The writing on the walls

Jane Aman

Related Content

Last 3 stories in Arts

• Singing Valentines make annual debut
• Children's musical sweeps the stage
• Students perform in STAND Benefit Concert

Other stories that might interest you...

• Children’s musical sweeps the stage
• Annual STAND benefit concert today
• Students perform in STAND Benefit Concert
• STAND concert performers share their thoughts
• Singing Valentines make annual debut

Jane Aman, Arts Editor
April 19, 2010
Filed under Arts

Some call it vandalism, others call it art. Graffiti is the ageold practice of making statements or creating artwork on someone else’s canvas- be it a wall, a trash can or a street sign.

Graffitti, dating back ancient Egypt, has historically been a manner of degradation and defamation. In more modern times, graffiti has also been associated with gangs, as certain artists would spray paint their “tags” in order to mark gang territory.

Graffiti has struggled to establish itself throughout the years as authority figures have condemned it as the work of delinquents or the lower rung of society. However, though this may be true for some, there are many graffiti artists who are talented that are simply waiting to be recognized.

Graffiti can be a beautiful thing. Modern graffiti was a fixture in the National Portrait Gallery’s 2008 exhibit named “Recognize.”

The exhibit featured two graffiti artists, Tim Conlon and Dave Hupp, who strive to show that when graffiti is used properly, it is truly an art form.

“Anything can be an art. It is a form of expression,” junior Jessie Diroll said. When used improperly, graffiti can also be considered vandalism. Unauthorized spray painting of state, federal and private buildings is illegal, along with the painting of inappropriate language, gang signs, etc.

Graffiti comes in many forms, from murals to simple “tags.” Tags are what artists use to make their marks.

For example, one of the pieces of graffiti shown below displays the tag “ace.” This is most likely the tag that the artist frequently uses.

There are also many styles of graffiti. The bubble lettering that is most commonly seen on the streets appeared around the mid-1970’s and is shown right.

There are also many different reasons that graffiti artists choose to express themselves in this way. In the 1960’s, a predominant reason that people chose to do graffiti had to do with politics and protest.

Students and people of the younger generation used graffiti, just as they did signs and flyers, to expand the support for their cause. This was largely prompted by the Vietnam War at the end of the 1960’s.

Today, however, there are also several, less favorable connotations with reasons for graffiti. Many times, graffiti is associated with gangs. This association came with gangs’ use of graffiti to mark territory in inner cities.

It is also associated with today’s hip-hop culture. Graffiti-type lettering can be found on clothing, signs, albums, etc. that generally represent the hip-hop scene.

Graffiti, in essence, has been misunderstood since its modern conception. Though it has been around for thousands of years, none could ever predict the art that it has become today.