Graffiti
Overview
Graffiti, an ancient form of expression, dates back thousands of years to cave walls. The practice was carried on by the Ancient Romans and Greeks, who carved names and protest poetry into structures. Graffiti, which arrived in New York in the late 1960s, became popular in the city during the 1970s, with people tagging buildings (MasterClass, 2021). In the mid-1970s, subway cars were completely covered in spray paintings known as throw-ups, letters, and masterpieces, making it difficult to see out the windows (Anastasiya, n.d.).
Taki 183 was a first-generation writer who began competing in writing. His name ‘Taki’ was an abbreviated form of his Greek Christian name, and 183 was the number of his street (90DegreesArt, 2023).
Graffiti Evolution 1980s–1990s
Risk, the artist, has reconstructed a Venice skateboard pavilion as part of the “Beyond the Streets” exhibition, which will be on display in Los Angeles’ Chinatown until July 6 (Riefe, 2019).
Graffiti and street art rose to global prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, collaborating with a wide range of art forms. Movies and books depicting New York City subcultures helped spread graffiti around the world, while high-profile art shows helped legitimize these movements.
The increased international presence and unity of the movements are strengthened further by the introduction of new media and global collaborations (BLocal & Pope, 2021).
Personal Commentary
I have always had a strong interest in art, especially classic forms such as drawing and painting. While I have never tried my hand at graffiti art on buildings or streets, the concept fascinates me.
I admire that people can freely express their thoughts and ideas through graffiti. It represents the major idea of freedom of speech, which is very important to me as a psychology major.
Graffiti, with its vibrant colors and intricate patterns, has a significant impact on those who encounter it. The writing style is important in interpreting the message, with different typefaces and colors evoking different emotions and reactions.
As a psychology major, I understand how important visual inputs are in forming our perspectives and emotions. Graffiti art can create a strong bond between the message and the viewer, making it an art form that speaks to me on both a personal and academic level.
This graffiti of the word “love” done by MynnuB (2020), creates feelings of comfort, happiness, affection, and positivity. Purple may provoke feelings of romance, intrigue, and elegance. The bubbly font adds a joyful and lively element, while the little heart inside the letter “O” contributes to the romantic theme.
Handala emerges as an enduring symbol of defiance in the evolving visual symbolism of Palestinian resistance. Handala, a 10-year-old boy preserved in time until the occupation ends, was created by Palestinian artist Naji al-Ali in 1975. Handala stands with crossed arms, bare feet, tattered clothes, and hair like a porcupine’s spikes, rejecting incomplete conflict resolutions.
Even after al-Ali’s assassination in 1987, his image remains on murals along the apartheid wall, expressing a steadfast stance against Israeli settler colonialism (Amin, 2019). For Palestinians, seeing this graffiti evokes strong feelings of resilience, representing their perseverance and determination in the face of adversity.
Expanding on Shwedoff’s (2023) insights, he contends that graffiti typography is a vibrant language in the urban landscape that goes beyond mere letters and symbols.
Every curve, line, and decoration in graffiti typography, he believes, has meaning. The arrangement of letters reflects an artist’s mood, mindset, or societal commentary, while the choice of fonts can convey various emotions such as aggression, nostalgia, or playfulness.
Graffiti typography becomes the voice of the streets, resonating with the rhythm of urban life. Shwedoff emphasizes graffiti artists’ ability to use typography to provoke immediate emotional responses, with bold letters signaling urgency or rebellion and flowing scripts conveying elegance or nostalgia. Colors are important, with vibrant hues evoking excitement and softer tones reflecting melancholy.
Fascinated by graffiti and passionate about literature, I have noticed a connection between graffiti and classical writing. Graffiti, with its bold and distinct patterns, functions as a modern alphabet that challenges our traditional understanding of text. When looking at graffiti, it is as if you are “reading” intricate designs, deciphering meanings hidden within vibrant colors and intricate shapes. Each graffiti piece appears to tell a unique story or convey a message, much like the pages of a book. The artists behind this urban art appear to have untold stories to tell, which they express through street or building art.
According to Alshreif (2016), graffiti is more than just a form of individual expression; it is a social force that promotes critical thinking, self-awareness, and creative contributions. Aside from its role in community power dynamics, graffiti is a powerful means of effective self-expression, particularly for those who lack traditional literacy skills. It involves entire communities in addressing social issues, making it a dynamic and inclusive form of literacy that encourages communication and creativity.
Women express themselves through graffiti painting on the wall rather than speaking out loud (90degreesArt, 2023).
My Input
If I were a graffiti artist, I would mostly use inspiring phrases as well as motivating quotes in my work. I would make colorful, eye-catching illustrations to communicate themes of self-love, perseverance, and positivity. These graffiti functions would be intended to inspire everyone passing by reminding them of their inner strength and the importance of believing in themselves. Therefore, I made the effort to make several examples. Here are a few of them:
References
Alshreif, N. (2016). Multimodal writing: The case of graffiti. Arab World English Journal, 7(4), 453–466. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no4.28
Anastasiya. (n.d.). Graffiti: History, Purpose, Types. JourneyForever. https://journeyforevermag.com/typesofgraffiti
BLocal , G., & Pope, A. (2021). History of graffiti and street art: The 1980s and the 1990s. STRAAT / Museum for street art and graffiti / Amsterdam. https://straatmuseum.com/en/blog/history-of-graffiti-and-street-art-1980s-1990s
MasterClass. (2021). A brief history of graffiti: A look at 5 modern graffiti artists – 2023. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/graffiti-history-explained Shwedoff, Y. (2023). Typography’s impact on graffiti art . https://www.yurishwedoff.com/. https://www.yurishwedoff.com/typographys-impact-on-graffiti-art/