Being Visible

São Paulo has a significant number of homeless people on the streets. Even so, many public shelters remain with empty beds every day. Sometimes for a noble reason: they don’t want to abandon their dogs, not accepted in those places before. Now, the new units accept and guarantee space for the pets, but their misinformation left the beds still empty, while hundreds of people continue to sleep on the sidewalks. To change this reality and talk with this so specific target, who don’t have smartphone, social media profile or frequent access to the tradicional media, São Paulo City Hall decided to create a new communication channel, with a direct impact to the homeless people. Inviting 5 different street artists, they transform the roof of viaducts, place that only homeless people can see – and exactly at bedtime –, in a direct and effective media. Each artist (Galo, Randal, Pixote, Thassio and René Muniz) has had complete freedom to impress their own style on their graffiti, once it made clear that the new public shelters were dog friendly and nearby. For that, the agency had studied the best dimensions, position of the drawing, feasibility and all security measures. Like every street artwork, the 5 graffiti will be available indefinitely, depending on external factors independent of the public control. The main goal is that the biggest possible number of people in vulnerable situation and their dogs have the opportunity to sleep and dream with comfort, safety and dignity. Outdoor advertisement created by NovaS/B, Brazil for Sao Paulo City Hall, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.