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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.
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Discussion
What do you think about graffiti? Is it art or vandalism?
Comments
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.
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
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.
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 !
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.
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.
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!
It's common to see graffiti in the USA, however, not everyone likes it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I think graffiti must become fully legal because graffiti is little bit lifestyle and 'The Pen of Freedom'.
In my opinion, graffities are beautiful to see, but they have to transmit a message. This type of graffities is art but only if you have the permission to draw on the wall. The other type of graffities is considered as vandalism because you don't ask the owner of the wall to let you draw on his property, which can create many problems and conflicts. But after all, I would say that the job of tagger can bring a lot of money for the perfectionists of drawing.
From my point of view, grafitti is a two-edged sword. I think it is all based on how people create it. Some does it for fulfilling their thirst in exposing their passion in art, but some just does it to be what ‘bad boy’ is like. Sure, different motives means diversities in art. But then, some people just like to destroy and stain the town’s reputation. I support grafitti as a kind of art. But when the art turned into vandalism, maybe that’s the time grafitti need to be stopped.
Please don’t hesitate to comment if I made any mistake in grammar.
there are two sides vandalism or art.I like graffiti itis a form of expresion when shows creativy and talent
I like Graffiti because it expresses in some sense; art. Graffiti in a Wall ls fantastic, and in trains is bad.
I don't like the graffiti.
In my city we have very much graffiti, the magourity ir tags, made by teenagers. But sometimes it shows creativity and talent.
I think graffiti is really art. I believe that it can be considerad as art only if ‘’the taggers’’ are talented and given permission. It is very nice and beautiful.
I think graffiti is really art. I believe that it can be considerad as art only if ‘’the taggers’’ are talented and given permission. It is very nice and beautiful.
I like graffitis, I think they´re interesting and colourful, I don´t think it is vandalism, I think it´s street art
My opinion is that graffiti is actually a pretty old art, but comparing to the others, its new. And that sometimes its actually vandalism. Have u seen those useless graffities like "SFEK"? Well, if u were at least 1 time oustide and not staring at the computer for 5 hours, then, i think, you might say, that those are pretty common, huh? i mean, in graffitis, there is always a good and a bad part.
I think graffiti is actually really cool, if they make it in a right places. In my opinion, creating graffiti is also a good way to express feelings.
Interesting right
In my opinion graffiti is a modern art so it is kind of like fine by me
I think it may be both art and vandalism .it depends on the man in which aim he draw it ... by own i like to draw qraffiti very much and i draw it in my contry... it is very joyful... i feel like myself free
I think that graffiti is an art form. It gives the opportunity to many people to express their feelings and thoughts by making wonderful drawings on walls. Also, it represents freedom and can make cities look more vibrant and attractive.
However, graffiti can destroy many properties and in that case it becomes a serious crime. I believe that it can be considered as art only if “the taggers” are talented and given permission.
I think graffiti is actually really cool, if they make it in a right places. In my opinion, creating graffiti is also a good way to express feelings.
Personally I dont like graffitis, here on Mexico, everywhere there is a wall full of grafittis, and to be honest, the taggs are funny and dumb, like "aqui estuvo el dedos" haha I don't think that it is art, but although sometimes I have founded beatiful paintings.
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