Although most people read graffiti in a negative light, there are always a few exceptions to every rule. Banksy is a famous anonymous writer from England whose works are generally political and satirical with a touch of black humor. People tend to associate the value of a writer with what their art represents and how it aligns with their ideals. Recently, Banksy has become more popular in mainstream media because of his social and political messages. Banksy and other authors have changed people`s perception of what graffiti means and how it affects them. Some may think that graffiti leads to lower property values and decreased traffic that brings customers to businesses, but writers have begun to gather fans. This proliferation of appreciation for street art has led others to believe that it conveys a creative aesthetic that entices people to spend their money or find a home in it. People also generally believe that what benefits the community is more valuable than what benefits the individual, as described by Eyck. Banksy`s stencils are worth thousands of dollars, but American artists are treated like criminals, while artists are revered in other countries. The general public tends to assume that graffiti is a sign of gang activity. More than ninety percent of graffiti is created by people who do not have a gang affiliation and is primarily created by children and teens (twelve to nineteen years old).
In fact, a survey conducted by CBS News shows that sixty-six percent of people between the ages of eighteen and thirty-four believe graffiti is a legitimate art form. In contrast, the number decreased with increasing age range among seniors. About twenty-three percent of seniors (ages sixty-five and older) say graffiti is art. In states like Nevada, an artist can face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In California, fines can be up to $50,000. What kind of world do we live in where it`s okay to ask people to speak up and make communities more beautiful? This is something we should all do – recognize the art that an artist wanted to recognize as such, and not choose our own definitions of art based on cultural, social or political influences. “Living in Berlin gave me a new appreciation for street art. Until now, I thought `street art` meant graffiti everywhere – the kind of ugly, bubbly letters found on every bare wall in the city. However, graffiti moves on the border between pure art and pure vandalism. While graffiti defies the law – and sometimes serves as a social commentary on the subjectivity of laws – it can also serve a public good through its nuanced social commentary and art.
Graffiti is a form of expression, and artists should be free to make their thoughts and beliefs public. Graffiti serves to avoid violence and is a way for many to express their feelings. Making street art illegal restricts the freedom of artists to create influential masterpieces. Graffiti artists create works that reflect both struggles and achievements, often displaying political and social messages. The color that covers walls in communities everywhere may contain symbolism so profound that it has been compared to poetry. People around the world also know Banksy, a famous London graffiti artist, for his satirical street art that reflects his political views. Banksy`s work is so unique that it inspired Obey Propaganda, a famous clothing company. Many more are beginning to realize the impact of graffiti on the world, and the famous street art will only continue to thrive.
I honestly believe that graffiti is a way for people who don`t have money to show that they are also talented. The location of graffiti often influences our opinion on this subject. When you see a wall that says “Art is not a crime” in the middle of nowhere, you may think it`s abominable and a sign of disrespect, because it may have been written illegally. But when we see the same graffiti in the Young Circle in Hollywood, the first thing a lot of people think of is, “Wow. It`s so simple, but beautiful,” and take a picture of it. The location of the graffiti shouldn`t change your mind. We judge what we see by what we assume rather than by the truth. Just because we think someone was illegally painted on a wall doesn`t mean they haven`t been given permission. But despite the artistic nature of graffiti and the message the artist probably wanted to convey, people still see this type of graffiti as a health disorder of the park rather than legitimate art. While it`s more common to see on public transportation or park benches than in a museum, the value of graffiti as art is no different no matter where it is.
And I`m going to give you 10 reasons why you should fall in love with them right away! Although graffiti is generally considered a contemporary art form, it actually appeared thousands of years ago. Early examples are things like cave paintings and inscriptions on ancient buildings in Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire, with the word “graffiti” itself coming from the Italian word graffiato, meaning “striped.” However, as the art form has evolved, so have the connotations surrounding it, and currently, converting walls to canvas is nothing more than vandalism under U.S. law. American graffiti began in Philadelphia in the late 1960s, when artist Cornbread began putting her name on walls to get a girl`s attention. From there, graffiti exploded in metropolitan areas including New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, offering individuals the opportunity to create and express themselves publicly. Graffiti and writers are constantly demonized in America. Graffiti challenges negative stereotypes. In Colorado, writers created a program called “Granny Does Graffiti.” This program helps people with dementia express how they feel. It aims to challenge negative stereotypes surrounding the abilities of people living with dementia. In this program, participants created their own tags.
Tags are personalized artistic signatures for writers. They used shapes, symbols, and colors to express who they are. They had to create a mural in their community that helped them feel a sense of social inclusion that is usually overlooked. This event shows how “an often misunderstood art form can be used to raise the consciousness of an often misunderstood population” (Hicks 815). Research on this program has shown the benefits of graffiti in helping marginalized communities express who they are, as well as confronting and informing others about the stigma associated with mental illness. In Portugal, elderly people participated in graffiti workshops. They were taught how to create their own tags. They were guided on how to create these labels so that they could express their identity and display them on public walls to “salvage something from their community.” In the late 1990s, it was not uncommon for Brazilian writers to be harassed by the police. Today, however, many of these officers recognize the importance of this art form and that it helps make cities more beautiful. They recognize that it offers a career opportunity for youth from low-income neighbourhoods. As Olivero eloquently puts it in Graffiti is a public good, even if he defies the law: “The growth of graffiti in Brazil and its role in challenging the status quo demonstrates the power of art and its ability to create dialogue.” Historically, writers were children from poor neighborhoods, working-class families who had no resources. For them, the city has become their canvas.
Graffiti is an important part of the ecology of the city and how one person relates to another and their environment. This difference alone should be enough to show that graffiti is not synonymous with vandalism.