Graffiti, appreciated as Art
By: Kenneth
Dinkajay802@aol.com
Graffiti, appreciated as Art
According to Webster, the term graffiti is the name for images of lettering scratched, scrawled, or more usually painted on property that does not belong to the artist, and which is often regarded by others as unsightly damage of unwanted vandalism. The term graffiti originated in the city of brotherly love also known as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Graffiti was mostly made popular due to political protest because of the tendency of state gangs to mark territorial space. From Philadelphia, graffiti moved to New York City where it started to appear in subways, trains, buses, and all aspects of public transportation in the late 1960’s. Graffiti known as vandalism to many but pure works of art to the ones who create it, although graffiti is illegal it should be hold some weight as artistic expression and artwork.
If you walk onto many forms of metro transit, mostly likely that you will see some forms of graffiti, whether it is the name of an individual or the drawings cartoons.
The
artwork of graffiti engulfs many with its attention grabbing bright bold colors,
large caricatures displays, and at times defenseless and derogatory statements
and messages. Graffiti once showed or signified the markings of territorial gang
space, now it marks the space of local artist making their work public to
society on metro transit, corner walls, subway tunnels, and sides of house and
buildings, Graffiti has created its own culture following with it now appearing
in music videos, on clothing, and on city landmarks legally.
Although graffiti has reached the masses, many are not too excited about the curving trends that follow this creative work of artistic expression. In the city of New York, if individuals are seen with aerosol spray paint cans or permanent markers, they will be immediately jailed or fined.”* On December 29, Mayor Bloomberg signed into affect amendment to the New City anti-graffiti laws, which makes it illegal for individuals under the age of 21 to purchase or possess spray paint or broad tipped markers.” Outraged by this new anti graffiti laws was worldwide hip-hop fashion designer Marc Ecko, who filed a lawsuit against Mayor Bloomberg and the city of New York. Ecko’s argument to the new anti graffiti law was if could do other things before the age of 21, for example, “**join the military, get married, purchase cigarettes, or start a business at 18, but here in New York, you can't buy or carry a broad tipped marker or can of spray paint until you are 21." Ecko calling this new anti-graffiti law absurd won his suit against Mayor Bloomberg and the city of New York. Following in the measures of New York, others cities are also attempting enforce an anti-graffiti law identical to that of New York.
Freedom of Expression is a right
cited in the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution and freedom of expression
is graffiti art. Graffiti should be appreciated as an art form, last year the
Brooklyn museum held especial presentations for nationwide graffiti artist to
display their work. With graffiti being appreciated as an art, only individuals
who purposely vandalize and deface the public and private of others without
their consent should be prosecuted. The individuals who commit these act on a
daily basis take away from the impart graffiti could have on society as a
creative art form. Instead, its impact on society is known to most as complete
vandalism.
* http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/8823
**http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/8823
http://www.hiphop-network.com/articles/graffitiarticles/historyofgraff-arpone.asp