MCL presents #8

What Images Tell Us—and What They Prove: Graffiti in Photography and Film

Featuring director Florian Gaag (Wholetrain), photographer and former graffiti artist Jennifer Kauka, and criminal defense attorney Florian Schönrock

Date: November 20, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: URBAN NATION Museum, Bülowstr. 7, 10783 Berlin

Free admission / No registration required

Photography and film do more than document graffiti; they preserve it as part of the history of the city and its culture. Photographers such as Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant have been documenting graffiti since the 1970s, thereby creating a visual chronicle of this subculture. Artists, for example, offer glimpses into their activities via social media. Documentaries and feature films also cover the graffiti and street art scene. One example is the film Wholetrain from 2006, which sheds light on the daily life of a graffiti crew.

In addition to the finished works, the acts themselves have been documented on film and in photographs since the early days of graffiti culture. The anonymity of those involved is often deliberately preserved by showing people with their faces covered or by distorting their voices—not least because many of these acts are illegal.

The panel discussion “What Images Tell Us—and What They Prove: Graffiti in Photography and Film” explores the significance of these images for documenting this largely temporary art form, as well as their role as evidence in the criminal prosecution of those involved.

On the one hand, we want to explore why these actions are documented when the footage could potentially be used as evidence in criminal proceedings. On the other, we want to discuss the role these images and recordings play in preserving graffiti culture, increasing its visibility, and placing it in historical context. Could documenting these actions ultimately backfire and lead to criminal prosecution?

Director Florian Gaag (Wholetrain), photographer and former graffiti artist Jennifer Kauka, and criminal defense attorney Florian Schönrock—who specializes in graffiti-related cases—will discuss this topic.

Photo: Sebastian Kläbsch