Studio-“Graffiti – Art or Vandalism”

First and foremost what is graffiti? Dictionary.com refers to it as "A drawing or inscription made on a wall or other surface, usually so as to be seen by the public." It is a type medium that’s wild and unexpected, that reaches everyone, regardless of their social class or background. Although graffiti as a medium of communication is very successful in some cases, commenting on such things as political and social issues, its still being debated whether or not its either fresh, modern art or petty, scruffy vandalism.

Some such as politicians and the general public would argue that its shear vandalism. They declare the obscene, racist slogans used in graffiti make peaceful, relaxing places such as public parks places of intolerance, violence and distress. It destroys owner’s properties and steals away their right to have something nice and clean. This in conjunction with the cost in repairs means in general it is seen as an annoyance and is unwanted by the public.

On the other hand users of graffiti, urban youth communities and myself would support the medium as an art form. I argue that the colour, humour and vibrancy of graffiti gives the darkest physical areas within our society, life. It allows everyone to have their own space and express themselves in a healthy creative way, safe in the notion there are no guidelines, allowing them to feel free and untethered. It basis itself on the fact that the street is the best place to get across feelings, be them political or simply social. The artists replicate the tatcis of cooperate companies and governmental propaganda who paste visuals all over the urban background, to fight back the worlds powers the only way they can. This is because coming from lower class backgrounds its very unlikely they will ever be in government and this then makes them feel the only way to get their views across is by portraying them in the streets in the form of graffiti.

I would even go as far to argue that it as evolved as art has done. It started off as simple scribbles and now has morphed into a form of sophisticated calligraphy. It’s now so popular with the youth culture that famous advertisers such as Charles Saatchi use it in their designs to communicate with the young urban audience. Not only now is it used in graphic design but also to decorate urban redevelopments. One example is a multi story car park in Southampton that was not used by the public because of its scruffy looking nature. So instead of painting the walls a nice clean white the Services Department hired local graffiti artists to decorate the walls in their own individual style. This can be done in various simple ways either by producing a one off piece in their own style of thier own signature; this is called a “piece.” Examples include not just individual artists but also groups, for example The Fabulous 5ive in New York who simply use spray paints to create massive, vibrant murals. Or by writing their name in a much simpliar style which are called “tags,” a good example of this is Bansky’s work. He uses simple stencils and spray paints to tag various areas all over the world, and in turn has become quite famous within the subculture its self. Another type of graffiti and the most expressive is "bombing." This involves the artist painting and area or creating somekind of set of sculptures to give the place a certain kind of feel. Examples include Downey and Darius Jones' work where they not only use spray paint but also models, sculptures and exisitng signage to either turn the meaning of the object on its head or get an important issue accross. All in all it is a way for the powerless youth to express their deepest feelings about society today.

I believe that it depends what your social and cultrual background is, to whether you see graffiti as an art from or not. For example a Roberts Seminar in 1990 debated whether graffiti could be accepted as art. It came to the conclusion that “pieces” and “tags” can be seen as art as their express visually using colour and shape what the artists feels. While mindless scribbling in marker pen is vandalism as most of the time it is to simply express racist, sexist views. Confused? Frank Coffield states “A clear distinction ought to be made between these two types of graffiti but rarely is.” Ref. “Vandalism & Graffiti - The State of Art – Frank Coffield page 62.”

Coffield is right, there does need to be a distinction between the two. I believe that graffiti is an art form; it allows artists as other mediums do to express them self’s and is no different than painting on to a canvas or sculpturing out of marble. This is now starting to be seen by the arts community and more and more galleries are holding urban exhibitions, one such example is the Ill Communications II exhibition at the Urbis gallery in Manchester in 2004. Yes colourful, meaningful graffiti is an art form but scruffy, scribbled graffiti I feel is not and I think there needs to be somekind of rock solid distinction between the two.