The city of São Paulo and its dynamics: graffiti, Clean City Act and urban advertising

ABSTRACT Legislation changes and the dissemination of graffiti murals has changed the interpretation of society about the character of graffiti in the city of São Paulo, even receiving some encouragement from the City Hall. Graffiti pieces have been spread to embellish the city and promote touristic spots, which has favored the recognition and popularity of graffiti artists, encouraging a graffiti economy. The general objective of this article is to reflect on how this “graffiti economy” has been incorporated by market interests, showing that such incorporation process led to the creation of ways to “circumvent” advertising limitations imposed by São Paulo’s “Clean City Act” (Lei Cidade Limpa), which led to graffiti murals being used by big companies and advertising agencies.