysis. Commissioned by the Mondriaan Fund, this publication brings together eight experts who share their insights into these dynamic art forms and explore their future trajectories. What developments are shaping the scene and what can we learn from graffiti and street art today?

Scratching the Surface is een essaybundel die reflecties en analyses biedt over de complexe wereld van graffiti en streetart. In opdracht van het Mondriaan Fonds brengt deze bundel acht experts samen die hun inzichten delen in deze dynamische kunstvormen en verschillende toekomstperspectieven verkennen. Welke ontwikkelingen bepalen de scene en wat kunnen we vandaag de dag leren van graffiti en streetart?

We are living in a time of polarization. Cultural and educational institutions are confronted with the responsibility to provide tools and spaces for critical reflection, for engagement, and, more fundamentally, for meeting and recognizing each other in our differences. In this decolonial essay Rolando Vázquez introduces his critique which offers an option for thinking and doing beyond the dominant paradigms. It provides a critical analysis of modernity understood broadly as the western proj...