Petite peinture avec Done. Ivry city.
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Street Art vs. Graffiti: What's The Difference?
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
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