argumentative essay about graffiti

Not all graffiti is vandalism – let’s rethink the public space debate

Researcher in the Philosophy of Play, The University of Queensland

Disclosure statement

Liam Miller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Queensland provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

Earlier this month, at the opening of an exhibition dedicated to his work at Brisbane’s GOMA, David Lynch got stuck into street art, calling it “ugly, stupid, and threatening”. Apparently, shooting movies can be very difficult when the building you want to film is covered in graffiti and you don’t want it to be.

Is there a distinction between art and vandalism? This is the question that always seems to rise up when graffiti becomes a topic of conversation, as it has after Lynch’s outburst. This is, however, not just important for those of us who want to know the answers to obscure questions such as, “what is art?” It affects everyone.

Why? Because graffiti exists in our public spaces, our communities and our streets.

Let’s for a minute put aside the fact that an artist such as David Lynch, known for pushing the envelope in terms of what art is and can be, is criticising one type of art on the grounds that it is inconvenient to the kind of art that he prefers to undertake.

There is something more important to discuss here. The opinion that street art is vandalism (that is, not art) is widely held. Many people despise graffiti – but we are more than happy to line our public spaces with something much more offensive: advertising. That’s the bigger story here, the use and abuse of public space.

At heart, I think this is why people don’t like graffiti. We see it as someone trying to take control of a part of our public space. The problem is, our public spaces are being sold out from under us anyway. If we don’t collectively protect our public spaces, we will lose them.

Two types of graffiti

I would like to make a bold distinction here.

I want to draw out the difference between two kinds of graffiti: street art and vandalism.

We need something to be able to differentiate between Banksy and the kids who draw neon dicks on the back of a bus shelter. They are different, and the difference lies in their intention.

Tagging, the practice of writing your name or handle in prominent or impressive positions, is akin to a dog marking its territory; it’s a pissing contest. It is also an act of ownership. Genuine street art does not aim at ownership, but at capturing and sharing a concept. Street art adds to public discourse by putting something out into the world; it is the start of a conversation.

The ownership of a space that is ingrained in vandalism is not present in street art. In fact, street art has a way of opening up spaces as public. Street art has a way of inviting participation, something that too few public spaces are even capable of.

Marketing vandals

If vandalism is abhorrent because it attempts to own public space, then advertising is vandalism.

The billboards that line our streets, the banner ads on buses, the pop-ups on websites, the ads on our TVs and radios, buy and sell our public spaces. What longer lasting sex? A tasty beverage? To be young, beautiful, carefree, cutting edge, and happy? For only $24.95 (plus postage)!

Advertising privatises our public spaces. Ads are placed out in the public strategically. They are built to coerce, and manipulate. They affect us, whether we want them to or not. But this is not reciprocated.

We cannot in turn change or alter ads, nor can we communicate with the company who is doing the selling. If street art is the beginning of a conversation, advertising is the end. Stop talking, stop thinking – and buy these shoes!

Ads v graffiti

We are affronted by ads. They tell us we are not enough. Not good enough, not pretty enough, not wealthy enough.

At its worst, graffiti is mildly insulting and can be aesthetically immature. But at its best, it can be the opening of a communal space: a commentary, a conversation, a concept captured in an image on a wall. Genuine street art aims at this ideal.

At its best, advertising is an effective way of informing the public about products and services. At worst, advertising is a coercive, manipulative form of psychological warfare designed to trick us into buying crap we don’t need with money we don’t have.

What surprises me is that the people who find vandalism in the form of tagging and neon dicks highly offensive have no problem with the uncensored use of our public spaces for the purposes of selling stuff.

What art can do

If art is capable of anything in this world, it is cutting through the dross of everyday existence. Art holds up a mirror to the world so that we can see the absurdity of it. It shows us who we really are, both good and bad, as a community.

Street art has an amazing ability to do this because it exists in our real and everyday world, not vacuum-sealed and shuffled away in a privileged private space. Its very public nature that makes street art unique, powerful, and amazing.

If we as a community can recognise the value in street art, we can begin to address it as a legitimate expression. When we value street art as art, we can engage with it as a community and help to grow it into something beautiful.

When street art has value, our neon dicks stop being a petty and adolescent attempt at ownership, and become mere vandalism. When we value our public spaces as places where the we can share experiences, we will start to see the violence that is advertising as clearly as the dick on the back of a bus shelter.

• Advertising
• David Lynch

Events Officer

Lecturer (Hindi-Urdu)

Director, Defence and Security

Opportunities with the new CIEHF

School of Social Sciences – Public Policy and International Relations opportunities

Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Graffiti — Graffiti as Art

Graffiti as Art

• Categories: Graffiti

About this sample

Words: 535 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 535 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, cultural significance of graffiti, creative aspects of graffiti, societal benefits of graffiti as art, counterarguments against graffiti as art.

• Banksy. (2019). Banksy [Online]. Available at: https://banksy.co.uk/ (Accessed: 12 December 2021).
• Fairey, S. (2015). Obey Giant [Online]. Available at: https://obeygiant.com/ (Accessed: 12 December 2021).
• Ruggiero, E. (2013). Graffiti as an Art Form [Online]. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 103(3), pp. 551-575. Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7431&context=jclc (Accessed: 12 December 2021).
• Steinberg, J. (2010). The graffiti subculture [Online]. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Available at: https://www.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/The-Graffiti-Subculture/?k=9781403985372 (Accessed: 12 December 2021).
• Wilson, J. (2019). The Benefits of Graffiti [Online]. Psychology Today. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/smart-moves/201909/the-benefits-graffiti (Accessed: 12 December 2021).

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Arts & Culture

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1128 words

1 pages / 250 words

2 pages / 1118 words

1 pages / 534 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Graffiti

You have no doubt seen graffiti painted on buildings, bridges, and walls. Many people dismiss it as vandalism, but others consider it a legitimate form of art. In this essay, I will discuss the cultural and social significance [...]

Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the 21st century. It differs from the modern art, which is art of a style marked by a significant departure from traditional styles and values. Contemporary came after the modern [...]

Graffiti has long been a contentious form of expression, eliciting both admiration and disdain from society. While some view it as a vibrant art form that adds color and character to urban landscapes, others condemn it as a [...]

Graffiti is defined as writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface on a public place. Its dictionary definition uses the word illicit which means that it is not permitted or is [...]

Graffiti artwork has always been something people disregard. People pass it by on the walls of alleyways, on bridges, on train cars, and never pay much attention. The world looks at graffiti as something rebellious teens do to [...]

The focus of this dissertation is to explore graffiti and street art and explain why this art form deserves to be respected. I will be challenging the negative connotations of street art and graffiti by looking at how graffiti [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?

Introduction – what is graffiti.

Graffiti is a word used to describe any writing or images that have been painted, sketched, marked, scrawled or scratched in any form on any type of property. It can be a design, figure, inscription or even a mark or word that has been written or drawn on either privately held or government owned properties. While graffiti refers to an entire scribbling or drawing, graffito describes a single scribble. Graffiti can be any form of public marking which appears as a distinguishing symbol and most of the time it comes out as a rude decoration having the form of simply written words, elaborate and complicated wall paintings or etchings on walls and rocks.

Graffiti can also be described as an unauthorized drawing or inscription on any surface situated in a public area. Apart from this graffiti also includes hideous scribbles which we often find scrawled and painted on the fences of a house, in subways, bridges, along the sides of houses and other buildings and even on trains, buses and cars. Although some look like elaborate paintings most of them are garbage which appears to have been done by small children.

Graffiti vandalism has a number of forms. The most harmful and destructive of all are the gang graffiti and tags. The former are generally used by gang members to outline their turf or threat opposite gangs. These often lead to acts of violence. Tags represent the writer’s signature and can also be complicated street art. Conventional graffiti is often hurtful and malicious and generally the act of impulsive or isolated youths. Ideological graffiti is hateful graffiti which expresses ethnic, racial or religious messages through slurs and can cause a lot of tension among the people. Sometimes the graffitists also use acid etching where they use paints mixed with acids and additional chemicals which can rankle the surface making the etchings permanent. (Wilson, 52-66)

Graffiti – Art or Vandalism

Graffiti cannot be considered as a form of art since its basic difference from art is consent or permission. Although a number of people consider graffiti to be one of the numerous art forms, most of the times graffiti is considered as unwanted and unpleasant damage to both public and government properties. In modern times almost all of the countries in the world consider the defacing of public or government owned property with any type of graffiti without taking the owner’s permission or authorization to be an act of vandalism.

Had graffiti been created without destroying someone’s belongings then even it would have appeared artistic, due to their bright use of colors, and not as an act of vandalism. Graffiti scribblers often claim that in order to improve the look of the walls and fences of one’s property they make colorful paintings on them. But this is highly questionable since they almost never take the permission of the owner of the property before making their art, turning the entire thing into vandalism. They do not have the right to destroy or change the look of one’s property without taking their permission or authority. (Smollar, 47-58)

All throughout history people have considered graffiti to be an act of vandalism since it incorporates an illegal use of public and government property. Such an act is not only mutilation of property and an ugly thing but is also very expensive to remove. Although graffiti artists use their talents to share and express their feelings, until and unless graffiti is done on an area designated for it and by somebody authorized to do so, graffiti in any form will remain to be an act of vandalism and not art.

Graffiti done without proper authority cannot be considered as art since immature vandals simply use graffiti as a means to seek infamy. Graffiti is noting more than an irresponsible and dangerous form of art promoting gang activities and truancy. Thus, we can see that there is nothing artistic about graffiti vandalism. (Austin, 450-451)

The Problem of Graffiti

The problem both the government and the people of the world face due to graffiti is not at all a new one as it has existed for centuries, and sometimes it is even dated back to the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. Some people even consider graffiti as an act of terrorism which is in its larval stage. The main problem with graffiti is that it is fundamentally unauthorized and is created by destroying someone’s possessions.

Today graffiti vandals use markers and spray paints as their most common medium for creating graffiti which makes it a much bigger problem. Painting over the graffiti is a costly affair which the owners of the property vandalized have to bear. Graffiti makers tend to remain unknown and thus, never even make an offer to pay for the repairs for vandalizing someone’s property which at times could even be thousands of dollars.

Sometimes due to graffiti a property’s value gets lowered by a huge rate due to some inane scribbling across the wall or fence of the property. Not only do these graffiti vandals scribble on the fences and walls of the property they sometimes even destroy them by breaking a window, door or fence just for the mere sake of art. They slash the seats of the cars, buses and trains for which the government has to pay. (Ley, 491-505)

Recent History

In the last few decades the problem of graffiti has become far reaching and has spread from the largest of cities to small localities. Graffiti should not be viewed as an isolated problem since it leads to other public disorders, like loitering, littering and even public urination, and crimes, since most of the time the graffiti scribblers unable to pay for the markers and paints shoplift the required materials. Since graffiti is considered to be a public disorder it is sometimes even perceived as a means of lowered quality of living in certain communities.

As graffiti is almost always associated with crimes, it tremendously increases the fear of various criminal activities among the families of a community. Sometimes graffiti vandals even arouse questions in the hearts of the citizens by making them feel that the government authorities are incapable of protecting them from graffiti scribblers, thus making them further insecure.

Graffiti vandals have no concern for public or government property near public areas and deface anything they can lay their hand on including blank walls, trees, alley gates, monuments, statues, utility boxes, schools, furniture in parks and streets, buses and bus shelters, pavements, railway areas, utility poles, telephone boxes, street lights, traffic signs and signals, inside and outside of trains, vending machines, vacant buildings, freeway, subways, bridges, billboards, parking garages, sheds and road signs.

In a nutshell, graffiti is present almost in any area that is open to the view of the general public. Since graffiti vandals even mess with street signs and traffic signals that help the drivers navigate through busy towns, graffiti poses a threat to the safety of those drivers. Sometimes due to depreciation in land value or excessive nuisance created by these graffiti vandals, families and businesses alike have to avoid certain areas and may even have to move out of it completely. People facing graffiti vandalism and living in areas with graffiti have to face reduced business activities since common people generally associate criminal activities with graffiti and are thus, afraid to set up businesses in those areas. (D’Angelo, 102-109)

Cost of cleaning

Prevention and cleaning up of graffiti is associated with high costs. The government and the public have to bear heavy costs in order to protect themselves from the graffiti vandals. Currently, it had been estimated that almost $22 billion is spent in the US each year for cleaning up and preventing various acts of graffiti. It was also found that England almost has to spend £26 million every year to remove graffiti which is present in almost 90% of the places in the nation.

It becomes the headache of the local authorities to clean up the graffiti and fix whatever has been destroyed as soon as possible. Councils and government officials have to maintain quick responsive units who can rapidly and effectively clean out graffiti and fix damages the instant such an act is reported. Government authorities and councils even have to take up a combination of protective, preventive and removal strategies to fight back graffiti vandalism, making the whole process extremely costly. But since protecting or deterring property will not completely eliminate graffiti, it is better to remove graffiti as soon as it is reported. (Ley, 491-505)

Negatives of Graffiti

Graffiti not only causes danger to the citizens of a neighborhood but it also creates a huge mess which government officials have to clean up by paying from the city funds. Since the government has to bear the cost for cleaning up graffiti, it has a direct impact on the budget of a city too. Government officials have to use a significant amount from the available city budget for fixing damages to public buildings, streets and other properties. A huge amount of money also goes in the eradication and prevention of graffiti vandalism since this requires special equipment, materials and trained labors, making the entire matter highly expensive and time consuming.

Graffiti also adversely affects the taxpayers who have to pay extra for fixing damages to public properties, circuitously, during their yearly property taxes. Sometimes businesses pass on the cost for cleaning graffiti off their property on to their customers, who have to make larger payments for their goods purchased, for no fault of theirs. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Further, graffiti also causes losses in revenues related to reductions in retail sales and the transit systems. Thus, the money that needs to be spent for cleaning up and preventing graffiti can also be used for improving an area and may also have other valuable uses. Since graffiti contributes to a reduction in retails sales, businesses plagued by graffiti is least likely to be sponsored by others. Also the general public will be afraid and will feel unsafe when entering a retail store scrawled all over with graffiti. Graffiti vandalism is not always simply limited to spray painting and destruction of property since the graffiti vandals often commit severe crimes like rape and robbery. Given that they are not caught or reported most of the times, graffiti vandals think that they can do anything and get away with it. (Austin, 450-451)

Graffiti is frequently associated with gangs, although graffiti vandals are not limited only to these gangs. It creates an environment of blight and intensifies the fear of gang related activities and violence in the heart of the general public. It has been seen that gangs often use graffiti as a signal for marking their own territory and graffiti also functions as a tag or indicator for the various activities of a gang. In those areas, where graffiti is extremely common, tag and gang graffiti is extremely widespread and also causes a lot of trouble.

Gangs commonly make tags using acid spray paints or markers on apartments and buildings and they serve as a motto or statement or an insult. Such graffiti also include symbols and slogans that are exclusive for a particular gang and may also be made as a challenge or threat for a rival gang. Not only are graffiti made to disrespect other gangs but sometimes racist graffiti is also scribbled on walls which creates a lot of racist tension among the people of certain communities.

Such activities shock the residents who are indirectly forced to move out of the areas for the safety of their families. Graffiti scribblers who are also members of a gang or part of its crew sometimes get involved in fighting, and every now and then a number of them end up dead due to these gang wars. The messages relayed through graffiti are taken very seriously by gang members and the threats are almost always acted upon. (Smollar, 47-58)

Another problem with graffiti is that although sometimes a single act of graffiti may not be a serious offence, graffiti itself has a cumulative outcome which makes it even more serious. Its original emergence in a particular neighborhood almost always attracts even more graffiti vandals. At certain areas graffiti tend to occur over and over. Graffiti offenders are inclined to attack those areas that are painted over to clean the graffiti. Such areas act as a magnet attracting graffiti offenders to commit re-vandalism repeatedly.

Some graffitists commit acts of vandalism since they are extremely stubborn and do so in order to fight an emotional and psychological battle with the city council and government officials. They deliberately commit graffiti vandalisms in order to establish their authority and claim over a specific area. Graffiti offenders do so with the intention to defy the government authorities. (Wilson, 52-66)

Sometimes graffiti is extremely repulsive and thus, gets people, especially teenagers into extremely bad habits. They stop caring about other people or the government and develop a tendency to scribble anywhere they find a blank space. They stop respecting people and their property and the kids even start to make graffiti on the desks and tables of their schools. Graffiti vandals have no concern for the people around them and thus, increase the pessimistic attitude of the neighborhoods around them.

Not only does graffiti lead to crimes but the scribblers also harbor disruptive anti-social feelings and behavior inside them. Sometimes teenagers and kids place graffiti on other people’s property without their authority or consent as a mischievous act, not realizing that they are committing a crime which is equivalent to vandalism and punishable by law. These juvenile scribblers are accountable for almost all of the graffiti we find on the buildings and streets and they do not even realize that their graffiti sometimes even becomes offensive and racist in nature. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Juvenile crime

City officials are also concerned about the fact that when juveniles take part in graffiti vandalism it may be their initial offence leading them into much more harmful and sometimes even sophisticated crimes. Not only does graffiti create a gateway for these juveniles into a world of crime, it can sometimes also be associated with truancy due to which the juveniles may remain uneducated their whole lives.

Deprived of a proper education these young minds get involved with alcoholism and drug abuse, thus leading to even severe problems. Adolescents and juveniles become astray sending a message to all that graffiti give rise to various criminal activities. In those communities where people gather in groups at street corners during late hours, it is easier for the drug peddlers to promote their products among the juveniles without being interrupted either by the authorities or residents. (Smollar, 47-58)

Graffiti as a Social menace

Graffiti is a huge problem since it contaminates the environment of a locality. It is undeniably a plague for our modern cities since it leads to visual pollution. City officials and councils have to spend huge sums in order to clean the ever present graffiti on the walls and fences. But even an expensive cleaning strategy is not but a useless and ineffective way to deal with these graffiti vandals since they almost always find a way to reproduce graffiti.

Graffiti vandalism is an extremely complex and multifaceted public disorder which does not have any easy solution. Not only is the cleaning of graffiti an expensive affair, it is also an extremely difficult one since it involves a lot of hard work. Sometimes graffiti damages certain surfaces to such an extent that they remain permanently impaired as the graffiti vandals change the entire nature of the surfaces they paint on, thus changing the nature and environment of the whole neighborhood. If an act of graffiti vandalism is left unchecked, then it may even lead to urban decay by causing further decline in property value and increasing fear in communities.

Most of the times when graffiti is cleaned or painted over a part of the damage always remains. For example, the paint does not match entirely or sometimes the area becomes darker than before, making the cover up completely visible. Graffiti has a significant impact on the overall appearance of a neighborhood and almost always lowers the quality of life of the entire community. When these graffiti scribblers destroy train terminal and subways they immediately create a harmful first impression on others, of that city, all over the country.

Graffiti simply does not give rise to maintenance issues but it gives rise to a complicated social problem, one that makes people feel extremely unsafe in their own neighborhoods. Communities become unlivable due to reduction in the beauty and pride of their neighborhood. Graffiti completely destroys the design and scenic beauty of the entire community and the hate messages conveyed through graffiti hurts the people of the community.

Sometimes graffiti becomes so offensive that it disturbs the local residents making it a concern for the entire community. The residents not only feel unsafe themselves but also fear for their children who have to grow up in such a disturbing and troublesome locality. Though graffiti may appear to be a radical form of art, to the people whose belongings have been disfigured by graffiti it is nothing more than an unwanted form of vandalism, which is not only distressing but also extremely difficult to remove. (Rafferty, 77-84)

Consequences of Graffiti

Since defacing of public or government property without the owners authority is considered to be vandalism, offenders are even punishable by the law of many countries. Graffiti is like a crime since its creators steal the rights of the owners of the property to have their possessions look well and clean. Police authorities all over the world refer to graffiti vandalism as criminal damage. Graffiti vandals should be made to face strict penalties which should not only include jail time but also large fines, so that they do not repeat their actions again. The offenders not only have to pay huge penalties but can even be prosecuted for their crimes.

The graffiti vandals should not only have to pay fines for destroying properties but should also be made to clean the graffiti themselves, as a punishment. Juvenile scribblers have to carry out community services as a punishment for their crime. Graffiti vandals who have committed serious crimes, like rape or murder can even be imprisoned for life. Not only do these graffiti vandals damage other people and government properties, they also risk their own lives in making the graffiti. They often display their stupidity by gambling with their lives while trying to create graffiti on trains and bridges. It has often been seen that these graffiti scribblers suffer from dreadful injuries and some even end up dead. (D’Angelo, 102-109)

Some countries do not view graffiti as a major problem since they may not have encountered widespread incidences of graffiti vandalism, which may have been focused on only a few relatively hot spot areas. But the areas facing the problem of graffiti vandalism realize its intensity. Since graffiti is a highly visible form of vandalism, it greatly affects the people living in that area since it completely changes their existing perception of the entire neighborhood.

Graffiti scribblers carefully choose those locations frequented by passersby so that they can be affected by the drawings and scribbling even more. Graffiti becomes a form of vandalism due to the medium the graffitists use to display their art which is almost anything other than a piece of canvas. Graffiti vandals somewhat force the viewers to view their work, even if they do not want to do so.

They have no consideration as to where they place their work or that it may become a problem for the general public or that the medium which they are using either belongs to the government or to an individual. All these add up to people’s perception which views graffiti as vandalism leading to urban decay and crime and causing depreciation of business and property value and in the growth of industries.

Works Cited

Austin, J. “Wallbangin’: Graffiti and Gangs in L.A.” American Ethnologist 29.2 (2004): 450-451.

D’Angelo, Frank J. “Fools’ Names and Fools’ Faces are Always Seen in Public Places: A Study of Graffiti.” Journal of Popular Culture 10.1 (2006): 102-109.

Ley, D. “Urban Graffiti as Territorial Markers.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 64.4 (2001): 491-505.

Rafferty, P. Discourse on Difference: Street Art/ Graffiti Youth.” Visual Anthropology Review 7.2 (2005): 77-84.

Smollar, J. “Homeless Youth in the United States: Description and Developmental Issues.” New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 39.5 (2006): 47-58.

Wilson, J. “Racist and Political Extremist Graffiti in Australian Prisons, 1970s to 1990s.” The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 47.1 (2008): 52-66.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2021, October 29). Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism? https://studycorgi.com/graffiti-is-it-art-or-vandalism/

"Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?" StudyCorgi , 29 Oct. 2021, studycorgi.com/graffiti-is-it-art-or-vandalism/.

StudyCorgi . (2021) 'Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism'. 29 October.

1. StudyCorgi . "Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?" October 29, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/graffiti-is-it-art-or-vandalism/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?" October 29, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/graffiti-is-it-art-or-vandalism/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?" October 29, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/graffiti-is-it-art-or-vandalism/.

This paper, “Graffiti: Is It Art or Vandalism?”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: October 29, 2021 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Graffiti Art: Why Graffiti Is Art And Not Vandalism

Although graffiti is generally considered to be a contemporary artform, it actually originated thousands of years ago. The earliest examples are things like cave paintings and inscriptions on ancient buildings in Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, with the word ‘graffiti’ itself stemming from the Italian word graffiato, meaning ‘scratched’. Yet as the art form has evolved, so have the connotations surrounding it, and at present, turning walls into canvases remains nothing more than vandalism according to US law.

Editorial Team , Oct 3, 2023

The debate over whether graffiti constitutes art or vandalism is incredibly complex, and depends on many factors, such as the location of a particular piece, and the quality and message of the design. There is no clear answer, and it’s easy to see both sides of the debate — after all, not everyone would be happy to have their property painted without their consent. On the flip side, it could also be argued that graffiti is an artist’s right to freedom of expression, and a way to ensure their work can be appreciated by those beyond the artistic elite.

However, we champion plenty of graffiti artists here at ArtLife, and even though there will always be exceptions, we stand firm that graffiti is deserving of its status as art for the following reasons:

Graffiti Takes Technical Skill

A great deal of talent is required to create brilliant artwork, and graffiti is no exception. In fact, there are plenty of street artists whose work clearly displays an immense level of technical ability. Take Retna, for example, who has gone beyond painting walls to cover entire buildings with his distinct calligraphic style, such as the 21-story Cuauhtemoc building in Mexico City. This unbelievably complex achievement required a great deal of strategic planning and real imagination to pull off, as well as a clear understanding of color and composition. This may not be true of all graffiti creations — many critics would argue that you don’t need talent to paint a scruffy tag. However, art is subjective, and there will always be ‘good’ and ‘bad’ artists within every movement. Those like Retna prove that, as in any art form, graffiti can be exceptional when created by someone with impressive skill.

It Exemplifies Freedom Of Expression

Art ceases to be art without freedom of expression, and perhaps graffiti exercises this right more than any other medium. Taking creativity to the streets means that the artists don’t need to worry about gallery curators, critics or potential buyers, and can therefore be completely unrestrained, and even anonymous if they so choose. Status doesn’t matter, and the lack of limitations allow graffiti artists to break conventions and push boundaries to create even more exciting — and arguably more authentic — works of art.

Political And Social Themes Are Powerfully Represented

Many of the most renowned artworks make a powerful comment on the social and political issues of their time, and graffiti can make a huge impact in this respect. Just look at Banksy, who has become world-famous for his humorous and subversive commentaries like Love is in the Air, first painted on Jerusalem’s West Bank barrier in 2003 as a statement in favor of Palestinian rights. Similarly, Keith Haring was able to bring mass attention to the crack epidemic through his Crack is Wack mural, as well as homosexuality and the AIDS crisis. Plenty of aficionados would argue that it’s art’s duty to shed light on such topics, and given that these themes relate to ordinary people, perhaps it’s unsurprising that the most iconic examples were created on the streets the target audience live on.

Impressive Works Bring Drab Spaces To Life

As well as having meaning, art is also valued for its beauty, and there’s no denying how beautiful some graffiti can look, which is why street art tours are now so popular all over the world. Even though graffiti is generally free to access, more and more people are willing to pay to see some of the most magnificent works in the city of choice. Bold colours, shapes and patterns are key features of this art form, and when artists let their imaginations run wild, their creations instantly transform drab spaces into places people are excited to be. Seeing as art is used to decorate the walls of our homes, couldn’t it be argued that graffiti does the same to the walls outside?

Huge Sales Demonstrate Its Artistic Value

Anyone arguing that graffiti isn’t art may struggle to explain why people have paid so much for it in recent years. For example, Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat sold for a huge $110.5 million in 2017, the most expensive American painting ever to sell at auction at the time, while Banksy’s Girl with Balloon sold for $1.37 million. Other expensive pieces include Retna’s Untitled ($38,000) and Charlie Chaplin by Mr. Brainwash ($100,000). Not everyone would agree that an artwork’s value is determined by its price tag, however the fact that graffiti can sell for such high sums proves the respect and prestige it has generated within the art community, and it would therefore be entirely reductive to claim all graffiti is mere vandalism.

84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best graffiti topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 good essay topics on graffiti, 📌 most interesting graffiti topics to write about, ❓ questions about graffiti.

• Arguments for Graffiti as Art Given the comprehensive nature of art and the time and care necessary to produce a piece of graffiti, it should be considered a form of art.
• The Controversy of Graffiti Art Finally, graffiti is a form of expression and inhibiting it denies young persons a voice and the right to express themselves. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• How Banksy’s graffiti art has been received by critics and art reporters In concluding the review, the critic denounces Banksy’s creations as works of art and generally sees the rise of Banksy as the fall of art1.
• Graffiti: Is a Form of Art or Vandalism? This is achieved through the incorporation of a great deal of imagination, planning and effort in the development of the graffiti.
• Analyzing Graffiti as a Subculture Contemporary theoreticians dispute the origin and meaning of subculture as a social phenomenon, analyzing the sociological parameters of the groups of population and their primary motivation for deciding on self-expression in the form of subculture.
• Aspects of Graffiti as Art Therapy According to the psychological perspective when reviewing the art of graffiti, it has helped relieve stress, and tension and brings joy to the people in the community.
• Views on Graffiti From Sociological Perspectives He intimates that graffiti drawing is a sign of deviance and has a corroding effect on the character of an individual.
• Analyzing Graffiti as a Crime Other types of graffiti such as the commercial graffiti are categorized as crimes because making use of graffiti as a form of advertisement is usually against the advertisement along with media laws established in most […]
• Is Graffiti Vandalism or Art? The first questionable characteristic is the history of graffiti, and associated with the street gang culture of New York in the 70s.
• Graffiti “Season’s Greetings” by Banksy The aesthetic value of Season’s Greetings is that the artist experimented with the building’s corner to create a perspective game, as seen in Figure 1.
• Eduardo Kobra’s Graffiti as a Form of Art Hence, graffiti itself, as a separate genre, is a form of art due to its emotional and psychological influence. Due to its emotional and psychological impact, graffiti itself is a type of art as a […]
• Ron English: The Famous Graffiti Artist This paper explores and analyses the aspects of graffiti – a form of painting and the work of one of the most famous and talented graffiti artists.
• Analysis of Cultural Phenomenon of Graffiti Though the artistic value of the graffiti remains questionable for most cultural experts, certain samples of spray-painting may be regarded the works of art in the context of the hip-hop culture.
• Susan Meiselas: From Galleries to Graffiti The city’s “rich manufacturing heritage” was the focal point in the decision of the theme for the photographs. The photographs were taken as a part of the project for the company that Meiselas works for, […]
• Graffiti and History of Street Art Statues of antiquity and great canvas of the New Age and many other works appeared due to the set of reasons which made this very kind of art the main characteristic of the epoch.
• Banksy’s Graffiti Artworks in Palestine It is in this location that the anonymous graffiti artist Banksy has placed 9 suggestive pieces along several well travelled areas of “the Wall” in order to create social thought regarding the moral and ethical […]
• Graffiti Culture: Is It a Form of Artistic Expression or Criminal Activity? Scholars postulates that “…the graffiti culture, like any other culture, present itself in different forms, dependent on the social and cultural component of the local community, the distribution of cultural knowledge, the age of the […]
• Contemporary Graffiti as Political Art Banksy’s graffiti art work is still considered as one of the best way of protesting against the government in order to remove the CCTV cameras from the cities or to use those cameras in proper […]
• Graffiti as a Complex Social Interaction Problem However, graffiti is vandalism and requires the authorization of the property owner. Moreover, graffiti reduces the value of properties and costs the citizens a lot of money in cleaning it up.
• Art Censorship: Why Graffiti Should Be Considered an Accepted Form of Art
• Banksy and the Influence of His Graffiti Works
• Graffiti Analysis: Positive and Negative Effects
• Comparative Analysis of Graffiti and Abstract Expressionism
• Banksy Was Here: The Invisible Man of Graffiti Art
• Graffiti and Commodification Culture: An Analysis
• Overview of Graffiti and Other Street Art
• Graffiti and Its Effects on the World War I
• The Controversy of Graffiti and Private Property
• Graffiti and Its Impact on Popular Culture
• Analysis of Graffiti and Street Art as Forms of Arts
• Overview of Graffiti and Tagging Culture
• Graffiti and Vandalism Acts in Our Community
• Discussion on Graffiti: Expensive and Destroying
• Graffiti Art Brings Positive Effects to Our Society
• Reasons Why Graffiti Stains Our Streets
• Graffiti Art: History, Material, Tags
• Hate of the Criminal Justice System Through Juvenile Graffiti
• Graffiti vs. Modern Art: Comparative Analysis
• Hip-Hop and Graffiti: An Anatomy of a Piece of Art
• How Graffiti Has Changed Over Time
• Linking Police and Graffiti Abatement Programs
• How Banksy Graffiti Artwork Has Been Acquired by Critics
• Reclaiming Urban Landscape: Graffiti Subversion
• Street Subversion: The Political Geography of Murals and Graffiti
• The Different Purposes That Graffiti Serve in Society
• Political Graffiti as a Form of Art
• The Graffiti Art History in the Modern Cities Portrayed as Vandalism
• A Visual Analysis of the Graffiti Artwork Done by Banksy
• The History and Controversy of Graffiti Art
• How to Keep Teenagers From Becoming Graffitists
• The Graffiti Subculture Mirrors the Functions of ‘Institutionalized Art’
• Graffiti: Vandalism or Street Art
• The History and the Modern Use of Graffiti as an Artstyle
• Street Art and Graffiti Should Not Be Considered as Vandalism
• The Pros and Cons of the Use of Graffiti in the Streets
• Graffiti: Plain Vandalism or Self-Expression Through Art
• The Reasons Graffiti Should Be Legalized
• When Graffiti Is Not Art, but Plain Vandalism
• The Use of Graffiti as a Means for Good and Its Importance
• What Is the Difference Between Graffiti Art and Graffiti Vandalism?
• Are Graffiti Artists Criminals?
• What Is the Most Famous Graffiti Wall in the World?
• How Serious a Problem Is a Graffiti?
• What Are the Positive Effects of Graffiti and Street Art?
• Does Graffiti Inspire People?
• What Is the Role of Graffiti in Society Today?
• How Does Graffiti Affect People?
• What Social Issues Can Graffiti Reflect?
• Can Graffiti Be Good for Cities?
• What Graffiti Was on the Berlin Wall?
• Did Graffiti Start in Japan?
• What Country Has the Best Graffiti?
• Why Does Graffiti Make People Happy?
• Is It Legal to Graffiti in Germany?
• When Was Graffiti Banned?
• What Is the Largest Illegal Graffiti Piece in the World?
• How Do the Police Deal With Graffiti?
• Why Does Graffiti Make People Feel Unsafe?
• Does Graffiti Have a Message?
• What Is the Psychology Behind Graffiti?
• How Does Graffiti Harm Public Properties?
• What Role Does Graffiti Play in Society?
• Does Removing Graffiti Reduce Crime?
• How Does Graffiti Represent Identity?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 27). 84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/graffiti-essay-topics/

"84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 27 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/graffiti-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 27 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/graffiti-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/graffiti-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "84 Graffiti Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/graffiti-essay-topics/.

• Contemporary Art Questions
• Subculture Research Topics
• Hip Hop Essay Topics
• Censorship Essay Ideas
• Pop Art Titles
• Expressionism Research Topics
• Artists Research Ideas
• Pablo Picasso Paper Topics
• Andy Warhol Topics
• Impressionism Research Ideas
• Surrealism Research Topics
• Cultural Identity Research Topics
• Harlem Renaissance Essay Titles
• Popular Culture Paper Topics
• Urbanization Ideas

Grade 6 | Argumentative | Source-Based Source Lexile® : 1160L-1230L | Learning Standards

Is graffiti art or vandalism? The city of Covina is preparing to write a position statement on whether graffiti is an art form, or whether it is vandalism. The mayor has invited the public to join in the debate before the city writes its position statement.

After reading the provided articles and viewing the video on the topic, write an argumentative, multi-paragraph essay that addresses the question “Is graffiti art or vandalism?” You must support your position with evidence from the texts and video.

“Is Graffiti Art?”

By Steve Dolan

You can travel almost anywhere in the world, and you will probably see graffiti. Although graffiti art is usually more common in big cities, the reality is that it can occur in almost any community, big or small.

The problem with graffiti art is the question of whether it's really art, or just plain vandalism. This isn't always an easy question to answer, simply because there are so many different types of graffiti. Some is simply a monochrome collection of letters, known as a tag, with little artistic merit. Because it's quick to produce and small, it is one of the most widespread and prevalent forms of graffiti.

Although tagging is the most common type of graffiti, there are bigger, more accomplished examples that appear on larger spaces, such as walls. These are often multicolored and complex in design, and so start to push the boundary of whether they should really be defined as graffiti art.

If it wasn't for the fact that most graffiti is placed on private property without the owner's permission, then it might be more recognized as a legitimate form of art. Most graffiti art, however, is only an annoyance to the property owner, who is more likely to paint over it or remove it than applaud its artistic merit.

Many solutions have been put into practice around the world, with varying degrees of success. Paints have been developed that basically cause graffiti paint to dissolve when applied, or else make it quick and easy to remove. Community groups and government departments coordinate graffiti removal teams.

In some places you can't buy spray paint unless you're over 18. Cans of spray paint are locked away in display cases. In a nearby area the local council employs someone to go around and repaint any fences defaced by graffiti. A friend of mine has had his fence repainted 7 times at least, and it took him a while to find out why it was happening! Certainly the amount of graffiti in my local area has dropped substantially in the last year or two, so it appears these methods are working to a great extent.

But is removing the graffiti doing a disservice to the artistic community? Maybe if some of the people behind the graffiti art were taken in hand and trained, they could use their artistic skills in more productive ways. It hardly makes sense to encourage these artists to deface public property, and so commit a crime. But perhaps there are other ways to cooperate with the graffiti artists rather than just opposing them. Graffiti artists can create sanctioned murals for private property owners and get paid for it.

Maybe we need to start at a very basic level and find a way to encourage the creation of graffiti art on paper or canvas, rather than walls. After all, who would remember Monet or Picasso if they'd created their masterpieces on walls, only to have them painted over the next day? Finding a solution to such a complex situation is never going to be easy, but as more graffiti art is being recognized in galleries around the world, we do need to try.

"Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?" (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Eu2na_diY&safe=active

"Graffiti as Art"

Any passerby in an urban cityscape has observed the colorful, provocative, illegal "eyesore" that is graffiti. Although many consider the spray-painted pieces a nuisance, graffiti has been gaining recognition from the art world more and more as a legitimate form of art.

When most people think of graffiti, they imagine "tags," or a stylized writing of a person's name. While tags are probably the most popular forms, graffiti art is much more than that. It can mean a colorful mural with a message of diversity or a black and white stencil piece protesting police brutality. In each case, graffiti art makes a statement.

"Wildstyle changes with each artist's interpretation of the alphabet, but it also relies on the use of primary colors, fading, foreground and background, and the like to create these letters," he writes. The artist's intention is to produce a work of art, and that must be taken into account when considering street art's legitimacy.

Stowers explains that graffiti cannot be disregarded because of its location and illegality. The manner in which graffiti art is executed is the only obstacle it faces in being considered an art form.

A Nod from the Art Crowd

One of the most famous graffiti artists, Banksy, has had his work shown in galleries such as Sotheby's in London. Despite his anonymity, the British artist has gained tremendous popularity. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have purchased his work for a hefty price.

Recognition by the art world and inclusion in galleries and auctions is one way that graffiti art is legitimized as "real" art. In addition, this exposure has helped the graffiti movement to become launched into the rest of the world.

A Style All Its Own

Like all other artistic forms, graffiti has experienced movements or changes in style. From the first tag scribbled on a subway train to the large, complex mural on a billboard, the movement has experienced change. The tools and the means have changed as well. Markers were traded in for spray paint, and stencils and stickers were introduced to make pieces easier to execute in a hurry.

The messages have also evolved. Graffiti has always been somewhat political, but it has come a long way from simply tagging one's name to parodying world leaders to make a statement.

This is further proof that graffiti is a form of art and not just a result of random acts of vandalism. The graffiti community moves in different directions and the resultant artwork moves with it.

"Graffiti as Vandalism"

Although its artistic merits can't be denied, graffiti is still in fact a form of vandalism. Artists tag both public and private property, which becomes costly for taxpayers and business and property owners.

The cost for cleanup in the U.S. has not been documented definitively, but it is safe to assume that it is in the billions of dollars. Large cities typically budget more money toward graffiti removal. In 2006, Chicago budgeted $6.5 million while Omaha, Nebraska spends about $100,000 annually, according to graffitihurts.org.

In addition to cleanup costs, graffiti vandals often shoplift their materials, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Stealing spray paint and markers adds an additional cost to businesses.

Vandalism also affects revenue from transportation, as evidenced by the reduction in riders during the 1960s and 1970s. Even before graffiti became associated with gangs, people became afraid of riding the vandalized subways.

Graffiti sometimes has a wave effect, in which a heavily vandalized area will experience increases in other sorts of crimes as well. Gang-related crimes and violence are the crimes most commonly associated with graffiti.

Public disorder crimes, such as littering and loitering and other forms of property destruction are sometimes related to graffiti crimes. Because most taggers are males between 15 and 23, there is the concern that tagging may be a "gateway crime," and may lead young offenders to more serious or dangerous crimes such as truancy and drug and alcohol use.

Quality of Life

Vandalism is usually seen as a quality of life issue. When an area has extensive graffiti, people tend to view it as a "bad neighborhood." Nearby property value may decrease and crime may increase. Plus, residents see graffiti as an eyesore. Graffiti that is gang-related or expresses hateful sentiments is most likely to be unwelcome in an area.

Need to contact a human?

• Release Notes
• Known Issues
• Privacy and Security
• System Status

Calabasas Courier Online

Graffiti should be recognized as art, not vandalism

Graffiti covers the walls of freeways, bridges and buildings, showcasing the talent of those who create the beautiful imagery.  It continues to become more widespread despite the ongoing debate of whether or not it is vandalism.  This street art beautifies cities by giving them character and making them look unique and personal.  As a non-violent form of expression, graffiti is a necessary outlet and should not be limited.

Buildings that are “tagged” have a more personal feel than buildings with plain white walls.  Because of the appreciation for graffiti’s beauty, instead of viewing graffiti as vandalism, many realize the amount of skill necessary to create the street art and appreciate the message it delivers.  Many people admire Keith Haring, a famous graffiti artist from the 80s known for his artwork around New York City.  Haring’s artwork is so widely known that the city has embraced its presence around the city.

“Graffiti reflects individuals’ views on various issues and can make a dull brick wall stunningly beautiful,” said junior Megan Richardson.

Graffiti is a form of expression, and artists should be free to make their thoughts and beliefs public.  Serving as a way to avoid violence, graffiti is an outlet for many to express their feelings.  Making street art illegal limits the freedom of artists to create influential masterpieces.  Graffiti artists create works that reflect both struggles and accomplishments and at many times display political and social messages.  The paint that coats walls in communities everywhere can contain symbolism so profound that it has been compared to poetry.  People around the world also know Banksy, a famous London-based graffiti artist, for his satirical street art that reflects his political views.  Banksy’s work is so distinct that it has inspired Obey Propaganda, a famous clothing company.  Many others are beginning to realize the influence graffiti has on the world, and famous street art will only continue to flourish.

Many believe that graffiti rebels against authority, yet the skill required to create elaborate graffiti is remarkable.  The world is a canvas for graffiti artists, and they should feel free to cover it as they please.

Your donation will support the student journalists of Calabasas High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

Comments (23)

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous Hacker • Jun 10, 2021 at 8:49 pm

I have to write a debate for IPSHA Debating (in Australia) and this information has provided me much help. Thank you 🙂

Faye Aston • Mar 12, 2021 at 3:55 am

I’m writing a debate on this and it’s so helpful just reading ideas to write thank you so much for this website it’s helped me a lot

Chloe Wicker • Mar 5, 2021 at 8:39 am

Hello i’m in 7th Grade and I am writing an argumentative essay about Weather or not I think Graffiti should be illegal and I think it shouldn’t be this story is really helping me write my essay thanks so much for it

Jesus • Feb 5, 2021 at 8:28 am

Beautiful work

unkown • Oct 19, 2018 at 8:17 am

hmm. lameeee

carman flores • May 21, 2018 at 2:05 pm

I honestly believe that graffiti is a way for people not as wealthy as others to show that art doesnt come from intelligence but the desire to bring whats in their minds out for others t see. ~Carman Flores

Ashlynn Anthony • May 9, 2018 at 5:48 pm

I am doing an essay on this and I think all you’re comments are very helpful and the information is valid. Although I do think you should include more insite for both sides of the debate. Cheers.

nino • Mar 13, 2018 at 2:53 pm

6this article was very helpful for essay at evergreen

destiny • Jan 11, 2018 at 8:48 pm

i beleie that graffiti is art its beautiful and it allows you to pour out your feelings into a drawing

Jane • Jun 6, 2017 at 9:44 pm

I’m writing an argument to argue that graffiti is art and not vandalism and this is so helpful thankyou!

Quack • May 17, 2017 at 12:03 am

I really need some help on my debating topic

Hailey • Mar 1, 2017 at 8:13 am

Thankyou so much this helped so much with my paper i’m writing.

Brandon • Aug 18, 2016 at 1:54 pm

I am also writing an essay on this and think it is a great topic. I think all these people are really talented. Thank you for the info.

Say_savage • Feb 15, 2017 at 6:54 pm

Thanks for this I really needed this article to provide evidence that graffiti is an art thanks again

notme • Jul 1, 2016 at 1:21 pm

it is art but its better that it is illegal if it was not it wouldn’t be so prolific, so dramatic, and intensified. to get in the mind of a writer is a crazy thing but they enjoy it being illegal. if graffiti was legal it would cease to have those powerful messages they convey they say so much if a writer goes out at dead of night while no one is their. it would be like a verse with no beat if it would ever be legal…people would loose their drive for it

samantha • Jun 1, 2016 at 6:24 am

Graffiti is a beautiful non-violent to express emotion.

carly • Feb 26, 2016 at 9:31 am

I believe graffiti is art it shows emotion and skill plus an amazing talent the artists have.

Dana • Mar 22, 2016 at 11:02 am

I am writing a paper on this topic and I think this is so true

jordan • Feb 9, 2017 at 9:40 am

i am to and this is helpful for my debate

Maddie • May 14, 2018 at 4:31 am

Me to I am writting an exposition writing for it

Seth Price • Mar 26, 2017 at 9:39 pm

im doing a debate on this topic and I think the info is great

destiny • Jan 11, 2018 at 8:37 pm

yes i aslo agree with what you have said it also!

carman flores • May 21, 2018 at 2:02 pm

I honestly believe graffiti is a way for people who dont have any money to show that they are talented too.

• Share full article

Square Feet

As Graffiti Moves From Eyesore to Amenity, Landlords Try to Cash In

Brands, developers and even city officials are embracing the global appeal of street art, but the boom comes with questions about preserving a neighborhood’s cultural cachet.

A mural by the artist Shepard Fairey in Berlin. Developers have used street art to bring buzz to neighborhoods in cities around the world. Credit... Photographs and Video by Patrick Junker

Supported by

By Isabella Kwai

Isabella Kwai spoke to street artists, developers and real estate advisers from several cities for this article.

• March 31, 2024

Julian Phethean’s first canvas in London was a shed in his backyard where he covered the walls with bold lettering in spray paint. When he moved his art to the city’s streets in the 1980s, it was largely unwelcome — and he was even arrested a few times.

“We had nowhere to practice,” he said. “It was just seen as vandalism.”

These days, the canvases come to Mr. Phethean, better known as the muralist Mr Cenz. Recent facades, which he shares with his sizable following , have included an abstract mural on a Tesla showroom and a portrait of Biggie Smalls , sponsored by Pepsi Max.

“I never would have envisioned that I’d be able to do it for a living,” he said.

Landlords wanting to attract young professionals once scrubbed off the rebellious scrawls. That was before graffiti moved from countercultural to mainstream. Now building owners are willing to pay for it.

From Berlin to London to Miami, the wider acceptance of graffiti has attracted developers looking to expand into trendy areas, companies wanting to relocate to hipper neighborhoods and brands seeking creative ways to advertise their products.

But that attention to once overlooked neighborhoods has pushed up rents, leaving artists, fans and local officials with a quandary: What happens after the street art that brought character becomes commodified?

Contemporary graffiti traces back to the anti-establishment expression of the 1960s and 1970s, when anyone with a can of spray paint could tag the sidewalks of Philadelphia and the subway cars of New York. In Soviet-era Berlin, protesters splattered the west side of the wall while the east side remained blank — until it fell in 1989, opening vast new canvases overnight .

The gallery world took note , but it was social media and the fame of artists like Banksy , Vhils and Lady Pink that propelled it to a wider audience. What followed was a movement that experts say has been reproduced from Australia to Argentina, as street art added to a neighborhood’s cultural cachet.

Take Shoreditch in east London as an example: Decades ago, developers deemed it a run-down industrial area . Still, it was a sanctuary for artists who made use of cheap rents to build a creative enclave.

“What artists bring is a sense of buzz: newness, creativity, trends,” said Rosie Haslem, managing director of Streetsense UK, a consulting agency. “Hipsters attract more hipsters who have more money and are able to start paying higher prices.”

That buzz also drew developers and companies that sought to leverage the popularity of Shoreditch. A former tea-packing plant now hosts a branch of the private members’ club Soho House . Down the road is Amazon’s largest corporate office in the region.

Spray painters still add political messages to the mosaic of artwork in east London. But they are nestled between more commercial interests: hand-painted campaigns sponsored by L’Oréal, Sky and Adidas, and street tours that treat the art as a tourist attraction.

Many campaigns are from agencies that act as middlemen between artists and the businesses interested in their work.

“We were splashing around in the water and a wave came,” said Lee Bofkin, a co-founder of Global Street Art , a London advertising agency. In the decade since its inception, it has grown to more than 30 employees, and Adidas, Moncler and Valentino have leased its walls.

Developers are responsible for a chunk of the 300 or so murals splattering Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. The windowless walls of the former garment district had long appealed to graffiti artists, but one developer helped drive the 2009 opening of the Wynwood Walls , an open-air gallery visited by three million people each year.

“We had to find a carrot to try to bring investment into the area,” said Manny Gonzalez, the executive director of the Wynwood Business Improvement District. Street art, he said, was the lure. “We knew that we needed to keep the art.”

Five years ago, there were no office buildings in Wynwood. Now, tenants include Spotify , the accounting firm PwC and the venture capitalist Founders Fund . Sony Music has leased office space there. And tech companies from San Francisco and New York are coming, Mr. Gonzalez said.

Those employees will need somewhere to live, and developers are betting they stay local. At the forefront is the Related Group, a developer that has built a “market rate” co-living apartment building with a rooftop pool and a distinctive mural by the artist El Mac. Last year, Related broke ground on luxury condominiums, and it commissions artists to add visual flair to its buildings.

“Every lobby, every hallway, common space, public area of the building has art in it,” said Patricia Hanna, art director at Related. “The philosophy is to continue what Wynwood is.”

For investors, backing buildings in these districts is paying off. In Shoreditch, leasing a prime work space cost about $90 per square foot in the last quarter of 2023, according to CBRE, 112 percent higher than the same quarter in 2008. Rents in the City of London, the financial district, increased 40 percent in the same period.

The asking price for office leases in Wynwood was about $80 per square foot in the fourth quarter of 2023, 83 percent higher than the average in Miami-Dade County, according to Colliers .

The east side of the Berlin Wall in Friedrichshain is now an open-air gallery , and the average rent in the area has doubled in the past 10 years, higher growth than in neighboring districts, according to Savills. Developers have tried to bring that artistic buzz to other neighborhoods: One popular exhibit , The Haus, was hosted in a former bank by a developer, Pandion, which later replaced the old building with sleek condominiums. All of them have sold .

A large outdoor facade could cost six figures, said Charlotte Specht, a co-founder of Basa Studio , an agency in Berlin that has helped street artists collaborate with brands like Maybelline and Netflix. Brands eager for campaigns have a demographic in mind for their target customers: “They use Uber, they have an Apple Mac, they get their latte to go, they travel,” Ms. Specht said.

Street art had acted as “a powerful engine” to turn some neighborhoods into economic and cultural centers, said Thomas Zabel, managing director of Savills Germany. “Everybody wants to live there.”

But officials are wondering how to regulate street art, and whether the commercialization changes a neighborhood’s identity.

In Lisbon, a municipal body called the Urban Art Gallery presides over new creations, resulting in a visual feast: Street art is splashed on walkways and train stations, and officials have pushed street art festivals and tours to beautify the city’s rougher neighborhoods. International students, digital nomads and foreign investors have rushed in.

Researchers say Lisbon has successfully used that art to brand itself as a hip destination. But its revival is divisive for the city’s less privileged, who argue that they have been pushed out of their homes.

In Wynwood, property owners promise that they intend to preserve the neighborhood’s artistic heritage. New buildings must include some art on their facades, and hand-painted advertisements are illegal.

But those regulations, some say, have led to diminishing organic spaces for artists, who cannot make the most of sponsored opportunities. “The developers become gatekeepers to some extent as to what the public gets to see,” said Allison Freidin, a co-founder of Miami’s Museum of Graffiti. “And you hope that the developers make a great decision.”

A harder-to-quantify cost is the displacement of residents who can no longer afford to live there.

“It’s really seen as a success story: Oh, look how art transformed this desolate area of a wasteland into this beautiful successful hipster area with restaurants and tourists,” said Rafael Schacter, an anthropologist at University College London. The art, he believes, has been complicit in erasing communities for not being “the right kind of people.”

Residents have pushed back. In Kreuzberg, a cultural haven near Berlin’s old wall, residents criticized the opening of a Google tech incubator , which eventually moved elsewhere. Artists there have painted over their own murals to protest gentrification and voiced concerns over sponsored content’s replacing public art. In Los Angeles, graffiti artists risked trespassing charges to slather an abandoned luxury tower , which in turn has boosted curiosity toward it.

Aware of the tensions, businesses have started charitable arms that their commercial projects help fund. Some, like Global Street Art, paint murals in local neighborhoods. Others, like Basa Studio, say they want to help artists get paid fairly for their contributions.

But places like Shoreditch have already lost their edge as they have turned mainstream, Ms. Haslem of Streetsense, the consulting agency, said. “The risk in commodifying or commercializing some of this graffiti is you end up sanitizing it,” she said.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” said Dean Stockton, who has painted for years under the name D*Face. He was disconcerted by the number of tourists on buses who stared as he worked on a recent Wynwood mural with the words “I WANT TO LEAVE.”

“If you are going to dance with the devil,” he said, “make sure you are getting paid handsomely.”

Isabella Kwai is a breaking news reporter in the London bureau. She joined The Times in 2017 as part of the Australia bureau. More about Isabella Kwai

Explore Our Business Coverage

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping the world of business..

Phoenix  Housing Crunch:  A swelling population coupled with development restrictions have contributed to  a dire shortage of affordable housing in the biggest city in Arizona , one of the six states likely to determine the U.S. presidential election.

A Billionaire Online Warrior:  Bill Ackman, an obstinate hedge-funder who loves a public crusade, has used X to push himself into a new realm of celebrity .

Cancel Smartphones: The N.Y.U. professor Jonathan Haidt became a favorite in Silicon Valley for his work on what he called the “coddling” of young people. Now, he has an idea for fixing Gen Z .

Landline Pride: Traditional phones may seem like relics in the iPhone era, but a recent AT&T cellular service outage  had some landline lovers extolling their virtues.

C.E.O. Dreams: Fresh business school graduates are raising “search funds”  from willing investors to buy companies they can lead.

Nelson Peltz Wants Respect: The longtime corporate agitator feels misunderstood . Maybe his fight with Disney could change that.

Advertisement