The Many Faces of GraffifiArt - Graffiti as Art History, Communication, Nuisance, Creative Outlet and Political Voice

Graffitiart for some is known as a nuisance, vandalism, and an eyesore, while others disagree and believe graffitiart is creative, artistic, and a way of expression. Graffitiart is not always what it seems to be. Graffiti art is everywhere these days i.e. subways, walls, train, billboards, and anywhere that is a flat surface that doesn’t belong to the artist creating the graffiti.

Graffitiart has been around for many, many years. Back in time Pompeii had graffiti as did Ireland, Greece, and many others.

Research of history tells that in the late 1960’s early 1970’s due to the lack of employment and finances as immigrants started filling up the urban areas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York there was a lack of communication between the newly immigrated people and the citizens of the United States. The immigrants found it extremely difficult finding their way around a strange new area, to supply the necessities of life for themselves and families. People began to make their own signs with paint brushes on walls with arrows pointing out the directions to the subway or a specific store or market. Even DANGER signs where graffitied onto walls to keep out of certain areas and neighborhoods. Thus growing messages and signs began with grafiti tags. Tags of names of writers, and gang names evolved into graffiti arts.

Graffiti was used primarily by political activists to make statements and street gangs to mark territory. The History of the underground art movement known by many names, most commonly termed graffiti began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the mid 1960’s.

Graffiti was a means of communication. Using cans of spray paints and permanent markers to tag were a form of artistic expression

Graffitiart has been toned down in the past years due to the cleaning up of the graffiti with manpower using chemical cleaners and repainting of the areas. Space has been afforded and donated to the artists in designated areas to prevent vandalism.

The Freedom Tunnel located in New York is one area donated. Another area is the 34th street wall in Gainesville, FL donated after the Student Murders in the 90’s. Many city’s across the United States has followed through with the same concept and has lowered the graffitiart vandalism in the cities due to participation from the artists.