Graffiti

749 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Graffiti as protest essay

Graffiti refers to the act of writing words, symbols or graphics on private or public property. Graffiti dates back from Paleolithic times, but it has evolved through time. Graffiti artists use walls, trees rocks or any other surface as canvas to leave messages and express their feelings. Gangs use graffiti to communicate and mark their territories while political activists use it to make statements. In 1960s, graffiti became a form of art and a hobby to some artists. This form of artwork originated in Philadelphia and later migrated to other cities. During that time, it was seen as disrespectful and illegal act by the society, but those behind the graffiti movement saw it as a creative way of expression in an oppressive society. Graffiti art was an invention for people to express their political, social views and feelings (Burners). This research paper investigates the effect of graffiti to both the society and individual artist.
Some of the first graffiti artists include Cornbread, Cool Earl and TAKI 183. Darryl McCray aka Cornbread started graffiti art while he was in prison; he used to write his nickname “Cornbread” all over the prison walls, and he continued with this trend after he was released. Demetrius “TAKI 183” became popular for his unusual tags on 183rd Street subway. When TAKI 183 made the front page in New York Times, tagging spread quickly everywhere in the city and artist would bomb many tags on lampposts, buildings, subway cars or any other surface. Since then, street art has attracted many questions on whether it is a crime or an art (Burners).
Graffiti has not yet been accepted as other forms of artwork such as those found in museum or gallery. This is due to its unconventional presentation on illegal area, and...

... middle of paper ...

... as disobedience, destruction of property, loitering and other gang-related activities.
In conclusion, graffiti art promotes creativeness and originality and the artistic techniques and form used differentiate from graffiti from graffiti art because it catches the eye due to the patterns, lines and colors used. Graffiti prohibition violates the human right for freedom because graffiti artists use it as a creative way of communication and for self-expression. The intention of graffiti artists to communicate with their audience through their artwork is in line with the role of art to allow people express their ideas and emotions. The only difference between graffiti art and other form of art in museums and gallery is location. The artistic talent of graffiti artists can be harnessed to be used positively and beautify the environment because graffiti will not end soon.

Show More
Related

  • Graffiti Artists: Silent Writers

    1635 Words  | 4 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Graffiti Artist Identity Essay

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    The identity of a graffiti artist is hardly ever known unless they want to tag their art with their name or a nickname. Graffiti writers as a subculture are trying to express their political views through civil disobedience by painting pictures that speak out against the government. This subculture developed because they were tired of being oppressed by the government. Graffiti is one of the most enduring acts of protest. It is an important tool for the resistance movement as a way to publicize their protest. It is a visible and powerful form of protest that is going to promote change in the social justice by allowing oppressed groups of people express their viewpoints without being penalized by the

    Read More

  • Making Sense of Graffity in the Modern World

    1363 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the performance of life, one cultural representation that captivates and entrances people more fluently and describes the human experience more eloquently is that of artistic expression. It imposes itself unto the face of society through the individual who creates it as a reflection of any one or combination of personal, emotional, or physiological effects society or one’s own environment has inflicted onto them to compel them convey their feelings to the public. The essential argument, is whether graffiti has a place in the grand context of society. One end of the spectrum paints it as a nuisance to property owners and city officials allow for a criminal perspective of the practice. While at another end you can view it as the artist in a sense blessing others with the fruits of their inner consciousness. An artistic expression no matter what the viewpoint of society, in an anthropological context graffiti is essential to modern society and its impact is one that cannot be forgotten or lived without.

    Read More

  • Art And Vandalism In Graffiti

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Graffiti: Modern-Day Cave Painting and Social Commentary

    309 Words  | 1 Pages

    Graffiti has been around for a long time, far back to the prehistoric times, where cavemen would spend hours drawing on walls, reflecting their daily lives. However, these walls were not walls of their own homes; they drew on walls that might have been someone else’s home, yet no one sees their “works of art” as vandalism. Archaeologists have even used graffiti on the walls of many areas to better understand different ancient cultures. Graffiti is a type of art that is popularly used among many young and middle-aged males, although it is considered vandalism, it is still an important piece of popular culture because of it’s ability to act as an effective form of communication and expression of identity, which can be used to reveal problems in society.

    Read More

  • meaning of graffiti

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    Modern graffiti art originated in New York City, it was known as “New York Style” graffiti. It began in the late 1960’s when teens will use permanent market to write their names on tags. In the middle to late 1970’s, writers started painting subway trains. Train painting was instrumental to the development of graffiti art because trains became the stage where everyone that wanted to be recognized to do their best art in to win the title “King or Queen”. Trains were used by graffiti artist to paint on them as often as possible, they would do their names in a colorful and unique style, because it was guarantee that it would be seen by many people and by others writers because those trains would travel to thousand different places. The goal was and is to create burners which are pieces that out because of their creativity.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Graffiti

    1623 Words  | 4 Pages

    Within the last few years, graffiti has been deemed an acceptable and tasteful genre of art. Long gone are the days where the spray can belonged exclusively to the local delinquent. From the past to present, there has been a shift in how street art is recognized by the general public and the government. Laws and policies are being put into place that both defend and threaten the promulgation of this creative medium. By both protecting and prohibiting, the government displays an inconsistent and confusing relationship with street art. When art is so subjective, it can become challenging to delineate the fine line between vandalism and creativity. This essay will discuss the changing public perception of graffiti, the trademark and copyright battles between graffiti artists and property owners, the categorization of street art as an artform, and the beneficial aspects of commissioned street murals.

    Read More

  • Understanding Graffiti: Art, History, and Expression

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vandals; Cornbread, Taki 183, Phase 2, Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat are only a few of the OG street artist who were able to take claim of their identity and express their art through their graffiti.

    Read More

  • Graffiti is a Beautiful Crime

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Graffiti

    1730 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ronald, Kramer helps to understand if graffiti is considered as illegal or legal, this article will support my essay because Ronald stress the issues that every graffiti art should be recognized for their work and should be considered as art. I will be using this source to support my idea for my main paragraph Graffiti is also introduced several cultures so they provide a place for graffiti writers to learn and grow their talents.

    Read More

  • Graffiti Vs Graffiti Essay

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although street art and graffiti art seem very similar, upon closer examination the differences in technique, function, culture, and intent are revealed (Weisburg.) ‘“Graffiti (sgraffiti), meaning drawings or scribblings on a flat surface and deriving from the Italian sgraffio (‘scratch’), with a nod to the Greek graphein (‘to write’), originally referred to those marks found on ancient Roman architecture”’(Weisburg). Though, it is unknown when or where graffiti first made an appearance; modern graffiti did not come around until the late 1960’s to early 1970’s in New York. The term “tagging” is the modern form of scratching (Weisburg). It also is considered the origin of all modern graffiti, including street art.

    Read More

  • The True Value of Street Art

    1928 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Graffiti And Rap Research Paper

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Graffiti has long been villainized by those in authority and allegedly associated with gangs, violence, drug culture and street crime. In most jurisdictions, creating graffiti art on public property without permission is a criminal offense punishable by fines and incarceration”(Add In-text citation). Graffiti is an artform that has somewhat faded and has been lost in the background because of the popularity of rap and emceeing

    Read More

  • Graffiti Essay

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Graffiti Is Bad

    569 Words  | 2 Pages

    People were too afraid to ride on subway cars if they had graffiti all over them. Today, some people are even moving away if there is graffiti in their neighborhood. In the book, “Gang Injunctions and Abatement: Using Civil Remedies to Curb Gang-Related Crimes” the author writes, “The negative impact of graffiti on a community is significant, as graffiti vandalism instills feelings of fear and insecurity.” Graffiti impacts the identity of the community. It affects the way people see their

    Read More

More about Graffiti

Open Document