More Than Just Vandalism

Is graffiti art or vandalism? There’s no denying that there have been some magnificent pieces done by graffiti artists on the walls of buildings across cities. But the question of whether graffiti is really just another form of art, or if it’s plain vandalism has been a debate for a while. I believe that graffiti is still art. While, yes, we can’t deny the fact that most graffiti we see is done illegally, we also can’t deny the fact that it’s still a form of artistic expression. Graffiti takes time, effort, and creativity, just like any other form of art. Graffiti is more complex than just tags on the sides of buildings. It can be beautiful, or make powerful statements, and some pieces have even been featured in art galleries across the world. I believe that there is a lot more to graffiti than just vandalism.

Graffiti has long evolved from being just tags scribbled on buildings or subways. The pieces that graffiti artists do have become much more complex, making bold political statements, or thought-provoking marks about society, or human beings, or anything. Graffiti can be “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.” (Graffiti as Art) There’s even a famous graffiti artist, Bansky, who’s known for his political pieces, and has gotten his work put up in art galleries. And in some cases, the vandalism aspect of graffiti can contribute to the statement the artist is trying to make. Whether it’s a statement about a controversial political leader, or a piece about the wrongs of society, graffiti has a lot of meaning to it, and these pieces should be recognised as “a form of art and not just a result of random acts of vandalism.” (Graffiti as Art)

Not all graffiti, however, makes a huge political or societal statement. There are still people who simply tag buildings, or graffiti regular pictures, such as butterflies. But that doesn’t mean it’s not art. Not all graffiti, or art in general, has to make a statement. And just because the pieces don’t make some huge statement, it doesn’t mean that it’s vandalism. The fact that graffiti is illegal doesn’t make it any less of art. Graffiti, just like any other form of art, requires time and effort. It takes creativity, and artistic ability and expression. “Larger pieces require planning and imagination and contain artistic elements like color and composition.” (Graffiti as Art) Even the simple pieces, like tags or small pictures, require some extent of creativity and artistry. Graffiti is still art, no matter how illegal or vandalistic it can be, and just because it’s illegal doesn’t make it any less of art.

But, of course, the reason graffiti is such a controversial topic is because of the fact that most of it is done illegally. People overlook the artistry in graffiti and just think of it as vandalism because, in a lot of cases, it is indeed vandalism. But, there are ways to have the magnificent pieces done by graffiti artists without the vandalistic side of it. Most of the time, the pieces done on the sides of private buildings are complex and remarkable, but they’re in the wrong place. The fact that it is a privately owned building, and the graffiti was put there nonconsensually is the reason it’s vandalism. However, “Graffiti artists can create sanctioned murals for private property owners and get paid for it.” (Is Graffiti Art?) This way, everything is legal, building owners won’t have to pay to clean up the graffiti, and graffiti artists won’t have their art covered over. Plus, the artists will be paid for their work, which helps legitimize graffiti as an actual art form. And because people are recognising the artistry in graffiti, more and more “graffiti art has been shown in various galleries… and artists are often commissioned to do legal murals and other work for art shows.” (Graffiti as Art) The reason most people look down on graffiti is because of the illegality of it. But, we can change this by commissioning more artists for their work. This way, people won’t see the vandalism in graffiti, and only the art in it.

Graffiti can be beautiful and intricate. It can make bold and powerful statements. Graffiti artists put time, effort, and creativity into the pieces they make, no matter how complex or simple it may be. There is no denying the artistry in graffiti. People argue that graffiti is no more than vandalism, but just because it may be vandalism, doesn’t make it any less of art. And, the vandalistic side of graffiti can be avoided with commissions or sanctioned murals. By recognising commissions and graffiti pieces in art galleries, it can change the stereotype that all graffiti is vandalism, and can help accept it as an art form. Because graffiti, like every other form of art, takes hard work, artistic talent, and can make powerful movements, and I believe that there is more to graffiti than just vandalism.

“Banksy street art” by scottroberts is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0