It’s been 25 years today since the Chernobyl disaster, but that doesn’t mean people don’t drop by the ghost town of Pripyat. One sign of human visitation is the graffiti street artists leave behind.
Photographer Alex Cheban has taken numerous photos of Chernobyl’s graffiti — you can see many more shots at his website.
Even though Pripyat is by no means a hopping town, people are still dismayed by the street artists. Notes Cheban (via Google Translate):
There is a view that is the desecration of graves, but I think this is one of the forms of modern art in the urban environment. This is just a platform, which now is an incredible stimulus for the tourism, creative and implementation of various art projects.
I think it’s fascinating that street art, which is often branded and stereotyped as a sign of urban decay, has become a signifier of an active human presence in Pripyat. Here are some more photos from Cheban.
[Via English Russia]