What do you all think of graffiti?

Question

Doing my dissertation on graffiti and where it belongs... what do you think when the word graffiti pops up and where do you think it belongs?

Answer 1

Graffiti is great, cheers up many a dull wall and some of it blows me away. However, it's sadly linked with the dufuses who scrawl 'daz loves shaz' on the bus stop and don't bother with the creativity.

Also, I think that every creative movement has to have its legends - the US had Basquiat back at the start, now the UK has Banksy. If you think of punk it travelled from New York to London and back again before it really became a phenomenon. Perhaps graffiti has to bounce right back again before folk start taking it seriously.

Check out this link, they're always banging on about it in the local press, but there's actually a lot of good (and accepted) graffiti knocking around Manchester: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/search/results.html?keywords=graffiti&searchtype=site

Really, the principles of graffiti (stencils and layering particularly) fit well with the techniques of printmaking. Look at the uproar when Warhol turned an industrial technique into art. Graffiti is just the next step on a larger scale, just using walls and stencils instead of paper and printing plate or screen.

Answer 2

Graffiti can be a real downer when done by a vandal and without your permission. Their so called graffiti is an unjustified anti social and immature statement. But when you travel locally, nationally or internationally and see graffiti which has been contructed with genuine artistic purposes you can admire the effort put into the statements.

I have been lucky to visit Wyoming and Utah and saw the equivalent of Native American graffiti and the messages of generations communicating are quite intense.

My favourite piece of graffiti remains in Glasgow which refers to the Thatcher era: PAY NO POLL TAX - (music note) talkin' 'bout a revolution (music note).

Answer 3

The best graffiti I ever saw is by the side of the NJTransit Midtown Direct to Montclair tracks somewhere between the Newark Broad and Watsessing Ave stop. It wasn't a big flashy production; just the words "I miss you, Delores" scralled on a wall in black spray paint.

Answer 4

On the side wall of the pizza place in the High Street, five feet below the real sign Pizzeria, someone's spray painted 'Too high- Pizz ere' and at weekends the guys from the pub across the street do just that.

Answer 5

Trust me graffiti is not about territory. Im part of my society and I love seeing it around san francisco CA. Beautiful form of expression. (Im not talking about gang vandalism which I don't consider graffiti)

Answer 6

Most of it is an eyesore on property put there by irresponsible people who would be the first to shout if someone defaced their property.

If there was a proper wall or some place allocated for budding artists to try out their skills and they did some pleasing work instead of daubing obscenities and names etc. it could brighten up the place and be appreciated.

Answer 7

some graffiti is good,art type you see in some places on walls,writing all sorts of abuse don't agree with that.

Answer 8

Well i have to say that most of it looks awful. It makes any area look bad. However .....there are occasions when i have seen really good art and I think cooooooool...I wish I could do that.

Answer 9

It's the human equivalent of a dog marking it's territory.

Answer 10

graffitti can be very good if done by the right people at the right place
sadly most of it isnt