It’s Not Art when you Vandalize

Graffiti is a form of artistic expression, however, putting it on public and private buildings without permission is vandalism. Graffiti is vandalism when it is placed on buildings and transport without consent from the owners. I think that taxpayer money should not go to cleaning graffiti. It is already unwanted as it is, why do the people have to pay for it to be cleaned? Graffiti is an art form if it expressed on paper or canvas or on a building with consent from the owner.

Evidence is shown that graffiti is unwanted is when Steve Dolan states that, “Community groups and government departments coordinate graffiti removal teams” (Dolan, Steve) This is important because it is showing that the graffiti needs to be removed one way or another. Clearly, the building owners and public transport operators are not giving permission to the artists to display their work on their buildings.

States put taxpayer dollars towards the removal of graffiti on their public buildings. Every year, money from the people is being used to clean up these unwanted acts of vandalism. According to the article, Graffiti as Vandalism, “Nebraska spends about $100,000 annually, according to graffitihurts.org” (Graffiti as Vandalism)”Artists tag both public and private property, which becomes costly for taxpayers and business and property owners” (Graffiti as Vandalism).

Finally, relating to the paragraph above, art can be recognized more as art if it displayed in a way where people are bound to see it. If the graffiti is going to get covered within the next days or two, wouldn’t you want to get your money’s worth and display the same image on paper where it won’t get covered up? It is stated in the article “Is Graffiti Art” that, “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” (Dolan, Steve)

In conclusion, graffiti is definitely an expression of art. However, when you are putting that art on public and private buildings without permission, you are committing the crime of vandalism. Tax money should not go to cleaning this crime, rather the artists themselves should be creating their art on paper or canvas.

“Graffiti: MATR (right side)” by Franco Folini is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0