Graffiti and Their Biggest Star

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Recommended: Perspectives on graffiti

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 Art: An Essay Concerning The Recognition of Some Forms of Graffiti As Art." Graffiti Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“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.

Watts, Linda S. "graffiti." Encylopedia of American Folklore. New York: Facts On File, Inc.,

2006. American History Online, Facts On File, Inc.

http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAFolk309&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 11, 2014).

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