Graffiti: Art or Vandalism
Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?
Sam Cowey
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 on private property without permission, means that it is vandalism, but this does not take away from the overpowering factors that make graffiti a legitimate form of aesthetically pleasing art. Graffiti is best known for being created in New York City in the late 1960’s. Youths would write their names along with the street number they lived on all across New York. This was directly related to gangs to mark their territory. Law enforcement quickly began apprehending graffiti writers, or taggers, and did as much as possible to remove and prevent graffiti even creating departments with funding to specifically fight and cover up graffiti. However by the 1970’s graffiti expanded from a form of protest into a culture. Techniques in writing were developed and visually appealing art was created. May fifth, 1985. Approximately twenty years after the start of graffiti a New York times article by Lena Williams began with, “Following the lead of New Rochelle, six other southern Westchester communities have banned together to combat graffiti by agreeing to enact ordinances that would prohibit the sale of spray paint to people under the age of 18.” (P WC1) This was a new strategy of many, on the ever-going war to stop graffiti.
So who
Sam Cowey
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 on private property without permission, means that it is vandalism, but this does not take away from the overpowering factors that make graffiti a legitimate form of aesthetically pleasing art. Graffiti is best known for being created in New York City in the late 1960’s. Youths would write their names along with the street number they lived on all across New York. This was directly related to gangs to mark their territory. Law enforcement quickly began apprehending graffiti writers, or taggers, and did as much as possible to remove and prevent graffiti even creating departments with funding to specifically fight and cover up graffiti. However by the 1970’s graffiti expanded from a form of protest into a culture. Techniques in writing were developed and visually appealing art was created. May fifth, 1985. Approximately twenty years after the start of graffiti a New York times article by Lena Williams began with, “Following the lead of New Rochelle, six other southern Westchester communities have banned together to combat graffiti by agreeing to enact ordinances that would prohibit the sale of spray paint to people under the age of 18.” (P WC1) This was a new strategy of many, on the ever-going war to stop graffiti.
So who