Graffitis, showing two females and a rooster, are seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. Mural graffitis from different artists, street art can be seen in almost every city on Earth, but street arts raw power and potential for change was felt by me most intensively in Medellins Comuna 13, previously one of Colombias most dangerous neighbourhoods, in fact Communa 13 was constant battleground between gangs, narcos, paramilitaries and the government, but today you would hardly recognise it. Formerly one of Medellins most feared barrios, Comuna 13s metamorphosis now represents Medellin in microcosm: not a perfect model for urban planning by any means, but a radical laboratory where untested experiments are carried out which seek to improve the urban and social fabric. Street art is a pivotal part of this change, and it diffuses through every house, roof, door and blank canvas in this colourful neighbourhood. Street arts themes are as diverse as the people that create them from being deeply political and serious to being fun, satirical and irreverent, but upon closer inspection of these flaking canvases you can see, they are imbued with hope, the chance for change and ability to dream again. For most of the residents, it was impossible to dream, living a life of suffering, terror and unimaginable difficulties. Stuck in a cycle of poverty and gang warefare from which there was no way out. Today, however, thanks to the return of the rule of law and many new projects and initiatives in Comuna 13, the people here can again imagine a better life, a safer life. Street art is just one part of this, along with giant public education programs, security, activities for youth, libraries, increased transportation and economic opportunities. Optimism fills the air these days in Comuna 13, things are still far from perfect but as residents will tell you Every day, in every way, things are getting better and better. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A graffiti, portraying a woman, is seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A graffiti, showing a woman and a panda, is seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A boy walks in front of a graffiti, portraying a young boy, in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A woman walks past a wall of graffiti in the central business district in Nairobi, Kenya on October 23, 2017. (Photo by Siegfried Modola/Reuters)





A graffiti, portraying twins with birds on their shoulders, is seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





Graffitis, show a portrait of an old woman and a woman performing yoga, are seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A graffiti, showing a woman with lots of eyes holding a bird, is seen in Medellin, Colombia on November 19, 2017. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A woman walks by a graffiti depicting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by Russian artist Daniil Sudnev in Moscow, Russia, 23 March 2017. Sudnev (aka Sourt One) created the graffiti to mark Lavrov's 67th birthday. (Photo by Yuri Kochetkov/EPA)





This portrait of teacher Marina Marchenko was a collaboration with ArtUnitedUs, on a wall facing the front line in Avdiivka, Ukraine, 2016. Van Helten wore a bulletproof vest as he painted. (Photo by Guido Van Helten/RFE/RL)





An artwork is drawn on the wall of a building in Mersin province of Turkey on November 13, 2017. Artworks of world famous artists; like Vincent Van Gogh, Osman Hamdi Bey, Pablo Picasso or Salvador Dali are drawn on the walls of buildings at a boulevard, by a painter Nazife Bilgin Hazar as part of the project of Toroslar Municipality of Mersin. (Photo by Sezgin Pancar/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)





A view of murals at La Paz's General Cemetery in Bolivia, 25 October 2017. Artists from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Spain, Italy and Peru painted 18 murals to embellish the General Cemetery of La Paz for the celebrations of All Saints and Day of the Dead. (Photo by Martin Alipaz/EPA/EFE)





The mural “Coexistence” by Miguel Dominguez painted inside a railroad tunnel during a tour of the 2017 Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition along the Westside Trail in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 26 October 2017. The largest temporary public art exhibition in the southern United States continues through November 2017, with many installations remaining along the miles of the public byway. (Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA/EFE)





Terrence Chari poses as he mimics a painting of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Mbare Harare, Monday, November 20, 2017. Lawmakers with the ruling Zanu pf party gathered to meet on the fate of long time President Robert Mugabe, who has refused efforts to step down. (Photo by Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP Photo)





A giraffe mural is seen on the gable end of a building in Shettleston Road in Glasgow East, in Glasgow, Scotland, September 29, 2017. Photograph taken on September 29, 2017. (Photo by Russell Cheyne/Reuters)





A girl walks in front of a graffiti depicting German-born physicist Albert Einstein at a museum of entertaining science in Minsk on October 31, 2017. (Photo by Sergei Gapon/AFP Photo)





The conductor of a “matatu” public minibus looks out as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga attempt to demonstrate in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, October 24, 2017. (Photo by Ben Curtis/AP Photo)





A woman walks past a mural depicting two human skulls or Natitas, taking flowers to a relative's grave in preparation for the upcoming Day of the Dead festivities, at the General Cemetery in La Paz, Bolivia, Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Day of the Dead or “Dia de los Muertos” is celebrated Nov. 1 and 2 to remember departed loved ones, many holding graveside picnics through the night. (Photo by Juan Karita/AP Photo)





Tourists kiss each other as they stand in front of a mural depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kisisng each other in the West Bank city of Bethlehem October 29, 2017. (Photo by Mussa Qawasma/Reuters)