Thoughts on Graffiti

[Pierre L'amour]

Graffiti, a fun and creative (at times, irresistible) art form that takes shape on walls, streets, signs, and anywhere one's imagination may think up. At first it would appear sensible to many to outlaw the practice, but as time passes we become more and more institutionalized into our urban environments. If we can't write on, mark up, create art, on our environment than we have entered a peculiar stage in humanity. It is human to wish to express oneself, cave paintings date back to our origins, we wish to signal to ourselves, others, the world "hey, I've been here!" bears and other animals communicate in such way by scratching marks into the trees in their environments and so forth. All of a sudden we find ourselves in the underbelly of an environment of restriction, don't mark the walls, don't scale the buildings, this is not a civilian zone, etc. etc. What can we do? Walk to and from work without anything interesting happening (or at least without creating some kind of interest, you could get mugged after all, that is always an interesting encounter) drive your car, take the buss or the metro, ride your bike; Travel through your city, but only in the manner we see fit (to the dismay of many parkourists). All of a sudden it becomes strange to see some one running in this environment unless they have on snazzy jogging outfits. It becomes strange to see someone expressing themselves on the objects of their surrounding environment. Graffiti is a great way to get any message across, even if the observer is opposed to the act, the graffiti offers a glimpse into a break from the tedium of our self imposed reality.

[Ocean Seal]

Graffiti, a fun and creative (at times, irresistible) art form that takes shape on walls, streets, signs, and anywhere one's imagination may think up. At first it would appear sensible to many to outlaw the practice, but as time passes we become more and more institutionalized into our urban environments. If we can't write on, mark up, create art, on our environment than we have entered a peculiar stage in humanity. It is human to wish to express oneself, cave paintings date back to our origins, we wish to signal to ourselves, others, the world "hey, I've been here!" bears and other animals communicate in such way by scratching marks into the trees in their environments and so forth. All of a sudden we find ourselves in the underbelly of an environment of restriction, don't mark the walls, don't scale the buildings, this is not a civilian zone, etc. etc. What can we do? Walk to and from work without anything interesting happening (or at least without creating some kind of interest, you could get mugged after all, that is always an interesting encounter) drive your car, take the buss or the metro, ride your bike; Travel through your city, but only in the manner we see fit (to the dismay of many parkourists). All of a sudden it becomes strange to see some one running in this environment unless they have on snazzy jogging outfits. It becomes strange to see someone expressing themselves on the objects of their surrounding environment. Graffiti is a great way to get any message across, even if the observer is opposed to the act, the graffiti offers a glimpse into a break from the tedium of our self imposed reality.
You're right graffiti is a cultural phenomenon. Its cool, and it helps maintain a human feeling wherever you are. Its also a social outcry for recognition, it is an indicator of a sense of identity, something fit to be understood by those close to one, and looked upon strangely by those who aren't from nearby. I don't support the police cracking down on those who paint graffiti, but I would say that many people who have a grievance with it are right to do so. They are usually in the older generation, and graffiti has been painted by the media to reflect an economically troubled community. So those who lash out against it, merely lash out against their economic oppression which they are tired of being reminded of in the streets in which they walk. I would say that for this reason, graffiti is the symbol of a reluctant social conscience.

[ʇsıɥɔɹɐuɐ ıɯɐbıɹo]

There has been grafitti since before there were laws against it, there will be graffitti after the nations fall. Graffitti will win any war against it.

[Omsk]

I dont have anything against graffiti,i actualy like the street art,and some of the graffiti on the walls of abandoned buildings,wood fences, (nothing of value to the city) can make my day,especially if they are proficiently drawn,i generaly support the expresion of artistic value of young people who draw graffiti,but not on valuable city property,not on buildings,that is why spcial places for graffiti artist's to use should be opened.
As for the mere scribbling,i think that the authorities need to stop this kind of vandalism.The bad thing is,many nationalist use graffiti as their messages,and the building's as message board,so the people have a common though that all graffiti artist are vandals and have no respect of their art.

[Pierre L'amour]

Artwork on a "property of value" is not a problem. Billboards and advertisements obnoxiously strewn about a city... That is the real problem. Plus many of the people who own all the large buildings that house companies and apartments don't even live in that city, neither do the people controlling the advertisements for the most part. I think someone who lives in the area has more right to express themselves upon their environment than the upholders of the corporatocracy do.

[Fulanito de Tal]

Graffiti is an expression used to demonstrate that the people of the area do not have a legitimate voice in the organization and politics of the community, so the people result to graffiti.

[Scarlet Fever]

Politically-motivated "billboard liberation" (ahem) is quite a compelling tactic, I find. Libcom . org has a great article on it -- "Subvertising billboards" -- that provides very useful, practical information. Switch a letter here and there, and a capitalist message becomes a snarky alarm call to arms.

[Exakt]

I appreciate graffiti which contains social/political commentary, is humorous or is aesthetically pleasing.

But I'd prefer a blank wall than a wall (poorly) tagged/advertised with people's names.

[mosfeld]

Graffiti is no exception to the fact that all art has a class character. I think we've all seen bigoted graffiti before (islamophobic, sexist, etc). Communist graffiti is good, though. -- gets the message around.

http://www.revleft.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=822&pictureid=6992

http://kapirasongkritika.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/mao-zedong-graffiti2.jpg?w=295&h=346

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1018/746839884_124b942495.jpg

[Agent Ducky]

I really like the idea of graffiti. Specifically street art, people who are making statements through skullful art like Banksy.
Just Google Banksy art and witness the gloriousness that is Banksy art. Some of it like what he did to the separation wall in the West Bank makes really powerful statements. Other ones are just really clever and entertaining. so I completely respect this form of grafitti.

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Without being a killjoy, the huge Mao poster is part of the Obey Giant campaign and not an endorsement of Mao...

[manic expression]

In my opinion, graffiti is among the most genuine and dynamic forms of visual art being practiced today. While urban planners, developers and architects have spent the last half-century or so trying to make cities into vacuums devoid of human expression, graffiti has made art a part of people's lives...despite fierce opposition from the authorities.

http://senseslost.com/third-rail-content/uploads/daretributebymadc.jpg

[Lunatic Concept]

"the people who run our cities dont understand graffiti because they think nothing has the right to exist unless it makes a profit...
the people who truly deface our neighborhoods are the companies that scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their stuff....
any advertisement in public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours, it belongs to you ,, its yours to take, rearrange and re use.Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.."
— Banksy
Sums it up pretty well :D

[Lunatic Concept]

http://www.vivarti.co.uk/extraimages/prints/TeddyBearRiot_extra.jpg

[bailey_187]

"street art" is usually shit and done by pretentious wankers.

Real graffiti tho, tags, throw ups etc :drool:

the last thread on graffiti i saw on here ended up with a bunch of people calling tags "scribbles" :cursing:

[Magón]

It's pretty and colorful sometimes. And at times makes me wish I had some sort of artistic edge with any type of art, but more specifically with a spray can. :closedeyes:

[Total]

Graffiti is simply great..
The things that aren't worth looking at need their place in it as well, how or where else can people learn.?
Making a distingtion between street-art or graffiti is just something from the 'art world' they try to ad a new name to a phenomenom just to be able to branch and sell it. Graffiti is making an artistic something in public space without having permission,, if you do it with spraypaint or something else doesn't matter, techniqoes difference but the idea remains the same. (by the way, you can also call stuff; logoart, stickerart, pasting art, all different names or genres within graffiti)

[Pawn Power]

In principle, it is no different than any other art. Though I do think it plays a role in reclaiming public space.

Here is a photo catalog of graffiti from it brith-city, philly: http://tax-report.com/