In Bologna, art against war invades the streets with CHEAP.

Public art takes a stand against conflicts, and the streets of Bologna come alive with over 200 posters, the result of the Call For Artists 2024 promoted by CHEAP, a public art project that for years has been transforming urban spaces into places of collective reflection. This year's edition, titled: The (refusal) art of war, involved 662 artists from 41 countries around the world, producing a total of 1,120 posters submitted, all dedicated to a burning and unfortunately current theme: war.

An Inevitable Theme

The 40% increase in global armed conflicts over the past four years, according to the Global Peace Index 2024, has made it urgent for CHEAP to address the theme of war. With 56 active conflicts, the Bologna collective has chosen to send a strong and clear message: to reject war and sabotage its rhetoric through art. And they did it in grand style, transforming Bologna into an open-air gallery.

The selected posters are on display throughout the month of September and offer a clear counter-narrative: they depict war as the product of an economic and colonial system from which death and destruction inevitably arise. The posters, with strong and provocative images, range from machine guns shooting dollars to neon pink tanks, inviting the public to reflect and react. Some works, playing on biting irony, juxtapose symbols of consensual pleasure with symbols of death, emphasizing that love and mutual respect remain the true alternative to war.

CHEAP: a public art collective against violence

CHEAP is not just a public art collective, it is a movement that believes in the power of art to challenge the status quo and propose a vision of a more just society. Active since 2013, CHEAP has chosen the city walls as a space for dialogue and dissent, using posters as an expressive medium to tell stories of social justice, peace, and rights.

This year, at the center of many artists' reflections is the conflict in Palestine, described by CHEAP as a true genocide. Through the exhibited works, the Bolognese collective aims to break the distorted narrative that often dominates in the media and to open a space for critical debate. In a time when talking about peace is considered radical, CHEAP stands with those who call for a ceasefire as the first step towards justice.

An invitation to imagine a different future

The posters on the streets of Bologna not only call for an end to wars, but propose visions of a world where military spending is converted into education and healthcare, a world without weapons or armies. CHEAP reminds us that art can be a tool for social transformation, capable of criticizing the current system and accelerating change.

The inaugural event took place during the Emergency Festival in Reggio Emilia on September 7, a significant occasion to present the project. As the collective stated: "We stand with Dr. Gino Strada, who has always affirmed that war should not only be condemned, but abolished."

A month of art on the streets

The posters will be visible throughout the month of September, offering anyone passing through Bologna the opportunity to reflect, discuss, and take a stand. CHEAP's invitation is clear: let's boycott the war, sabotage its imagery, and together build a future of peace.