Graffiti

Graffiti is a form of visual communication created in public places. Graffiti is differentiated from street art or graffiti art in that it is usually illegally produced and often involves the unauthorized marking of public or private spaces by individuals or groups.

The term Graffiti was originally a reference to ancient inscriptions. These could be words or figure drawings found on the walls of ancient sepulchers, public buildings, or ruins. Ancient Graffiti can be observed in the Catacombs of Rome or at the ruins of Pompeii.

The use of the word “Graffiti” has evolved over the centuries to refer to text or graphics applied to surfaces. For a long time, the term Graffiti was synonymous with vandalism.

Graffiti, while once considered vandalism, is becoming more widely recognized as a type of artwork. However, it is still not always positively received or universally accepted as art by the general public.

Graffiti Art takes the techniques and methodologies behind street Graffiti and applies them to other mediums. At the same time, all Graffiti can be considered art. The distinction between Graffiti and Graffiti Art is usually used when Graffiti leaves city surfaces and moves to another more traditional art surface, such as a canvas. Graffiti Art takes Graffiti off the streets and allows it to be sold, exhibited, and displayed in other environments.

The first drawings on walls appeared in caves thousands of years ago. Later the Ancient Romans and Greeks wrote their names and protest poems on buildings. Modern graffiti seems to have appeared in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, and by the late sixties it had reached New York. The new art form really took off in the 1970s, when people began writing their names, or ‘tags’, on buildings all over the city. In the mid seventies it was sometimes hard to see out of a subway car window, because the trains were completely covered in spray paintings known as ‘masterpieces’.

In the early days, the ‘taggers’ were part of street gangs who were concerned with marking their territory. They worked in groups called ‘crews’, and called what they did ‘writing’ – the term ‘graffiti’ was first used by The New York Times and the novelist Norman Mailer. Art galleries in New York began buying graffiti in the early seventies. But at the same time that it began to be regarded as an art form, John Lindsay, the then mayor of New York, declared the first war on graffiti. By the 1980s it became much harder to write on subway trains without being caught, and instead many of the more established graffiti artists began using roofs of buildings or canvases.The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on. Peter Vallone, a New York city councillor, thinks that graffiti done with permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s property it becomes a crime. ‘I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there,’ he said recently. ‘Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins.’ On the other hand, Felix, a member of the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City, says that artists are reclaiming cities for the public from advertisers, and that graffiti represents freedom and makes cities more vibrant.

For decades graffiti has been a springboard to international fame for a few. Jean-Michel Basquiat began spraying on the street in the 1970s before becoming a respected artist in the ’80s. The Frenchman Blek le Rat and the British artist Banksy have achieved international fame by producing complex works with stencils, often making political or humorous points. Works by Banksy have been sold for over £100,000. Graffiti is now sometimes big business.

As Abhedya puts it, graffiti art has a bit of a “rebellious history.” Historically, unknown artists would paint over walls without seeking permission, often illegally. “It was the only art form that was accessible to the masses,” he says.

Gradually, street art evolved from graffiti. Cafes and clients started commissioning artists to paint on their walls. Various styles of graffiti also began sprouting up.

“Earlier graffiti was just about writing a name. Then, it became about how uniquely you can write your name in bubble letters or other styles. Later urban street art introduced characters and murals into the picture,” Abhedya explains.

Abhedya’s stint with St+art India opened many portals for him and brands began approaching him for commissioned projects. “Although I had worked as a graphic designer for a year, I didn’t want to limit myself to that world. So I began merging my skills to create both digital and graffiti art,” he says.

One of Abhedya’s favourite projects was when he worked with a Hyderabad based fashion designer, Shriya Som. “I had to convert an entire under constructed spa into a Berlin-themed space,” he recalls.

Going forward, he wishes to build a network and community of artists that inspire others. “I want to build a studio to provide young artists with the space and infrastructure they need to explore their arts,” he says.

Abhedya says that very importantly, you should get permission before you do any graffiti artwork. After that, you just need paints and a few tools. In terms of paints, you can choose from spray paints, graffiti markers and acrylic paint, and the tools to help you are usually paint brushes, rollers and stencils.

“I use spray paint for my artworks because it’s faster, versatile, opaque, and can cover a large area. The cons of aerosol are that it’s more expensive than paint and can’t be used for intricate work,” he explains.

Step 1: “The first step is to find a space for the artwork,” he says.

Step 2: Next comes the visualization of what it will look like in that space. “You need to decide if you want your art to pop out or blend in,” he explains.

Step 3: Abhedya also likes to ensure that his art is creating a meaning or telling a story. So that is part of his visualization process.

Step 4: “Then I sketch the piece on a notebook or an iPad,” he says.

Step 5: He also draws the artwork digitally on a photo of the wall for a clear vision of what it will eventually look like.

Step 6: Then comes the execution. “I make a grid of the artwork by starting with outlines and sketching,” he says.

Step 7: After the base is ready, he begins layering the piece by adding big elements and then details.

Step 8: “Next I focus on the structure in the front to give my artwork proper form,” he explains.

Step 9: Lastly, he adds highlights and depth as a finishing touch.

Tip 1: Abhedya advises every beginner to start with stencils. “They are easily available and customizable, and will provide the most finesse for a beginner,” he says.

Tip 2: “I always work better when I listen to music. I channel my imagination by listening to electronic, hip-hop and jazz while doing a graffiti piece,” he says.

Daku

Zake

Zero

Mooz

Tyler

Currently Abhedya is working on an artwork that will celebrate the summer 2022 launch of the watermelon-flavoured Red Bull Red Edition. He’s painting a special surf board to celebrate the spirit of summer as well as the energy drink.

“I’ve chosen watermelon colours for the surf board. I’ve never painted one before, that too on the beach, so the idea is really exciting to me,” he says.

This guide addresses effective responses to the problem of graffiti—the wide range of markings, etchings and paintings that deface public or private property.† In recent decades, graffiti has become an extensive problem, spreading from the largest cities to other locales. Despite the common association of graffiti with gangs, graffiti is widely found in jurisdictions of all sizes, and graffiti offenders are by no means limited to gangs.

† Although graffiti is also found within public or private property (such as in schools), this guide primarily addresses graffiti in places open to public view.

Because of its rising prevalence in many areas—and the high costs typically associated with cleanup and prevention—graffiti is often viewed as a persistent, if not an intractable, problem. Few graffiti offenders are apprehended, and some change their methods and locations in response to possible apprehension and cleanups.

As with most forms of vandalism, graffiti is not routinely reported to police. Many people think that graffiti is not a police or "real crime" problem, or that the police can do little about it. Because graffiti is not routinely reported to police or other agencies, its true scope is unknown. But graffiti has become a major concern, and the mass media, including movies and websites glamorizing or promoting graffiti as an acceptable form of urban street art, have contributed to its spread.

Although graffiti is a common problem, its intensity varies substantially from place to place. While a single incident of graffiti does not seem serious, graffiti has a serious cumulative effect; its initial appearance in a location appears to attract more graffiti. Local graffiti patterns appear to emerge over time, thus graffiti takes distinctive forms, is found in different locations, and may be associated with varying motives of graffiti offenders. These varying attributes offer important clues to the control and prevention of graffiti.

For many people, graffiti's presence suggests the government's failure to protect citizens and control lawbreakers. There are huge public costs associated with graffiti: an estimated $12 billion a year is spent cleaning up graffiti in the United States. Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity.

Graffiti is not an isolated problem. It is often related to other crime and disorder problems, including:

Public disorder, such as littering, public urination and loitering

Shoplifting of materials needed for graffiti, such as paint and markers1

Gangs and gang violence, as gang graffiti conveys threats and identifies turf boundaries

Property destruction, such as broken windows or slashed bus or train seats.

Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem will help you frame your own local analysis questions, determine good effectiveness measures, recognize key intervention points, and select appropriate responses.