Graffiti

Contemporary graffiti art is thought to have originated in the 1960s in Black and Latino communities in New York City. This art form arose alongside the Hip-Hop and street subcultures as a new way of self-expression. Graffiti artists, also called taggers, would create unique signatures or tags often on buildings, trains, and other public places around the city. Graffiti art grew to encompass elaborate works of art that depict nature, important people in various communities, historical figures and events, and messages meant to show pride in one’s community. Our students are encouraged to use graffiti art as a tool for self-expression by creating their own signatures and fonts and to use this tool to tell their stories in STEM.