graffiti art or vandalism essay 200 words

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Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?

Introduction – what is graffiti.

Graffiti is a word used to describe any writing or images that have been painted, sketched, marked, scrawled or scratched in any form on any type of property. It can be a design, figure, inscription or even a mark or word that has been written or drawn on either privately held or government owned properties. While graffiti refers to an entire scribbling or drawing, graffito describes a single scribble. Graffiti can be any form of public marking which appears as a distinguishing symbol and most of the time it comes out as a rude decoration having the form of simply written words, elaborate and complicated wall paintings or etchings on walls and rocks.

Graffiti can also be described as an unauthorized drawing or inscription on any surface situated in a public area. Apart from this graffiti also includes hideous scribbles which we often find scrawled and painted on the fences of a house, in subways, bridges, along the sides of houses and other buildings and even on trains, buses and cars. Although some look like elaborate paintings most of them are garbage which appears to have been done by small children.

Graffiti vandalism has a number of forms. The most harmful and destructive of all are the gang graffiti and tags. The former are generally used by gang members to outline their turf or threat opposite gangs. These often lead to acts of violence. Tags represent the writer’s signature and can also be complicated street art. Conventional graffiti is often hurtful and malicious and generally the act of impulsive or isolated youths. Ideological graffiti is hateful graffiti which expresses ethnic, racial or religious messages through slurs and can cause a lot of tension among the people. Sometimes the graffitists also use acid etching where they use paints mixed with acids and additional chemicals which can rankle the surface making the etchings permanent. (Wilson, 52-66)

Graffiti – Art or Vandalism

Graffiti cannot be considered as a form of art since its basic difference from art is consent or permission. Although a number of people consider graffiti to be one of the numerous art forms, most of the times graffiti is considered as unwanted and unpleasant damage to both public and government properties. In modern times almost all of the countries in the world consider the defacing of public or government owned property with any type of graffiti without taking the owner’s permission or authorization to be an act of vandalism.

Had graffiti been created without destroying someone’s belongings then even it would have appeared artistic, due to their bright use of colors, and not as an act of vandalism. Graffiti scribblers often claim that in order to improve the look of the walls and fences of one’s property they make colorful paintings on them. But this is highly questionable since they almost never take the permission of the owner of the property before making their art, turning the entire thing into vandalism. They do not have the right to destroy or change the look of one’s property without taking their permission or authority. (Smollar, 47-58)

All throughout history people have considered graffiti to be an act of vandalism since it incorporates an illegal use of public and government property. Such an act is not only mutilation of property and an ugly thing but is also very expensive to remove. Although graffiti artists use their talents to share and express their feelings, until and unless graffiti is done on an area designated for it and by somebody authorized to do so, graffiti in any form will remain to be an act of vandalism and not art.

Graffiti done without proper authority cannot be considered as art since immature vandals simply use graffiti as a means to seek infamy. Graffiti is noting more than an irresponsible and dangerous form of art promoting gang activities and truancy. Thus, we can see that there is nothing artistic about graffiti vandalism. (Austin, 450-451)

The Problem of Graffiti

The problem both the government and the people of the world face due to graffiti is not at all a new one as it has existed for centuries, and sometimes it is even dated back to the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. Some people even consider graffiti as an act of terrorism which is in its larval stage. The main problem with graffiti is that it is fundamentally unauthorized and is created by destroying someone’s possessions.

Today graffiti vandals use markers and spray paints as their most common medium for creating graffiti which makes it a much bigger problem. Painting over the graffiti is a costly affair which the owners of the property vandalized have to bear. Graffiti makers tend to remain unknown and thus, never even make an offer to pay for the repairs for vandalizing someone’s property which at times could even be thousands of dollars.

Sometimes due to graffiti a property’s value gets lowered by a huge rate due to some inane scribbling across the wall or fence of the property. Not only do these graffiti vandals scribble on the fences and walls of the property they sometimes even destroy them by breaking a window, door or fence just for the mere sake of art. They slash the seats of the cars, buses and trains for which the government has to pay. (Ley, 491-505)

Recent History

In the last few decades the problem of graffiti has become far reaching and has spread from the largest of cities to small localities. Graffiti should not be viewed as an isolated problem since it leads to other public disorders, like loitering, littering and even public urination, and crimes, since most of the time the graffiti scribblers unable to pay for the markers and paints shoplift the required materials. Since graffiti is considered to be a public disorder it is sometimes even perceived as a means of lowered quality of living in certain communities.

As graffiti is almost always associated with crimes, it tremendously increases the fear of various criminal activities among the families of a community. Sometimes graffiti vandals even arouse questions in the hearts of the citizens by making them feel that the government authorities are incapable of protecting them from graffiti scribblers, thus making them further insecure.

Graffiti vandals have no concern for public or government property near public areas and deface anything they can lay their hand on including blank walls, trees, alley gates, monuments, statues, utility boxes, schools, furniture in parks and streets, buses and bus shelters, pavements, railway areas, utility poles, telephone boxes, street lights, traffic signs and signals, inside and outside of trains, vending machines, vacant buildings, freeway, subways, bridges, billboards, parking garages, sheds and road signs.

In a nutshell, graffiti is present almost in any area that is open to the view of the general public. Since graffiti vandals even mess with street signs and traffic signals that help the drivers navigate through busy towns, graffiti poses a threat to the safety of those drivers. Sometimes due to depreciation in land value or excessive nuisance created by these graffiti vandals, families and businesses alike have to avoid certain areas and may even have to move out of it completely. People facing graffiti vandalism and living in areas with graffiti have to face reduced business activities since common people generally associate criminal activities with graffiti and are thus, afraid to set up businesses in those areas. (D’Angelo, 102-109)

Cost of cleaning

Prevention and cleaning up of graffiti is associated with high costs. The government and the public have to bear heavy costs in order to protect themselves from the graffiti vandals. Currently, it had been estimated that almost $22 billion is spent in the US each year for cleaning up and preventing various acts of graffiti. It was also found that England almost has to spend £26 million every year to remove graffiti which is present in almost 90% of the places in the nation.

It becomes the headache of the local authorities to clean up the graffiti and fix whatever has been destroyed as soon as possible. Councils and government officials have to maintain quick responsive units who can rapidly and effectively clean out graffiti and fix damages the instant such an act is reported. Government authorities and councils even have to take up a combination of protective, preventive and removal strategies to fight back graffiti vandalism, making the whole process extremely costly. But since protecting or deterring property will not completely eliminate graffiti, it is better to remove graffiti as soon as it is reported. (Ley, 491-505)

Negatives of Graffiti

Graffiti not only causes danger to the citizens of a neighborhood but it also creates a huge mess which government officials have to clean up by paying from the city funds. Since the government has to bear the cost for cleaning up graffiti, it has a direct impact on the budget of a city too. Government officials have to use a significant amount from the available city budget for fixing damages to public buildings, streets and other properties. A huge amount of money also goes in the eradication and prevention of graffiti vandalism since this requires special equipment, materials and trained labors, making the entire matter highly expensive and time consuming.

Graffiti also adversely affects the taxpayers who have to pay extra for fixing damages to public properties, circuitously, during their yearly property taxes. Sometimes businesses pass on the cost for cleaning graffiti off their property on to their customers, who have to make larger payments for their goods purchased, for no fault of theirs. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Further, graffiti also causes losses in revenues related to reductions in retail sales and the transit systems. Thus, the money that needs to be spent for cleaning up and preventing graffiti can also be used for improving an area and may also have other valuable uses. Since graffiti contributes to a reduction in retails sales, businesses plagued by graffiti is least likely to be sponsored by others. Also the general public will be afraid and will feel unsafe when entering a retail store scrawled all over with graffiti. Graffiti vandalism is not always simply limited to spray painting and destruction of property since the graffiti vandals often commit severe crimes like rape and robbery. Given that they are not caught or reported most of the times, graffiti vandals think that they can do anything and get away with it. (Austin, 450-451)

Graffiti is frequently associated with gangs, although graffiti vandals are not limited only to these gangs. It creates an environment of blight and intensifies the fear of gang related activities and violence in the heart of the general public. It has been seen that gangs often use graffiti as a signal for marking their own territory and graffiti also functions as a tag or indicator for the various activities of a gang. In those areas, where graffiti is extremely common, tag and gang graffiti is extremely widespread and also causes a lot of trouble.

Gangs commonly make tags using acid spray paints or markers on apartments and buildings and they serve as a motto or statement or an insult. Such graffiti also include symbols and slogans that are exclusive for a particular gang and may also be made as a challenge or threat for a rival gang. Not only are graffiti made to disrespect other gangs but sometimes racist graffiti is also scribbled on walls which creates a lot of racist tension among the people of certain communities.

Such activities shock the residents who are indirectly forced to move out of the areas for the safety of their families. Graffiti scribblers who are also members of a gang or part of its crew sometimes get involved in fighting, and every now and then a number of them end up dead due to these gang wars. The messages relayed through graffiti are taken very seriously by gang members and the threats are almost always acted upon. (Smollar, 47-58)

Another problem with graffiti is that although sometimes a single act of graffiti may not be a serious offence, graffiti itself has a cumulative outcome which makes it even more serious. Its original emergence in a particular neighborhood almost always attracts even more graffiti vandals. At certain areas graffiti tend to occur over and over. Graffiti offenders are inclined to attack those areas that are painted over to clean the graffiti. Such areas act as a magnet attracting graffiti offenders to commit re-vandalism repeatedly.

Some graffitists commit acts of vandalism since they are extremely stubborn and do so in order to fight an emotional and psychological battle with the city council and government officials. They deliberately commit graffiti vandalisms in order to establish their authority and claim over a specific area. Graffiti offenders do so with the intention to defy the government authorities. (Wilson, 52-66)

Sometimes graffiti is extremely repulsive and thus, gets people, especially teenagers into extremely bad habits. They stop caring about other people or the government and develop a tendency to scribble anywhere they find a blank space. They stop respecting people and their property and the kids even start to make graffiti on the desks and tables of their schools. Graffiti vandals have no concern for the people around them and thus, increase the pessimistic attitude of the neighborhoods around them.

Not only does graffiti lead to crimes but the scribblers also harbor disruptive anti-social feelings and behavior inside them. Sometimes teenagers and kids place graffiti on other people’s property without their authority or consent as a mischievous act, not realizing that they are committing a crime which is equivalent to vandalism and punishable by law. These juvenile scribblers are accountable for almost all of the graffiti we find on the buildings and streets and they do not even realize that their graffiti sometimes even becomes offensive and racist in nature. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Juvenile crime

City officials are also concerned about the fact that when juveniles take part in graffiti vandalism it may be their initial offence leading them into much more harmful and sometimes even sophisticated crimes. Not only does graffiti create a gateway for these juveniles into a world of crime, it can sometimes also be associated with truancy due to which the juveniles may remain uneducated their whole lives.

Deprived of a proper education these young minds get involved with alcoholism and drug abuse, thus leading to even severe problems. Adolescents and juveniles become astray sending a message to all that graffiti give rise to various criminal activities. In those communities where people gather in groups at street corners during late hours, it is easier for the drug peddlers to promote their products among the juveniles without being interrupted either by the authorities or residents. (Smollar, 47-58)

Graffiti as a Social menace

Graffiti is a huge problem since it contaminates the environment of a locality. It is undeniably a plague for our modern cities since it leads to visual pollution. City officials and councils have to spend huge sums in order to clean the ever present graffiti on the walls and fences. But even an expensive cleaning strategy is not but a useless and ineffective way to deal with these graffiti vandals since they almost always find a way to reproduce graffiti.

Graffiti vandalism is an extremely complex and multifaceted public disorder which does not have any easy solution. Not only is the cleaning of graffiti an expensive affair, it is also an extremely difficult one since it involves a lot of hard work. Sometimes graffiti damages certain surfaces to such an extent that they remain permanently impaired as the graffiti vandals change the entire nature of the surfaces they paint on, thus changing the nature and environment of the whole neighborhood. If an act of graffiti vandalism is left unchecked, then it may even lead to urban decay by causing further decline in property value and increasing fear in communities.

Most of the times when graffiti is cleaned or painted over a part of the damage always remains. For example, the paint does not match entirely or sometimes the area becomes darker than before, making the cover up completely visible. Graffiti has a significant impact on the overall appearance of a neighborhood and almost always lowers the quality of life of the entire community. When these graffiti scribblers destroy train terminal and subways they immediately create a harmful first impression on others, of that city, all over the country.

Graffiti simply does not give rise to maintenance issues but it gives rise to a complicated social problem, one that makes people feel extremely unsafe in their own neighborhoods. Communities become unlivable due to reduction in the beauty and pride of their neighborhood. Graffiti completely destroys the design and scenic beauty of the entire community and the hate messages conveyed through graffiti hurts the people of the community.

Sometimes graffiti becomes so offensive that it disturbs the local residents making it a concern for the entire community. The residents not only feel unsafe themselves but also fear for their children who have to grow up in such a disturbing and troublesome locality. Though graffiti may appear to be a radical form of art, to the people whose belongings have been disfigured by graffiti it is nothing more than an unwanted form of vandalism, which is not only distressing but also extremely difficult to remove. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Consequences of Graffiti

Since defacing of public or government property without the owners authority is considered to be vandalism, offenders are even punishable by the law of many countries. Graffiti is like a crime since its creators steal the rights of the owners of the property to have their possessions look well and clean. Police authorities all over the world refer to graffiti vandalism as criminal damage. Graffiti vandals should be made to face strict penalties which should not only include jail time but also large fines, so that they do not repeat their actions again. The offenders not only have to pay huge penalties but can even be prosecuted for their crimes.

The graffiti vandals should not only have to pay fines for destroying properties but should also be made to clean the graffiti themselves, as a punishment. Juvenile scribblers have to carry out community services as a punishment for their crime. Graffiti vandals who have committed serious crimes, like rape or murder can even be imprisoned for life. Not only do these graffiti vandals damage other people and government properties, they also risk their own lives in making the graffiti. They often display their stupidity by gambling with their lives while trying to create graffiti on trains and bridges. It has often been seen that these graffiti scribblers suffer from dreadful injuries and some even end up dead. (D’Angelo, 102-109)

Some countries do not view graffiti as a major problem since they may not have encountered widespread incidences of graffiti vandalism, which may have been focused on only a few relatively hot spot areas. But the areas facing the problem of graffiti vandalism realize its intensity. Since graffiti is a highly visible form of vandalism, it greatly affects the people living in that area since it completely changes their existing perception of the entire neighborhood.

Graffiti scribblers carefully choose those locations frequented by passersby so that they can be affected by the drawings and scribbling even more. Graffiti becomes a form of vandalism due to the medium the graffitists use to display their art which is almost anything other than a piece of canvas. Graffiti vandals somewhat force the viewers to view their work, even if they do not want to do so.

They have no consideration as to where they place their work or that it may become a problem for the general public or that the medium which they are using either belongs to the government or to an individual. All these add up to people’s perception which views graffiti as vandalism leading to urban decay and crime and causing depreciation of business and property value and in the growth of industries.

Works Cited

Austin, J. “Wallbangin’: Graffiti and Gangs in L.A.” American Ethnologist 29.2 (2004): 450-451.

D’Angelo, Frank J. “Fools’ Names and Fools’ Faces are Always Seen in Public Places: A Study of Graffiti.” Journal of Popular Culture 10.1 (2006): 102-109.

Ley, D. “Urban Graffiti as Territorial Markers.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 64.4 (2001): 491-505.

Rafferty, P. Discourse on Difference: Street Art/ Graffiti Youth.” Visual Anthropology Review 7.2 (2005): 77-84.

Smollar, J. “Homeless Youth in the United States: Description and Developmental Issues.” New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 39.5 (2006): 47-58.

Wilson, J. “Racist and Political Extremist Graffiti in Australian Prisons, 1970s to 1990s.” The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 47.1 (2008): 52-66.

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Vandalism or art? Graffiti straddles both worlds

By Jean Reichenbach | March 1991 issue

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K ilroy was here ... and there ... and everywhere. Anyone old enough to have experienced the American landscape between 1942 and 1956 remembers that Kilroy left his name on rocks, bridges, buildings and—during World War II and the Korean War—even on walls behind enemy lines.

Kilroy may be history but today, in America’s inner cities, there are still graffiti scrawls “behind enemy lines.” Some gang graffiti serves as a billboard announcing to streetwise cognoscenti that “I sell drugs here” or “I shoot people who don’t belong here” or a warning that “You are passing into enemy territory.”

Other gang-related scrawls are simply expressions of a basic adolescent urge to establish groups and set goals. A list of names or nicknames (called “tags” in graffiti culture), for example, may simply mean “We hang out together,” says a UW expert in graffiti.

Whether it’s Kilroy’s name or a gang member’s “tag,” the writers are exercising one of graffiti’s most important functions: providing people with little access to other means of public expression the opportunity to be heard, explains Rick Olguin. An American ethnic studies professor, Olguin became interested in the subject as a graduate student at Stanford University and is now writing a book about graffiti.

A 1976 photo shows both Anglo and Hispanic anti-war graffiti.

Actually, G.I.s and gang members are relative latecomers to this ancient medium of communication, protest and occasionally genuine art. The catacombs under the city of Rome, for example, bear names and symbols left by persecuted first century Christians.

Olguin describes visiting a ruin in Greece where one of the now-scattered building blocks bears a mark scratched into it by a stonemason 3,000 years ago. “At that moment something really clicked about this universal urge to write graffiti, or for people to write their initials in fresh cement or carve their name in a tree or a  desk,” he recalls. “Fundamentally, graffiti is almost the universal way in which people express a fairly universal drive to be remembered.” And because it represents a universal human desire, Olguin deplores society’s tendency to “trivialize ” modern graffiti by “collapsing all of it into gang behavior.”

Olguin’s views notwithstanding, Sue Honaker, Seattle’s anti-graffiti coordinator, doesn’t hesitate to label as “graffiti vandals” the people who decorate walls that don’t belong to them.

Honaker can’t estimate how much graffiti removal costs the city of Seattle each year. But, she points out, the Seattle Public Library one year spent half its annual maintenance staff hours removing graffiti and Metro spent “well over $500,000” in one year cleaning graffiti from buses.

New York City spends $52 million annually in the battle against graffiti on its more than 6,000 subway cars, according to U.S. News and World Report . Last year, Time reported that annual U.S. costs run “into the billions.” Jay Beswick, founder of the National Graffiti Information Network, said in the same report that Los Angeles spends $28 million annually dealing with graffiti and Southern California cities together incur costs of $100 million.

“ It's not a question of art. It could be the Mona Lisa, but if it's on the side of your house, your rights are violated. ”

Sue Honaker, Seattle's anti-graffiti coordinator

“Basically, graffiti is any scrawl, writing, picture or marking on someone else’s property without their consent,” says Honaker, a 1984 UW alumna. “I don’t think there’s a person alive who has a problem with art,” she adds. “It’s not a question of art. It could be the Mona Lisa, but if it’s on the side of your house, your rights are violated.”

Olguin agrees that graffiti that encourages criminal behavior should be obliterated. But, he adds, society often fails to recognize that graffiti can also be art and a serious expression of cultural roots. “Not quite as complex as Navajo blanket weaving, but it has that kind of characteristic.”

Among Puerto Rican youth in New York City, for example, a master graffiti painter will draw out the mural and a group of apprentices, many of whom aspire to master status themselves, complete the project under his direction, says Olguin. “They’re seriously involved in learning a cultural aesthetic form of representation. It’s not just pure vandalism. … It’s art school just like Rubens.”

Olguin also ties graffiti to what he calls the “aesthetic of no empty space ” found in many cultures around the world. The walls of whole villages in remote parts of West Africa are painted in mural fashion, he says, and traces of these traditional motifs can be identified in African-American graffiti. “If these (African village) people occupied these offices,” he notes with a gesture toward the pristine perimeter of his Padelford office, “none of these walls would be white.”

Graffiti style makes its way into the mainstream in the lettering of this Chicano preschool sign.

The same aesthetic of filling empty space is also characteristic of pre-Columbian cultures. Walls in the ancient city of Teotehuacan, which 1,200 years ago had a population of 100,000, were entirely covered in floral murals, Olguin observes. Pre-Columbian designs, such as the feathered serpent or the step-pyramid shape, can be found today in graffiti in Mexican-American sections of cities such as Los Angeles and Albuquerque.

Olguin also ties the psychological mechanisms behind graffiti to the practice of ritual scarification (including the up-to-date “ritual scar” of pierced earlobes). He also likens it to tattoos (which he calls “personal permanent graffiti”), and even the current craze for message-bearing T-shirts, which are “thoroughly painless and another place you see all kinds of graffiti.” All of those practices, he says, reflect a deep human need to control our surrounding space.

Honaker, whose view is less academic, divides the graffiti she sees into several categories, including bubble gum (“John Loves Mary”), religious (“Jesus Saves” or “Allah Saves”), political, cartoon, gang and satanic which, she adds, is sometimes accompanied by evidence of animal mutilations such as a beheaded cat.

Each type of graffiti tends to have its own symbols. Satanist and white supremacist graffiti may be accompanied by the names of heavy metal rock ·bands such as Black Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Metallica and URU, Olguin notes. The pentagram, a five pointed star within a circle, is also a satanist symbol.

Disembodied heads are another common graffiti motif, Olguin notes, of which Kilroy, with his head and hands showing above a horizontal line, is a prime example. Chicano youth currently favor a front-view face with a goatee and perhaps a mustache, sunglasses and a fedora. Sculptors have been making disembodied heads for centuries whenever they create busts, Olguin points out. “It’s sort of canonical.”

One mysterious symbol that has cropped up in Seattle recently is a “weird squiggle,” in Olguin’s words, that at first glance suggests an Asian language. But experts at the Jackson School of International Studies have not been able to identify it. Sometimes, upon close inspection, the images resemble Roman letters elaborated almost to the point of being illegible, much like some of the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, notes Olguin, who remains mystified about what the messages signify or who is writing them.

A 1990 mural in Albuquerque, New Mexico, painted to discourage drug use, employs street graffiti styles.

Contemporary writers of political graffiti have adopted 19th century anarchist symbols such as a black flag or the letter A inside of a circle, Olguin notes, although he doubts they understand classic anarchist philosophy. “To them, anarchy means ‘There are no rules,’ which is different from ‘There is no government,’ which is what anarchy is about.”

As is often the case in popular culture, California can be a trendsetter in graffiti. Corporate symbols, such as the familiar bell of the telephone company, the logo of the Los Angeles Raiders, or oil company logos are popular territorial markers for Los Angeles gangs, says Honaker. “El Norte” and “El Sur” are gang designations seen throughout Northern and Southern California respectively. Such designations, including the gang names Bloods and Crips, tend to make their way north. One of Olguin’s friends has seen the word “Surrenos” in a neighborhood in West Seattle, the mark of a group of kids from a neighborhood in southern Orange County.

In contrast to some cities, Honaker notes, only about two percent of Seattle’s graffiti is the work of true gang members. Olguin agrees that the percentage is small. Most gang-type work is “copy cat,” in Honaker’s words, but she declines to make public the clues that allow her to tell the difference.

If gang graffiti is an expression of “I belong,” hate graffiti is a statement of separation, Olguin says. “You get a real statement of identity, not through connection to a space but through definition of an out­group: ‘I am not gay’ … ‘I am not black’ … ‘I am not woman.”‘

The campus has seen a recent “flurry of really ugly racist stuff,” says Anne Guthrie, administrative manager in the UW’s facility management office. Guthrie ties the wave to a resurgence of racism both here and on American campuses in general. Official policy calls for the prompt removal of all graffiti, says Guthrie, but special efforts are made to remove racist and sexist scrawls within 24 hours.

A mid-1970s mural in San Diego that promotes the United Farmworkers has not been defaced by graffiti in more than 10 years.

Political graffiti is also popular on campus, and is usually aimed at political and military hot spots from El Salvador to the Middle East. Favorite locations seem to be the west wall of campus facing 15th Avenue N.E., the back wall of Kincaid Hall near the Burke Gillman Trail and “Red Square” near the Odegaard Undergraduate Library, Guthrie says. The stairwells from the Central Plaza Garage are another popular target.

To Guthrie’s knowledge, no tally is kept of how much money and staff time is spent removing campus graffiti. But, she points out, in an era of limited budgets, every dollar or hour devoted to graffiti removal is that much less available for other, badly needed, purposes.

Removal techniques and costs vary according to the surface and the kind of paint used. Concrete can be painted over, cleaned with high pressure water hoses or sprayed over with what Honaker calls a “slurry” that, in effect, applies a thin layer of new concrete.

Brick and marble surfaces are especially expensive to clean, Honaker notes, and often require the use of chemicals which pose an environmental threat when they make their way through storm drains into rivers or other bodies of water.

Like Olguin, Honaker spends considerable time on the street getting to know the youth who engage in the graffiti. She tries to “stay away from the punitive” and works hard to maintain good relationships with known graffiti vandals who keep her up to date on “what’s new on the street,” she says.

Her experience leads her to believe that graffiti vandalism is an essentially anonymous behavior which permits individuals to, in her words, “rile without risk.” Youngsters who have failed to attract approval through academic, social or athletic achievement can, through graffiti, command a moment in the sun, she notes. Take, for example, the New York City youth who slipped into a zoo at night and spray-painted graffiti on the back side of an elephant. “He had a good story to tell at school the next day,” Honaker notes.

Most youthful vandals are from the lower economic levels, Honaker says, but the activity also attracts affluent children who “put up graffiti or run with a tag team” as a way to add a sense of risk to otherwise orderly, safe lives. A “tag team,” she explains, often consists of an artist, a lookout, and someone adept at stealing paint—which can be a major undertaking and is often a point of honor in itself. “A good piece can take as many as 500 spray cans,” she adds.

Whenever possible Honaker tries to persuade the best of the painters to design and paint murals on walls offered for that purpose by Seattle business people. The city already boasts dozens of such productions.

“There’s a lot of really good talent out there,” she notes. “Good people who are misdirected.”

Olguin urges that we work harder to re-channel not just the art but also the energy of the youths who participate in it. These youngsters, with their graffiti and gang behavior, are exploring the limits of society’s rules, he notes. “It seems to me that (exploring these limits) is what entrepreneurial societies are all about, what aesthetically creative and dynamic societies are all about.”

At top: A 1990 photo of a retaining wall on Rainier Avenue South in Seattle that is covered with hundreds of “tags.”

Jean Reichenbach is associate editor of Col­umns.

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Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism in America?

This essay about the debate surrounding graffiti in America, questioning whether it should be considered as artistic expression or vandalism. It explores the complexities of graffiti as both an illegal act and a form of cultural commentary, acknowledging the tensions between art and law. While some argue that graffiti enhances urban environments and provides a voice for marginalized communities, others emphasize its criminality and disregard for property rights. Despite differing opinions, the essay emphasizes the need for thoughtful consideration and dialogue on this multifaceted issue.

How it works

Graffiti has long been a contentious subject in American society, with passionate arguments on both sides of the debate. Some view it as a form of artistic expression, while others see it simply as vandalism. However, the reality is far more complex than these simplistic viewpoints suggest.

At its core, graffiti is an art form. It is a means of self-expression for individuals who may not have access to more traditional forms of artistic expression. Graffiti artists use walls, buildings, and other public spaces as their canvas, transforming ordinary surfaces into vibrant works of art that reflect their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

In this sense, graffiti can be seen as a form of cultural commentary, a way for marginalized voices to be heard in a society that often ignores them.

But while graffiti may be art, it is also illegal. The unauthorized defacement of public or private property is a criminal act, and graffiti artists who engage in it can face fines, jail time, and other legal consequences. This raises important questions about the relationship between art and law, and whether artistic expression should be subject to the same rules and regulations as other forms of behavior.

One argument often made in defense of graffiti is that it adds to the vibrancy and character of urban environments. Indeed, many cities around the world have embraced graffiti as a legitimate form of street art, commissioning murals and other works to beautify public spaces and deter vandalism. However, there is a fine line between sanctioned street art and illegal graffiti, and not all graffiti artists are interested in creating art that is socially or aesthetically valuable.

Ultimately, the question of whether graffiti is art or vandalism is a subjective one, and different people will have different opinions on the matter. What is clear, however, is that graffiti has become an integral part of the cultural landscape in America, challenging traditional notions of art and public space. As such, it is a phenomenon that cannot be easily dismissed or ignored, but rather one that demands thoughtful consideration and dialogue.

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Graffiti Art: Why Graffiti Is Art And Not Vandalism

Although graffiti is generally considered to be a contemporary artform, it actually originated thousands of years ago. The earliest examples are things like cave paintings and inscriptions on ancient buildings in Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, with the word ‘graffiti’ itself stemming from the Italian word graffiato, meaning ‘scratched’. Yet as the art form has evolved, so have the connotations surrounding it, and at present, turning walls into canvases remains nothing more than vandalism according to US law.

Editorial Team , Oct 3, 2023

The debate over whether graffiti constitutes art or vandalism is incredibly complex, and depends on many factors, such as the location of a particular piece, and the quality and message of the design. There is no clear answer, and it’s easy to see both sides of the debate — after all, not everyone would be happy to have their property painted without their consent. On the flip side, it could also be argued that graffiti is an artist’s right to freedom of expression, and a way to ensure their work can be appreciated by those beyond the artistic elite.

However, we champion plenty of graffiti artists here at ArtLife, and even though there will always be exceptions, we stand firm that graffiti is deserving of its status as art for the following reasons:

Graffiti Takes Technical Skill

A great deal of talent is required to create brilliant artwork, and graffiti is no exception. In fact, there are plenty of street artists whose work clearly displays an immense level of technical ability. Take Retna, for example, who has gone beyond painting walls to cover entire buildings with his distinct calligraphic style, such as the 21-story Cuauhtemoc building in Mexico City. This unbelievably complex achievement required a great deal of strategic planning and real imagination to pull off, as well as a clear understanding of color and composition. This may not be true of all graffiti creations — many critics would argue that you don’t need talent to paint a scruffy tag. However, art is subjective, and there will always be ‘good’ and ‘bad’ artists within every movement. Those like Retna prove that, as in any art form, graffiti can be exceptional when created by someone with impressive skill.

It Exemplifies Freedom Of Expression

Art ceases to be art without freedom of expression, and perhaps graffiti exercises this right more than any other medium. Taking creativity to the streets means that the artists don’t need to worry about gallery curators, critics or potential buyers, and can therefore be completely unrestrained, and even anonymous if they so choose. Status doesn’t matter, and the lack of limitations allow graffiti artists to break conventions and push boundaries to create even more exciting — and arguably more authentic — works of art.

Political And Social Themes Are Powerfully Represented

Many of the most renowned artworks make a powerful comment on the social and political issues of their time, and graffiti can make a huge impact in this respect. Just look at Banksy, who has become world-famous for his humorous and subversive commentaries like Love is in the Air, first painted on Jerusalem’s West Bank barrier in 2003 as a statement in favor of Palestinian rights. Similarly, Keith Haring was able to bring mass attention to the crack epidemic through his Crack is Wack mural, as well as homosexuality and the AIDS crisis. Plenty of aficionados would argue that it’s art’s duty to shed light on such topics, and given that these themes relate to ordinary people, perhaps it’s unsurprising that the most iconic examples were created on the streets the target audience live on.

Impressive Works Bring Drab Spaces To Life

As well as having meaning, art is also valued for its beauty, and there’s no denying how beautiful some graffiti can look, which is why street art tours are now so popular all over the world. Even though graffiti is generally free to access, more and more people are willing to pay to see some of the most magnificent works in the city of choice. Bold colours, shapes and patterns are key features of this art form, and when artists let their imaginations run wild, their creations instantly transform drab spaces into places people are excited to be. Seeing as art is used to decorate the walls of our homes, couldn’t it be argued that graffiti does the same to the walls outside?

Huge Sales Demonstrate Its Artistic Value

Anyone arguing that graffiti isn’t art may struggle to explain why people have paid so much for it in recent years. For example, Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat sold for a huge $110.5 million in 2017, the most expensive American painting ever to sell at auction at the time, while Banksy’s Girl with Balloon sold for $1.37 million. Other expensive pieces include Retna’s Untitled ($38,000) and Charlie Chaplin by Mr. Brainwash ($100,000). Not everyone would agree that an artwork’s value is determined by its price tag, however the fact that graffiti can sell for such high sums proves the respect and prestige it has generated within the art community, and it would therefore be entirely reductive to claim all graffiti is mere vandalism.

Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Graffiti — Graffiti: Vandalism Or Street Art

Graffiti: Vandalism Or Street Art

• Categories: Graffiti Painting Vandalism

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Words: 736 |

Published: Sep 1, 2020

Words: 736 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Hook Examples for Graffiti Essay

• Street Art’s Silent Rebellion: Step into the world of graffiti as a form of silent rebellion, where artists use walls as their canvas to challenge the status quo and voice their unfiltered opinions.
• The Artistry Behind Urban Vandalism: Discover the intricate artistry hidden within the world of graffiti, where spray cans become tools of expression, turning ordinary walls into vibrant masterpieces.
• Graffiti’s Cultural Impact: Explore the cultural significance of graffiti as it transcends boundaries, influencing music, fashion, and modern art, while reflecting the pulse of urban life.
• Tagging: Vandalism or Art? Engage in the debate surrounding graffiti’s legality and ethics, questioning whether it is an act of vandalism or a legitimate form of artistic expression.
• Graffiti as a Mirror to Society: Examine graffiti’s role as a mirror to society, reflecting the hopes, frustrations, and aspirations of marginalized communities, often overlooked by mainstream culture.

Works Cited

• Brighenti, A. M. (2010). Urban Interstices: The Aesthetics and the Politics of Graffiti Removal. Geography Compass, 4(12), 1779-1792. doi:10.1111/j.1749-8198.2010.00378.x
• Chatterton, P. (2004). The Production of Exclusion: Space and Identity in the Graffiti Subculture. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 22(5), 851-869. doi:10.1068/d321t
• Halsey, M., & Young, A. (2006). Our Desires Are Ungovernable: Writing Graffiti in Urban Space. Theoretical Criminology, 10(3), 275-306. doi:10.1177/1362480606065009
• Lees, L., & DeSilvey, C. (2013). Graffiti, Architecture, and the City: Writing the Boundaries of Urban Space. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 31(6), 1021-1040. doi:10.1068/d12612
• Lippard, L. R. (2009). The Politics of Sight: An Exhibition of Works by Artists on the Streets. In C. Schneemann (Ed.), Dark Matter: Art and Politics in the Age of Enterprise Culture (pp. 139-152). Pluto Press.
• O’Sullivan, S. (2010). Graffiti and the Writing Arts of Early Modern England. University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Price, S. (2008). Graffiti as Career and Ideology. Qualitative Sociology, 31(2), 199-221. doi:10.1007/s11133-007-9095-5
• Stowers, G. (2005). The Graffiti Subculture: Youth, Masculinity and Identity in London and New York. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Velthuis, O. (2014). Creativity and Commerce: The Cultural Industries. In Talking Prices: Symbolic Meanings of Prices on the Market for Contemporary Art (pp. 23-44). Princeton University Press.

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Essay on Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Graffiti Art Or Vandalism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

What is graffiti.

Graffiti is pictures or words painted on walls and other surfaces, usually in public places. It can be very colorful and sometimes very beautiful. Some people do it to express themselves or to send a message. Others might just do it for fun.

Graffiti as Art

Many people see graffiti as art. This is because it can be very creative and show a lot of skill. Artists like Banksy have made graffiti famous around the world. In some cities, there are even special walls where graffiti is allowed.

Graffiti as Vandalism

However, not everyone likes graffiti. When it is done without permission, it is illegal and called vandalism. It can make buildings and places look messy and uncared for. Cleaning it up costs a lot of money, which is not fair to the owners.

Whether graffiti is art or vandalism depends on where and why it was done. If it’s illegal, it’s vandalism. But, if it’s allowed and adds beauty to a place, it can be a form of art. It’s a topic with many opinions.

250 Words Essay on Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

Many people believe graffiti is a real form of art. Artists can show their feelings and ideas through colorful drawings and messages. In some cities, there are special places where graffiti is allowed and can be a tourist attraction. These artworks can make a place look vibrant and tell stories about the community.

On the other hand, some think graffiti is vandalism, which means damaging property without permission. When graffiti is sprayed on someone’s house or a shop without them saying it’s okay, it can be upsetting and cost money to clean up. It can also be seen as rude and a form of breaking the law.

Graffiti walks a thin line between being art and vandalism. It depends on where it’s done and what it shows. If an artist has permission and creates something that makes a place look better, it can be seen as art. But if it’s done without permission and damages property, it’s often seen as vandalism. It’s important to respect others and their property while finding ways to express creativity.

500 Words Essay on Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

Graffiti is a type of art that people make by drawing or writing on walls or other surfaces, usually in public places. It can be done with spray paint, markers, or even stickers. Some people think of graffiti as colorful pictures or words that can be very pretty to look at, while others see it as writing or drawings that should not be there.

Many people believe graffiti is a true form of art. This is because it allows artists to express their feelings and ideas in a very open way. These artists choose walls in cities as their canvas and create big, bold pictures for everyone to see. Some famous artists, like Banksy, have made graffiti that is worth a lot of money and is shown in museums. When graffiti shows talent and adds beauty to a place, many people appreciate it.

Permission Makes a Difference

A big thing that decides if graffiti is art or vandalism is permission. If an artist asks for permission and gets it before making their graffiti, it is more likely to be seen as art. Cities sometimes have special places where artists are allowed to put their graffiti. But, if someone makes graffiti without asking, it is often seen as vandalism.

Community Impact

Graffiti can change the way a community looks and feels. When it’s done well and with permission, it can make a place more interesting and fun. It can even bring people to the area to see the art. But if there is a lot of graffiti that looks like scribbles or is done without care, it can make people think the neighborhood is not a good place to be.

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Arguments for Graffiti as Art Essay

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Introduction

Definition of art, quality as a prerequisite, functions of art.

The modern world has born witness to the emergence of a new form of creative expression known as graffiti. It is usually represented by writings or drawings on walls, which are in many cities prohibited. There is a debate on whether this type of artistry is art or vandalism. Given the comprehensive nature of art and the time and care necessary to produce a piece of graffiti, it should be considered a form of art.

Before determining the appropriateness of calling graffiti art, it is essential to understand what is meant by art. It is an extremely wide term that encompasses a large array of human activities. In its most general definition, almost anything created by a person can be considered art. However, children’s drawings are not displayed in a museum, although they also can be an example. The same principle of distinguishing creations by the fact of their existence applies to graffiti.

Graffiti is a form of art because it requires creativity and artistic expression. Any form of drawing or aesthetic writing cannot be accomplished without skill and talent. Graffiti are complex creations, consisting of numerous details and stylistic choices. An individual without the knowledge of the basics of drawing and the ability to use a paint stick is not capable of producing an adequate graphical piece. As a result, the limitations in people’s capacity in graffiti production exemplifies it as art.

It should also be noted that not all art in history was immediately recognized as such. Some of the creations, which are socially accepted and positively regarded today, were also previously condemned. As arts writers point out, “statues and other works of art flaunting penises and the naked body were considered perverse and sacrilegious” ( Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art ). Therefore, the current lack of tolerance toward graffiti does not mean that perception will not change over time.

Many people do not acknowledge this type of drawing as a form of art. The reason for graffiti’s ambivalent status lies in the lack of official quality criteria. Whereas it is possible to analyze a painting relying on a set of artistic standards, there are no established and agreed guidelines for evaluating graffiti. Nevertheless, the absence of formal recognition does not devalue the efforts that are necessary to embellish walls with aerosol paint.

It might even be possible that the lack of rules for making graffiti is precisely what distinguishes it as art. “Graffiti is one of the purest forms of art, supporters say, because it can exist without support or syndication from the mainstream art establishment” ( Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art ). In essence, nothing constrains an artist from delivering the work they envision. The freedom of expression further solidifies graffiti’s position as art.

Just like any human creation, pieces of graffiti differ based on quality. Writing and drawing on walls have evolved into a subculture. Its representatives have their own conception of techniques and standards for creating a work of graffiti ( Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art ). Moreover, the illegal nature of these drawings has forced creators to work faster, incorporating stencils. “As a result, graffiti has grown more complex and specialized, including stickers and other media besides spray paint” ( Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art ). Overall, the qualitative features of graffiti have added to its artistic value.

Most pieces of art convey a creator’s message or artistic idea. Graffiti is not an exception since it emerged as a means to voice social displeasure. As supporters of attributing graffiti to art claim, it “provides a tool for communicating with the larger population” ( Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art ). Similar to many other forms of visual art, like caricatures, cinema, or paintings, writing on walls can draw attention to social issues, propagate an idea and, in any other way, execute the communicative function of art.

Another purpose of art is setting the tone and accentuating an artist’s feelings. In a similar manner to typical visual art, graffiti can also brighten the mood. Colorful drawings and writings on walls can make urban surroundings less grim and more joyful. Graffiti can impact a person emotionally and psychologically, appeal to their sense of beauty, and entertain them, thus functioning as any other work of art.

Probably the most evident feature of art is that it does not have to be enjoyed by everyone. There are pieces, which are appraised as manifestations of genius and dismissed as shallow objects at the same time. Graffiti also form a wide range of reactions, from those who consider it to be evidence of criminalization and vandalism to those who sincerely uphold it as the modern iteration of street art.

Altogether, graffiti can, by all means, be considered a form of art. It requires skill and lets artists express their ideas and sentiment. Some graffiti can be characterized as possessing exceptional quality rivaling socially accepted works of art. The opinion and legal status can change over time, with the current condemnation of graffiti being a contemporary phenomenon. Ultimately, it executes all functions typical of art and should subsequently be recognized as such.

“Graffiti: Is Graffiti Art.” Infobase . 2011. Web.

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Graffiti: art or vandalism?

There is graffiti in almost every city in the world. Read this article to learn more about Britain's most famous graffiti artist.

Instructions

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Where do you expect to see graffiti? Probably not in a museum. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, in the south-west of England, was the kind of place you went to see classical statues and stuffed animals in cases until the arrival of the ‘Banksy versus the Bristol Museum’ exhibition in the summer of 2009. The exhibition hosted more than 100 works by Banksy, one of the world’s most famous graffiti artists.

Banksy is a man of mystery. He hardly ever gives interviews and likes to be anonymous. Nobody knows much about his life or his background but many people believe that his real name is either Robin Gunningham, Robert Banks or Robin Banks and that he was born in 1973 near Bristol.

Banksy’s controversial ‘street art’ includes spray paintings on live sheep and cows and graffiti on the huge wall erected to divide Israel and Palestine. Brad Pitt spent over $2 million on a Banksy original. Banksy designed an album cover for the Britpop group Blur in 2003 but he has refused at least four requests to do adverts for Nike. A year after the Bristol exhibition, Banksy made a film called Exit Through the Gift Shop . The film tells the story of a French street artist in America. Exit Through the Gift Shop received many positive reviews. Nobody knows if it was about a real artist or an invented character from Banksy’s imagination.

Bristol isn’t the only place in Britain to welcome graffiti. The DPM Park in Dundee, Scotland has the longest legal graffiti wall (almost 110m long) in the UK. Anyone can paint on the council-owned wall any time they like. Mike Crilley, the graffiti wall project organiser, promotes the positive side of graffiti and runs workshops for local children.

Is everyone doing graffiti? Can we do graffiti where we want these days? Not exactly. It’s illegal to paint on somebody else’s property so make sure you find a legal graffiti wall like the one in Dundee if you want to have a go.

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Essay Samples on Vandalism

Expressive art: is graffiti art or vandalism.

 Throughout time graffiti has received both overwhelming support and intense backlash. Some view it as a form of expressive art while others consider it a complete destruction of property. However, despite the amount of differentiation, charisma and personality graffiti can bring into cities, it is...

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Societal Views On Graffiti: Street Art Or Vandalism

When you think of graffiti what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Vandalism or street art? Most would say vandalism, but what makes the distinction between the two? The intention of the piece. There’s a difference between defiling the back of a building and...

Graffiti And Street Art As An Act Of Vandalism

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Graffiti: A Form of Art or Crime

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Graffiti: The Discussion on Whether It Is an Art or an Act of Vandalism

Graffiti, is it art? Or Vandalism? In most countries painting property without the property owner's permission is considered vandalism, which is a punishable crime, yet at the same time, many cities are put on the map because of their street art. These cities, like Buenos...

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Ways of Vandalism Discouragement at Historical Sites in India

Abstract It is the land that breaths by its vivid pattern of culture, customs, traditions, and ancestral practices. This vividness resulted in the formation of a nation that has a strong history of evolution and architectural advancement. India is a diverse country with thousands of...

Vandalism and Vandalistic Photography in the Work of Martha Cooper and Jürgen Große

Google defines the act of vandalism as an “action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property.” Photography and its influencers have changed the idea of vandalistic photography over many years. This idea is vividly seen through, such artists as Martha Cooper,...

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Global Interrelated Problems of Vandalism and Safety Issues at Schools and the Ways to Solve Them

What is Vandalism? Vandalism is an action involving the intentional destruction of or damage to public or private property. What are Safety Issues? Safety Issue means any information suggesting an emerging safety concern or possible change in the risk-benefit. It also an issue that encompasses...

Best topics on Vandalism

1. Expressive Art: Is Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

2. Societal Views On Graffiti: Street Art Or Vandalism

3. Graffiti And Street Art As An Act Of Vandalism

4. Graffiti: A Form of Art or Crime

5. Graffiti: The Discussion on Whether It Is an Art or an Act of Vandalism

6. Ways of Vandalism Discouragement at Historical Sites in India

7. Vandalism and Vandalistic Photography in the Work of Martha Cooper and Jürgen Große

8. Global Interrelated Problems of Vandalism and Safety Issues at Schools and the Ways to Solve Them

• Child Abuse
• Jeffrey Dahmer
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• Serial Killer
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Graffiti: An Art Or A Vandalism. (2024, Feb 14). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/graffiti-an-art-or-a-vandalism-essay

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StudyMoose. (2024). Graffiti: An Art Or A Vandalism . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/graffiti-an-art-or-a-vandalism-essay [Accessed: 3-Sep-2024]

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• The History of Graffiti Art Pages: 5 (1260 words)
• Is Graffiti an Art? Pages: 3 (828 words)

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Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism? (1473 words)

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Graffiti – The Art of the Outlaws

There is a certain beauty to graffiti, with all the colors and the big variety of different styles of letters. There has been a debate about graffiti ever since the caveman days. Although graffiti is illegal and is considered vandalism by the law, some people considered it art because, it is a way people can express themselves and let their voices be heard. Graffiti can be used as artistic expression, or a form of communication, but many people consider it to be vandalism.

Because it occurs in public, graffiti is a way for a wide range of people that might not typically interact with one another, to freely and directly communicate with one another” (Conklin). It is considered a form of communication for many people who feel they are not heard. Many graffiti protests have transpired throughout social history. It is the only way some people communicate dissenting messages to the public. Both form of communication can bring powerful messages to the public through political commentary, and making an impact on civic consciousness.

What is graffiti

Graffiti is a way under-served parts of society can gain power and value though communicate and presence into space where they are otherwise not allowed or welcomed” (Conklin). Graffiti challenges “ free speech zones”, pushing the boundaries of what is allowed and not allowed. Graffiti is considered a form of communication in the form of images that are put on buildings without permission. Graffiti can give humans a voice for places they can not go or are not allowed. That is how some people might communicate to let their voices be heard, while other think it is vandalism. In public art and street art there really is no difference.

If graffiti is considered vandalism then why should not public art be considered vandalism as well. “Street art is considered rebellious in nature and illegal in practice, while public art is commissioned by cities or property owners and is considered culturally enriching and socially acceptable”(Imam). Street art is both illegal and is not accepted in society. While public art is culturally and socially acknowledged. They are both made in the street and they are both written on walls. Graffiti has been around many years. Graffiti is been one of the largest art trends to last.

Cave painting can be considered graffiti as well. Graffiti technique can be viewed as pricey art. Graffiti has gained popularity and has become socially acceptable such as commercial graffiti. In commercial graffiti street artist get hired to create graffiti based on advertisements in cities such as London, New York, Atlanta and Paris. “A school teacher in Montessori sees himself as a public artist. People around the city call him a street artist because of his use of spray painting” (Imam ). Many people who are street artists or public artists don’t consider themselves as street artist.

Many artist hesitate to call themselves a street artist or a graffiti artist. Graffiti artist are socially or politically driven, it can even be drive by almost communal pride. People’s attitude towards graffiti is extremely different, they hate tags but they want the murals. Many do not realize that they are all connected and related; their is no murals without tagging. Elaborate beautiful murals on random or local public walls is where graffiti is mostly found. Their is no difference in public art and street art. They are all connected and related to each other.

Graffiti: Art or vandalism

Thought our history many different styles to graffiti have been created. Their a merals, tagging and more. Graffiti can be considered art as well, if graffiti artist are tagging then that is considered vandalism. If it is a meral and it points out a message then it is considered art. “ Distinction between simple tags and more complicated pieces, stating that tags have little aesthetic appeal and probably should not be considered art. However, larger pieces require planning and imagination and contain artistic elements like color and composition”(Stowers). Graffiti has many different types of styles.

Some pieces can be complicated while others like tagging are simple. Tagging is one form of graffiti anyone can do it. Than their is wildstyle graffiti. Wild Style changes with each artist’s view of the alphabet. Also wildstyle relies on the fading, foreground and background color. Each graffiti peice that is creating a states a statement or a saying. “ Tags scribbled on subway trains to a complex mural on a billboard are movements that graffiti has experienced change in style. Like all other forms of art” (Stowers). Tagging should be considered vandalism. Writing your name on the wall is not a piece of art.

A five year old child can do that. The definition of art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture. Graffiti is visualized, it is a way for the artists to express themselves. Graffiti to some people can be always considered vandalism. It is something they do not understand, so they dislike it. “That graffiti signaled that informal social controls and law enforcement had broken down in New York’s public spaces, making them vulnerable to even greater levels of disorder and law-breaking”( ).

To some people think that graffiti is a juvenile act. Graffiti is a silent characteristic which is crime itself . In New York many of social controls and law enforcements had broken down in public spaces making it a more greater for place to be graffiti on and for crime to happen. Graffiti on public walls and ruined building that will lead to bigger crimes in the cities. Which will ruin the whole cities perspective. “People think that since their is tagging or graffiti in a park or a certain area that that area is dominated by vandals who might be involved in other crimes” (Donald).

Why people don`t like graffiti

People do not like going to parks or through streets that have graffiti around them. They think it is related with gangs which can lead to bigger crime. Also they think graffiti is associated with gangs, violence and drugs. So everytime they see graffiti on a wall, broken windows they associated it with gangs and crime. If you must force your efforts on the public your “art” is seriously lacking merit. Many people consider graffiti as vandalism instead of art. Graffiti art, public art and graffiti writing is simply another art form.

Art is personal and can take on many forms. “It would not make sense to expect everyone to have the same taste”(Nieves). They do not like it and think it is vandalism because they do not understand it. People do not like things they do not understand. Not all forms of graffiti is related to gangs and vandalism reputations. Their festivals around the world that give graffiti artists a chance to show of their work. It also pops a questions about showcasing graffiti as art.

Would showcasing graffiti engage people’s curiosity as art would spread into vandalism across cities. Buildings that been abandoned and ignored by the community are the ones that get tagged on and become art canvases”( (Nieves). The only building and communities that they see graffiti on is place that have been abandoned. Graffiti art is not seen on many well built communities. It might be gang influenced but it is not always crime related. Graffiti has served a social identity of generations of youth. Graffiti that is considered tagging in vandalism and may influence gangs and violence. According to the dictionary it is unauthorized and it destroys someone’s property.

The owner has the right to their own property to make it look clean, but if someone is tagging on it then it is stealing the property owners right to keep their yard clean and nice. Graffiti artists never make the offer to pay the repair for their destruction. Which cost thousands to repair or replace. Graffiti that takes a great deal of time and has lots of color graffiti would be considered art. When artists create graffiti they can not erase or stroke, it is hard to get the right texture and the right shadowing; it can be considered on of the hardest forms of art.

The graffiti artists want people to see their work. Their is no incentive target to a area if people erase the art of a graffiti artist. Tagging is horrible scribble you see painted or scrawled on fences, bridges, in subways, on the sides of buildings and houses. Which is why people don’t like it. What they do not see is it has a certain beauty to it, with beautiful colors and powerful messages. It is a way people express their opinions about the world. Where people like it or not graffiti is considered art.

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Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism? (1473 words). (2018, Mar 01). Retrieved from https://artscolumbia.org/graffiti-art-vandalism-43288/

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Graffiti: Vandalism or Art

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To What Extent Do Audiences Need Art Galleries to View Their Works

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Beal Street In Memphis, Tennessee

Most people think of graffiti as vandalism or the defacing of private property by wild teenagers with spray cans. I had never really thought about graffiti or art for that matter until I found myself defending something I didn’t know about because I liked what I saw on the sidewalk in Memphis, Tennessee. Now, that’s sounds crazy but I did my best to explain using simple words that I hoped they would understanding.

Analysis Of Alex Boyd's In Defense Of Graffiti

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Is Graffiti Really Art?

Is graffiti seen as vandalism or a notable art that is used to voice the opinion of many artists? Many are quick to conclude that graffiti is an act of defacing public property, but few are in understanding of what real graffiti is. Graffiti is defined as art that is displayed or created in public spaces. So this presents the question of why some critics believe that graffiti should not be classified as a real subcategory of art. Below is the explanation as to why graffiti needs to be considered among the most prestigious and notable art forms.

Graffiti: Art or Vandalism Essay

Graffiti has been around for more than half a decade and practiced worldwide. However there is debate between whether it is a form of art or vandalism. Graffiti artists’ debate that many do not understand the reason most graffiti artist take the risk of incarceration, fines, injuries, and in some cases death to paint a wall. A graffiti artist can have the simple desire to become recognized, or to create a piece that speaks to their audience as a form of self expression. Because graffiti is associated with gangs and acts of destruction to some many cannot see the history and importance graffiti can have on a worldwide scale. Due to the fact that graffiti is usually produced illegally, meaning it is

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Persuasive Essay On Graffiti

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Graffiti: Art or Vandalism Essay examples

Most people can argue that there is a fine distinction between what is recognized as art and vandalism. The individual is often faced with uncertainty when the topic of graffiti arises. The public often portray graffiti as a destructive act towards his or her surroundings however; graffiti can also be considered a form of self-expression. Many questions can be made pertaining to the graffiti movement, but the main question is graffiti a crime or an art? The answers lie in the complex phrase of “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

Graffiti Is Art Not Vandalism

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Essay Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?

• 10 Works Cited

Many cities view graffiti as dirty and worthless; for example, the city of San Antonio has arranged an anti-graffiti campaign in which the city boldly states “graffiti is ugly” (“Graffiti”). This attitude towards graffiti and the obsession with ridding cities of graffiti sparked the ever-present negative outlook on the craft, spoiling its artistic value.

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Is Graffiti Art, Through Vandalism?

In the 70s graffiti was just tags or small pictures but it quickly turned into and “art movement” (Eickmier). This means that the young and the old artist had finally found a way to express themselves and were spreading it around cities like wildfire. In other countries the amount of graffiti shock american tourists, it is seen as a good thing. “Instead of walls being used to separate people from each other, graffiti brings people together and keeps conversations going.” (Wark) Graffiti has value as art and it tells a story worth reading. (Wark) Most teens resort to graffiti as their last option, and most people see that as wrong, but it lets them express themselves in a really different

Is Graffiti Art Or Vandalism? Essay

Graffiti has put a major impact on the way people look at their everyday life. It was not used so much here in the United States but was used overseas. Overseas, graffiti, or street art, was used or played as a sport, just like baseball is Americas sport. There are different laws that are put over there than what there are here. They can get away with some of the things that they paint or make over there. If we tried some of that type of work over here, we would get in trouble and possibly serve time for vandalizing someone else’s property. There are many biased outlooks on graffiti, but it should be considered art in all places because of all the time, effort, and design the artist put into their work.

Graffiti Is Not Art Essay

Graffiti has been used many times in history to preserve and show political and religious ideas of the past. Street artists are preserving the history that is deemed “illegal” at this time. Graffiti itself is history, and it tells stories as well as preserving cities and adding a creative aspect to everyday life. The “...first forms of scripture and storytelling … were through drawings on walls. Stories passed through generations… were preserved on rocks or walls.” (Lloyd, Alexis). Now street artists are simply doing the same, whether it’s murals, tags, or people just messing around; They are preserving the unique cultures that we have today, or trying to make a name for themselves through art, or portray a political message. 85% of graffiti is just tags. (Akbar, Airfa). People's names or words made to look interesting. People trying to preserve their name through art. And this is considered a crime. Splashing your political views on a building through a mural to some people is offensive and the fact that this is illegal is a violation of the 1st amendment. Making graffiti or street art illegal is limiting an expression of people's ideas and religion.

Graffiti Art

If you were to go open a dictionary and look up the definition of art, you would see that it has art as “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination…” (“Art” 2017) and “Works produced by human creative skill and imagination.” (“Art” 2017). From these definitions, graffiti is art, yet in most cases, it’s considered vandalism because it is done without permission of the property. When graffiti is done in a designated place or with the permission of the property owner, then it can truly be considered art. But even if these circumstances are not met, if the graffiti goes beyond a simple tag, it is art.

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