Street art and graffiti both involve public art but differ in intent. Graffiti originated as gang tags in the 1960s and aims to gain notoriety among other artists, while street art sends social or political messages anonymously. Both face legal issues but are increasingly accepted as art forms with street art sometimes commissioned. Artists agree technically but differ in motivation, with graffiti seen as exclusive and destructive while street art is inclusive.

1. Street Art vs. Graffiti
By: Josh, Kyle, Lauren,
Melanie, and Trevor

2. Introduction
• Basic differences between Street Art and
Graffiti
• A brief history of street art and graffiti
• How society views street art
• How the artists view their work

3. What is graffiti?
• Vandalism
• Generally words
– Names of people
– Gangs
• Sometimes offensive

4. What is Street art?
• Art that is made to be a
part of a public place
– Paintings
– Posters
– Statues
• Often used to raise
awareness of social or
political issues

5. Examples:

6. History
• Graffiti has really been around forever
• American graffiti started in the 1960’s in
Philadelphia
and New York
City

7. Basic History
• New York City is the real birthplace of graffiti
• Gang art was the beginning but it soon
transformed into something more individual
• Artists began “tagging” subway cars as a way
of gaining notoriety
• Started off with simple names, but soon grew
into big, fancy designs
• The goal was to show your dominance in the
art

8. Basic History (Continued)
• At first, artists just wanted their name out
there
• Soon they began developing masterpieces,
or pieces, to further distinguish themselves
• Led to the development of different styles

9. Top to Bottom
• Artists tagged the subway car from the top to
the bottom with there masterpieces

10. Throw Up
• No not puke
• One of the original styles of tagging
• Characterized by
one color outline
and one color filler

11. Softie Letters
• Bubble letters

12. Wild Style
• Incorporated arrows, curls, and connections
• Made the letters look very mechanical

13. Metropolitan Transit Authority
• They did not appreciate the graffiti on their
cars
• The government allotted more money to the
anti graffiti division
• Led to the train yards being better monitored
and harder to sneak into

14. • Cut down on the amount of graffiti and
started cleaning cars off
• By 1986 most lines were running clean cars
• Artists began returning to the streets
• Today most artists paint on the streets but the
few who believe the only true graffiti art is on
subway cars continue their fight against the
MTA

15. Society’s View
• Most people want to see it in today’s world
• Museum of Contemporary Arts (L.A.) held
exhibition
• Drew over 200,000 visitors over a summer
• Largest amount of visitors the museum has ever had

16. • Society has an unwillingness to
find the art in its true form
• Found mainly in urban areas
along with graffiti
• Artists can be paid or anonymous

17. • Can bring communities together
• Rough neighborhood banded
together
• Gang members, children, parents
and others helped paint mural

18. Artists’ Views
• Personal interviews with street and graffiti
artists
• Asked them all the same questions:
– Similarities/differences
– Opinion on controversial aspects
• Whether or not it’s illegal
• Conflicts with society’s views
• Conflicts between artists themselves

19. Artists’ Views
• Agreed on the technical side of street art and
graffiti
– Both are forms of public art
– Graffiti has more rules
– Graffiti is created on the spot, while street art
begins in a studio
– Both have legal and illegal components

20. Artists’ Views
• Differences found in the artist’s motivation
– Graffiti
• Exclusive and codified
• Created for other graffiti artists in an attempt to make
themselves well known
• Destructive
– Street art
• Inclusive
• Created for a larger audience
• Aims to send a message without letting people know who
the artist is

21. Artists’ Views
• Age affects an artist’s motivation
– Graffiti is more popular for young people
• Rebellion
• Respect from peers
– Many artists start with graffiti and become street
artists later in life as they mature

22. Artists’ Views
• Others said there was no difference at all
– Differences are just forced upon them by society
– Everything has become too commercialized
– Artists should be free to do what they want and it
is up to society to accept that

23. Conclusion
• The basic differences that separate graffiti and
street art
• A overview of the history of this art form
• How society views street art and the
difference they see between graffiti and street
art
• How artists see their work