Graffiti: Complex and Controversial

Chloe Jiang (G6)

Arts and Writing

Published Issue 2022-2023

Graffiti has long been a topic of controversy, with some considering it a legitimate art form and others viewing it as an act of vandalism. While graffiti can take many forms, from elaborate murals to simple tags, it has the power to spark strong emotions and raise important questions about public space, freedom of expression, and community identity.

On one hand, graffiti can be seen as a form of self-expression, a way for artists to share their ideas and messages with the public. Graffiti can add color and vibrancy to otherwise dull urban landscapes, and some cities have even commissioned street artists to create murals in public spaces. Many graffiti artists see their work as a way to challenge the status quo and make a statement about social and political issues.

But not everyone sees graffiti in a positive light. Tagging private or public property without permission can damage the surfaces it's applied to, making it expensive to remove. Graffiti can also be associated with gang activity and other criminal behavior, making it a safety concern for some communities. Additionally, some people view graffiti as a sign of urban decay, a symbol of neglect and abandonment in the built environment.

Despite these controversies, graffiti has had a significant impact on popular culture. From the earliest days of hip hop and street art in the 1970s and 1980s, graffiti has been a powerful force for creativity and social change. Graffiti has been incorporated into fashion, advertising, and even fine art. Artists like Banksy have gained international fame for their provocative street art, while others have used graffiti to promote social causes and activism.

In recent years, cities around the world have struggled to find ways to deal with graffiti. Some have taken a hardline approach, enforcing strict laws against graffiti and spending large sums of money on graffiti removal. Others have embraced graffiti as a legitimate form of public art, providing legal walls and spaces for artists to showcase their work.

One city that has taken a unique approach to graffiti is Berlin, Germany. In the years following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the city became a hub for graffiti and street art, with artists from around the world flocking to the city to leave their mark on its walls. Rather than fighting graffiti, the city government decided to turn it into a tourist attraction, offering guided tours of the city's most famous street art and commissioning new murals in public spaces.

Today, Berlin's street art scene is one of the most vibrant in the world, with thousands of visitors coming each year to see the city's graffiti and street art. But the city's approach to graffiti is not without its critics. Some argue that the city's embrace of street art has led to an increase in tagging and other illegal graffiti, while others argue that it has created a kind of "Disneyfication" of the city, turning street art into a form of entertainment.

The controversy surrounding graffiti is unlikely to go away anytime soon. As cities around the world grapple with the issue of public space, freedom of expression, and community identity, the role of graffiti in our culture will remain a topic of debate. But one thing is certain: whether seen as art or vandalism, graffiti has the power to captivate and inspire, to challenge and provoke, and to make us think about the world around us in new and exciting ways.