2. Graffiti: History
• Graffiti began in Philadelphia, New York between the 60s and 70s. An old jazz musician named
‘yard-bird’ died in the early 60s, people began to tag ‘bird lives’ on walls and windows to honour his
career as a musician.
• In it’s early years graffiti was more vandalism and was used to get messages across to authorities.
• In New York people began tagging their names/nicknames and their street number on walls, public
transport and street signs.
• It was extremely common that people would tag the subway around New York with their name, the
idea was that when the subway moved around new york city it gave the person tagging the train
more publicity because the transport moved between each area.
• Authorities were aware of this vandalism happening to public transport and they took action to
remove it, they warned that each time it was painted on it would be removed and if it continued they
would stop the train from going out, this eventually stopped them from tagging public transport and
they moved back to walls and public places.
• These graffiti artists now had more time to spray-paint their tags or paint what they like which moved
the vandalism into graffiti.
• In the 1970s graffiti moved from Philadelphia to New York City, around
Washington Heights, this is where writers such as Take 183 and Tracy 168
started to gain popularity.
3. For Graffiti - Political
• Can be used to spread messages and thoughts primarily political agenda such as
statements against governments, corporations and conglomerates. People can
express themselves more openly through art and using the outside allows a lot
more people to view it.
• Instead of the council having to pay workers to paint or re-design a wall in an area
they can pay less to have professional street artists to spray-paint an image onto
a wall.
4. For Graffiti - Social
• If done with permission it can make a run down area/building look better with
more colour and images. If it is done by a professional graffiti can be just like art
in a gallery, expressive and something that is enjoyable to look at.
• Possibly becomes a career choice for some people that do it legally, shop owners
sometimes pay to have walls or shutters outside their shops spray painted on and
designed to brighten up the store front.
• Street art gives a positive outlet for people to send a message or idea with art and
voice concerns and frustrations in a constructive manner.
5. Against Graffiti - Social
• Broken window theory, this is the idea that if there is a broken window and no one
does anything about it, It is in a deprived area similarly if no one does anything
about graffiti then the area becomes known as run down and deprived.
• Gate way theory, the gate way theory is that if someone gets away with a small
crime such as tagging private property or public transport they will lose the fear of
getting caught committing crimes and begin to progress into bigger crimes such
as burglary.
• Graffiti can be used to portray hate speech or racist symbols that offend people or
communities.
6. Against Graffiti - Political
• Costs a lot of money to be removed from property and public transport. Records
from 2003 mention that the cost of cleaning up graffiti around London was up to
£100m a year which is paid for by tax payers.
• Can cause gang turf wars and encourage bad behavior such as violence or
vandalism.
• Does the end justify the means when people use graffiti to make a point, does the
vandalism and damages it causes make it worth it?
7. For graffiti
- Graffiti can enhance an area that was originally really plain or an eyesore, an artist can disguise
ugly architecture with a bright creative image.
“An artist that has made use of a run-down building to create their art is in fact using his/her environment to its full
potential. It is giving the building of neglect a new purpose” – Henry Carbank, Stokes croft.
- Can be used to spread messages and thoughts primarily political agenda such as statements
against governments, corporations and conglomerates.
- Graffiti can be used for people to escape from normal day to day life when set against the
background of urban city life.
