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Perspectives on graffiti
Essays on graffiti
Perspectives on graffiti
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Graffiti are something that I have always found interesting and mysterious. Who is the artist? What message was he trying to get across? Where is he now? Why did he paint the things he did? This interest and wonder led me to choose graffiti as my research topic. I have always wanted to know more about this more modern art form, and about one of the most well known graffiti artists: Banksy. I knew this would be a great opportunity to learn more about something I find fascinating, and it is a topic I would enjoy researching.
To start generally, graffiti are any visual marking on a public space. This can be on buildings, roads, sidewalks, benches, or any other object that is owned privately and is in the public eye. The artist can use any different medium he wants, but the most commonly used is spray paint (Graffiti Artist). A recent study of Seattle graffiti types found that tagging- when the artist writes their name, signature, or initials- made up 80% of the city’s graffiti; gang, 15%; political, 3%; hateful, 1%; and art, 1% (Bio).
Graffiti are very common in big cities, as opposed to smaller, more rural towns. And in big cities, gangs are a typical part of life. Gangs often use graffiti as a way to communicate. They can serve as visual signals to other gangs or gang members of whose “territory” they are in, or any other messages that want to be shown (Graffiti Artist). But not all graffiti are done by gangs. Some graffiti are done by everyday people just trying to communicate with the public, and are trying to expose more people to art. Some artists have said that they want to “involve people in the creation of art and make their work public,” and what better way to do that than to put it on a building milli...
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“Graffiti Artist Banksy Brings Fame, Controversy to Street Art (sidebar)." Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. .
"Key Events in the History of Graffiti (sidebar)." Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. .
"The Story Behind Banksy." Smithsonian. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
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The most predominant attribute of a graffiti artist is their mindset, for a graffitist is constantly surveying the streets in search for a new spot to “bomb” as well as examining the work of fellow writers. For instance, when a graffiti artist looks at an empty wall or a distant water tower they envision a canvas suitable for displaying their graffiti. A graffiti artist uses specific terminology when speaking to fellow writers as well as average people interested in this illegal art form. The use of terms, such as “tag,” “throw-up,” and “burner” are used to describe different styles of graffiti letters. In addition, the term “bomb” is used when a graffitist paints on numerous surfaces in a given area. When analyzing the desires of a graffitist, they explain the desire to go “all-city.” The term “all-city” describes a writers’ aspiration to display his graffiti throughout the entire city. The lifestyle of a graffiti artist tends to be more active than that of an average person, for graffitist go “bombing” during late hours of the night. The reason for these late-night paint excursions is to avoid cont...
Webster defines graffiti as an inscription or drawing made on some public surface. Graffiti is often thought of as gang-related, because gangs have traditionally painted their identifying symbols in places to mark their turf.
Graffiti is an art form that was bred from the rebellion of youths. The first sighting of graffiti was seen on subways, and other impoverished areas around New York. This form involved what is called tagging , where the artist signs his or her name, nickname, or group name, on the side of a building or other surface. It is well known for its bold, colorful presence and intricate script. It is still prominent and visible in those areas of the Bronx today.
Mention the word graffiti and what typically comes to mind is something unpleasant and distasteful like indecent language scribbled on a wall of a store or crude pictures. Most graffiti is characterized as vandalism on property that does not belong to the culprit. Graffiti also displays negative graphics that promote some type of vulgar message such as violence, sex, drugs, gangs, and racism. On the other hand, when the terms “street” and “art” come together, a blast of colorful creations upon blank slates on the street comes to mind. Although street art is technically considered graffiti, it is a type of graffiti with positive qualities, but certain figures in society find street art to be, in some way, disruptive. If used properly, street art can be appreciated artistically and socially. Despite the negative stigma attached to graffiti, street art has emerged as a progressive valuable art form whose vast history, surge in popularity, and urge for social change warrant its classification as a fine art.
Art is defined by Oxford’s Dictionary as works produced by human creative skill and imagination. The argument of whether or not graffiti is art has been around for an indeterminable amount of time. Because of many different and valid reasons, graffiti should be considered as art.
The Graffiti community is, although they will not admit, a bunch of aesthetic filled souls. Everyone gathers recognition in this community. “Graffiti isn't something a normal person does, I have been through a lot of situations just cus I do what I do,” my subject explains. These artist ARE outcasts, for a good. They express culture and it is something they get a feel for. It is brilliant, even with the trouble.
A graffiti artist style of art is what they are identified by. Some graffiti artists “simply wanted to add an element of art to a wall or an entire city” (Ganz 18), but other graffiti artist paint a message that depicts the world around them. Their paintings represent a protest with the government or with the way society views a situation that is going on. “It is a visible and powerful form of protest that promotes change and social justice by allowing oppressed groups to express their viewpoints about human rights that are abused” (Farmer and Milo 410). In other words they are saying that graffiti art allows oppressed
The rise of vandalistic art produced by Banksy and others, has altered the way in which the public views graffiti culture. Where spray paint once represented gangs and violence, it now suggests an exciting and cutting edge artform that could potentially be a lucrative investment. In fact, Banksy’s work is so sought after that people are willing to take bricks out of buildings in order to steal it. In 2013, one of Banksy’s most famous pieces of artwork was stolen from the side of a store in the UK. It was later discovered at a US auction (Banksy Artwork Taken). “Street art has entered the art world’s mainstream, with Banksy pieces regularly selling for more than $1 million” (Salib
Graffiti is a lettering, a painting, and marks anywhere on any property (Wikepedia). Simply forms of graffiti are simply decoration some are symbols on walls or on the ground. It is a way of communicating and expressing once feeling to the world. Often it is seen as unwanted, because it damages property and is usually considered insightful. There are two types of graffiti, one is popular graffiti. It is the kind of graffiti that we see in bathroom, billboards, school desk, sidewalks, or anywhere. Where as the community based graffiti is usually based on the hip hop culture, to mark a territory for the Gang in that area.
No matter what people say about it, Graffiti is a form of self-expression. It is important to realize the amount of talent and work required to create a piece of graffiti. The scale of such a piece can be small found on a corner to massive one taking up an entire wall. However, there are varying
Some people believe that graffiti is not a form of art. They believe People spray painting public buildings, anything in the streets and on walls. They argue Graffiti is a type of vandalism, to spray paint, public buildings. It makes many people mad if their property gets vandalized. The definition of vandalism is “an action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property”. In their opinion Graffiti is plain vandalism. Because it violates people’s property as well as any owner’s and city’s. Some of them consider street art to be vandalism unless the artist has asked the owner of the building permission to paint on their
Graffiti is a form of art that people use to express themselves and to convey various messages to people in a particular community. In the movie "Graffiti Verite':. One of the graffiti artist explained that his purpose in doing graffiti is that it allows him to "express his anger' on the wall. Another kid by the name of "Jipsie" said that graffiti is a "form of growth". There were several different explanations that artists shared as well as several different reasons why they like graffiti. The common theme among the graffiti artist and taggers was that graffiti is simply a form of self-expression (Bryan). At the end of the film one tagger made a comment and said, "graffiti is not vandalism, but it is a beautiful crime". This comment did not make sense to me. Committing a crime, a hideous act, is not a beautiful thing to do by any means. Graffiti does not mean people can go around and draw and spray paint on other peoples property. Regardless of what types of graffiti are being expressed by the tagger, this type of self expression is considered vandalism when people decide to draw, destroy, or violate any persons property without consent. As a result of taggers committing the crime of vandalism, property owners, concerned citizens, and law enforcement officers spend too much time, money, and energy trying to put an end to the unlawful act of vandalism.
Graffiti started in the 1920s when gangs would tag train cars and walls to mark territory mainly in New York City. Graffiti took a different turn in the 1970s when young adults decided to use street art as an outlet to express their political and social outrage. This movement had soon gained the attention of the “adult” world. Graffiti was known as “creation through destruction” and to this day is still considered illegal in most parts of the world. In modern street art the mediums used have evolved past spray paint and now artists are using different methods with spray paint to progress their works past crude tags.
Graffiti is a beautiful art that expresses feeling and emotions. However, people think of it differently. Is it a crime or an art? Those talented people, young or old, a teenage, a child or an adult, have a passion for making graffiti art on street walls a...
With in graffiti there four main types: tagging, bombing, writing, and scratching. Tagging is when a graffiti artist puts their nickname in a personalized signature that all graffiti artists have. Bombing is basically just tagging as many times as you can in a specific area. Writing is when a graffiti artist paints graffiti lettering in different styles, to name a few: bubble, throw up, 3D, character, wild, blockbusters, and electical. Graffiti is usually posted illegally, so the artist has to come in quickly and neatly create their “tag,” then leave the scene in order to not get caught. Conversely, street art is usually created legally, so inturn, street artists have more time to do more with their art, which allows for a wider range of types of street art- this includes, painting, stencil painting, stickers, wheatpasting, sculpture installations, mosaics, chalk art, and even video projection. Though doing it illegally is still risky, with stenciling, stickers, and wheatpasting, the artists can create their design at home, and then quickly apply it once the get to the desired location. The fact that graffiti artists have to create entirely on the spot and try to get away with it also explains the differences in the culture and ideology between graffiti and street