The history of graffiti

The history of graffiti

Is graffiti a vibrant urban art form or senseless vandalism? When did graffiti first become popular? Read this article to find out about the history of street art and hear from both sides of the debate.

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The history of graffiti

The first drawings on walls appeared in caves thousands of years ago. Later the Ancient Romans and Greeks wrote their names and protest poems on buildings. Modern graffiti seems to have appeared in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, and by the late sixties it had reached New York. The new art form really took off in the 1970s, when people began writing their names, or ‘tags’, on buildings all over the city. In the mid seventies it was sometimes hard to see out of a subway car window, because the trains were completely covered in spray paintings known as ‘masterpieces’.

In the early days, the ‘taggers’ were part of street gangs who were concerned with marking their territory. They worked in groups called ‘crews’, and called what they did ‘writing’ – the term ‘graffiti’ was first used by The New York Times and the novelist Norman Mailer. Art galleries in New York began buying graffiti in the early seventies. But at the same time that it began to be regarded as an art form, John Lindsay, the then mayor of New York, declared the first war on graffiti. By the 1980s it became much harder to write on subway trains without being caught, and instead many of the more established graffiti artists began using roofs of buildings or canvases.

The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on. Peter Vallone, a New York city councillor, thinks that graffiti done with permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s property it becomes a crime. ‘I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there,’ he said recently. ‘Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins.’ On the other hand, Felix, a member of the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City, says that artists are reclaiming cities for the public from advertisers, and that graffiti represents freedom and makes cities more vibrant.

For decades graffiti has been a springboard to international fame for a few. Jean-Michel Basquiat began spraying on the street in the 1970s before becoming a respected artist in the ’80s. The Frenchman Blek le Rat and the British artist Banksy have achieved international fame by producing complex works with stencils, often making political or humorous points. Works by Banksy have been sold for over £100,000. Graffiti is now sometimes big business.

Discussion

What do you think about graffiti? Is it art or vandalism?

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Comments

Submitted by Ayanali on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 12:27

I haven't seen any graffiti before but I almost agree with Peter Vallone opinions: "graffiti done with permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s property it becomes a crime". And, I also think people shouldn't do graffiti on the public things or wall or anything else especially if you can't make the graffiti attractive or unique.

Submitted by strawberry123_ on Thu, 07/28/2022 - 07:23

I totally agree with Peter Vallone phrase - "Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins". I think it may be beautiful, but they shouldn`t paint on somebody`s houses, trains and etc. And also I think, that a few pictures is enough and that it`s not beautiful and cool, if all city is in this graffiti.

Submitted by aycauzz1 on Tue, 06/07/2022 - 19:07

Graffiti expressions are consrantly visible on the walls. Great talent. And it looks so beautiful
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Submitted by robotrobot on Mon, 02/14/2022 - 08:26

I have seen graffiti many times and it has always amazed me! I used to pore over every graffiti I saw when I was a child. I believe that graffiti is a huge art which deserves attention.

Submitted by SimonR on Thu, 04/29/2021 - 17:53

Many people today think that graffiti is vandalism because of the laws put in place or the representation of graffiti artists being compared as vendalists who are part of a gang, however the majority of people do not see other things. that a universal code representing graffiti artists, yet for thousands of years, humans have been writing on walls, facades etc, but, what is the goal? For me, graffiti is a way to express our feelings, our mood, as we do in drawing, painting etc, Graffiti is also a way to bring a city to life and to replace these facades of factories without life, in a wall of imaginary creation of all genres, filled with different colors and styles, let's no longer see graffiti as a simple district drawing, but as an art, which has the advantage of being able to be practiced everywhere, at the simple exception to respect certain private places or reserved for monuments.
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Submitted by idontknowwhattoput on Mon, 04/26/2021 - 21:29

I think graffiti is art more than vandalism. Indeed, it embellishes the streets and develops the artist's creativity. Plus they can convey messages and be very popular by having fun. But they're not paid and it can be very dangerous, even if they're painting in the subway or on trains because of live lines, huge amounts of metal and moving trains. However, I don't understand why it is punished so hard by law(jail), I think street artists can express themselves without annoying people. Maybe is it because removing paintings from the walls is extremely expensive(1billion pounds/year) and because it also has not good reputation. Gabriel 211

Submitted by doriane on Tue, 04/13/2021 - 10:53

Graffiti is art for me. It carries an idea, a feeling, an emotion, so it's art. Also, it represents freedom and can make cities look more vibrant and attractive. Graffiti is not just letters that you put on a wall to the eyes of people who think it's looking pretty. It's a whole culture. In some countries, it is also more recognized than in others. There is a moral barrier that must not be crossed. Graffiti can fall under the category of vandalism or "degradation" when it is a casual tag on an old wall that has no meaning, which can create many problems and conflicts.

Submitted by FloFlo_ on Fri, 04/09/2021 - 07:18

All right, to start with my opinion about graffiti. To me, graffitialways has been art ! During years and years ago, mankind always wanted to exprime him self through writing, speaking and... PAINTING. We need to show our feelings and embellish places : Look at the cave of Lascaux, there are beautiful and now, precious. Why don't people think that street art and graffiti aren't the same type of art ? Graffiti are an activity, a passion, a true love to exprime what you feel and what you think and a obsession to put some colors on cities ! All that huge ugly and grey building need to be more beautiful. Of course there are risks and dangers because in certain terms, that's illegal. That's why i think we need to open a lot of places and building to draw what ever we want !

Submitted by aliciarmn on Thu, 04/08/2021 - 08:59

For me graffiti is an art form that allows every individual to express themselves. Before yes this was seen as vandalism but now almost in every city there are places/walls leave for people who want to do graffiti and I think it's really good because it allows people to see that graffiti is art and that it's something very beautiful because every person can interpret graffiti differently. Graffiti isn't just a few doodles.
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Submitted by Kostantinus on Wed, 03/03/2021 - 08:54

On the one hand, I am totally agree with that man who said that graffity that painted somewhere without owner's permission is a vandalism. On the other hand, there are some abundant places in our towns and cities which became beautiful places with graffity in it. I am talking about graffity masterpeaces, but not about ugly obscene language on the walls. It makes places look awful and creepy. I call those kind of graffity artists vansdals. They should be punished hard.

Submitted by PauPrat on Fri, 09/18/2020 - 14:09

In my opinion, graffiti is a medium to express your emotions, it’s a way of art that should never be considered a crime, but there are always exceptions. If someone graffities in a private property, I would consider that a crime, or if he/she gets caught while is graffitiing, he/she should wash and clean that. Honestly, I am torn between if a graffiti makes a city less or more attractive, but apart from that, it’s art and everyone can judge every graffiti from their point of view. In a nutshell, graffiti is a perfect way of expressing your feelings and emotions, and if you don’t bother anyone doing it, there’s no problem with that!
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Submitted by lssainide on Thu, 08/06/2020 - 01:23

It's common to see graffiti in the USA, however, not everyone likes it.
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Submitted by Giovannichoi on Thu, 04/02/2020 - 12:37

I think graffities are art, but also it's sort of vandals, too. Because if the spray-painting is on the public places or the other people's properties, it can be a crime! Imagine the scene which one day when you wake up and go to your store(or builiding), there are some doodling. If the graffities are like this: 'I HATE YOU! CURSE YOU! XXX!!!!', it is against the law, too! It is against the defamation law. At least you would be declared to arrested to go to the prison. The people who see that graffities might be very upset. And usually it is difficult to understand the graffities, isn't it? I am sure you can't. So I wish the graffiti drawers not to spray everywhere they can see. But in the good conditions, I am for the graffiti is art.

Submitted by Elife on Thu, 02/20/2020 - 18:07

I think that graffiti is art, but, whenever it is done with permission, but if it is done without permission on private property that is a vandalism.

Submitted by Roberta on Wed, 07/31/2019 - 10:33

I can consider graffity as a piece of art as long as it has sense and some motivation for other people. But if graffity is only stupid words or senseless pictures it is vandalism and it must be banned.

Submitted by khwaja on Mon, 06/10/2019 - 22:04

I would say that this type of art is gorgeous and attractive as it can express people's attitude, opinion and culture. However, I would think that it should be some specific areas allowed to do this activity because otherwise, individuals' properties can be damaged.

Submitted by parsasoroori on Thu, 04/11/2019 - 20:38

I think graffiti is not vandalism. It,s just free and they are painted with love. I think vandalism is the money that politicians get to let false companies put their ads on the wall. Money make everything vandalism.
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Submitted by ygzD on Wed, 10/31/2018 - 11:52

I think graffiti must become fully legal because graffiti is little bit lifestyle and 'The Pen of Freedom'.
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