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12/06/2006
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Graffiti: art or vandalism?
Night-life, graffiti and acts of vandalism come under debate at TEM TECMA
The phenomenon of graffiti in cities arouses contrasting opinions among art experts, graffiti artists, members of public administration and members of the general public. What some consider to be an art, others regard as being nothing more than an anti-social act, one that shows no respect for urban furniture and could even be described as being an act of vandalism
Graffiti artists defend their work by stating that their pictures constitute a form of artistic expression, a way of expressing their feelings, their ideas or even a message designed to make society reflect.
Graffiti has also become a way of earning a living, given that many of these artists are contracted to decorate the façades of shop premises and even employed by some companies in the advertising sector, such as Zenithmedia, that have used them for their campaigns.
In common language, graffiti is understood to mean various forms of inscription or painting produced on public property or other people's property, whether they be walls, cars, trains, doors, etc. It cannot be denied that graffiti has an artistic dimension, if it can be considered to be an art at all. However, a problem arises in cases where these paintings are produced in public areas that are not prepared for them or in private areas without the owner's permission.
The diverse range of opinions on the question of graffiti will be reflected at TEM TECMA 2006, the International Town-Planning and Environment Fair, which will take place between 13th and 16th June next at Feria de Madrid, through a roundtable conference on graffiti in public areas and how it can affect the urban environment and its appeal.
In Spain, certain towns exist, such as Benicarló and Vinaroz, where graffiti is approved by the local authorities and the public, given that they consider that these street paintings successfully cover the dirty walls, concealing damp spots and political slogans and decorating blank facings. However, to what extent do graffiti artists have a right to express themselves on urban furniture that does not belong to them?
Many theorists, such as Joan Garí, Jesús de Diego and other illustrious graffitologists, have suggested that graffiti is a phenomenon that emerged millions of years ago, in the form of cave paintings, continuing with the catacombs, the Vikings, the Romans, right through to May 1968 and the New York scene of the 1970's, etc. However, for those initiated in the art of graffiti, those involved in the world of hip hop and the night scene, nothing could be further form the truth. Francisco Reyes Sánchez, a graffiti artist and author of the first doctoral thesis in Spain on hip hop and graffiti, as well as a lecturer at the Complutense University in Madrid on the only university course on the matter, has stated that this approach is only entertained by those who see it from the outside. Reyes believes that graffiti is something quite simple and spontaneous and that "those who see it from the outside and believe all those theories will never understand why a kid takes a risk, spends his money and goes out in the cold in order to cover a train-coach with graffiti that will only last an hour, graffiti that has no message and demands nothing".
Graffiti and Advertising
Some theorists also compare graffiti with advertising, based on the fact that they both have a communicative and social value, both are public manifestations and both aim to be different, original and attention-seeking. This opinion is shared by Max 501, one of the most famous Spanish graffiti artists, who states that graffiti is like advertising, adding that it is an ideal way for him to be able to express his ideas and artistic side. "I believe that graffiti is just another new form of drawing and painting, in the same way as oils, watercolours and charcoal. And what better museum is there than the street? I don't paint in order to protest or demand anything; I paint because it is something I have liked doing since I was a very small child. Personally, I try to paint in places where the largest number of people pass through, respecting what is not mine as far as possible".
In this sense, Muelle, one of the best-known Spanish graffiti artists, whose loop-shaped signature rose to prominence in the 1980's in various different Spanish towns and cities, has even gone so far as to state that graffiti is an antidote against the images with which we are constantly bombarded. At the end of the day, as these graffiti artists have pointed out, nobody asks us whether we want to be constantly bombarded with advertising, which overwhelms us. Graffiti is exactly the same.
A Way of Making a Living
In addition to inundating our city streets (more or less legally, depending on your opinion), in recent years graffiti has also become a means by which graffiti artists are able to earn money. Private clients contract the services of these urban artists in order to decorate the façades of their premises or shops, whilst even some companies from the advertising industry, such as Zenithmedia, have used graffiti to promote some of their campaigns.
Max 501 provides a good example of this, given that he has his own brand of clothing based on his designs known as "Antoñito(r)". He has also designed a mobile telephone for the company Motorola and has taken part in numerous cultural events on graffiti and the urban scene in different Spanish regions.
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(Informationsquelle: Ifema)
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