Graffiti City

19.9.2026–17.1.2027

Graffiti City takes visitors on an immersive journey into Jyväskylä’s local graffiti history, revealing the diversity and richness of graffiti as an art form. The exhibition brings together graffiti artists from different generations, spanning the period from the 1990s to the present day.

The exhibition tells the story of the city’s vibrant graffiti history and the artists who have left their mark on Jyväskylä’s urban landscape over the decades. At the same time, it offers visitors a key to understanding this diverse and multifaceted culture.

Jyväskylä is known as an exceptionally vibrant graffiti city. The city has a soul that is larger than its size, breathing urban culture. On its streets, high-quality graffiti art can be encountered almost anywhere. Graffiti City brings this street-based art form into the museum, offering a unique opportunity to explore its aesthetics, history and expressive power in greater depth.

The exhibition invites visitors to explore graffiti artists’ sketchbooks, treasures from photographic archives, personal stories and tools of the trade. The beauty of Jyväskylä’s more than 40-year graffiti history unfolds through paintings, press clippings, sculptures, installations, videos and graffiti works created by artists from different generations of the local graffiti scene. Most of the works have been created specifically for the exhibition.

“Graffiti is energy bound to walls – a triumph of independence and creativity. Through its unruly spirit, it creates new meanings in every space it enters. This time, graffiti is taking over the art museum, covering it with works and secrets that those outside graffiti culture would not normally get to see,” says visual artist Jukka Silokunnas.

Artists featured in the exhibition

Arttu Martikainen, Mauno Leppänen, Matti Mikkilä, Jukka Silokunnas, Eman, Desra, Leksa, Jees, Riot, Rives, Bait, Meter, Knox and Irs, as well as a substantial number of anonymous artists.

The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency.