4
Mass communication by itself is simply a
Banksy, Barely Legal, billed as a “three day vandalised warehouse extravaganza” in Los Angeles,

issue force and can be used positively or nega-
on the weekend of 16 September, 2006. The exhibition featured a live “elephant in a room,”
ively, much like any other force. Used
painted in a pink and gold floral wallpaper pattern. (banksy.co.uk)
x
ion
t
in one way, graffiti can spread positive
photos by Mark Harvey


F
lu
messages to inspire youth to rise up and
work together as a community to change a
ture
social situation. In another way, graffiti can
Cul
be used for materialistic or profitable ends
that do little to convey a message or opin-
ion to the average person on the street.
Originally, graffiti was more often used
for communication rather than the profit.
In the circumstances from which graffiti
grew, social messages were often seen as
important to incorporate into the artwork.
Now that graffiti has been lifted out of
its original context, the message is not
emphasized as much. In a sense graffiti has
“splintered” into a variety of subcultures
that deviate from its original style.
CONCLUSION
There is a line between graffiti and
vandalism. The social motives and implica-
tions of graffiti have legitimized some
forms of graffiti as art. Further, aesthetic
qualities of the work fully validate graffiti
art as an art form.
The average reaction to the sight of
graffiti tags by someone who is unfamiliar
with graffiti is that it is a cause of urban
decay and a detriment to the quality of
life in the city. In reality, the opposite is
occurring. A large number of graffiti tags
is a response to urban decay; a cry for
help from the disenfranchised masses that
are struggling to survive.
In summary, graffiti’s motives stem from Today, graffiti art is flourishing and will
the dehumanization of the working class. continue to flourish, whether it is
Agitated youth took to the streets to accepted by art institutions or not.
protest the ways in which they were cat- It is only a matter of time before hip-hop
egorized not as people, but as a resource graffiti artists are being compared to
for production. These youths took to the the great artists of the world. Rightly so:
streets because of a basic survival instinct, graffiti art is one of the most intricate,
which pushed them to use any means nec- creative, and impressive forms of art,
essary to leave a significant, lasting impres- and it is becoming more and more
sion on their own culture or community. popular each day.
Although it is the most significant aspect
of legitimizing graffiti as an art form, the
attraction for most fans of graffiti art
today is no longer in the social motives.
The artistic creativeness and originality
© copyright 2006 Timothy Werwath
of graffiti art catches the eye of potential Timothy Werwath is currently a student at the
artists that are looking for new ways to University of Maryland, College Park, where
express themselves. A new generation of he majors in sociology and social theory. He is
people has connected with graffiti because passionate about all aspects of hip-hop culture
it has been developed outside of the but is specifically interested in turntablism and
traditional avenues for artistic expression graffiti art. He wrote The Culture and Politics
and has been brought to them by new and of Graffiti Art as part of an independent
improved ways for people to communicate research project while he was a senior at Wilde
with each other. Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland.
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