Graffiti Art Or Vandalism

By Pouria Majidi
Feb 28, 2015

What is Street Art?

Graffiti or Street art is any art developed in public spaces — that is, "in the streets" — the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives. It is writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface, often in a public place. It has the ability to raise eyebrows.

This art includes traditional graffiti artwork, sculpture, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheatpasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerrilla art, flash mobbing and street installations. DER OBSIDIAN - Journal For Art

Why Do They Do It?

Artists do not aspire to change any definition of artworks instead they question the existing environment with its own language. Graffiti attempts to communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by aesthetic values without being imprisoned by them. DER OBSIDIAN - Journal For Art

Where Did It Begin?

The origins of graffiti go back to the beginnings of human, societal living. Graffiti has been found on uncovered, ancient, Egyptian monuments, and graffiti even was preserved on walls in Pompeii.

Graffiti is the plural form of the Italian word grafficar. In plural, grafficar signifies drawings, markings, patterns, scribbles, or messages that are painted, written, or carved on a wall or surface. Grafficar also signifies "to scratch" in reference to different wall writings ranging from "cave paintings", bathroom scribbles, or any message that is scratched on walls or any surface. Modern graffiti art originated in New York City, and it was known first as "New York Style" graffiti.

This art form began in the late 1960's when teens used permanent markers to tag or write their names, followed by the number of the street on which they lived, in subway cars. This trend originated with the appearance of "Taki 183" which was the tag of a Greek American boy named Demitrius. Tagging soon became a way to get one's name known throughout the city. George C. Stowers,Graffiti Art: An Essay Concerning The Recognition of Some Forms of Graffiti As Art

The Motivation Behind Graffiti

The research corroborates a number of previous findings in identifying a wide range of reasons why participants do graffiti, including, DER OBSIDIAN - Journal For Art :

• Pursuit of ‘illegal fame’ or recognition

• An adrenaline rush

• Emotional expression

• Malicious damage

• Art

• Fun

• Political expression

• Competition

• A hobby

• To meet people or for social reasons

• Because it is funny

Graffiti Doors

There are different surfaces which artists do Graffiti on, one of this public surfaces is Exterior Doors in Streets. Lets take a look at few examples of this wonderful Street Art.