Thessaloniki counters visual vandalism with colourful graffiti in Ano Poli

In Thessaloniki's Upper Town, some residents seem to have found a different way to respond to scribbles and haphazard graffiti. Instead of repainting the facades of their houses again and again, they hand them over to artists who turn them into open-air canvases.

Colours, flowers and images inspired by Japanese art have begun to appear on homes in the historic neighbourhood, changing the look of the streets and attracting the interest of residents and visitors alike.

In recent days, a particular stir has been caused by an artistic intervention on the outer wall of a house in the traditional settlement. The work draws on the aesthetics and iconography of Katsushika Hokusai's emblematic "Great Wave", complete with blossoming cherry trees, traditional architecture and the characteristic red sun. The result has already turned the spot into a small photo destination.

Behind the creation is artist Souzy Kamaliani, who took on the mural at the owners' request. Their special love for Japan set the direction for the theme, while the design was developed in collaboration with the artist.

The choice, however, was not only about aesthetics. The owners were looking for a way to curb the repeated spray-paint attacks on the exterior walls of their home.

The idea had already been tested on another house in the Upper Town, where Souzy Kamaliani created a colourful composition with plant pots, flowers and bougainvilleas in February. According to her, the surface did not suffer any further vandalism after the work was completed.

Kamaliani has been consistently involved in painting since 2009 and, beyond the canvas, has also been exploring the large scale of murals in recent years. As she explains, the key difference with a mural lies precisely in its dimensions: a large wall offers a different field of expression and greater freedom of composition than a conventional canvas.

A persistent problem for the city

Uncontrolled slogans and scribbles are a concern not only for property owners but also for the Municipality of Thessaloniki, as clean-up operations often prove short-lived.

Deputy Mayor for Technical Works and Sustainable Mobility Prodromos Nikiforidis has pointed out that the Upper Town is among the areas where the phenomenon is most pronounced. Its particular urban layout, with many low-rise and ground-floor houses, leaves a large number of surfaces exposed to unauthorised markings. It is, as he notes, a problem that has been plaguing the city for many years.

To tackle visual pollution more effectively, the municipal administration believes that clean-ups alone are not enough. Broader awareness-raising and mobilisation of citizens is needed, as well as partnerships with businesses that could contribute materials and equipment for restoring surfaces.

The same logic of "protection through art" has already reached Thessaloniki's commercial centre. Many shopkeepers have commissioned artists to paint the metal shutters of their businesses, especially in spots where facades are often covered with slogans after marches and demonstrations.

In this way, the painted surfaces serve both as an aesthetic choice and as an informal shield against vandalism.

An artists' register for new murals

At the same time, the Municipality of Thessaloniki is seeking to give a more structured character to public art interventions. As part of this effort, it is creating an open database and networking platform for artists active in mural painting, inviting creators to express their interest.

The initiative provides for the creation of a register of artists with a documented track record and representative portfolios. The aim is for this database to be used for future murals and artistic interventions in public space, strengthening the presence of art in Thessaloniki's everyday urban landscape.

In the Upper Town, however, change has already begun with the homes themselves. Where until recently a bare wall could easily become a target for a tag or scribble, today a Hokusai wave, a blossoming sakura or a bougainvillea are trying to write a different story for the neighbourhood.