Is It Art? Debate Over Graffiti's Status

Graffiti: Vandalism or Art
In this discursive essay i will be showing the points for and against graffiti and whether it is
considered vandalism or art. Some of the major points around this is does it matter where the
graffiti is drawn or who by or is it as simple as its on a public building and no matter how artistic it
looks its vandalism.
Points for Graffiti being and art.
There and many views on whether graffiti should be considers art. Graffiti can be acceptable in the
modern day with over eighty percent of teenagers that think it is acceptable and it is used to express
their feelings through art furthermore there are many people who believe that,
"An artist that has made use of a run–down building to create their art is in fact using his/her
environment to its full potential. It is giving the building of neglect a new purpose" said by Anon and
"Graffiti that is art, like well–drawn pictures that enhance a buildings plain wall is acceptable. If it
is used to disguise an ugly piece of architecture or an eyesore is certainly going to enhance the area"
by Mikki T.
These views come from grown men and women and not your typical teenagers the vandalize
public property and it shows how widely Graffiti affects people and how it can actually be good
as long as its used correctly. Most people when the walk past graffiti think its ugly and is and
illegal eyesore , they assume that its just gang tags, were as graffiti is used all around us being used
to express someones passion and to make a statement.
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Vandalism Vs Graffiti
Art comes in different types of styles and forms. However, its evaluation has become problematic
since the turn of the twentieth century with a new controversial art form of graffiti becoming
popular by many artists. On two sides of the spectrum, works of art that are produced by graffiti
artists demonstrate a broad spectrum of personal and cultural expressions through past experiences
of economics and social policies set by the state. Throughout this paper, I will look at three areas of
whether increases graffiti is related to the city policies. First is the social relation of inequality and
power within the urban cities as a whole. Second is the current policies implemented in St.
Catharines, Ontario and whether they are decreases the amount of graffiti seen on the street or not.
Finally, is the approach I would like personal take within the city of St. Catharines and the policies
that I would implement to decrease case of graffiti on private business property.
Social Relations of Inequality and Power in Cities
With the origin of graffiti dating all the way back to ancient civilization in Ancient Romans and
Greece, we can see that in the past graffiti was used as a form communicating their names on
buildings. Graffiti defined by Oxford is writing, or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed
illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place (Oxford 2017). Many institutions looked at
graffiti as being vandalism due to the definition that graffiti is with as being

Graffiti Is Art Not Vandalism
Graffiti Is Art Not Vandalism Graffiti can be found everywhere and anywhere. It is a way for people
to express themselves and be creative in a public manner. It shows how passionate and talented
they can be when it comes to drawing or tagging and have it displayed as a piece of art for everyone
to see. Graffiti goes way back to the ancient times and is now very well known in the modern
days which makes more and more people interested and fascinated by them. It can be used in
different types of ways. Many artists can either spray paint, carve, paste, or stencil them on a
surface. From how we see them today they are usually images of random cartoons, big bubbly
letters, vintage black and whites or inspirational quotes. Virtually anything colorful or not and big
that can be easily spotted. Graffiti is more superior to be known as art than vandalism because it is a
self expressing act. People need to be open minded about the images they see and look at the
message behind it or else they will immediately criticize and say it is vandalizing property. It is a
form of art not a crime. Going out of their way to trespass and damage property like fences, road
barriers, or warning signs is considered a crime. Art wise, it attracts large crowds and shocks a few. It
is a way to build a creative imagination and to be spontaneous. It really depends on how people look
and feel about it. But there are
artists that make street art which means that they are

Graffiti Is Vandalism Or Art?
You can look on the internet and in a dictionary for the definition of art but in all reality, art is
defined as something you see as art. To me, anything can be art. From building a sculpture or
building, to even being an athlete. Being an athlete can be art because the person performs in his
own way that is created by them. They have to create a form and a style to compete at the best of
their abilities. There are many different types of art but when someone hears art, the first thing that
comes to mind is a painting. But paintings do not have to be on a canvas. Think about the art on
the side of traincarts you see, which is known as graffiti. But there is a problem when it comes to
this type of art because there is a conflict in the art...show more content...
In mexico, the popular way of speaking back to the authority was by placing graffiti on the walls.
For a place where the television, news paper and radio are unscrupulously influenced by the
government, that's why the people communicate to the public by using graffiti. Back in 1968,
after the Tlatelolco massacre of 300 students, there was a group of artists that formed up and
called themselves SUMA. The reason behind the forming of the group was to create murals of the
massacre so that it will not be forgotten or covered up by the government. In 2014, a news
broadcast was presented over graffiti being put in a museum. They had famous graffiti artist on
there to state their opinion on the idea of the museum. Sandra Fabara stated that graffiti is
vandalism only if you get caught, but it's art if you get away with it. During the show, the took a
poll on what the people saw as art or as vandalism. Forty–four percent said it was art and fifty–one
said that it was vandalism. But for Sandra to say that it is vandalism but art when you get away
from really means something if that is what you are known for doing. In 2012, Northern Territory
News was stating that graffiti is being cut down on more than what should actually be the
advertisements of half naked women during television shows where a younger child may be
watching. If

Essay Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?
Art: the ultimate form of self expression. But, what constitutes an art? And, who decides? These
very questions plague society as it tries to decide and define the official status of graffiti––art or
vandalism? Because it has found its way into art galleries and because of the community of artists
who challenge and inspire each other, graffiti should be considered art and as a way to express
oneself.
The origin and history of graffiti is not what one might expect. Believed to have been created by a
Philadelphia high school student named Cornbread in 1967, it was a bold effort to catch the
attention of a girl (De Melker). In this same time period, graffiti sprung up in New York as well. It
was "one among many forms of social protest" during...show more content...
Many cities view graffiti as dirty and worthless; for example, the city of San Antonio has arranged an
anti–graffiti campaign in which the city boldly states "graffiti is ugly" ("Graffiti"). This attitude
towards graffiti and the obsession with ridding cities of graffiti sparked the ever–present negative
outlook on the craft, spoiling its artistic value.
This negative shadow on the art form of graffiti has caused the decline of the graffiti movement. As
many have predicted, "graffiti may eventually disappear" ("The Writing's on the Wall; Graffiti").
Graffiti has already begun to dwindle from what was once a flourishing art movement, to an almost
disesteemed hobby. However, a soiled reputation is not the only culprit in the murder of authentic
graffiti. The occupation of the current generation with technology and social media has caused many
artists to focus solely on selling their work and gaining attention through social networking
platforms. Another, perhaps more common, reason for the decline is the improvement of police
work and punishments for those indulging in the illegal form of graffiti ("The Writing's on the Wall;
Graffiti"). Because of this decline in authentic and prohibited graffiti, artists have channeled their
work into new forms and established their own artistic community. As graffiti recently transitioned to
a more respectable art form, it developed a more respectable name: street art.

I believe that Graffiti is most certainly a valid art form. The question as to whether any forms of
graffiti can be considered art is a controversial area. Is it vandalism when it is placed on the side of a
building or a car and art when it is on a canvas on someone's wall or in a gallery– what is the
difference? Graffiti, in its more complex forms, can be considered art because it clearly contains
artistic elements, it communicates the artist's expression to the viewer, and the traditional art
community has already accepted it. The objective of this essay is to explain how graffiti art
overcomes the concerns of illegality and vandalism and can be considered as a true art form.
Graffiti has been around for a long time; its birth goes back...show more content...
This form also takes much planning. Writers usually do a sketch beforehand, carefully outlining,
drawing the characters, and inventing a color scheme (Stowers). When writers finish planning,
they pick their choice of canvas and begin. A Piece or Production is created in steps. First, an
outline of the sketch is done in a light color to get the feeling of how things will look on the large
scale. Then, it is gone over adding color and background to the work. Different nozels are used on
the spraypaint cans to create diverse effects. When everything is in place, crisp outlines are painted
with the intent of having no drips. The clearness of a work signifies the artistic talent of the writer.
The latter forms of graffiti style I have mentioned consist of fundamental artistic elements such as
line, shape, color, and dimensions. The fact that more complex graffiti forms contain such
elements is clear evidence that graffiti is a valid form of artistic expression. Many would argue
that the placing of graffiti illegally on the streets makes it impossible to consider as art. I firmly
believe that no matter where graffiti is placed, weather on the subway or art gallery it is a way of
expressing oneself in an aesthetic and artistic manner.
Rebellion is one explanation for why writers use graffiti. Graffiti cries out from places that would
otherwise not be heard. It is

Is Graffiti Art Or Vandalism? Essay
Storm Shepherd
Professor Beerline
Com 1110
Date
Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism? Graffiti has put a major impact on the way people look at their
everyday life. It was not used so much here in the United States but was used overseas. Overseas,
graffiti, or street art, was used or played as a sport, just like baseball is Americas sport. There are
different laws that are put over there than what there are here. They can get away with some of the
things that they paint or make over there. If we tried some of that type of work over here, we
would get in trouble and possibly serve time for vandalizing someone else's property. There are
many biased outlooks on graffiti, but it should be considered art in all places because of all the time,
effort, and design the artist put into their work.
"According to Kim Dovey, Simon Wollan, and Ian Woodblock, graffiti is a type of art as well. She
claims that there is different type of graffiti. They first talks about the different types of graffiti.
Some of the types listed are stencil tags, throw up, and slogans. There are free handed drawings that
are called stencil drawings. Stencil graffiti combines elements from spray–paint graffiti and from
street art. Stencil artists carefully prepare stencil blueprints on hand–made sheets, which they then
place on a surface and cover with spray paint. Stencil graffiti works are the easiest and quickest
pieces to replicate" (Lerman 299). "Throw up are just free handed paintings. Slogans are when they

Graffiti Vandalism
Structures that stretch high above of the hustle and bustle of cars and people on the ground level,
going through any big city numerous attractions can steal your attention away. There's so much to
absorb some things will never be noticed. Walls of buildings and sides of train cars are rarely
acknowledged with all the advertising, architecture, and of course the "tagging." An average person
would consider the widespread art form of graffiti an eyesore, but others would disagree. Who's to
say what is art as opposed to trash vandalism? Since the late 60's people have hit the streets, cans
of paint in hand, to scrawl their wildest dreams onto whatever "canvas" they could find.
Philadelphia high school student Cornbread is credited with starting this movement in 1967 in
attempts to get the attention of a girl he fancied (The History Of American Graffiti). Others took
notice and began to search for any surface they could post up a "piece." Graffiti is stereotypically
defined to be strictly in a public place or be illegal. Opposite to that there are legal graffiti
locations such as 5 Pointz in Queens or street museums such as Bushwick Collective in Brooklyn
run by Joe Ficalora where people are allowed to paint as they please free from repercussions
(Kennedy, Graffiti Art of the City, From the Bronx to Brooklyn). Additionally, since it's expansion,
in the 80s galleries began to showcase this "vandalism" as artworks. Curators and collectors even
began to hire artists to create

The Pros And Cons Of Art Vandalism
To understand the claim that graffiti is vandalism, one must first define what art means to them.
The standard definition, or the most widely agreed upon version, is from Oxford dictionary
which states that graffiti is "writing or drawings scribbled, scratched or sprayed illicitly on a wall
or other surface in a public place." However, art is a highly subjective topic and can vary from
person to person. To Vanessa Ochs, art is another realm where the artist imagines things that do not
actually exist, art is not perfect to her, rather it is a perfect reflection of our imagination (Burrill,
2016). While graffiti fits both definitions in every aspect, it does not fall within the boundaries of
the law. Graffiti, at its very core, is the act of...show more content...
A peaceful way to spread a message, graffiti is usually the cause for a significant amount of deaths
that occur because the artist wants to voice their opinion on the side of a bridge or inside a
subway tunnel. So in effect, graffiti supporters put the value of a couple of murals over that of
someone's life. To risk a life simply because the artist wants their opinion to be heard is simply not
fair. Are graffiti enthusiasts suggesting there is no other way to pave their way to art fame? Not to
mention the temporary nature of the art that graffiti artists partake in. Art is supposed to stand the
test of time, however, graffiti is illegal in almost every place in the world and therefore it is
frowned upon. Citizens report these artworks that have taken maybe weeks to complete and
authorities are swift in the painting over of these murals. Artists like Lady Pink have even had their
houses raided and supplies were taken away for vandalizing property and yet they continue to
support this malpractice and encouraging the younger generation to be creative. Risking young lives
for this short–term glory is definitely not the right way to go. Artists should be encouraged to paint
meaningful artwork that beautifies the society and not illegible "tags" of unknown artists. People
might argue that artists like Banksy have made it to the top of the popularity pyramid by doing
the same thing regular graffiti artists do, but they do not realize that he is an organized artist who
specializes in stencil graffiti. His works of art are bought for six digit figures because of the way
he portrays facts not opinions. Banksy himself has said that artists nowadays do not need to go to
great lengths to get their work noticed, all they need is a "few ideas and a broadband connection"
(Ellsworth–Jones, 2013). In essence, one simply needs

Graffiti Is Vandalism
There's a lot of controversy today on whether Graffiti is a good thing or not. Graffiti has been seen
by many as a destruction of property, but it is a form of expression and an artistic thought that
should be allowed, per the First Amendment, as freedom of speech and not as breaking the law. I
personally believe that Graffiti should be legal. I don't believe it harms anyone or anything
depending on the location. I believe Graffiti has many issues that every individual looks at
differently. I think that Graffiti is looked at asVandalismbecause of the location that the artists
decide to put them in, and even the image of the actual painting itself. There a many different forms
of Graffiti, like Street Art and Subway Art. But most Graffiti problems become a problem because
no one listens to the people's opinions on location and how they feel about it being vandalism.
There are many different views on Graffiti being an art or not and I am going to talk about those
things today. I strongly believe that people think Graffiti is a crime because of the imagery and
placement of the art. I have read about people getting Graffiti mixed with tags. Graffiti is usually an
...show more content...
I believe that Graffiti is a way for an individual to express their feelings without anyone having to
know exactly what they're talking about or who did the artwork. I firmly think that Graffiti is
such a better way to get through something, rather than consuming drugs or trying to run away
from their problems. If there was a certain place set aside in the community for Graffiti artists to
do their work, I think a lot of people would benefit from a giant brick wall filled with other
people's art. Graffiti is also an amazing anxiety reliever for people with high anxiety, they may
even be able to be less anxious because they have something to look forward to, and they can do it
without being afraid of getting in trouble for trying to feel

Graffiti Art or Vandalism Have you ever walked down the street and seen graffiti? What did you
think? Graffiti has been a hot topic lately. The city of Seattle is currently debating if graffiti is
vandalism, or art. Graffiti is not art it is vandalism. It is often done on private property, it's against
the law, and it lowers the property values and sends the message that people of the community are
not concerned about the appearance of their property.

| Graffiti is Vandalism, Not Art| | | STUDENT NO: | 16 MARCH 2011|
The thread of this simple essay will centre on the controversy surrounding "graffiti art"–is it art or
simply vandalism. The paper will explore the true meaning of graffiti art, characteristics of common
graffiti which includes a background history of its evolution in society, the different motives of
artists who uses graffiti art, the conclusive facts that stem from my own point of view, and what the
future holds for the graffitist. Overall, this paper will explore the culture of graffiti–is it art or
vandalism.
What image comes into mind when one hears the word, "graffiti?" From Wikipedia, "Graffiti" is the
name for images or lettering scratched,...show more content...
This type of graffiti uses spray can art, tag art, and aerosol art. They line building sides, subway
station walls, subway trains, and billboards. Devon D. Brewer, a sociologist who has studied graffiti
extensively, claims that "there are four major values in hip hop graffiti: fame, artistic expression,
power, and rebellion." (http://www.graffiti.org/faq/graffiti–is–part–of–us.html). The graffiti in its
form is an expression of showing endless social and political problems communicated to the public.
What truly motivate people to write on walls and for the entire whole world to see? Come to
think of it, why not just grab a pen and paper to express them? Several theories have been
explored and debated to explain these sides of the graffitist: * Some use graffiti as a form of
communication to gain public recognition. Graffitist takes pride in their work with their names and
tags included in the designs. They take pleasure in the artistic, creative, and physical expression of
their geniuses. And they want the world at their attention. * Others, as from the short history above,
express their emotions, feelings, and frustrations with their work and will let the world see of that
discontentment. It is an expression of criticism, protest, rejection, or agreement of an ideology. *
Some ways, graffiti is a documentation of a group membership or "gangs" as prevalent in the streets

Deviance
Deviance – Graffiti & Vandalism Graffiti is one of the most visible forms of crime, defacing both
public and private property. It costs the community around $200 million each year and has emerged
as a key priority in crime prevention for Australian states and territories. Since the founding of the
Australian Institute of Criminology in 1973, Institute staff have been engaged in research on
matters of public policy that include policies on Graffiti and Graffiti prevention. Graffitists are
mainly young adolescents and include both girls and boys, although boys predominate. They come
from a wide range of social groupings and areas. Many are self–organised into loose groups of
gangs, some of which are geographically based, and all appear to...show more content...
Vandalism and graffiti are common on most of the developed world's urban railway and transit
system. An international review of vandalism and graffiti on Western European, North American and
British railways reports a general increase in all systems, although in Moscow and Tokyo vandalism
and graffiti are virtually unknown. Most transportation systems exhibit similar characteristics in
graffiti and vandalism including the type of damage done i.e. seat slashing, a majority of juvenile
offenders amongst those apprehended, the greater frequency of damage in off–peak hours and
unsupervised areas and the decline in staff morale and passengers' perceptions of the safety and
comfort of the service. However, even within countries, different transportation systems appear to
have varying rates of vandalism and graffiti. Differences between graffiti and vandalism rates exist
within most Australian cities. Authorities in the major centres of Sydney and Melbourne are
currently experiencing considerable problems with both forms of behaviour. In contrast in the
cities of Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and Adelaide, rates of vandalism and graffiti appear to be
relatively moderate. In New South Wales, staffs responsible for train seat repairs have reported a
"significant and sustained increase over the past several years in the number of train seats slashed or
otherwise

Graffiti: Art or Vandalism Essay examples
Most people can argue that there is a fine distinction between what is recognized as art and
vandalism. The individual is often faced with uncertainty when the topic of graffiti arises. The
public often portray graffiti as a destructive act towards his or her surroundings however; graffiti can
also be considered a form of self–expression. Many questions can be made pertaining to the graffiti
movement, but the main question is graffiti a crime or an art? The answers lie in the complex
phrase of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
Graffiti portrays contemporary sub–cultured art through its versatility and bold attractiveness on the
communal grounds. In the 1970s, graffiti was blatantly acknowledged as territorial graffiti where
...show more content...
(253)
"In contrast to government–commissioned public art, street art is illicit and subversive in nature.
Therefore, most street artists, including Banksy, use pseudonyms to avoid legal prosecution for
vandalism."(Chung 27) Banksy's street art does not focus on competing with rival artists, but
focuses on engaging with a broader audience in a deeper level. He provokes his audience by deeply
expressing out various social practices that helps viewers to reflect and confront certain aspects
together as a community. (27) The underlying message of Banksy's art can lead towards an active
involvement of street art within the community.
"Street art is omnipresent in urban streets and is a rish source of inspiration for artistic creativity. . .
It possesses the aesthetic voices of the ordinary and enables resistance for the marginalized. Banksy's
street art, in particular, can guide students to think about various social and political issues and to
reflect upon the immediate, if not unjust, world in which they live, to transform that world, and to

Graffiti As A Vandalism
Graffiti is considered vandalism in some cities, streets, and underground tunnel where it is
considered to have issues with the police. Yet in other places graffiti is considered a kind of art
form where painting on the wall isn't consider a type of crime, but a kind of painting that is view on
the streets instead in a museum. In different cities, countries have had graffiti art where street artists
can consider themselves as an artist to express how they feel or to explain something through art
instead of art. Whereas there are some people who want some of the graffiti arts to be taken off
since is consider doing vandalism and some of the graffiti are inappropriate kind of art and street
artist should be arrested for vandalizing the streets. I believe that graffiti should be considered art
since it is just a way to make the streets beautiful to express what a person is feeling or thinking
through street painting. Graffiti is a kind of vandalism, yet graffiti shouldn't be considered a
crime, graffiti should be consider as art that it is just a way to make the streets beautiful to
express what a person is feeling or thinking through street painting. In everyday life we see on the
news all the crime and problem we see all over the world. Yet in some of news they never talk
about how graffiti is considered as a major crime, just as a type vandalism. For example in an
article of "Graffiti: A dangerous way to live Scrawling graffiti is seen as a crime in the UK, yet in
the US it has become a recognised art form," it says that in the UK " Some people regard graffiti
as a form of vandalism and a menace...However, others say that graffiti at its best is an art form.
Art galleries in London and New York have exhibited work by increasingly famous graffiti artists.
What this mean is that graffiti at its best is an art form, art galleries in London and New York
have exhibited work by increasingly famous graffiti artist, where in the UK it is vandalism to do
graffiti whereas in the United State the have galleries exhibited work by increasingly famous
graffiti artists. Which why graffiti should be considered art since it is just a way to make the streets
beautiful to express what a person is

Graffiti: Art or Vandalism Essay
Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?
Sam Cowey
Graffiti has been around for more than half a decade and practiced worldwide. However there is
debate between whether it is a form of art or vandalism. Graffiti artists' debate that many do not
understand the reason most graffiti artist take the risk of incarceration, fines, injuries, and in some
cases death to paint a wall. Agraffiti artist can have the simple desire to become recognized, or to
create a piece that speaks to their audience as a form of self expression. Because graffiti is
associated with gangs and acts of destruction to some many cannot see the history and importance
graffiti can have on a worldwide scale. Due to the fact that graffiti is usually produced illegally,
meaning it is...show more content...
Today there are world known graffiti artists, Aryz, Kaws, and D Face are just a few. Any artist
wants to be recognized and have their work appreciated. That is why public property is so
appealing to the graffiti artist. A train car moving throughout the city with your mural on it will
be seen by hundreds, even if its up for a small period of time. Most graffiti artists take time to
create a piece. It takes a lot of planning and effort to make a great piece of art. Graffiti artists are
all about techniques, you need to be able to show you are an expert in your medium. It's also
important for a graffiti artist to find an imaginative spot for a mural, so it's obvious that it's hard
work. To make graffiti a piece of art it must have purpose and inflict emotion on its audience, which
is why the forcefulness of the urban environment is as much as part of the artwork as the graffiti
itself. Taggers have no real reason to create graffiti. Nor is what they do visually pleasing.
Many citizens and government officials believe that those with disregard for the law and private
property strictly do graffiti. In a New York Times article published in 2006 a seniorpolice officer
stated in an appearance to the committee of the metropolitan transportation authority on graffiti,
stating that, "This is an underworld, a segment of society that doesn't see this as a crime." (P B5)
Gang members write names

Arguments Against Graffiti Vandalism
I have read a short argument about the graffiti before which is on the newspaper, but I can't find it
now. Then I found a similar article on the website. The title of the article is "Graffiti – Vandalism
posing as art". The text mainly talked about the old problems about the graffiti (it cause historic
sites suffered horrific injuries) and problems happen now in New York City (It's difficult to clean).
And the text claims that graffiti is not art and should be prohibited by government. In my opinion,
the author's ideas are too extreme. I think graffiti is art which should not be prohibited by
government. On the dictionary, the meaning can be a form of vandalism or art, not the text says it's
only the unauthorized writing or drawing on a surface

Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?
What do people think of when they see graffiti? Is it art, vandalism, or could it be both. Graffiti is
a relatively new and developing art form that presents a lot of controversy due to its involvement
of illegality. A lot of people see graffiti and instantly label it as vandalism and not an art form;
however, by legal definition that's not always the case. According to Oxford Dictionaries, art is
defined as "The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination...producing works
to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Therefore, graffiti is and should be
recognized and appreciated as an art form and accepted by the art community. Graffiti includes any
images or letterings painted, scratched, or...show more content...
The art of graffiti writing is a creative method of communicating with other graffitists and the
public. They use it to express their identity, ideas, creativity, and feelings. Graffitists value this
type of communication because of its links to people regardless of lingual, cultural, and racial
differences in a way that nothing else can. Some graffitists do and view their art as a statement
against political and economic order. Some see themselves as revolutionaries rebelling against the
established art market or gallery system that only includes art that curators and art historians deem
valuable. Some graffitists view their work as a statement against Western ideas of capitalism.
Whatever the reasons are, they do their work with a purpose, with imagination, and creative skill to
express emotion, which is what Oxford Dictionary deems as art. In addition, graffiti art is not a
spontaneous act like tagging in the form of fancy scribble. The completion of an art piece involves a
great deal of imagination, planning, and effort. While most graffitists remain anonymous under their
"tag name", there are certain people always mentioned and linked with graffiti. Some of these
recognized graffiti artists include Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and
sometimes even the notorious Andy Warhol. Not all graffitists are rebellious criminals. Keith
Haring, 123Klan, and Saber are some of the few graffitists who have used

Graffiti Vandalism Essay
Is graffiti vandalism or art? Many people say that graffiti is art, while others disagree saying its
vandalism. In my opinion, graffiti is art. This type of art can be understood in different ways and
can be considered as vandalism. It really all depends on what the picture expresses to you and what
you see. But everyone has their own opinions and everyone sees everything differently. While many
of these artists who are extremely talented and spend most of their time on their pieces, our society
has labeled them as vandals that damage private property.
Artists that use graffiti is a way of expression to society. They express what they might be feeling
inside or going through. Every art piece has a story behind it. Graffiti is like poetry....show more
content...
For most people, graffiti is nothing more than splotches on a wall. But to those people who admire
it, graffiti is a technique that is changing the way we look at spray paint.
"It may be called art, but I don't like it," (DuBois, 2015). Most of these artists who haven't been
recognized by galleries, risk themselves on a daily basis. This is their job, expressing their pain or
happiness on a piece. Each time you pass a piece on a wall just ask yourself, "What could they be
going through?" Art is expressed in so many ways. Graffiti is spread all over the world.
Graffiti artists have the constant threat of facing consequences for displaying their art. Many of them
choose to protect their identities so they remain anonymous. Banksy is the world's most notorious
and well–known street artists who to this day remains faceless in today's society. His tags are
well–known for his anti–war, political stencil art. His work is seen from Bristol, England to
anywhere from Los Angeles to Palestine. Pixnit is another artist who chooses to keep their identity
anonymous. Her art focuses on beauty and design aspects of graffiti.
The term graffiti art essentially describes the post–1960s for decorating the urban environment
through the use of aerosol spray paint. The development structure links with the underground
hip–hop culture and b–boying. The B–boys, the first examples of hip–hop used graffiti as a way to
express frustration with life.
Rather the categorization of graffiti art

Graffiti Vandalism Essay
During the 1970's large cities began seeing the rise of spray paint vandalism. Often teenagers and
young adults that took to the streets at night armed with spray paint to 'leave their mark' on the city.
This form of vandalism, dubbed graffiti from the Italian graffito meaning to scratch (Abel). Though
graffiti dates to ancient times it is still a large–scale problem across the world. Graffiti has a negative
effect on the community in which it appears. This form of vandalism is not done to uplift or
beautify the community, like murals or art instillations, but rather to fulfill the selfish desires of the
artist. It is often an indicator of violence and a negligent community that results in lower property
values and higher crime rates.
In...show more content...
There is an argument for the status of graffiti as an art form. In the point of view, graffiti has
nothing to do with the destruction of property or willingness to commit crimes, but with the want
and the need to create something new that everyone can see. Those who take this view regard
graffiti as "an attempt to beautify or improve public spaces without first obtaining public approval"
(Abel). Whilst it is true that graffiti is considered art, by nature of painting and creating, it is also
vandalism. Vandalism is a deliberate alteration of public or private property without the consent of
the owner of the property. Graffiti involves drawing, writing or marking on non–personal property.
There is no defense for the destruction of property,
There are many ways graffiti is used: spreading hate, gang propaganda, or the perpetrators name or
ideas. Graffiti is used to spread hateful messages about race, religion, etc. It is also used to spread
gang propaganda. Marking the territory of specific gangs or highlighting their members, guns and
gang rivalries (Abel). Diverse types of gangs use this platform to support different thing. Often
among African American gangs, graffiti is important to gain respect and status among members;
neo–Nazi and right–wing gangs graffiti is used to spread their violent and hateful messages. (Ferrell)
In New York City, one of the original

Is It Art? Debate Over Graffiti's Status

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Is It Art? Debate Over Graffiti's Status