Is graffiti an art?

[l'eau]

yeah guys what do you think?
is graffiti an art or crime for you?

[ØlandDK]

Depends on what kind of graffiti we are talking about. Legal graffiti is of course art. It's more interesting to discuss if illegal graffiti is art. In general I would say no but some of it is just so beautiful that I consider it art but then again who's to judge what is beautiful and what's not.

Example of illegal graffiti that I like:
image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Example of illegal graffiti that I'm not a big fan of:
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image hosted on flickr


...but in general I find graffiti really facinating.

[hkskyline]

As long as it's not on my walls

[ChinaboyUSA]

it has never been an art, at least not an indoor one, just outside.

[Harkeb]

Losers paint on other people's property. Theyve got nothing better to do. If they can afford paint (unless its stolen most probably), why not get an art book and express themselves in it? I'm creative but don't like to call myself an artist, because every filth is regarded as 'art' nowadays.

[Manila-X]

It is an art but more on pieces and productions. Especially legal productions or murals that are done with permission from the owner.

Anyway, Is this consider citytalk? Just curious? If its not, this thread is better off in skybar

[PedroGabriel]

graffiti is just polution, but there are some (VERY FEW) exceptions.

[eklips]

Who defines what is art and what isn't?

[joga]

Graffiti are a big problem. A way to destroy beatiful buildings, monuments and streets... There is no respect even for the ancient centres of cities.

How can people write stupid signs on monuments located, for example, in the heart of italian cities?

It's almost a barbarity!

I can accept pictures on grey walls of abandoned factories in the outskirsts..... But nothing else.

[trainrover]

Is graffiti an art?

Yes, any form of art of persuasion is naturally. Hmmmm, try:

Are adverts graffiti?

Which brings me to now wondering here how did Montréal come to ditching its good taste in adverts underground, coz all it's got to show for itself nowadays is a ton of overblown, sloppy ones with nothing but classified-section elements?

Originally Posted by ØlandDK

image hosted on flickr

Little tags can be right annoying. I prefered the kaleidoscopes offed by expresses whizzing by in all their glorious cloaks of graffiti when --say-- waiting for my local...or vice versa, right.

I don't understand why graffiti islandbound artists here prey on private far more often than public property.

[WeimieLvr]

Originally Posted by ØlandDK

Depends on what kind of graffiti we are talking about. Legal graffiti is of course art. It's more interesting to discuss if illegal graffiti is art. In general I would say no but some of it is just so beautiful that I consider it art but then again who's to judge what is beautiful and what's not....but in general I find graffiti really facinating.

"Legal" or "illegal" isn't a defining characteristic of art...and neither is "beautiful" or "not beautiful". Graffiti is obviously art, whether someone likes it or dislikes it. There are all kinds of classifications and forms of art, some of which are ancient while others are more recent - such as graffiti.

The infamous Krog Street Tunnel is a popular spot for graffiti artists in Atlanta:

image hosted on flickr
image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robh/614666/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/curt/201186786/

image hosted on flickr
image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/genesse/2095198879/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/seetwist/444547356/

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by l'eau

yeah guys what do you think?
is graffiti an art or crime for you?

It can be both.

Some graffiti I've seen is amazing - it was pleasant to look at and obviously the work of a skilled artist. Most graffiti that I've seen, however, is nothing more than visual pollution.




The above picture is from Granada, which is covered in obnoxious graffiti that really degrades the city's appearance and charm (not to say it's ugly or uncharming - it's still very charming and pretty). Much of the graffiti seems to be the work of anarchists. In the U.S., you'll see a lot of gang-related graffiti in bad neighborhoods.

Of course, no matter how good it looks, painting graffiti on a wall somebody else owns without permission is a crime.

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by WeimieLvr

There are all kinds of classifications and forms of art, some of which are ancient while others are more recent - such as graffiti.

Not true. There was graffiti during the Roman Empire, sometimes political, other times just vulgar.

[WeimieLvr]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

Not true. There was graffiti during the Roman Empire, sometimes political, other times just vulgar.

I anticipated someone coming back with this reply because my wording wasn't clear...I should have stated that graffiti wasn't considered art until more recently.

[Manila-X]

Originally Posted by joga

Graffiti are a big problem. A way to destroy beatiful buildings, monuments and streets... There is no respect even for the ancient centres of cities.

How can people write stupid signs on monuments located, for example, in the heart of italian cities?

It's almost a barbarity!

I can accept pictures on grey walls of abandoned factories in the outskirsts..... But nothing else.

I'm a graf writer myself but I do mostly legal pieces or murals these days. But before I bombed and tagged alot especially in Central back in the 90s.

But like me and other known respected writers, theres a code of conduct we follow. Like we would hit up anywhere except monuments, places of worship, residential homes, etc.

[Scion]

If it blends in well with the surrounding enviornment, I consider it art.
But if it looks odd and out of place, then it's not really art.

[joga]

Originally Posted by WANCH

I'm a graf writer myself but I do mostly legal pieces or murals these days. But before I bombed and tagged alot especially in Central back in the 90s.

But like me and other known respected writers, theres a code of conduct we follow. Like we would hit up anywhere except monuments, places of worship, residential homes, etc.

I trust you but cities are 90% composed by monuments, places of worship and reidential homes and buildings.... so there's little space for writers.

As I can see in my city writers (or pseudo-writers) do not respect your code of conduct, unfortunately.

[Occit]

In Caracas graffitis are legalized and considered in some cases, Urban Art...and even some municipalities promote some grafittis:

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image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[6-6-6]

I love graffiti and i love this thread, please continue!.

[Occit]

For some people Graffiti is more than art, is lifestyle, like these young men that have painted one of biggest graffitis in Caracas, Venezuela. Watch this:



2 weeks and a half and 12 people...in that building.

Some other examples: