This paper examines the intersection of political geography and tagging, focusing on political graffiti as a form of territorial marking within urban spaces. Drawing on the conceptual framework articulated by Ley and Cybriwsky in 1974, this study positions political graffiti as a tool for diverse political ideologies to assert presence, mark their own territories, and contest space.

Through field research conducted in Linz, a regional centre in Upper Austria, and applying the Place-Based Observation method, this research maps the spatial distribution and content of political graffiti. The findings reveal distinct patterns of political dialogue and conflict, illustrating how political actors strategically target significant and symbolic locations to amplify their messages and ideologies. The study further integrates insights from spot theory and the concept of political symbolic space, shedding light on how urban landscapes become arenas of ideological contestation.

By situating this analysis within political geography, the paper contributes to understanding the spatial dimensions of political dialogue and symbolism in cities. It specifically addresses the role of graffiti as a medium through which political actors reshape urban political landscapes and engage with the dynamics of ideological contestation.

The paper explores graffiti, street art, and murals in the context of the neoliberal city, highlighting the transformation of these forms in the context of growing commodification, touristification and gentrification of urban space. Through an ethnographic research in Ljubljana (Slovenia), the paper gives attention to the visual transformations in autonomous zones. In particular, it focuses on how an anarcha queer feminist group use graffiti and street art as media for voicing radical activism, while relying on collective muralism to build a political community. The paper argues for a nuanced understanding of the role of graffiti, street art and murals in the context of the neoliberal city and within social movements, emphasizing the multi-layered nature of political graffiti and street art as a form of radical political activism.

In recent decades, Porto has experienced a large-scale renovation of its built environment and public spaces. These operations resulted in demographic shifts and a change in the way people live the city (Mendes, 2018; Fernandes et al., 2021). In addition, the city’s widespread acceptance of street art fostered a new creative and political expressive medium. Taking as a starting point the Historical Urban Landscape approach (HUL) (UNESCO, 2011), and integrating ethnographic (Ferro et al., 2018) and phenomenological methodologies (Thrift, 2008; Wyllie, 2013), we will explore street art’s role in generating emotional and affective experiences (Crouch et al., 2015; Nomeikaite, 2023) in order to understand the ongoing urban, heritage, and social-political processes in Porto. In the last decade, street art has received more attention in both heritage studies and the geography field (Guinand et al., 2018). Street art's crucial connections to everyday life and change, as well as its socio-political performative power, have not been adequately explored in current research (op cit). The preservation of urban heritage is no longer focused solely on the protection of material and historical assets, but also on the management of transformations taking place in the urban landscape (Bandarin and Van Oers, 2012; 2014; Ginzarly, Pereira Roders, and Teller, 2019). Through a qualitative survey carried out in Porto, two main axes of analysis will be highlighted: the ambivalent relationship between street art, tourism and gentrification; the street art as a tool to address the right to housing (Zieleniec, 2016; Nomeikaite, 2017) in connection with real estate speculation and the loss of identity. The importance of street art, emotions, and affect will be recognized in both dimensions concerning change and the socio-politically re-engagement with heritage urban landscapes.

This paper explores the role of visual communication in the context of the 2024 European Parliament elections in Vienna, Austria. Offline, election posters play a significant role in reaching voters in public spaces, often conveying strong, immediate messages that capture attention. However, they cannot be seen as static but reflect dynamic and sometimes contentious political debates as they are smeared, torn, or altered by the public. In addition, Graffiti, political slogans or stickers in particular, reflect grassroot political engagement and can serve as a form of protest or alternative expression. Today, political discourse is not confined to offline world and physical spaces as societal negotiations are increasingly taking place online. Social media and communication forums have gained in importance and election campaigns as well as struggles over political meaning unfold online. Social media has given rise to the circulation of political memes, which are easily shareable, humorous, and often carry subversive or satirical undertones. Memes circulate quickly and widely, making them a powerful tool for engaging younger voters and creating viral political discourse.

With this paper, we explore how both traditional urban visual forms—such as graffiti and election posters—and digital visual expressions like memes shape political narratives and politicize online and offline spaces. Drawing on a diverse set of data, including photographs, election posters, and graffiti from urban spaces, as well as memes circulating on social media, we ask what messages these visuals convey, what in- and outgroups the construct and what the level of violence is and how these two spheres are interconnected. This paper argues that the intersection of these two realms—offline street-level visuals and online meme culture—demonstrates the increasingly hybrid nature of political communication. By examining both traditional visual materials in physical spaces and emerging meme culture online, this research highlights the dynamic relationship between different forms of visual communication, illustrating how political messages are transmitted and reinterpreted across various platforms. This paper offers insights into the evolving role of visual media in electoral campaigns, contributing to the broader understanding of media convergence and the power of images in modern politics, while providing valuable insights into political discourse and tensions today.