There’s no mistaking the sound of aerosol cans rattling in unison. It’s like the overture to a symphony composed in color, pressure caps, and calligraphic chaos. From April 25 to 27, the Lakeshore grounds of Taguig City transformed into a living, growing maze of art as Meeting of Styles Philippines returned for its 12th edition. Part block party, part international summit, part subcultural celebration, the annual gathering pulled in artists from across the globe — and reaffirmed the Philippines as a destination in the global graffiti scene.
Born out of a global movement that started in Germany in the ’90s, Meeting of Styles has become a kind of passport stamp for graffiti artists worldwide. Its Philippine chapter, helmed by local graffiti OG Trip 63, has grown into a staple of the regional street art calendar. This year’s installment not only matched its international peers in scale — with artists coming from as far as Brazil and Europe, and as close as neighboring Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia — it also made strides in shifting the culture forward by pushing for more female representation in a space traditionally dominated by men.
“We made it a point this year to bring more women into the spotlight,” Trip 63 said during his closing remarks, thanking Mayor Cayetano for the city’s backing of the event. “Graffiti doesn’t have to be a male dominated hobby anymore.”
MOS now-veterans like Kookoo and SYN, along with event first-timers like Mimaaaaaaaaw, and Miss A proved the point with bold, confident murals that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with works from local legends like Quiccs and Zebor. The walls weren’t the only ones speaking loud: hip-hop artist Moro Beats (of which Miss A is a member) delivered a final-day set that gave the spray-stained crowd one last hit of adrenaline before the paint dried.
Meeting of Styles isn’t just an event. It’s a moving monument — one that gets built, reinterpreted, and painted over in city after city. With Indonesia up next on the global calendar, the movement rolls on. But for one weekend in April, the “Probinsyudad” of Taguig City is the center of the aerosol universe for those who care to make it so.
