Graffiti: Street Art or Vandalism?

Photo credit: Red Mirror, Unsplash

 

By Lilian H. Hill 

What’s the difference between graffiti, street art, and public art?

 

One way to differentiate graffiti from street art is that graffiti tends to be word-based and street art is more likely to include images. However, this simplistic method must evolve as graffiti and street art change in character. 

 

Graffiti is often defined as unauthorized writing or drawing on a public surface. It consists of writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public space. Due to its unsanctioned nature, some graffiti may be executed quickly. Therefore, drawings are sometimes simple, executed with spray paint, and contain words, tags, and simple symbols. A tag is a unique term or symbol that becomes the artistic identity of the artist, somewhat analogous to an artist’s signature (Lewis, 2023). Multiple drawings may overlap with each other on a surface and build up over time.

 

Despite the use of tags, graffiti art is usually anonymous due to the possibility of legal sanction. In other words, instead of a legible signature, the tag may be a symbol or be based on a pseudonym. Initially, graffiti was typically perceived as vandalism, associated with gang activity, and blamed for a loss of property values. Therefore, many cities enacted legislation and explored methods of graffiti removal. (Not surprisingly, because the least expensive method of graffiti removal is painting over it, most of the websites providing instructions to remove graffiti are hosted by paint companies).  However, as methods and tools became more sophisticated, some examples of graffiti are taking their place in the art world (Lewis, 2023).

 

Street art is publicly sanctioned and may be commissioned. The images tend to be more elaborate and pictorial. They may be commissioned to create tourist attractions and promote local artists. Artists typically sign their work. An artist may recruit and direct a team to assist them in creating a large mural or other type of art. 

 

A closely related term, Public Art is intentionally created for public spaces and has been approved by property owners, local authorities, and arts organizations. Its purpose can include enhancing the community environment and enriching the public’s experiences of common spaces. Investment in public art can improve street safety, provide tourism and new jobs, and combat social isolation and anxiety (Dhenin, 2021).

 

Photo credit: Lilian Hill

Creation of public art trails became popular during the COVID pandemic quarantine as much of public entertainment sites were closed, including museums, zoos, theaters, community and cultural centers, and other public services. Brochures containing maps of locations of murals on public buildings and even utility boxes are published online to encourage participation. Members of the public can use them as a self-guided tour. The public trail map example below is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi but examples from many other cities can be found. Hattiesburg was recognized as one of 11 cities worldwide as leaders in public art. Other cities included Philadelphia, Miami, Paris, New York, Vancouver, Cape Town, and Berlin. This is remarkable for a small Mississippi city with a population of less than 50,000 (175,000 if you include surrounding towns in the metro area). Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker indicated that this is a testament to the talent and creativity of Mississippi artists and the leadership of the Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art.

 

Free download, http://hburgart.com/trail/

Benefits of public art include creating visual pleasure, cultural expression, community building that reduces anxiety, addressing community problems, and marketing a city space.

 

Why discuss Graffiti on the Information Literacy site?

 

The relationship between graffiti, public art, and information literacy may not be immediately apparent, but there are connections, particularly in the context of understanding and critically analyzing visual communication in public spaces. Graffiti is a form of visual communication that conveys messages, ideas, and emotions through images, colors, and symbols. Understanding graffiti requires visual literacy, which involves interpreting and making meaning from visual cues. Information literacy extends beyond textual information to encompass visual information, and graffiti can serve as a medium to develop and enhance visual literacy skills.

 

Reasons why people create graffiti can include expressing their thoughts, emotions, and identity. Graffiti artists may express subculture affiliation, personal and cultural identity; social commentary; defiance and rebellion; and connection with community. Images that highlight the experiences of minority subcultures can elevate human conversation and be a source of civic pride. Graffiti can be a form of protest and social commentary, or an act of visual dialogue and connectivity with other artists. As experimental art, it can even be related to other forms of ephemeral art such as chalk art, rock balancing, and sand and ice sculpture, because it is subject to elimination. See this example of chalk art that will last only until the next rainfall. 

 

Photo credit: Gotta Be Worth It, Pexels

Overlap Between Graffiti and Public Art

 

Graffiti and public art overlap when it comes to purposes of street beautification and urban revitalization designed to improve the appearance of public spaces.  

 

In recent years, the lines between graffiti and street art have become blurred, as some street artists have roots in graffiti culture and certain graffiti writers have adopted more artistic and elaborate approaches (Lewis, 2023). As attitudes toward public art evolve, the distinction between graffiti and street art continues to shift, reflecting changing perspectives on urban art forms.

 

Throughout its history, graffiti has remained a dynamic and evolving art form, continually adapting to social, cultural, and technological changes while maintaining its roots in self-expression and urban identity. It continues to be a subject of debate, with discussions about its legality, artistic merit, and impact on urban environments.

 

References

 

Dhenin, M. (2021, December 6) Why public art is good for cities. Yes! Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2021/12/06/public-art-cities

Lewis, C. (2023, July 31). Graffiti tags – Explore the modern art form of graffiti tagging. Art in Context. Retrieved from https://artincontext.org/graffiti-tags/