Graffiti - art or vandalism

Rocker

Is graffiti art or vandalism? I see it as both with a leaning towards vandalism. Agree or disagree......

scrumhalf

Vandalism. It may be artistic in the eyes of some, but it's vandalism.

fretmeister

Vandalism:

Art:

Drew_TNBD

It's both. Often at the same time.

richardhomer

Funny this should be posted - I took the tram into Manchester on Sunday afternoon and saw some astonishing graffiti on the journey. Much of it was in very out of the way places and some was on an epic scale. And some, was actually strangely beautiful.

So for me, it's a question of what and where; clearly if it were on something I own, the perpetrator would be a mindless hooligan. If it's somewhere drab and it brightens it up, I'm all for it....

randomhandclaps

Out and out vandalism.  I can see nothing whatsoever appealing in stuff like this.  To think it was once a beautiful grey wall - a tribute to Gassage's pedalboard if you like.

http://dbprng00ikc2j.cloudfront.net/userimages/3215/4yn/20120401134908-Downtownpainting-600x400.jpg

VimFuego

fretmeister said:

Vandalism:

Art:

hmmm, so what you seem to be saying is that it's not a clear and simple answer and can depend on the circumstances? That's crazy talk man, we need simple answers suitable for simple people.

BTW, that girl in the second pic is gonna look really silly come winter.

spacecadet

If it's Banksy, it's both!

bobblehat

Mostly Vandalism.On photos it looks great but generally in the real world it just looks a mess regardless of how great the artwork is.

I spend a lot of time in Bristol where the council appear to either not care or actively encourage graffiti and the place just looks a mess. 

Sambostar

I think it is relative and subjective.

If I owned a wall and had just slaved away at it to get it freshly painted, someone coming along and painting an image of an Afro Carribean/American child on it would definitely be classed as vandalism in my book, conversely, a pair of well painted breasts covered in blue splooge I might consider art, so long as the paint they used didn't cause the basecoat I applied to react, in which case, I would class it also as vandalism.

Drew_TNBD

Sambostar said:

I think it is relative and subjective.

If I owned a wall and had just slaved away at it to get it freshly painted, someone coming along and painting an image of an Afro Carribean/American child on it would definitely be classed as vandalism in my book, conversely, a pair of well painted breasts covered in blue splooge I might consider art, so long as the paint they used didn't cause the basecoat I applied to react, in which case, I would class it also as vandalism.

RACIST!

ROOG

fretmeister said:

Vandalism:

Art:

That's ace, the second that is,

samzadgan

spacecadet said:

If it's Banksy, it's both!

if its banksy its plagiarism and vandalism!...but lets not go there...

 

but it is both...it depends on the intent...let me explain...

back in the day...when I was young I use to be in a "crew" and we use to go out at nights and bomb (put up tags and peices) certain places.

When we were putting up tags on walls or trains or whatever we could either write with markers or spray pain, we would. These were not really artistic, but more to say our crew has been here and its our turf. If we saw tags from other crews we would tag over the top, which was telling them to fuck off...and sometimes this would lead to fights. This had no artistic credibility whatsoever.

On the other hand, there were certain walls along train lines or behind office buildings where it really wasnt about turf wars, but more about "look at my skills". These were usually big peices that we would do over a number of nights. We showed off our style and creativity...and usually...i say usually because it sometimes did happen...we wouldnt go over anyone elses work. Sometimes if there was some kind shit between crews you would see people going over the top of someone else work, or they would write "TOY" across the peice.

This second part is definitely art...not only the work itself, but the intent was also there for it to be art. Also, because this stuff took ages to do, we would camp out a whole night doing it and have to come back a few more times, it was never out in the open where it could be see as vandalism...it was usually on big empty spaces and didnt ruin the value of anyones property, and it did beautified dull areas. 

 

Drew_TNBD

samzadgan said:

spacecadet said:

If it's Banksy, it's both!

if its banksy its plagiarism and vandalism!...but lets not go there...

 

but it is both...it depends on the intent...let me explain...

back in the day...when I was young I use to be in a "crew" and we use to go out at nights and bomb (put up tags and peices) certain places.

When we were putting up tags on walls or trains or whatever we could either write with markers or spray pain, we would. These were not really artistic, but more to say our crew has been here and its our turf. If we saw tags from other crews we would tag over the top, which was telling them to fuck off...and sometimes this would lead to fights. This had no artistic credibility whatsoever.

On the other hand, there were certain walls along train lines or behind office buildings where it really wasnt about turf wars, but more about "look at my skills". These were usually big peices that we would do over a number of nights. We showed off our style and creativity...and usually...i say usually because it sometimes did happen...we wouldnt go over anyone elses work. Sometimes if there was some kind shit between crews you would see people going over the top of someone else work, or they would write "TOY" across the peice.

This second part is definitely art...not only the work itself, but the intent was also there for it to be art. Also, because this stuff took ages to do, we would camp out a whole night doing it and have to come back a few more times, it was never out in the open where it could be see as vandalism...it was usually on big empty spaces and didnt ruin the value of anyones property, and it did beautified dull areas. 

 

This is something I never knew about you.

Drew_TNBD

I had a bit of a manwee in my pants imagining you with some spray cans.

ICBM

Or archaeology.

Scratch your name into a historic monument and it's vandalism. Wait a few hundred years and it's a fascinating little bit of history.

samzadgan

Drew_fx said:

I had a bit of a manwee in my pants imagining you with some spray cans.

out of fear from my crew!!!

skills not what they use to be...but i can still reprezent!

 

Hootsmon

randomhandclaps said:

Out and out vandalism.  I can see nothing whatsoever appealing in stuff like this.  To think it was once a beautiful grey wall - a tribute to Gassage's pedalboard if you like.

http://dbprng00ikc2j.cloudfront.net/userimages/3215/4yn/20120401134908-Downtownpainting-600x400.jpg

WOW, that seagull has been eatin' blueberries

axisus

Vandalism. The 'paintings' are art if they were requested by someone, but otherwise they are vandalism. Can't stand Banksy.

d8m

This guy is technically littering 

Still like some of his stuff mind!

Hertz32

http://www.demotix.com/news/523422/russian-tank-south-london-t34-se1