Graffiti in Tunisia: From an act of defiance to a life-changing artform

Walls covered in writing and images tell story of Tunisian people’s daily lives, hopes and dreams

A visitor to Tunis is immediately taken in by the city’s graffiti-covered walls, adorned with colourful sketches and slogans in French, English and Arabic.

The country’s graffiti scene has evolved and flourished since the political uprising in 2011, which led to the fall of Tunisia’s long-standing dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and brought in a new political and cultural era.

The political slogans on the walls became more outspoken, and artists took on new daring projects.

While there has always been graffiti in Tunisia, many of the bolder and bigger paintings emerged after 2011.

Despite graffiti being illegal under Tunisian law, it seems authorities have allowed various artworks to remain up across the country, with some becoming fixtures of Tunisia’s urban landscape.

On Djerba island, authorities allowed a youth project to turn a part of the old neighbourhood of Houmt Souk into a walk-through gallery of graffiti by local artists.

The project, now called Djerba Hood, has become a popular tourist attraction.

Graffiti’s reputation as a simple act of vandalism started changing and people’s views shifted in support of the messages it carries and the colour and life it can bring to otherwise dull architecture.

Sociologist and street art specialist Eya Ben Mansour says Tunisians have always used the walls of the public space as a canvas for their thoughts.

“We find the first roots in the nineties with writings on prisons’ walls,” Ms Ben Mansour told media.

She said the scene evolved further with the rise of football ultras and political groups who were opposed to Ben Ali, who was toppled after widespread protests in 2011.

Ultras and protesters found the walls of their home cities, often in marginalised neighbourhoods, as their only places to express their thoughts.

“There was no place for these young people to express themselves,” Ms Ben Mansour said.

“Whenever they find themselves cornered, graffiti on the wall has always been their way of expression.”

Graffiti allows the artist to remain anonymous yet public, reducing the risk while maximising exposure.

The founder of the graffiti group Blech Esm (Without a Name, in Arabic) and entrepreneur, Khalil Lahbibi, told media that the artists have higher aims than just leaving random sketches on walls.

“It is all about the education, graffiti possesses the capacity of changing a place and creating new things that could actually leave an impact,” said Mr Lahbibi, 29.

He believes graffiti could be an alternative to the state’s traditional form of cultural and educational activities.