Urban graffiti writing has emerged as a new form of youth resistance to authority. The author explores this through 4 years of fieldwork in Denver and research in other cities. Hip hop graffiti proliferates as youth reclaim public space restricted by urban segregation and social control. Graffiti writing disrupts this control but faces aggressive legal crackdowns. In response, writers intensify their resistance through more confrontational graffiti, continuing the cycle of authority and resistance.
From cave paintings 40,000 years ago to modern street art, graffiti has served as a means of expression and communication. It started as vandalism in Philadelphia in the 1960s but has evolved into a recognized art form. However, opinions on graffiti vary - some see it as a way to beautify communities, while others view it as visual clutter that should not be allowed without permission. Legalizing certain graffiti could help social groups feel included in communities while also saving governments money spent on removal.
Street art began in the 1920s with graffiti on train carts in New York City by gangs. It evolved into a true artistic expression in the 1970s-1980s as done by teenagers. While often illegal, street art gained acceptance in the contemporary art world through art enthusiasts. There is no single definition of street art, but it is found in urban environments and is a popular public art form not limited to galleries. Street art has been influenced by artists' past experiences, the surrounding area, political views, and thoughts and opinions. It has relationships with other art forms like sculpture and installations. Famous street artist Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster of Barack Obama impacted society by helping Obama win the presidency
This document summarizes and analyzes an essay about minimal techno culture in New York City. It discusses how the techno scene uses abandoned industrial spaces to resist neoliberal ideals and challenge social norms. While providing moments of communal belonging, the scene also struggles with how its countercultural ideals intersect with the difficulties of living under neoliberalism, such as economic precarity. The summary examines how techno events can disrupt normative experiences but also potentially reinforce unsatisfying aspects of everyday life.
This document provides information about events and an exhibition at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University titled "The Left Front: Radical Art in the 'Red Decade,' 1929-1940". It includes details about lectures, film screenings, performances, and the opening related to radical art of the early 20th century. Generous support for the exhibition is provided by several foundations.
O documento lista os materiais necessários para um projeto com seus preços individuais e quantidades. Uma segunda tabela detalha o preço normal, preço com imposto e preço total de um item, além da quantidade comprada a cada preço.
From cave paintings 40,000 years ago to modern street art, graffiti has served as a means of expression and communication. It started as vandalism in Philadelphia in the 1960s but has evolved into a recognized art form. However, opinions on graffiti vary - some see it as a way to beautify communities, while others view it as visual clutter that should not be allowed without permission. Legalizing certain graffiti could help social groups feel included in communities while also saving governments money spent on removal.
Street art began in the 1920s with graffiti on train carts in New York City by gangs. It evolved into a true artistic expression in the 1970s-1980s as done by teenagers. While often illegal, street art gained acceptance in the contemporary art world through art enthusiasts. There is no single definition of street art, but it is found in urban environments and is a popular public art form not limited to galleries. Street art has been influenced by artists' past experiences, the surrounding area, political views, and thoughts and opinions. It has relationships with other art forms like sculpture and installations. Famous street artist Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster of Barack Obama impacted society by helping Obama win the presidency
This document summarizes and analyzes an essay about minimal techno culture in New York City. It discusses how the techno scene uses abandoned industrial spaces to resist neoliberal ideals and challenge social norms. While providing moments of communal belonging, the scene also struggles with how its countercultural ideals intersect with the difficulties of living under neoliberalism, such as economic precarity. The summary examines how techno events can disrupt normative experiences but also potentially reinforce unsatisfying aspects of everyday life.
This document provides information about events and an exhibition at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University titled "The Left Front: Radical Art in the 'Red Decade,' 1929-1940". It includes details about lectures, film screenings, performances, and the opening related to radical art of the early 20th century. Generous support for the exhibition is provided by several foundations.
O documento lista os materiais necessários para um projeto com seus preços individuais e quantidades. Uma segunda tabela detalha o preço normal, preço com imposto e preço total de um item, além da quantidade comprada a cada preço.
This document discusses how to find talented and driven individuals to achieve success beyond individual ambitions through recognizing and rewarding team success. It emphasizes measuring success at all levels through sales goals and productivity, and delivering profitable results as the only way to achieve prosperity through identifying financial metrics and controlling costs. The overall message is that success is achieved when people are challenged and developed the right way with tools to achieve goals that produce satisfaction.
The document appears to be a list of 10 image file names from a class assignment given on various dates between October 3, 2010 and September 12, 2011. The files seem to be images submitted for a school assignment over the course of nearly a year.
The document discusses different theories of knowledge and epistemology, including:
- Foundationalism, which holds that some beliefs must be basic to avoid infinite regress. Rationalism claims basic beliefs are self-evident, while empiricism claims they are evident to the senses.
- Coherentism, which denies basic beliefs and sees justification as relations between beliefs in a network.
- Other theories discussed include empiricism connected to the scientific method, subjectivism saying there is no objective truth, and Reformed Epistemology claiming belief in God is properly basic due to the Holy Spirit.
- The document analyzes problems with making rationalism, empiricism and other views the sole foundation for knowledge. It advocates form
Modeling physics is an inquiry-based teaching method where instruction is organized around storylines that develop conceptual representations into physical models using various representations. The classroom shifts to make students responsible for their own learning through discourse and interactive engagement with physics concepts, developing models through demonstration labs, representations, and whiteboarding sessions for collaborative work and presentations. Socratic questioning by students and teachers encourages further thinking to analyze topics, reason through complex ideas, and uncover misconceptions without direct answers. This approach improves students' understanding of concepts and makes them self-directed learners while increasing classroom interaction, presentation skills, and confidence.
This document discusses online learning in K-12 classrooms. It defines online classrooms and learning management systems, noting they allow classes to be conducted entirely or partially online. Benefits include accessibility from any location, collaboration tools, student-centered learning, and management of course materials. Research shows online learning can increase student performance by supporting student learning and engagement. Teachers can focus on facilitating learning globally. The document provides examples of online learning platforms and advises convincing decision-makers of online learning's benefits to get started integrating it.
This document discusses different types of virtual goods that can be purchased in virtual-world games, including time savings items, avatar customization, equipment, level packs, stat boosts, and decorations. It provides examples from specific games to illustrate how these different virtual good types are implemented. Key takeaways for maximizing virtual good sales include featuring popular items prominently on the home/landing page and placing advertisements in less conspicuous areas like inventory screens.
This document appears to be the results of a scavenger hunt game with points listed next to participants' team names or individual names. The top scoring teams were LARRISSA with 13400 points, PULONGON with 10700 points, and SICALIAO with 13200 points.
The document summarizes the objectives and methodology of a needs assessment study conducted for the Pulse wellness program at HealthEd. The objectives were to determine valued wellness initiatives, analyze and prioritize recommendations, and strengthen the employee wellness journey. The methodology involved conducting three focus groups of 20.9% of employees to gather feedback on the program through open-ended questions. Results were analyzed using a wellness grid and sphere model to develop recommendations.
Facebook is the largest social networking site with over 750 million users that provides tools for sharing photos, interacting with friends, and instant messaging. While Facebook contains a vast amount of user data that is valuable to advertisers, it faces the dilemma of how to generate sufficient revenue from advertisements to maintain its infrastructure given the large volume of user-generated content, as well as how to monetize private user information without violating privacy. Facebook addresses this dilemma by offering applications and services like FriendFeed to expand its capabilities and revenue streams.
El documento expone que Otto Guevara nunca cobró salarios como candidato, pero en realidad se benefició económicamente a través de contratos de intermediación que le permitieron quedarse con grandes comisiones e intereses por préstamos gestionados para su partido político. Además, una empresa vinculada a él recibió pagos millonarios por publicidad política. En resumen, aunque no recibió salarios directos, sí obtuvo ingresos significativos a través de otros mecanismos relacionados a su actividad política.
Doctor Who is a popular British science fiction television show. Fans Sammi, Ellen, Matt and Lucy created a stop motion animation project based on the show. Their video brings characters from Doctor Who to life using figurines and creative filming techniques to tell an original story.
Diana Guzman took a VARK learning styles assessment test which assessed her preferences for Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic styles of learning. Her results showed a preference for Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic styles (ARK multimodal). The document provided study strategies for each style based on her results. It emphasized using the VARK website to find more tailored study tips based on her assessed learning preferences to help her learn and process information more effectively.
The document discusses what is important for living well and raising children according to a poem by Dorothy Law Nolte. The poem states that if children live with criticism they will learn to condemn, with hostility they will learn to fight, but with tolerance, encouragement, fairness and security they will learn patience, confidence, justice and faith. The document then asks the reader to match related words to these concepts and use them to write conditional sentences and create a new poem.
Art And Crime (And Other Things Besides ) Conceptualising Graffiti In The ...Elizabeth Williams
This document provides an overview and critical analysis of existing literature on graffiti and street art. It aims to move beyond simplistic views of graffiti as either purely art or crime. The document reviews common debates around graffiti, including whether it is art or crime, public or private expression, ephemeral or permanent, and cultural practice or economic activity. It argues that graffiti cannot be exclusively categorized into one side of these dualisms and is more complex. The document also provides context on different forms of graffiti and the goals of the analysis.
r of that voiced subjecIy a mental but also an .e terms.docxcatheryncouper
r of that voiced subjec
Iy a mental but also an
.e terms of intervention
)nceiving, reproducing
r, desire, time, space)."
xl by Godzilla and the
lery.
ian schema, I saw Jesus
topped my rented Fiat
Devonshire. I grabbed
ised in a flowing white
arled tree in the center
rery cold. It had been
to get some footage of
een Catholic for a very
r Sunday. Redemption
(spring/summer 1995):
dey: Bureau of Public
Basic Books, 1972), 149.
Jniversity of California
10. Internal Exiles: The Interventionist Public
and Performance Art of Asco
C. Ondine Chavoya
Asco (NAUSEA):
1, a feeling of sickness at the stomach, with an impulse to vomit
2, disgust; loathing
3. Gronk, Patssi, Gamboa, Herron
4. Collaborations 1972 thru 1976
-Harry Gamboa Jr. and Gronk in "Interview: Gronk and Gamboa"
Formed in the early 1970S by four Chicano artists from East Los Angeles, Asco set out ro
test the limits of art-its production, distribution, reception, and exhibition. As a col
laborative creative corps, the original members of Asco, Harry Gamboa Jr., Gronk,
Willie Herr6n, and Patssi Valdez,l engaged in performance, public art, and conceptual
multimedia art. The artists merged activism with performance in response ro this turbu
lent social and political period in Los Angeles and within the larger international con
text of alternative youth cultures and radical politics of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Asco created art by any means necessary, often using their bodies and guerrilla, or
hit-and-run, tactics. The artists banded together through their shared sense of dis
placement and as an alternative to gangs, violence, and other negative elements affect
ing the community. Manifesting their ideas in the public arena of the streets, the
artists recognized the power ofpublic representation and documentation and expertly
learned to circumvent traditional institutions by creating alternative methods of ac
cess and distribution. Their work critically satirized and challenged the conventions of
modernist "high" art as well as those of "ethnic" or community-based art. The conno
tations of their self-adopted name, Asco, testifies to the initial effect of the group. Asco
189
tho
Typewritten Text
from Erika Suderburg ed., Space, Site, Intervention: Situating Installation Art (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000) 189 - 208.
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
190 C. Ondine Chavoya
is Spanish for nausea or repulsion with the impulse to vomit. The name acknowledges
the response that their street and gallery work provoked, particularly from within the
Chicano art movement. Throughout the 1970S and into the 1980s, the Asco group ini
tiated urban street actions that critically interrogated the social space of Los Angeles.
Formed in the early 1970S by four Chicano artists from East Los Angeles, Asco set out
to explore and exploit the unlim ...
This article discusses the evolution of graffiti art from its ancient origins to its modern integral form. It traces graffiti back to ancient Rome, Egypt, and Paleolithic cave paintings, noting it served purposes of personal expression, political dissent, and communication. The modern graffiti movement emerged in 1960s Philadelphia through the works of Cornbread, who pioneered the use of spray paint and revolutionary canvases like buildings and vehicles. His performative style drew attention and inspired emulation. The article argues graffiti art has transformed from a primitive street style to integral fine art embraced by galleries and artists using diverse mediums and styles.
A Thematic Analysis Of Graffiti On The University Classroom Walls - A Case Of...Pedro Craggett
This document analyzes over 200 pieces of graffiti found on university classroom walls in Isfahan, Iran. The graffiti were categorized into different themes, including love, politics, religion, poetry, class notes, signatures, dates, and complaints. The study finds that graffiti serves as a way for university students to voice their opinions and express themselves, as graffiti provides a means of communication for those who feel their voices are not heard through mainstream channels or who want to express thoughts anonymously. The analysis of graffiti provides insights into the perspectives and social context of those who write on walls.
This document discusses how to find talented and driven individuals to achieve success beyond individual ambitions through recognizing and rewarding team success. It emphasizes measuring success at all levels through sales goals and productivity, and delivering profitable results as the only way to achieve prosperity through identifying financial metrics and controlling costs. The overall message is that success is achieved when people are challenged and developed the right way with tools to achieve goals that produce satisfaction.
The document appears to be a list of 10 image file names from a class assignment given on various dates between October 3, 2010 and September 12, 2011. The files seem to be images submitted for a school assignment over the course of nearly a year.
The document discusses different theories of knowledge and epistemology, including:
- Foundationalism, which holds that some beliefs must be basic to avoid infinite regress. Rationalism claims basic beliefs are self-evident, while empiricism claims they are evident to the senses.
- Coherentism, which denies basic beliefs and sees justification as relations between beliefs in a network.
- Other theories discussed include empiricism connected to the scientific method, subjectivism saying there is no objective truth, and Reformed Epistemology claiming belief in God is properly basic due to the Holy Spirit.
- The document analyzes problems with making rationalism, empiricism and other views the sole foundation for knowledge. It advocates form
Modeling physics is an inquiry-based teaching method where instruction is organized around storylines that develop conceptual representations into physical models using various representations. The classroom shifts to make students responsible for their own learning through discourse and interactive engagement with physics concepts, developing models through demonstration labs, representations, and whiteboarding sessions for collaborative work and presentations. Socratic questioning by students and teachers encourages further thinking to analyze topics, reason through complex ideas, and uncover misconceptions without direct answers. This approach improves students' understanding of concepts and makes them self-directed learners while increasing classroom interaction, presentation skills, and confidence.
This document discusses online learning in K-12 classrooms. It defines online classrooms and learning management systems, noting they allow classes to be conducted entirely or partially online. Benefits include accessibility from any location, collaboration tools, student-centered learning, and management of course materials. Research shows online learning can increase student performance by supporting student learning and engagement. Teachers can focus on facilitating learning globally. The document provides examples of online learning platforms and advises convincing decision-makers of online learning's benefits to get started integrating it.
This document discusses different types of virtual goods that can be purchased in virtual-world games, including time savings items, avatar customization, equipment, level packs, stat boosts, and decorations. It provides examples from specific games to illustrate how these different virtual good types are implemented. Key takeaways for maximizing virtual good sales include featuring popular items prominently on the home/landing page and placing advertisements in less conspicuous areas like inventory screens.
This document appears to be the results of a scavenger hunt game with points listed next to participants' team names or individual names. The top scoring teams were LARRISSA with 13400 points, PULONGON with 10700 points, and SICALIAO with 13200 points.
The document summarizes the objectives and methodology of a needs assessment study conducted for the Pulse wellness program at HealthEd. The objectives were to determine valued wellness initiatives, analyze and prioritize recommendations, and strengthen the employee wellness journey. The methodology involved conducting three focus groups of 20.9% of employees to gather feedback on the program through open-ended questions. Results were analyzed using a wellness grid and sphere model to develop recommendations.
Facebook is the largest social networking site with over 750 million users that provides tools for sharing photos, interacting with friends, and instant messaging. While Facebook contains a vast amount of user data that is valuable to advertisers, it faces the dilemma of how to generate sufficient revenue from advertisements to maintain its infrastructure given the large volume of user-generated content, as well as how to monetize private user information without violating privacy. Facebook addresses this dilemma by offering applications and services like FriendFeed to expand its capabilities and revenue streams.
El documento expone que Otto Guevara nunca cobró salarios como candidato, pero en realidad se benefició económicamente a través de contratos de intermediación que le permitieron quedarse con grandes comisiones e intereses por préstamos gestionados para su partido político. Además, una empresa vinculada a él recibió pagos millonarios por publicidad política. En resumen, aunque no recibió salarios directos, sí obtuvo ingresos significativos a través de otros mecanismos relacionados a su actividad política.
Doctor Who is a popular British science fiction television show. Fans Sammi, Ellen, Matt and Lucy created a stop motion animation project based on the show. Their video brings characters from Doctor Who to life using figurines and creative filming techniques to tell an original story.
Diana Guzman took a VARK learning styles assessment test which assessed her preferences for Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic styles of learning. Her results showed a preference for Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic styles (ARK multimodal). The document provided study strategies for each style based on her results. It emphasized using the VARK website to find more tailored study tips based on her assessed learning preferences to help her learn and process information more effectively.
The document discusses what is important for living well and raising children according to a poem by Dorothy Law Nolte. The poem states that if children live with criticism they will learn to condemn, with hostility they will learn to fight, but with tolerance, encouragement, fairness and security they will learn patience, confidence, justice and faith. The document then asks the reader to match related words to these concepts and use them to write conditional sentences and create a new poem.
Art And Crime (And Other Things Besides ) Conceptualising Graffiti In The ...Elizabeth Williams
This document provides an overview and critical analysis of existing literature on graffiti and street art. It aims to move beyond simplistic views of graffiti as either purely art or crime. The document reviews common debates around graffiti, including whether it is art or crime, public or private expression, ephemeral or permanent, and cultural practice or economic activity. It argues that graffiti cannot be exclusively categorized into one side of these dualisms and is more complex. The document also provides context on different forms of graffiti and the goals of the analysis.
r of that voiced subjecIy a mental but also an .e terms.docxcatheryncouper
r of that voiced subjec
Iy a mental but also an
.e terms of intervention
)nceiving, reproducing
r, desire, time, space)."
xl by Godzilla and the
lery.
ian schema, I saw Jesus
topped my rented Fiat
Devonshire. I grabbed
ised in a flowing white
arled tree in the center
rery cold. It had been
to get some footage of
een Catholic for a very
r Sunday. Redemption
(spring/summer 1995):
dey: Bureau of Public
Basic Books, 1972), 149.
Jniversity of California
10. Internal Exiles: The Interventionist Public
and Performance Art of Asco
C. Ondine Chavoya
Asco (NAUSEA):
1, a feeling of sickness at the stomach, with an impulse to vomit
2, disgust; loathing
3. Gronk, Patssi, Gamboa, Herron
4. Collaborations 1972 thru 1976
-Harry Gamboa Jr. and Gronk in "Interview: Gronk and Gamboa"
Formed in the early 1970S by four Chicano artists from East Los Angeles, Asco set out ro
test the limits of art-its production, distribution, reception, and exhibition. As a col
laborative creative corps, the original members of Asco, Harry Gamboa Jr., Gronk,
Willie Herr6n, and Patssi Valdez,l engaged in performance, public art, and conceptual
multimedia art. The artists merged activism with performance in response ro this turbu
lent social and political period in Los Angeles and within the larger international con
text of alternative youth cultures and radical politics of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Asco created art by any means necessary, often using their bodies and guerrilla, or
hit-and-run, tactics. The artists banded together through their shared sense of dis
placement and as an alternative to gangs, violence, and other negative elements affect
ing the community. Manifesting their ideas in the public arena of the streets, the
artists recognized the power ofpublic representation and documentation and expertly
learned to circumvent traditional institutions by creating alternative methods of ac
cess and distribution. Their work critically satirized and challenged the conventions of
modernist "high" art as well as those of "ethnic" or community-based art. The conno
tations of their self-adopted name, Asco, testifies to the initial effect of the group. Asco
189
tho
Typewritten Text
from Erika Suderburg ed., Space, Site, Intervention: Situating Installation Art (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000) 189 - 208.
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
tho
Typewritten Text
190 C. Ondine Chavoya
is Spanish for nausea or repulsion with the impulse to vomit. The name acknowledges
the response that their street and gallery work provoked, particularly from within the
Chicano art movement. Throughout the 1970S and into the 1980s, the Asco group ini
tiated urban street actions that critically interrogated the social space of Los Angeles.
Formed in the early 1970S by four Chicano artists from East Los Angeles, Asco set out
to explore and exploit the unlim ...
This article discusses the evolution of graffiti art from its ancient origins to its modern integral form. It traces graffiti back to ancient Rome, Egypt, and Paleolithic cave paintings, noting it served purposes of personal expression, political dissent, and communication. The modern graffiti movement emerged in 1960s Philadelphia through the works of Cornbread, who pioneered the use of spray paint and revolutionary canvases like buildings and vehicles. His performative style drew attention and inspired emulation. The article argues graffiti art has transformed from a primitive street style to integral fine art embraced by galleries and artists using diverse mediums and styles.
A Thematic Analysis Of Graffiti On The University Classroom Walls - A Case Of...Pedro Craggett
This document analyzes over 200 pieces of graffiti found on university classroom walls in Isfahan, Iran. The graffiti were categorized into different themes, including love, politics, religion, poetry, class notes, signatures, dates, and complaints. The study finds that graffiti serves as a way for university students to voice their opinions and express themselves, as graffiti provides a means of communication for those who feel their voices are not heard through mainstream channels or who want to express thoughts anonymously. The analysis of graffiti provides insights into the perspectives and social context of those who write on walls.
Graffiti was used primarily by political activists to make statements and str...Darren Larose
This document summarizes the history of graffiti art from its origins in Philadelphia in the 1960s to its peak popularity in New York City in the 1970s. It describes how early pioneers like TAKI 183 and CORNBREAD helped establish graffiti art and gain it recognition outside of its underground subculture. Key developments included styling tags with unique flourishes, increasing tag sizes, and the creation of "masterpieces" using thicker letters filled with intricate designs. The height of graffiti occurred from 1975-1977 when whole subway cars were covered and different bombing and piecing styles emerged. Challenging laws and crackdowns threatened graffiti in the 1980s, but some writers continued bombing with determination as the art form
This document discusses the history and evolution of graffiti art in New York City. It begins by describing the author's observations of street art in the city and their interest in understanding graffiti as a creative art form rather than mere vandalism. The document then traces the origins of graffiti in Philadelphia in the 1960s where it was associated with gangs and an expression of territorialism. When graffiti emerged in New York City via subway taggers in the 1970s, it was similarly viewed negatively. However, graffiti matured and developed artistic merit. By the 1980s, graffiti had grown in recognition abroad and in art galleries, moving from its gang origins to an expression worthy of praise. Today, graffiti is
13It is About Art to Communicate Thoughts and FeelingsChantellPantoja184
13
It is About Art to Communicate Thoughts and Feelings Associated with Immigration and The Border Wall
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor
Date
Abstract
Art is a powerful tool for communicating experiences and evoking emotions. It is one of the oldest forms of human communication, used to express thoughts and feelings about big and small things. The earliest known cave paintings date back more than 30,000 years. Today, art continues to express complex emotions and experiences, from the joy of seeing a beloved person to the fear of being separated from family members. This essay demonstrates that art such as murals and installations have the power to communicate, spark change, and exhibit resistance and resilience by claiming spatial ideologies through the construction of visual subjectivity. Furthermore, it aims to add layers of visual discourse by validating the role of digital photography in transforming borders. Through digital photography, the act of resistance seizes and holds the capacity to spread art beyond the place it was created and produced. Thus, photography can be part of the force to transform space and place beyond the physical borderland.
Images do not only serve as a visual to interpret subject matter regarding marginalized issues. Still, they should be viewed through multiple lenses, models, and approaches as they get produced through multi-layered scuffles, lived experiences, and generational memory. Through the use of relevant literature, the essay also discusses images of artwork that were created on the U.S-Mexico border wall between 2011 and 2017 in response to migratory policies and further militarization of the border.
Introduction
The boundary between the United States and Mexico has long been a site of political contention, with the two countries jostling over the right to control it. But the borderlands between the two countries, though they are physically distinct, are not just political or geographical spaces: they are also artistic (Rivera, 2020). The borderlands are a series of sites where artists have explored the borderlands' human, political, and cultural complexity. And the borderlands have become a place where artists have sought to make sense of the world around them and help us understand the complexity of our world and our place in it. However, much of the stuff people remember from art across borders is the outright protest art that vehemently tackles themes like human rights, immigration, and bi-national policies. Even the fence itself has been used as a canvas for influential paintings and installations. Nevertheless, border art has continued to use the wall and the people who cross it as a concept, developing performances pieces or other multimedia works meant to challenge perceptions of the international border (Garcia, 2018). The nexus between arts, culture, and immigration have long been studied in cultural studies and the humanities. The use of art to spearhead ...
13It is About Art to Communicate Thoughts and FeelingsAnastaciaShadelb
13
It is About Art to Communicate Thoughts and Feelings Associated with Immigration and The Border Wall
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor
Date
Abstract
Art is a powerful tool for communicating experiences and evoking emotions. It is one of the oldest forms of human communication, used to express thoughts and feelings about big and small things. The earliest known cave paintings date back more than 30,000 years. Today, art continues to express complex emotions and experiences, from the joy of seeing a beloved person to the fear of being separated from family members. This essay demonstrates that art such as murals and installations have the power to communicate, spark change, and exhibit resistance and resilience by claiming spatial ideologies through the construction of visual subjectivity. Furthermore, it aims to add layers of visual discourse by validating the role of digital photography in transforming borders. Through digital photography, the act of resistance seizes and holds the capacity to spread art beyond the place it was created and produced. Thus, photography can be part of the force to transform space and place beyond the physical borderland.
Images do not only serve as a visual to interpret subject matter regarding marginalized issues. Still, they should be viewed through multiple lenses, models, and approaches as they get produced through multi-layered scuffles, lived experiences, and generational memory. Through the use of relevant literature, the essay also discusses images of artwork that were created on the U.S-Mexico border wall between 2011 and 2017 in response to migratory policies and further militarization of the border.
Introduction
The boundary between the United States and Mexico has long been a site of political contention, with the two countries jostling over the right to control it. But the borderlands between the two countries, though they are physically distinct, are not just political or geographical spaces: they are also artistic (Rivera, 2020). The borderlands are a series of sites where artists have explored the borderlands' human, political, and cultural complexity. And the borderlands have become a place where artists have sought to make sense of the world around them and help us understand the complexity of our world and our place in it. However, much of the stuff people remember from art across borders is the outright protest art that vehemently tackles themes like human rights, immigration, and bi-national policies. Even the fence itself has been used as a canvas for influential paintings and installations. Nevertheless, border art has continued to use the wall and the people who cross it as a concept, developing performances pieces or other multimedia works meant to challenge perceptions of the international border (Garcia, 2018). The nexus between arts, culture, and immigration have long been studied in cultural studies and the humanities. The use of art to spearhead ...
The document discusses the use of art for social justice and raising social consciousness. It provides examples of artistic movements that promoted social and political messages, such as the Mexican muralism movement led by Diego Rivera in the early 20th century. Rivera's murals often depicted the lives of the working class and helped establish mural painting as a form of political art. The Chicano art movement drew from these influences to resist stereotypes and give voice to Mexican-American communities. In general, the document argues that art can be used as a tool for communication, raising awareness of social issues, and motivating people to promote social change.
Urban art has grown bolder and more sophisticated in recent years, though unsanctioned public art remains controversial. Urban art refers to visual art styles inspired by city life and architecture, often seen as graffiti or vandalism when created without permission. While starting locally, urban art has become a global phenomenon practiced by traveling artists worldwide.
The document summarizes and compares two murals painted in Lexington, Kentucky by street artists MTO and Eduardo Kobra. Kobra's mural "Lincoln" depicts Abraham Lincoln in bright, patriotic colors and was informed by his research into Lexington's history. In contrast, MTO's mural "My Name is MO" uses dark tones and depicts an ambiguous caged figure, suggesting a personal statement about oppression. While Kobra engaged with the local community, MTO kept his process private, leaving some controversy. The document analyzes the artists' approaches in the context of street art movements and the goals of revitalizing Lexington's downtown area through public art commissions.
The document discusses research on the "street code" culture found in some inner-city black communities. It describes how structural conditions like poverty, unemployment, and limited opportunities have led to the development of this code. The code emphasizes respect, social identity, and the use of violence. The author argues that gangsta rap music reflects and reinforces this street code through its lyrics about crime, violence, and street life. The study analyzes 403 rap songs to examine how the code is portrayed and how violence is justified in the lyrics.
This document provides an overview of the history and evolution of graffiti. It discusses ancient forms of graffiti dating back to 30,000 BC, and notes that graffiti has been used throughout history by different cultures to convey messages. The document then focuses on modern graffiti, tracing its origins and spread in the late 20th century from New York City to other parts of the world. It also discusses how graffiti has entered mainstream pop culture through its influence on hip hop music and culture as well as its portrayal in various video games.
SPACE four-column template (blank) final copy-CGFChristina Flower
El Franco Lee II is an artist known for his "urban mannerist pop art" paintings that depict real historical events in an acrylic style. One of his most vivid pieces is called "Drag Race," which depicts racial tensions and has sparked controversy. While some may find the artwork offensive, others argue it depicts important truths about racial issues. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is considering displaying El Franco Lee's works, which often graphically depict controversial topics, though this may cross legal boundaries regarding free speech. El Franco Lee leaves powerful messages in his artwork to encourage viewers to have difficult conversations.
This document provides an introduction to an issue of the magazine URBAN focused on the theme of "trans." It summarizes the contents, which include essays on topics like transforming lives through sport in Harlem, art and its provenance in the San Fernando Valley, and critiques of housing construction in France and cultural exhibits in New York. The introduction discusses how the prefix "trans" has returned to common language and academic writing, endowed with new meaning around issues of materiality, technology, and the blurred boundaries between organic and inorganic. It suggests the city is populated with "trans-entities" and things have agency in how they enable human action.
GEOG 2300Space, Place and Identity22 May 2013Graffiti De.docxbudbarber38650
This document outlines an upcoming class debate about whether graffiti is a form of art or vandalism. Students will be assigned to groups representing different stakeholders and asked to argue either side of the debate. They will prepare arguments from their assigned perspective and present their position in the class debate. Following the debate, students will individually summarize the views and opinions expressed from their contribution and that of their group in the context of the overall discussion. The document provides sample questions and readings to help students develop their arguments on the complex issues surrounding the debate.
Mark T Smith / Secret Societies / Frederick Holmes and CompanyMark Smith
These are the images from Mark T Smith's exhibition at Frederick Holmes and Company in Seattle. The show opens on Thursday June 5th, 2014 and is on exhibit through the summer.
Presentd at the ISA RC10: International Conference 'Democracy and Participation in the 21st Century'
Lisbon 12-15 JUL 2017
Abstract
Wall graffiti and slogans are considered to be the unconventional artistic media of expression that communicate the social bitterness and discontent about social inequalities. Exposed in the public space these unconventional forms of political activism are considered by the authorities as acts of civil disobedience that belong to the sphere of contentious politics. However, wall slogans and graffiti can reflect the deep rooted patriarchal positions and attitudes that characterise our society. Even progressive and non-discriminatory social groups or individuals that used the public walls as a means of expression unwittingly have misused symbols and words producing confusion concerning their ideas. This paper, based on a research in central urban districts in the metropolitan area Athens explores the ways in which some manifestations of individual expression can provoke confusion concerning gendered biases on the symbolic level. In our analysis, by using the semiotic approach, we attempt to decode visual representations, symbolisms and typical slogans that promote gender equality.
Graffiti and street art have gained more recognition and acceptance in the art world. While graffiti is typically writing someone's name, street art encompasses a wider range of visual artistic expressions done in public spaces, including murals, stencils and wheatpasting. Banksy is a famous street artist known for his politically charged pieces done using stencils and spray paint. Views on street art vary from condemnation as vandalism to acceptance as a valid art form that can beautify cities and bring communities together through outdoor art projects.
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situations of risk as those encountered by the now respond with “mural death squads”
writers. This preliminary research blossomed (Kunzle, 1993; Sheesley & Bragg, 1991).
into active participant observation inside the Toronto street artists develop works that attack
underground, involving not only participation in colonialism and urge political resistance
various informal gatherings, parties, and paint- (Kummel, 1991); and, denied access to radio
buying trips, but also innumerable graffiti- or newspaper, young Palestinian militants in
writing forays in Denver’s railyards and alleys the occupied lands employ wall painting as
(see Ferrell, 1993a). The research culminated, their primary form of communication and resis-
so to speak, in my arrest and trial on charges of tance to Israeli authority (Hedges, 1994; see
“graffiti vandalism.” Ferrell, 1993b).
To develop a comparative perspective on this A particular form of graffiti writing has, dur-
intensive field research, interviews were also ing the past 20 years, also emerged out of the
conducted with legal agents, political officials, economic, political, and ethnic inequalities
and others in Denver; and sites of graffiti activ- endemic to the United States. “Hip hop” graffiti—
ity were visited in cities throughout the United the focus of this study—grew out of the Black
States and Europe. Although these visits did neighborhood cultures of New York City in
not, of course, produce the intensity of informa- the early and mid-1970s as part of a larger,
tion generated in the Denver case, they did pro- homegrown, alternative youth culture that
vide opportunities for extensive observation, included new forms of music (rap, sampling,
and in some cases, interviews with local writers scratching) and dancing (Brewer & Miller,
and those that oppose them. This comparative 1990; Castleman, 1982; Chalfant & Prigoff,
information was in turn supplemented by news- 1987; Cooper & Chalfant, 1984; Ferrell, 1993a;
paper searches and other forms of document Hager, 1984; Lachmann, 1988; Miller, 1994;
research in various U.S. cities. Stewart, 1987). This highly stylized form of
nongang graffiti writing—which includes the
“tagging” of subcultural nicknames on city
FORMS OF GRAFFITI AND walls and the creation of large illegal murals
FORMS OF RESISTANCE (“piecing”) by “crews” of writers—has today
fanned out into large and small cities across the
In a remarkable variety of world settings, kids United States and to Europe, Mexico, Central
(and others) employ particular forms of graffiti America, and elsewhere (Brett, 1991; Chalfant &
as a means of resisting particular constellations Prigoff, 1987; Riding, 1992; Rodriguez, 1994;
of legal, political, and religious authority. Rotella, 1994). Its remarkable growth also
Through an array of painted images, for exam- increasingly incorporates kids from outside
ple, young artists quite thoroughly transformed the ethnic and economic frameworks of its
the political meaning of the Berlin Wall by the originators. In Denver, for example, youths from
time of its destruction (Waldenburg, 1990); and the suburbs and from small towns regularly
in the former Soviet Union, the graffiti of urban seek out the urban hip hop graffiti underground;
youth cultures emerged as a channel of resis- and in Boston, a substantial portion of the
tance essential to the undermining of Soviet city’s hip hop graffiti is in fact now produced by
authority (Bushnell, 1990). In London, femi- crews made up of young Anglo males and based
nists, animal rights activists, and others aggres- in the suburbs (Jacobs, 1993, p. 1). In southern
sively alter offensive billboards (Posener, California, the participation of young people
1982); in Northern Ireland, young Catholics of all sorts in graffiti writing is such that the
paint wall murals that memorialize (and encour- Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
age) resistance to British rule, and Protestants lists some 800 known graffiti crews; the Los
and the British military counter-attack through Angeles Rapid Transit District alone spends
the same medium (Rolston, 1991). Similarly, $13 million a year on clean-up, and the
Nicaraguan youth groups have for years painted California Department of Transportation budgets
street images of Sandino as a form of political up to $5 million for 1994; and authorities
resistance and dialogue; post-Sandinista officials now find hip hop (and gang) graffiti inside
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Urban Graffiti– • –35
Los Angeles City Hall, in abandoned World social and spatial control. Hip hop graffiti
War II bunkers, and even in the San Gabriel writers work almost exclusively at night, and in
Mountains (Haldane, 1993; Hudson, 1993; so doing use the cover of darkness to evade cur-
MacDuff & Valenzuela, 1993; Maxwell & few restrictions and urban surveillance. In that
Porter, 1993; Sahagun, 1992; Tobar, 1993). The they gain subcultural status from tagging over
members of a national anticrime organization as large an area as possible, they also wander
thus recently named graffiti their biggest con- widely throughout the city; mobility—and
cern (Ching, 1991, p. A1). trespass—are essential. Because further status
What, though, is the larger cultural and polit- derives from the difficulty of a tag’s placement,
ical context in which this wildly popular style of writers also regularly jump razor wire fences,
graffiti writing proliferates? And precisely what climb freeway standards or skyscrapers (“tag-
forms of authority does this graffiti writing ging the heavens”), and otherwise violate the
resist? city’s spatial sorting. And time and again, writ-
ers talk and tag in such a way as to make clear
their resistance to urban control. In Los
URBAN AUTHORITY, SOCIAL CONTROL, Angeles, 13-year-old tagger Creator (CRE8)
AND THE WRITING OF RESISTANCE reports that “most of the time I get up (tag) on
stop signs and city-owned stuff” (Quintanilla,
Contemporary graffiti writing occurs in an 1993, p. E6). In Denver, legendary graffiti
urban environment increasingly defined by the “king” Rasta 68 likewise announces that,
segregation and control of social space. As “Personally, I want to hit on city stuff, like
Schiller (1989), Soja (1989), M. Davis (1990, bridges, rather than some other person’s prop-
1992a, 1992b), Sorkin (1992), S. Davis (1992), erty. They build the boringest crap around, so
Guterson (1993) and others have shown, major why not beautify it?” (Will, 1994, January 2,
U.S. cities today are systematically fractured p. 13). And in Boston, local writer Relm empha-
by ethnic, class, and consumer segregation— sizes in a newspaper interview that he doesn’t
segregation built into skyscrapers and skyways, bomb (tag) individuals, cars, or houses, but only
freeways and transit routes, walled residential large businesses, public buildings, and other
enclaves and secured shopping malls, private urban symbols of the system he opposes
streets and parks. The caretakers of these physi- (Jacobs, 1993, p. 28).
cally segregated cities control (or destroy) pub- If, as alluded to earlier, authority and resis-
lic space and public communities through tance dance together, the next moment in this
privatization and physical insulation, and they tango of urban control and graffiti writing is not
employ extensive public and private police difficult to anticipate: The same legal structures,
power and sophisticated control technologies to policing powers, and technological safeguards
enforce their spatial restrictions. Young people that regulate the city at large are in turn brought
who wish to work or wander in these environ- down on graffiti writers, and with a vengeance.
ments face, in addition to these spatial controls, The array of control technologies and tech-
an increasingly aggressive criminalization of niques aligned against graffiti writing is itself
their activities by local and state authorities. In impressive. Today, legal authorities and corpo-
recent years, city after city has enacted strict rate sponsors in Los Angeles, San Bernardino,
curfews and a multitude of ordinances against CA, New York, Denver, Las Vegas, Fort Worth,
loud music, car cruising, and other youthful and other cities create police and citizen surveil-
pleasures (Ferrell, 1993a; LeDue, 1992; Reuter, lance teams armed with two-way radios, home
1994b). In negotiating the contemporary city, video cameras, remote control infrared video
kids are largely walled in and boxed out. cameras, and night-vision goggles; send out
The writing of hip hop graffiti disrupts this antigraffiti helicopter patrols; secure freeway
orderly latticework of authority, reclaims public signs and bridges with razor wire and commer-
space for at least some of those systematically cial buildings with special graffiti-resistant
excluded from it, and thus resists the confine- coatings; and arrange toll-free telephone hot-
ment of kids and others within structures of lines for watchful residents and motorists with
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36– • –PROPERTY CRIMES
cellular phones (Bennet, 1992; Ching, 1991; regulate or ban the sale of spray paint and
Colvin, 1993b; Fried, 1992; Rainey, 1993; “2 markers to minors and others and that force
teens,” 1991; Valenzuela, 1993; “Writing on the businesses to clean graffiti from their buildings
Wall,” 1993). They also use U.S. Marines in (“Building Owners,” 1994; Fong, 1992; Hanley,
antigraffiti operations, deploy undercover tran- 1992; Hynes, 1993; Smith, 1994; Tobar, 1993).
sit and police officers in the guise of high school And in Denver, Los Angeles, and other cities,
students and journalists, stake out popular aggressively entrepreneurial vigilantes, high
graffiti-writing areas, and set up sophisticated school “bounty hunters,” and others now
sting operations to apprehend graffiti writers receive thousands of dollars in cash awards for
and stop those who sell spray paint to them turning in writers (Ferrell, 1993a; Reuter,
(“Albuquerque Police,” 1992; Baker, 1991; 1994a; Schwada & Sahagun, 1992).
Carr, 1993; Henderson, 1994; “Lure of Fame,” Graffiti writers, of course, counterpunch with
1994; Molloy & Labahn, 1993; National new forms of resistance and increased militancy
Graffiti Information Network, 1990; “Sting,” of their own. In the early years of hip hop graf-
1991; “Teaching Teen,” 1994). fiti, legendary New York City writer Lady Pink
These sorts of physical control are backed by said, “Graffiti means ‘I’m here.’ . . . They want
growing militancy among antigraffiti activists to snub us, but they can’t” (Mizrahi, 1981,
and by increasingly severe legal sanctions. p. 20), and contemporary writers facing the full
New York’s new police commissioner targets force of urban authority echo this sentiment. An
graffiti and other “quality of life” crimes; Los 18-year-old Los Angeles tagger arrested six
Angeles’s mayor Richard Riordan campaigns times says, “They want to wipe us out. But graf-
aggressively against graffiti and now recom- fiti will never die” (Colvin, 1993a, p. B4); and a
mends boot camps as punishment for writers; Compton tagger tells city officials, “You can
another Los Angeles mayoral candidate sug- lock me up, but you’re not going to arrest all of
gests “chop[ping] a few fingers off” (Simon, us. How are you guys going to make us stop?
1993, July 9, p. B3); and Denver’s mayor You don’t know how” (Tobar, 1993, p. B3). To
deflects a recall campaign with a vitriolic anti- prove their point, writers decorate, and dese-
graffiti campaign of his own (Ferrell, 1993a; crate, the very control structures in which they
“These Guys,” 1994). A California assembly- are caught. Kids involved in a city work pro-
man introduces a bill requiring that kids con- gram at Los Angeles City Hall reach for “the
victed of writing graffiti be publicly paddled; heavens” by tagging the top floor of the city hall
and in St. Louis, an alderman proposes public tower (Sahagun, 1992). In response to the
caning (Bailey, 1994; Gillam, 1994; Henderson, Denver mayor’s antigraffiti campaign, Voodoo
1994). Other antigraffiti campaigners in Los paints a “Recall” piece and poem along the bike
Angeles and Denver cheer suggestions of lop- path where the mayor jogs. A Boston writer on
ping off hands, and speak of “hanging, shooting, trial for graffiti affixes tagged stickers—an
and castrating” (Colvin, 1993a, p. B4) and pub- increasingly popular form of pre-fabricated
licly spray-painting writers’ genitals (Kreck, tagging—throughout the courthouse and,
1993; Martin, 1992). remarkably, on the back of the prosecutor’s
In this climate, southern California authori- legal pad (Jacobs, 1993). And Chaka—southern
ties arrest the parents and grandparents of California’s most notorious and prolific
alleged writers on charges of contributing to the tagger—is arrested for tagging a courthouse
delinquency of minors and sue or otherwise bill elevator while visiting the probation officer
other parents for tens of thousands of dollars in supervising his previous conviction for tagging
damages (Goldman, 1993; Lozano, 1994; (MacDuff & Valenzuela, 1993; Martin, 1992).
MacDuff & Valenzuela, 1993; Valenzuela, To avoid later detection, writers in Las
1993). In Los Angeles, writers themselves now Vegas, Denver, and other cities also increas-
face multiple $1,000 civil fines in addition to ingly wear latex gloves when they tag or piece
criminal penalties of $50,000 and 1 year in jail and take other practical measures to avoid
(Simon, 1993, July 9). Business owners in cities apprehension. But for writers, the most remark-
around the country confront statutes that able and insidious form of resistance to
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Urban Graffiti– • –37
increased repression is not a practical measure wont to put it, a “war of the walls”; in doing
but a pleasurable response. This is the adrenalin graffiti, writers challenge the “aesthetics of
rush. Writers consistently report to me and to authority” (Ferrell, 1993a, pp. 178–186) that
others that their experience of tagging and piec- govern the city, invent new visual conventions,
ing is defined by the incandescent excitement, and give lie by their tags and pieces to the vision
the adrenalin rush, that results from creating of a city under firm political control. But this
their art in a dangerous and illegal environ- war of the walls is, more profoundly, a war of
ment—and that heightened legal and police the worlds. For graffiti writing not only con-
pressure therefore heightens this adrenalin rush fronts and resists an urban environment of frac-
as well. In Los Angeles, Creator says, “I bomb tured communities and segregated spaces; it
because I like the chase, the getting up [tagging] actively constructs alternatives to these arrange-
without getting caught. . . . Catch me if you ments as well.
can” (Quintanilla, 1993, p. E1); and in San
Bernardino, an ex-tagger adds, “I miss the rush.
It’s a rush because you’re taking a chance of RESISTANCE, IDENTITY, AND ALTERNATIVE
getting caught. You do it to see if you can get ARRANGEMENTS (GRAFFITO ERGO SUM)
away with it. It’s like an addiction—you can’t
stop” (MacDuff & Valenzuela, 1993, p. A11). The writing of graffiti is an inherently collective
Well-known Denver writers like Z13, Rasta 68, activity. Although writers tag and piece against
Eoosh, and Voodoo also speak regularly of “that the controls of the city, they also tag and piece
rush” one gets from graffiti, its links to illegal- for one another, and in so doing build alterna-
ity, and the ways in which increased police pres- tive structures of meaning and status. Tagging
sure means, for them, increased excitement; as goes on as a collective conversation among
Voodoo says, with regard to piecing, “Right writers, a process of symbolic interaction by
before you hit the wall, you get that rush. And which writers challenge, cajole, and surprise
right when you hit the wall, you know that one another. Like his counterparts in cities
you’re breaking the law, and that gives that throughout the United States, Los Angeles
extra adrenalin flow” (Ferrell, 1993a, p. 82). A writer Rival emphasizes that he tags for the
Denver street artist thus concludes, “Doing graf- respect of “other taggers. Who cares about
fiti is a real adrenalin rush. That provides a lot adults?” (Glionna, 1993, p. B4). Writers also
of the pull and draw to the taggers. The city piece primarily for one another. Writers’ pieces
doesn’t understand that the more they publicize are executed and evaluated within elaborate
the crackdown, the more active the taggers will subcultural conventions of color, proportion,
become” (Ferrell, 1993a, p. 148). A Las Vegas and design; and although writers may hope that
“hip hop shop” owner summarizes the situation their pieces will be seen by the public, they can
succinctly: “The harder the city comes down on be certain that they will be seen and judged by
them, the more fun it is for them” (“Writing on other writers. In this sense, tagging and piecing
the Wall,” 1993, p. 4C). create an alternative system of public communi-
As the adrenalin rush shows, graffiti writers cation for kids who otherwise have little access
resist the pressure brought against them not only to avenues of urban information. And in this
by fighting it, but by using it for their own pur- sense, like their Palestinian counterparts across
poses and by transforming political pressure the Atlantic, U.S. graffiti writers paint a com-
into personal and collective pleasure. Here plex system of subterranean signs directly onto
again we see the dance of authority and resis- the walls of cities that otherwise would render
tance and the strange steps that it follows—in them invisible.
this case, the authorities’ role in amplifying the In tagging and piecing for one another, writ-
meaning and intensity of the very activity they ers also construct alternative systems of status
wish to suppress. In this ongoing interplay, we and identity. Both for those kids increasingly
also begin to see the magnitude of the battle shut out of traditional channels of achievement
between graffiti writers and urban authorities. and for those who, through ethnicity or educa-
This battle is certainly, as headline writers are tion, retain some modicum of choice, graffiti
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38– • –PROPERTY CRIMES
writing provides a powerful alternative process says, Syndicate is “ten people with ten brains
for shaping personal identity and gaining social and twenty eyes to watch out for opposing
status. Black, Latino, and Anglo boys in the authority or enemy and to get down with the
southern California graffiti crew TIKs, for brain waves thrown down on the wall” (Ferrell,
example, have quit high school chess teams and 1993a, p. 36).
spurned advanced placement classes to devote Significantly, the alternative communities
as much time as possible to graffiti. The result is that writers create often violate the city’s every-
not only status among other writers, but invita- day ethnic segregation by incorporating kids of
tions to parties and relationships with girls who various ethnic backgrounds; as seen previously,
also write; as one TIK says, “without graffiti, southern California’s TIK crew is multiethnic,
what do I got?” (Glionna, 1993, p. B4). A young and Denver crews are often made up of both
female tagger from East L.A. likewise points Anglo and Latino kids. These crews also provide
out, “You know how rich people have their an important, street-level alternative to gangs
names on their houses or something? Well, tag- and gang membership. Writer after writer in
ging is like that. People see your name. . . . It Denver, Los Angeles, and elsewhere reports that
makes people feel good” (Diaz, 1992, p. B5). The graffiti writing and crew membership led him or
power of these alternative systems of status and her away from gang identity and activity. The
identity can be seen in the intensity with which members of Denver’s largely Latino NC (No
writers do graffiti. Rasta 68 claims that “I eat, Claims) crew emphasize that hip hop culture
sleep, and breathe graffiti” (Will, 1994, p. 12); generally, and hip hop graffiti writing specifi-
Chaka not only tags the courthouse, but maps cally, exist for them as lived alternatives to par-
locations and tags for 7 hours each night; writers ticipation in Latino street gangs. And as the
jump razor wire and climb billboards to earn sta- members of FBI say, “A lot of people want to
tus by “tagging the heavens”; and, in southern gang-bang, but we focus on just being together
California, businesses are tagged, repainted, and as one, trying to keep out of trouble. . . . We
tagged again four times in a day (MacDuff & aren’t hoodlums—these guys were like brothers.
Valenzuela, 1993; Quintanilla, 1993). We all care for each other. Many of us don’t get
As graffiti writing shapes youthful identities, any support from our parents” (Nazario &
it also builds alternative communities. The Murphy, 1993, pp. B1, B4; see Donnan &
crews to which writers belong not only tag and Alexander, 1992; Hubler, 1993; Martin, 1992).
piece together, but form deep social bonds as These small communities of writers also con-
their members share time and resources, con- tribute to the larger communities of which they
struct collective artistic orientations, and defend are a part. In Denver, writers have painted
one another from enemies real and imagined. In pieces commenting on local politics, war, and
Los Angeles, Creator notes that, “It’s like a AIDS, and have been commissioned to paint
family to belong to a crew. They watch your drug awareness and “stay in school” murals.
back, you watch theirs. You kick it everyday And in New York City, drug dealers and others
with them. . . . You get friendship, love, sup- pay writers to paint large “Rest In Peaces”—
plies, everything” (Quintanilla, 1993, p. E1). murals that commemorate those who have died
Similarly, the 80 or so kids who belong to the on the streets (Marriott, 1993; Sanchez, 1993).
FBI crew in southern California emphasize the Clearly, graffiti writers and crews serve as the
“sense of family the crew has brought to tag- folk artists of urban communities; day-to-day
gers’ lives” (Nazario & Murphy, 1993, p. B1) chroniclers of urban life and death, they repre-
and mourn the deaths of seven crew members in sent the worlds they help create. As Lady Pink
a car crash; as one tagger says, “It was family, says, in recalling the early years of hip hop graf-
love, tagging, everything” (Nazario & Murphy, fiti, “We were like sixties radicals, rebelling
1993, p. B4). In Denver, crews like Syndicate against the system. I was dodging bullets in the
hold regular “art sessions” to work on collective service of folk art, bringing art to the people”
designs, share the “piecebooks” in which they (Siegel, 1993, p. 68).
draw their designs, and often pool their talents As the “Rest in Peaces” begin to show, graf-
to work on large, elaborate pieces. As Rasta 68 fiti also contributes to alternative economic
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Urban Graffiti– • –39
arrangements and underground economies. Hip city and confine kids and others to prearranged
hop graffiti shops in Denver, Los Angeles, Las patterns of social isolation. When these violations
Vegas, and elsewhere now sell magazines, precipitate further controls, graffiti writers
videos, spray tips, markers—and lines of cloth- counterattack, not only with directly confronta-
ing designed and produced by writers (Sipchen, tional styles of writing but with a shared “adren-
1993; Will, 1994; “Writing on the Wall,” alin rush” that transforms legal pressure into
1993). In New York, Los Angeles, and Denver, illicit pleasure. And, as graffiti writers partici-
writers pass out business cards to those who pate in this dance of urban control and resis-
admire their pieces, execute commissioned tance, they at the same time construct elegantly
murals for home and shop owners, and even alternative arrangements that shape both indi-
parlay exposure in antigraffiti mural painting vidual identities and communities of support
programs into commissioned art work and meaning.
(Horovitz, 1992; Marriott, 1993; Pool, 1992). The various forms of resistance embedded in
Increasingly, graffiti writing provides for top youthful graffiti writing in turn remind us of the
writers some hope of economic survival and sort of approach scholars might productively
economic self-determination in an environment take toward larger issues of youth and resis-
that alternates unemployment with minimum tance. Neither dreamy romanticism nor theoret-
wage work. It also creates for writers avenues ical rigidity will suffice; both distance us from
of artistic development and entrepreneurship the subjects of our study, leave us dependent on
outside the restricted circles of gallery art secondhand stereotypes, and ultimately demean
(Ferrell, 1993a). kids’ actions and identities. Carefully situating
As they piece and tag, then, graffiti writers our research in young people’s daily lives, on
not only alter the look of the city and resist its the other hand, broadens our scope to include
structures of authority, but at the same time cre- the many and varied manifestations of authority
ate elaborate urban alternatives. Engaging in and resistance entangled there and pushes us to
what anarcho-syndicalists of the early 20th cen- pay attention to the particular meanings of
tury called “direct action,” and punks of the authority and resistance in the everyday, collec-
later 20th century dubbed “D.I.Y.” (do it your- tive experience of youth. In employing this
self), graffiti writers invent out of their own methodology of attentiveness, we are likely to
activities alternative systems of aesthetics, rep- find in kids’ lives forms of resistance far more
resentation, identity, and meaning. In a world of remarkable than those that romanticism imag-
dead-end jobs and declining career opportuni- ines or rigidity imposes—forms of resistance
ties, they construct new channels for achieving that both confront structures of authority and
status and earning money. In cities partitioned begin to build alternatives in and around them.
by ethnicity and social class, they assemble new And like graffiti writing, these various moments
lines of transurban communication and build of youthful resistance—too often dismissed as
new communities that bridge ethnic and class mindlessly destructive—in fact merit our atten-
divisions. As they wander the city, they invent tion not only for undermining contemporary
new forms of social organization inside the all- social arrangements but for imagining new ones
too-orderly rubble of the old. as well. The words of the Russian anarchist
Michael Bakunin echo in the everyday lives of
young people, and off the graffiti-covered walls
YOUTH AND RESISTANCE of the contemporary city: “The passion for
destruction is a creative passion, too” (Lehning,
A careful examination of hip hop graffiti writ- 1974, p. 58).
ing begins to reveal the many ways in which
young graffiti writers resist the structures of
authority under which they are placed. By the REFERENCES
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