Graffiti in NYC

 

When I take the subway and see a piece of graffiti that is eye-catching in an absurd, hard to reach place, the first thing I wonder is how the person got that piece of graffiti in that place. It was very entertaining to imagine scenarios the artist took to spray-paint the work for example on rooftops or deep inside subway tunnels. Graffiti has a bad reputation. Many consider it as vandalism and I can’t help but think whether all graffiti is crime. Is it really not a form of art? Is there even such thing as legal graffiti? I decided to choose this topic for the project so I could find answers to my questions. I had never once imagined myself doing even legal graffiti. In my mind, even the thought of doing such art is unlawful. After doing research, I think it would be interesting for me to at least try that style of art. The aerosol products look extremely fun to use and I have gained a new respect for the art (done legally).

This project definitely took a lot of research. First, I looked up the history of graffiti. Who was the first person to create this style of art? After finding out that the concept of graffiti developed from the mischief of one person to gain fame, it was a bit disappointing. The idea of leaving a “marker” wherever you go is a bit interesting though. I would leave behind something like a lollipop or perhaps flowers. My partner and I originally had plans to go to 5 Pointz but after researching, we found that unfortunately the place was whitewashed and torn down. It was very devastating to find that such a beautiful place that was meant to signify unity of the boroughs was torn down for high rises. We decided to go to Bushwick, which was considered the new haven for Graffiti art and were not disappointed.

From researching, I was able to see how graffiti evolved over time. Different styles blossomed, rich colors were used and graffiti in this form really began to look like a masterful art piece any artist would do. The fact that the canvas is the city itself is a unique aspect of graffiti. Because it is done on public walls, more people have access to this art on a daily basis. Similar to subway art, I think graffiti art really promotes creative thinking and can brighten someone’s world.

A big limitation was time. The idea of covering all of NYC’s graffiti was a little absurd. Where should we start? What areas should we go visit? Because Graffiti can also be associated with gang activities (as a way of marking territories), we did not want to go to areas that might have been dangerous. Graffiti meccas like 5 Pointz are also going extinct. Not everyone appreciates graffiti as art; even the most beautiful piece of Graffiti writing on public property without consent is labeled as vandalism. If I were to do this project over again, I would like to explore more Graffiti meccas or perhaps try art (not necessarily Graffiti) with aerosol.