Graffiti Culture

I have chosen to do my essay on the sub cultural art form: Graffiti..

Graffiti though very controversial, is recognized in many circles, but different circles have different opinions of the art form, much like traditional art, we have the people who hate it and think it is a mess, and we have the people who appreciate it, in graffiti's case, yes a lot more people hate it than appreciate it, but usually its because it wasn't part of their generation. Lets just say a well known artist, like Da Vinci, grabbed a few spray cans, and did a huge Mona Lisa on a wall, would it be regarded as graffiti, or art? People can say different things, but I reckon its still Graffiti, but then again, I don't hate all Graffiti.

It can come in many different forms, from a slogan, to a political statement, to a 'whole-car' (side of a train carriage). The majority of graffiti though, are 'tags' which is just like a nickname written in freehand usually by a marker, or quickly with a spray can. There are many reasons to put up a tag, but, majority of the time, its to let other 'Artists' know, you've been to a certain place. The tag also branched out into the 'Throw up" which is just a two colour tag, usually written in bubble like lettering, and usually done very quick, hence the name "Throw up".

Tagging while a big part of Graffiti, is also the least cared about by the people who appreciate the style of art. Masterpieces, known as "pieces" is almost considered completely separate from the rest of Graffiti, as it takes a lot of skill, and creativity to pull one off. Starting off in the 1960's in New York. Producing a Piece is usually on scale of a mural, as the Piece was just a new way to display ones tag, but in a larger, brighter, more stylish form.In the middle to late 1970's, graffers started painting subway trains. Train painting was essential to the development of graffiti art because the trains became the stage for the style wars which was a time when everyone who wanted to be recognised as the best artist of a subway line "Got-Up". (painted trains as often as possible.) If your tag was on a train in a colorful and unique style, it was guaranteed to be seen by many people; most importantly by the other graffers, because the subway trains in New York practically travel everywhere..