Switzerland graffiti 2012- near Geneva

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.

Cartoon Graffiti

Petite peinture avec Done. Ivry city.


L'ensemble de la fresque

Street Art vs. Graffiti: What's The Difference?

Time for a small lesson.

First and foremost, let's get one thing straight: Both are forms of vandalism. One does not supersede the other as a criminal act, and neither is "less destructive" than the other. All clear on that? Good. Let's proceed.

I consider myself to be somewhat of a street artist. I also dabble in graffiti here and there, but if I had to categorize myself I'd definitely claim the street art scene. That said, A couple of weeks back I was having a discussion on the subject with a friend of mine who happens to be a "writer" (writer meaning she graffs), and there were certain things we both agreed on that distinguishes the two art forms from eachother:

Graffiti is a subculture that's full of tradition and history. A lot of it has to do with "getting up", or writing your name with the means of gaining respect amongst other writers. It's very territory-driven, as writers use their art for the purpose of claiming a space and making their mark. It's something that's done on the spot, usually free-handed, with the traditional tools. Lastly, and I think this is the greatest distinction between the two cultures, graffiti can often be confusing to an outsider. Because tags are usually written in styles that're somewhat hard to read to untrained eyes, which means it takes a while to learn what's happening, it can be a little frightening or unfamiliar. Though there are sometimes exceptions to these rules, these are the basic general ideas behind the graffiti scene.

Street art however, is a bit of a broader term. There's a lot of gray area. A street artist's work can consist of various forms of media such as stickers, stencils, installations, and posters bombed with wheatpaste. Because of this, rather than being done on the spot, it's usually something that's premeditated and prepared beforehand. Another difference is the kind of imagery that street artists use, which is usually something outsiders can relate to pretty easily without having to learn much about it. It isn't territory-driven (for the most part) because it's more about trying to create and share works of art for people to see outside, rather than claiming a space and seeking respect in the eyes of like-minded artists.

Neither is "better" than the other, just.. different. I became a street artist because of people like KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Bansky, André, and Miss Van. I idolize these people, but who's to say that what they do is any "better" than people like SAMO© and King Robbo?

Speaking of which, below is an amazing documentary I came across recently which highlights an enormous feud between Banksy (a street artist), and King Robbo (a writer). Shit is crazy, particularly the unexpected ending. Hopefully this post and the video will clarify some of the differences between the two cultures, as well as shed some light on one truth: We're all just artists trying to express ourselves.

A form of Street Art 

A form of Graffiti