Curator: Helena Safari
Presented by: Art by Safari × Graffik Gallery London
Venue: Graffik Gallery, London
Dates: 5 – 12 June 2025
Opening (Private Viewing): 6:00 PM, 5 June 2025
Instagram: @art.bysafari
In June 2025, Notting Hill—the heart of London’s street art scene—welcomed a significant visual event. Initiated and curated by Helena Safari, the group exhibition Urban Scream, jointly presented by Art by Safari and Graffik Gallery London, was held from June 5 to 12, bringing together artists from multiple countries and regions. The exhibition made a notable impact on the London art community.
Beyond presenting diverse artistic languages shaped by urban contexts, Urban Scream also stood out for its strong social engagement and visual intensity. It was widely regarded as one of the most important cultural events during the 2025 London Street Art Season.
Photo Courtesy: Art by Safari × Graffik Gallery London
The exhibition featured artists from across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, each contributing unique cultural perspectives and reinterpretations of urban life.
Participating artists:
Tine WerMuth, Olga Melnykova, Yujie Yang, Dawn Fincham, Steno, Sari Hurme-mehtala, Passionista_VG21, Tifany Wint, Helena Safari, Urban Dog, Frederick Chevalier, Ed Chapman, Zoe Chapman, Persona13, Rita Pedulla, Jack Savage, Manageable, Abstraction and Jiayi Yu
Urban Scream was not defined by a single style, but rather a multi-dimensional narrative of the city. Centered around the theme of how street art responds to contemporary urban life, the show brought together 15 international artists working with graffiti, collage, photography, video, installation, and digital media to explore themes of identity, memory, resistance, and coexistence in urban environments.
In her curatorial statement, Helena Safari wrote:
“We would like to provide a platform for artists to explore themes like city life, social issues, and personal identity, encourage the dialogue about the impact of street art on contemporary culture and its role in transforming urban spaces.”
The works on view addressed a broad spectrum of issues: from the marginalization brought by urban development to the survival of women in public spaces; from the momentum of youth culture to the reinterpretation of digital visual language in street art.
Photo Courtesy: Helena Safari
As a group exhibition centered on the theme of the city, Urban Scream created a dynamic, open, and dialogic artistic space. It offered a powerful lens through which to reconsider the meaning and potential of street art in contemporary society.
Urban Scream was praised by visitors and peers alike for its consistently high artistic standard, curatorial coherence, and topical urgency. Though rooted in the aesthetics of the street, the works exhibited demonstrated refined technique, clarity of message, and material innovation.
Several attendees noted the presence of works that echoed the confrontational wit and socio-political charge associated with figures like Banksy, while maintaining a fresh and distinct visual identity. The exhibition embraced the rebellious spirit of street art without losing sight of conceptual rigor, making it accessible to general audiences and stimulating for critics and professionals.
Observers commended the exhibition as a rare example of a street art show that successfully bridges the gap between grassroots energy and institutional presentation, reaffirming the significance of urban-based practices in the contemporary art landscape.
Photo Courtesy: Helena Safari
Ultimately, Urban Scream offered more than an exhibition—it created a space of intervention and reflection, where art served as a mirror and megaphone for the modern metropolis. It invited audiences to reconsider the social functions of public art, the politics of visibility, and the role of the artist as witness, agitator, and storyteller.
By embracing global voices and pressing issues, Urban Scream positioned itself as a timely and thoughtful contribution to the evolving discourse on street art—not merely as a style, but as a cultural force shaping how we experience and understand urban life today.
