Graffiti in the Bairro Alto neighbourhood of Lisbon
© AFP Francisco Leong

LISBON (AFP) - Launched in July, the "Ephemeral Museum" exists right along the narrow streets and picturesque, cobbled lanes in this popular neighbourhood of the Portuguese capital's old town.

Just as in a conventional gallery, each item of street art is numbered and labelled, with details of the artist and the technique used.

Connoisseurs can even follow the show with the help of a map of the district and an audio-guide downloaded onto their MP3 players, which gives more information on the 33 works on the tour, by both Portuguese and foreign artists.

Graffiti in the Bairro Alto neighbourhood of Lisbon
© AFP Francisco Leong

The project is the brainchild of Movimento Acorda Lisboa (MAL), or "Wake Up Lisbon!" project.

MAL's Daniel Oliveira said the group wanted to transform the negative perception of graffiti by underlining the creative energy of artists behind such works.

"The most visited neighbourhood in Lisbon, the 'Bairro' is transformed into an immense gallery, a privileged space for culture and counter-culture," the group said in its introduction to the museum.

Far from painting over the divisions however, the project appears to have further antagonised those who see graffiti not as art but as vandalism.

Graffiti in the Bairro Alto neighbourhood of Lisbon
© AFP Francisco Leong

By day, Bairro Alto is just another district of the city. When evening falls, it is transformed as fashion boutiques, art galleries and 'conceptual spaces' open up. The bars too draw crowds, spilling out into the narrow, cobbled streets.

The graffiti artists go to work much later, said one local business owner who refused to be named, fearing reprisals.

"Every night, around 4:00 to 5:00 am, they arrive and start scribbling on the walls," he said.

"I keeping painting them over, because if they are stubborn, so am I!"

Under pressure from angry business owners and residents supported by the elected opposition, Lisbon's socialist Mayor Antonio Costa promised a clean-up, now scheduled to begin this month.

Graffiti in the Bairro Alto neighbourhood of Lisbon
© AFP Francisco Leong

Costa admitted that the problem of graffiti was a medium, even a long-term problem, but promised close-circuit cameras and -- with government support -- tougher penalties for rogue graffiti artists.

But one self-confessed graffiti artist was sceptical.

"That'll never work," said Luis, a local youngster, who insisted he only drew graffiti occasionally -- and never in residential districts.

"And anyway, it's not the first time that city hall has promised this, but they have never cleaned anything up," he added.

At MAL, Oliveira insisted the "Ephemeral Museum" was not in the business of encouraging indiscriminate graffiti.

"On the contrary, the project is aimed at stressing the quality of certain works so that they are not covered over by tags or posters."

The 'Ephemeral Museum' website, sponsored by Pamero Foundation, can be found at www.museuefemero.blogspot.com.

©AFP