When I think about a community, there is so much that could fall under the topic. There’s a community by religion, location, and even ethnicity in our society today. It makes me wonder exactly what am I attached to the most. I know that statement does sound ridiculous but when you think about it is it really? It is possible to be in a community, but to not feel exactly attached or drawn to it. I have this feeling to this day, I lived in flushing all my life but I do not feel exactly important. I just fill my role and carry out my life day by day. So when it comes to thinking about art that symbolizes my community I wonder where to begin and where to start. More importantly, I need to decide on which community to choose.
I was on my way home from seeing Leon Levinstein’s photography exhibit on the 7 train. The ride was dull and tiring, but I saw something that took art to another level. I passed Court Square on the train and I saw something so striking and beautiful. The train appears to slow down and I am exposed to this amazing graffiti exhibit in the Court Square. Building to building was covered with words and drawings including a black and white portrait of Notorious B.I.G. that was so detailed and descriptive. This piece stretched across many pieces of buildings which was crafted in an amazing fashion. Usually I do not even take the time to pay any attention to graffiti, but passing by this work made me notice graffiti as a symbol for artwork in the urban community.
Why choose graffiti? That is something I would ask myself years ago. When I mentioned before that I never paid attention to graffiti, it is not an understatement. Yes we see graffiti everywhere we go but at first I never tried to wonder what the artist wanted to say. I thought that it had no purpose at all as some writers strongly believe. However, this time I decided to look and to see what exactly is the meaning behind the graffiti. I was going to analyze why the artist would go on buildings to express something in that specific spot and area.
As I experience the city setting more, graffiti becomes more than just spray painting a random building or van. Like any artist, graffiti is conveying and expressing their own individuality in a given society. They are also criticizing societies in their own way, showing its flaws as well. Not only can the artist of graffiti become a social critic, he or she is also one who curates the community. This is where I see the graffiti artist at work. When someone curates something, they are in charge and oversee a work. Now you wonder how does an artist can organize a community? That is something I thought about, how can an artist criticize a society and then bring them together all at the same time?
I wondered about this question and something came to me as to why the graffiti artist can curate the community. I believe that one part of the piece I saw and acknowledged was the detail and beauty that it presented. It ties members of a society together because as a community, we are enjoying and admiring a work of art together. This allows us to work together as one community as we are coming together to appreciate one work of art. This is one way that I saw an artist curating the community. They organize and preserve an aspect of their culture for all viewers to see. Another was seeing and interpreting how the community acts and behaves in society. That graffiti piece was powerful because it not only had a beauty to it but it allowed people to feel a communal setting. Several people stared at the piece in wonder and in a way you feel like a community. We all look and admire this piece together as a community for its beauty. This allows us to be more organized as a community more than other things. That is what the graffiti piece represents, the artist does commemorate famous figures, but he or she did it in a way that brings the community together and does not criticize a society. I will definitely take more interest to the graffiti art.
