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Graffiti: Costly and Damaging
If one drives south on I-69 enough, they may begin to remember that “Bob loves Brenda” or that some bodies, only referred to as we, “hate people.” These things are written on the bridges, billboards, and road signs of the interstate to advertise the artist’s message to the general public, while drivers are left to think why should they care who loves who and who hates what. Graffiti is a part of the world that people see everyday and whether it is truly artful or a visual impediment is up to the individual.
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.
In Muncie, this is evident in the Westside Park. Underneath the bridge on Nichols Ave. is an array of graffiti, ranging from an extra-large red rose and a bull to a flowery symbol with the term “mas mota” written painted on it, a graphic of methamphetamine lab equipment, and in the far corner, a smiling face with a gunshot wound to its forehead. “Toby loves Jen” can also be found many times on the structure. As if to avoid detection, almost all of the graffiti is painted on the insides of the bridge that cannot easily be seen from the general park area.
Other places in Muncie have graffiti that can assumingly be gang related. The electrical box of the Speedway on Broadway and McGaillard roads is covered in black graffiti with unintelligible writing. TIS Bookstore in the University Village has the same incoherent symbol painted in many colors in several places, including the side of the building and a battered and broken booth in the parki...
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...dge at Westside Park has the remnants of many faded paint jobs that cover up graffiti from one generation only to reveal the next. Graffiti is a costly crime, ranging from $7-15 billion a year to erase from bridges, street signs, and public buildings. And once it has been painted over, it just becomes a blank canvas inviting new graffiti. There are not many preventative measures in Muncie, other than neighborhood watches, which are likely to decrease the amount of graffiti crimes in the future.
In Elkhart, Ind., the city has a commission that designates public places and young people who want to use their artistic energies to graffiti the walls of buildings and bridges with decorative art work. This art becomes more appealing to the public eye and detracts delinquents from depreciating the wall. A program like this could be just as effective in Muncie.
Wars have been around for centuries. A typical battle was fought on land. The infantry would line up and fire at the advancing enemy. World War I was first called "the Great War" because of the number of lives lost (Coetzee 11). There were approximately nine million deaths over the course of the four years the war lasted (11). World War I began because of the assassination of "Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne" (17). Tensions were high and war seemed the only solution (17). The alliances in Europe were well formed by the time 1914 arrived (17). "The Central Powers" were "Germany and Austria-Hungary" (Westwell 8). "The Triple Entente" were "Britain, France, and Russia" (8). All of the countries and citizens believed in the cause of the war from the very beginning (9). That enthusiasm would quickly change once the introduction of new weapons and strategies were revealed (9). Every country involved was seeking ways to improve on the resources they needed to fight, and hopefully win the war. None of the countries involved wanted the other side to have a military advantage over the other (7). World War I had technological inventions such as machine guns, poison gas, tanks and submarines, which changed the strategy of war. The outcome of these inventions resulted in more death and destruction than previous wars.
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...
Vaccinations help build your child a stronger immune system, when vaccinated when they are young. Protecting your child from diseases should be your top priority when it comes down to their health, because of all the diseases in the country can cause major consequences, or even death. It states in the article, “Importance of Vaccines” that vaccination protects children from serious illness and complications of vaccine-preventable diseases which can include amputation of an arm or leg, paralysis of limbs, hearing loss, convulsions, brain damage, and death. (Importance n. pag.) The article makes me come to conclusions, there are many risk to take when not getting
Although many people believe that graffiti is vandalism, it is in fact art because many museums display graffiti, people are interested in it, and it displays beauty and emotional power. Many people have learned to appreciate graffiti as an art form and have opened their eyes to the beauty and emotional power it holds. From the video on CBS News, “Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism,” Laura Fanning (museum visitor) explains at 1:42 “. now I see it as more of a commentary and a statement of ‘I’m leaving my mark’.” This quote exhibits a museum visitor whose perception of graffiti changed when she went to a museum that displayed graffiti.
"Childhood Obesity." Childhood Obesity on the Rise. Mayo Clinic, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 02 Mar.
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.
The black woman in the U.S. holds a precarious role: she is a woman, she is black and she is quickly becoming the dominant force of her people. The black woman is increasingly the sole bread winner in her household because she is forced into that position because of the...
Rau, Thomas, MD. "Paracelsus Klinik’s Recommendations on Vaccination." Marion Institute. Marion Institute, 24 Sept. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
Graffiti has been around for centuries. It can be seen on buildings, cars, and anything that can be painted with a spray can. Since graffiti came to exist, there has been much debate on whether it is an art form or an illegal activity. While it has been banned and deemed illegal all over the world, it still persists in today’s society. Along with the controversy that comes with graffiti, many commonly known stereotypes are apparent within the act of graffiti. Stereotypically, graffiti is seen as an urban act done by younger people. Typically, since this act is considered illegal, it is mostly done in the middle of the night, and the people partaking are usually wearing dark or black clothes. The picture, “LATA 65 IS A CREATIVE
Due to this definition, most people automatically combine graffiti with illegal activity. Therefore, it is considered an illicit or illegal activity simply it is done in a public space. Graffiti it is misunderstood and misrepresented by the media; they twist it into vandalism and call it a gateway into other crimes. How can art be a gateway into stealing and murdering? Society just wants to group us all together into categories kind of like good vs evil. The best art says something about the social and political conditions surrounding the area of the picture. Furthermore the graffiti artist picks special locations to provide an insight into the area. Now some graffiti is words on the side of trains that are to some awful and disrespectful to look at. Nevertheless, be it your street name or an image testifying what’s going on with the world, much like the inequality between men and women, it is still self-expression. A self-expression that the elders of our generation claim to want youth to have but then condemn the same youth if it states anything close to the truth. Graffiti is expensive to take off and cleanup, which is why it is an outlawed activity. Los Angeles County had to spend 28 million dollars on graffiti removal. You know what is expensive, war is expensive, medication is expensive, and cost of living is expensive.
Institute of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan 10, 2011, from Childhood Obesity Prevention Actions for Local Government: www.iom.edu/Activities/Childhood/LocalObesPrevention.asp
Even though graffiti, in general, has had a rough past, it has started a movement where it's a form of expression through the artist. Graffiti can be a wonderful work of art when it has a space where it doesn't disturb public or private property. The artist creating graffiti often wants to send a message. In many cases, the street art made on public property is to invoke a reaction or conversation to intrigue the viewer. A key element in graffiti and street art is to create a space where the artist can do his/her work and even receive compensation from art
“ Many disputes surrounding murals have a lot to do with advertising,when an area of a city is downtrodden, muralists choose highly visible walls for their works to spruce up space.” ( Bjorgum 512) Muralists make murals on the wall to bring the town/city to life. For example, they can be making murals to tell a story of their personal lives Or for loved ones that passed away. Graffiti is known as defiance because people use it as a way that is known to vandalize property. “The undesirable fact is graffiti has become an expensive social problem in many cities in the world.” “U.S. cities spent an estimated four billion dollars cleaning graffiti in 1994 (Walsh,1996). Kan (480) Graffiti is and still continues to be a huge costly problem that we deal with today and can not really be prevented.
You met a girl yesterday and your first impression of her was that she seemed bubbly, humorous, elated for the most part. You also meet, a guy and he is the opposite of what the girl is. He seems to be more, nerdy maybe, or even soft spoken. Then while you are walking back home from your daily routine you decide to pay close attention to your surroundings. While observing you notice different types of people with different occupations. You see a police officer and the expression on his face clearly symbolizes that he’s not to be messed with. In a nearby restaurant, there seems to be a dispute between a customer and an employee. However, the employee appears to be more reserve. You overhear their conversation, and the employee tone is professional.