Environmental Protection with the Help of Street Art - Part 3
Urban metamorphosis: a highly successful project by a Hungarian NGO
Outdoor cinemas will never go out of fashion, right? The Mondolo Association, a Hungarian NGO, was confident that their second mural in the Urban Metamorphosis series, the biggest television in the country, would be a great hit.
In the summer of 2020, when the pandemic gave way to outdoor activities, a giant, old TV provided entertainment for the people of Szeged. Painted on one of the local heating plants, the TV "broadcasted" movies for seven weeks straight.
If your goal is to raise awareness about a global issue, bringing people together is a very important step. When summer ended and the TV set was no longer useful, Mondolo decided to "throw it away" by repainting it. Now, it sits on the field alongside thousands of household appliances that people illegally dispose of every year.
After completing the mural, Mondolo organized a litter-picking event in town and filled more than twenty large garbage bags in two hours. As we saw with their first project, there are informative signs on site that highlight the importance of proper waste management and recycling. With QR codes leading to easy-to-follow manuals, everyone can learn something new about the waste they produce.
Unfortunately, the TV cannot be turned on anymore. Even though the organizers were respectful of the people living in the area while showing movies, they are no longer welcome. Fortunately, the locals chose the best way to protest: they planted trees in the field in front of the old television, making it impossible to see the movies. It's a bittersweet ending, but one that shows how community voices matter. The mural continues to educate about waste management, and the field gained new trees - perhaps an unintended environmental win.
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