Grafitti can be expressed in many different forms. Some people considered graffiti as a form of art and some people consider it as vandalism. Graffiti is a public marking that usually appears as words to express wall paintings.
I personally think that graffiti could be considered both vandalism and art. Some forms of graffiti can tell stories about life and personal situations. In other conditions, such as graffiti on school desks, I consider it vandalism.
Chrystal Eady
In my opinion graffiti is art and we as citizens do have the right to freely express ourselves. However that doesn’t mean that everyone has the right to freely put whatever they want on whatever. For instance I don’t think people should be spray painting signs, private property and especially schools were children play and learn. Only because young people might read that or learn bad behaviors from images they might see. All in all I really have no problem with Graffiti as long as it’s away from children and so long as it doesn’t disrupt private or public property.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I myself believe that graffiti is a freedom of expression. However, I believe graffiti should not be placed on private property. Also, if graffiti is going to created in an open place where people can see it, it should portray non vulgar sayings or drawings. The reason is that vulgar information could portray a negative image to society and give people the wrong idea. In conclusion, graffiti is a form of art but there are certain places it should be expressed and there is limit to what a person can express with graffiti.
ReplyDeleteI agree that graffiti is art, more so than vandalism. Granted there are some pictures that are somewhat vulgar, or may be a negative influence. And there are some locations that should not be tagged.Areas such as schools, homes, businesses, or grave sites (sadly, graveyards were a common place for it).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, graffiti, like any other form of art, is a means of expressing ones self. I believe anyone who wishes to do this legally, either look to get it legal in certain areas, or go to graffiti competitions. Showing their art, and it being appreciated will create a positive outlet for those who wish to do graffiti.
Cause to be honest, though it is illegal it is not going to stop people from expressing themselves through their art. So why not compromise?
I agree that graffiti is art, but I also believe that depending on where it is it can be vandalism as well. Graffiti is a way in which people can express themselves, just like all other forms of art. Although there is a time and place for everything and there are places in which graffiti is inappropriate such as churches and private properties.
ReplyDeleteMy group discussed in class that graffiti artists should want to paint on canvasses so they can take their work with them and show it off. By painting on walls their work is at risk of being painted over and seen by only those who travel to it. By painting on canvas graffiti artists can show off their work and not have the fear of it getting destroyed.
Graffiti has evolved into an art form in the century we live in, which is how I perceive it almost exclusively. It may not always be an art form everyone can agree on, but that doesn't mean it isn't one outright.
ReplyDeleteI think in class we don't define graffiti clearly enough. In my own words graffiti is defacing public or private property.
ReplyDeleteIf someone spray paints a bunch of nonsense all over my house I'm not going to stand there with a cup of coffee at 6am saying "wow, what a marvelous piece of human expression that is."
That's the thing about graffiti, it is generally an unwanted thing. I feel that it is better for our communities if graffiti remains graffiti and not "art"
In my own research, Graffiti like so many other things is all in the eyes of the beholder. Some of the people that I interviewed said that grafitti was a destructive form of vandalism. They said that it should not be put on walls of buildings nor should it be written on anything that didn't belong to the writer.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end, some said that it was a form of art. These people said that graffiti was an expressive form of art that some even agreed with. The majority of people in this group saw no problem with graffiti as a whole and found it to be artistic. Clearly this was a subject of many different opinions which is what makes it a strong one.
I agree with this post that graffiti can be both vandalism and art. I do think that graffiti expresses something about the artist.
ReplyDeleteMy one friend is from Texas and is an art major, but the surprising thing is that his concentration is graffiti. So, he has followed what my group suggested during the discussion by putting the graffiti on canvas.
Jeffrey says,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Chrystal that graffiti could be considered both vandalism and art. Some may consider vandalism as a disrespectful defacement of public property. Others believe that the graceful masterpiece of graffiti may be considered art, if it is in fact flaunted on property which is not public. Doodling on desks does bring up a controversial issue between students and faculty. Some teachers believe it distracts their students from the actual learning process, whereas there are professors like Mohamed Ahmed who believe drawing on desks are a distinct form of beauty which captures the essence of the artist. Graffiti can express bottled up feelings, as well as provide unique stories which will live to tell generations to come.
I believe that graffiti is meant to be looked at as art not vandalism. The people that do it just want people to see their work or that have a point to get across to a large amount of people.
ReplyDeleteI went to Switzerland for spring break one year and they looked at graffiti as art depending on what was drawn or written.
I completely agree with Chrystal that graffiti can be both art and vandalism. When I think of graffiti being art, I think of murals and people that actually have talent, they are just expressing their art other than on a canvas. Then I think of graffiti as vandalism when gangs are using spray paint under bridges in the middle of the night. I think that graffiti is a way for people to express themselves and their views, but it should be in an appropriate manner. How can you decide what’s appropriate? That should be left up to the artist.
ReplyDelete-KRISTI QUINN-
I agree with the author that defining graffiti doesn't have to be dichotomous--either as art or as vandalism. More appropriately it could be considered vandalistic art. There are many styles of art that don't find major acceptance, like genres of music, types of visual art, and novels, but must nevertheless be regarded as art. Approval or aceptance of a medium by the general public is not the litmus test to classifying "art and "non art." Is graffiti vandalism? Were it not for the vandalistic nature of this type of work, it could hardly be called graffiti; otherwise it is simply a mural or painting. Graffiti is certainly vandalism, but it displays every characteristic of other art forms.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Graffiti is art but many people and places consider it vandalism because where it is placed or how much of it is posted. At IUP, it is vandalism.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Crystal there is always two different sides to a story. Although some people may consider graffiti vandalism others may not. An artist may not consider their work on public surfaces vandalism where as the people that view it may consider it vandalism. Depending on the placement of the graffiti it may make the art work vandalism.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Crystal i also think graffiti can be both art and vandalism. I love seeing art on walls when Im driving pass a old building. seeing people just writing on desk i feel as though its vandalism because some of the art on the desk dont even have a meaning behind it. As Crystal stated some graffiti has a story behind it, and to me thats what makes it beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJessica Young said:
ReplyDeleteI too believe graffiti is an expression of art, but at times can be considered vandalism. As we mentioned in class, graffiti can be expressed in the form of tattoos, also known as body art. I, myself, have several tattoos and will continue to get more. Many of them have meanings beyond just the simplicity of ink on my skin. Yes, I admit, I do have that one tattoo that I got when I was “young and dumb,” but that won’t stop me from getting more. There are some people who feel tattoos are destructive to the human body, hence a form of vandalism. I completely respect their opinion, but they should also do the same to mine. To try and ban body art would be a violation to one’s freedoms. My body is not public property; it is my own, so if you feel its vandalism, simply don’t look.
Rachel said:
ReplyDeleteAfter writing my paper on graffiti my opinion of it changed very much. I believe that graffiti is art, and that you should be very open minded about the graffiti that you are looking at. If people would take more time to stop and actually look at the graffiti that is drawn and try and find a meaning behind it, even if the meaning you think comes from the graffiti isn’t actually what it means. I still don’t find words that are written on a wall of an abandoned building to be considered art, but I have definitely changed my opinion about the graffiti drawings to be a work of art.
Many people consider the inscriptions on the ancient catacombs of Rome a beautiful art form, however, it is considered the same thing as painting done on an abandoned building down the street. In my eyes, graffiti, such as the catacombs, are beautiful art. However, I do believe that graffiti done on private property is vanddalism.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the some not all drawings on the school desk are art. They conveys ones imagination and skill when they draw on them. What would be the difference if it's vertical and where everyone can see it to a desk where students can view and enjoy the art people decided to draw on a desk.
ReplyDeleteI agree that graffiti is more of an art than vandalism. I think it is an expression of someones beliefs and just because its not on a canvas being painted in a classroom or art studio, people don't consider it to be art. I think it is an art but some places where it is, I can see it as vandalism.
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