Graffiti and Its Codes.

Recently in Venezuela, these commemorative graffiti pieces dedicated to “Tsunami the Dog”—a rescue dog who won the hearts of the Venezuelan people through his tireless efforts following the earthquake that shook much of the country—have become quite popular.

This dog is a symbol for the entire country, and paying tribute to him through graffiti has been one way to honor him. However, in Venezuela—and in street graffiti in general—there are some unbreakable codes.

That’s why this mural hadn’t faced any issues until a graffiti artist—already somewhat well-known but not very respected by the street art community—arrived. This artist created one of the most beautiful and colorful murals in tribute to the dog; however, less than 24 hours after it was completed, the mural was vandalized with black paint.

Two days after this activist mural was vandalized, the artist himself took the initiative to restore the wall where it was painted, which is located at the Central University of Venezuela, known by its acronym UCV.

After repainting the mural for the second time, everyone was very happy, taking photos, but in less than 24 hours, the mural was vandalized again.

This is when we, the graffiti community, began asking ourselves what was happening here, and that’s when we realized that this artist has been part of the Venezuelan regime and government since its inception—meaning that this mural was created by the very same government that abandoned us in the wake of this tragedy. According to the codes of the graffiti scene and Venezuelan society in general, it is unacceptable for someone to profit from misfortune, much less gain fame by exploiting the situation.

That’s why the war isn’t against the dog, much less against graffiti—the war is against those masked individuals who are out there capitalizing on other people’s tragedies for their own gain.

That’s why I want to remind you that no matter how good you are at art, if your foundation isn’t solid, you won’t get very far—which is why, in the world of street graffiti, respect will always come first.

• Be'Real!