'Graffiti': The voice of the walls in Russia between 1980-2000

From the past to the present, writings, shapes or pictures as a deliberately left text, a message, appear as ''graffiti'' after the 1960s. Despite the passage of thousands of years, graffiti still maintains its function of conveying a meaning, a message, often what it cannot say or convey directly. Russia witnessed a period of change between 1980 and 2000. With the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the dissolution and disintegration of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia entered a period of ''Perestroika''. As a result, a new era began for Russians. As a result of the changes brought about by economic crises and disasters, graffiti appeared on the walls of public spaces in Russian cities. Graffiti, the subject of this study, examines examples of graffiti created in Russia between the 1980s and 2000s and their role in society. The research further explores the backgrounds geographical conditions, sociocultural events, cultural codes, and the impact of social conflicts and ideological crashes. These graffiti, critical of the era, addressed political issues and served not only to preserve culture and order but also to signal rebellion, becoming the "voice of the people," containing references to adapting to social change as well as protesting. Key Words: Graffiti, Perestroika, Chernobyl, USSR.