GRAFFITI: ART OR VANDALISM?

Graffiti is one of the best manifestations of contemporary art. It consists in writing or drawing everything you want on a wall or another surface. Graffiti ranges from simple words to elaborate drawings or paintings.

Graffiti has existed since cavemen began telling their stories through their drawings on cave walls;  people utilized graffiti as a form of worship in ancient Egypt and at the time of the Roman Empire. Nowadays graffiti artists use spray paints and marker pens and they embellish decaying urban areas.

In my opinion, the art of graffiti is really distinctive and captivating, but not everyone likes it, in fact it is often considered an act of vandalism and it can be punished as a crime. Unfortunately, graffiti is sometimes used by street gangs to mark territory.

Graffiti is used to express personal thoughts, preferences or dislikes as well as political views; graffiti is often against bullying, racial discrimination or war. 

For example, Berlin Wall graffiti became world famous in the 1990s; much of the artwork was not claimed by artists and remains anonymous; the wall was open to everyone, there were no restrictions on what artists could put on the wall; yet, the West Berlin side of the wall had graffiti completely covering the wall, while the East Berlin side was kept blank as people were not permitted to get close enough to paint anything.

In the early 1970s graffiti started to become popular in the subway of New York City,  then in the rest of the States and Europe.

One of the most famous graffiti artists is Banksy whose identity is unknown; he uses his artwork to deal with politics, war, violence, homelessness and other important issues. Two of my favourite paintings are “The Kissing Coppers” and “Love is in the Air”. The former represents two British policemen kissing and it celebrates the LGBT community. The latter depicts a young man, probably a rebel, who is throwing a bouquet of flowers instead of a bomb. Its powerful message of peace and freedom for everyone is unmistakeable.

To sum up, graffiti is an amazing form of art which is undoubtedly beautiful and meaningful, for this reason graffiti artists mustn’t be charged with vandalism! Graffiti should be appreciated, not condemned!  It is like writing a book or a song, above all it is a means of communication, you can express your emotions, hopes and ideas, you can denounce injustices and social ills and  describe contemporary  society too.

Anna Alivernini, 4^C Liceo Linguistico