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1. The Writing is
on the Wall: The
Psychology of
Graffiti
A&I Coatings
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MOSS VALE
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2. Many consider graffiti as a
form of art. Some even point out
that it has been around since man
learned how to communicate by
leaving some marks on different
surfaces. Cave dwellers left
symbols on stone walls and trees,
and wiser generations used their
structure’s walls as canvas to
record the greatness of their
histories. While all of these are
valid points, not everyone is
convinced that graffiti is a form of
legitimate expression. They
believe that it is vandalism, a
glorified manner of destruction
and disrespect.

3. Showing Artistry
This is perhaps the most obvious
reason some people create graffiti.
While some graffiti is composed of
swear words and phallic symbols,
no one can deny that there are
works that are simply fantastic and
aesthetically pleasing. If you go
down deeper, the artistic
showmanship is fuelled by a more
profound factor—the need to
express one’s self. It is synonymous
to the need to connect and the need
to be relevant.
Social Acceptance
Groups that have nothing much to
do or groups that have organised
goals and artistic aspirations
mostly create graffiti. Most graffiti
starts out as trivial efforts. But
once the work is praised, the
creators invite other creators and
find bigger spaces for bigger
works. Social acceptance and a
sense of community become
apparent when people collaborate.

4. The motivations behind graffiti are
rather interesting. Despite all these,
there will always be people who will
not be convinced by these. Some see
it as an act of vandalism—a
motivation that pushes them to
counter the ‘art’ and the
‘movement.’ This has led to the
popularity of anti-graffiti coatings
from the same companies that
provide polyurethane and membrane
coatings.
Leaving a ‘Mark’
People may find the following
statement absurd. An article in The
Atlantic cites a study by Alan Dundes,
which focuses on bathroom graffiti.
What is interesting with the study is
that it posits that the desire to leave
symbols on a bathroom wall stems
from a primitive instinct. It is
somehow related to a person’s
infantile impulse to play with faces.

5. SOURCES:
The Atlantic- http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/behind-the-
writing-on-the-stalls/383016/
The New York Times-
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/us/19graffiti.html?_r=0
A&I Coatings- http://www.aicoatings.com.au/polyurethane/