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Makayla Engstrum
English 1050
Essay 2
August 3, 2011
Graffiti
Is graffiti a form of art? This is an age old question and no matter who you ask you will
get varying answers. Does the works of graffiti artists get to stand next to works such as The
Sistine Chapel done by Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa? Before
carefully analyzing and studying weeks four-eight my answer was absolutely not. I did not
believe that the expression of graffiti could be called art because the graffiti I see while is very
elaborate and took a lot of talent is nothing more than a name or a way to mark out a territory.
What I didn’t realize is that graffiti is so much more than a name on a side of a rail car. It is a
way to have your voice heard, claim your space, express yourself, make a political statement,
promote business, etc. Because of this I now can stand and say that yes graffiti is a form of art.
No one person can define what art really is. That is the beauty of being an artist whether it is
contemporary, realism, graffiti, etc. To each individual different works can be art and all hold a
different meaning. Graffiti as defined by dictionary.com as writing or drawings scribbled,
scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public space. Art as defined by
dictionary.com as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,
typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated
primarily for their beauty or emotional power. By the exact definition and the varying examples
that I will be discussing from weeks four through eight you will see that yes graffiti does belong
in the category of art.
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“A truly “public” art provides society with the symbolic representation of collective
beliefs as well as a continuing re-affirmation of the collective sense of self.”(301) This quotation
from Cockcroft and Sanchez illustrates the importance that an art for the people isn’t dictated by
a set of rules or guidelines rather representation of the artist and what their beliefs are. This is
precisely why in the article it was so important for the people to claim a space through art
because they were different than others and so was their art. Unlike the early art of the Europeans
which was usually reserved for the upper and educated classes this new art form having a
mixture of collages, brushwork, and bright colors brought something unique and different and
was for them a new form of art. They weren’t looking for the art to be accepted necessarily
rather to create something that they felt they could call their own. This is also true of graffiti
while it may not be widely accepted as a form of art the brushwork, painting, etc. is done simply
as a way to express self and create something that represents a space of their own.
While Crockcroft and Sanchez have a softer approach to showing that the forms of
collages, brushwork, and bright colors are art. Banksy is completely opposite and is very
straightforward and just comes out and tells you exactly the way it is. What I admire most about
him as an artist is that he is proud to call himself a graffiti artist. He loves what he does and he
will defend graffiti to anyone. Banksy admits that he must dodge police and sneak out in the
middle of the night to create his beautiful works of art but he explains that doesn’t take away
from the finished work. Banksy explains that graffiti is not only art but is the most democratic of
art forms. This I believe to be very true because what is more democratic than not having to
color within the lines so to speak or censor your work. Graffiti allows the artist free range to do
whatever they want and because they aren’t charging an admission to see the work and because
nobody knows it was them you know you will see a very honest form of art. I whole heartedly
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believe that people act differently when they know they are being watched. So with graffiti you
are getting nothing but the truth and that I believe is a quality characteristic of art. Banksy also
describes that with graffiti there is no elitism or hype. This I believe Banksy shares because those
who have been established as legitimate artists and that are accepted by critics stay within the
limits and when art is about expressing yourself you must be careful to never deviate to far or
else you will be look at as less legitimate in the art community. In other words I believe that in a
way Banksy was taking a little jab at other artists who fall into that category. Banksy also takes
not only a textual approach but a visual approach as well. He makes bold and outrageous
statements with his work such as a piece done showing aide works being held back while news
reporters and documentary photographers took pictures of a small child that was bleeding and
was standing in rubble from her home.
While the form of art is different the concept is the same in Bowden’s article. Cordona is
explained as being about his business and his business is the border city of bruises, death, dirt,
and love. “Beauty is everywhere.” His photograph of a canal of agues negras (contaminated
water) on page 423 explains how his feelings as an artist is to see beauty in anything even if it is
a young girl hanging clothes on a drying line next to a river of contaminated water. “I think a
photograph uncovers what is hidden and then what is hidden comes before the public eye.” This
is relatable to really any art form out there and that art is about expressing yourself before the
public eye. Because Cordona snuck into different factories to get these pictures really reinforces
the point that people always act differently when they know they are being watched so you feel
like it’s more real because they aren’t acting they are just living. If nobody is around you will get
the most truthful forms of emotion. Ultimately this is what an artist is trying to strive for. Graffiti
gives you that out of bounds truthful emotion because nobody is around and it is just you and
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your canvas. He takes an area that most wouldn’t consider beautiful and displays the true beauty
within. Like all art it is about interpretation so if the artist is displaying the expression it is what
they consider true beauty.
The ideas that Satrapi uses to express the truth of the Islamic revolution is through a
comic strip. This form of art allows readers who have anywhere from no knowledge of the
Islamic revolution in Iran to clearly understand how Satrapi viewed the revolution and what
meaning it had to her through art. This is much like that of graffiti because it gives a first hand
view of what the artist is feeling and how they are viewing a particular topic. Some graffiti art
can be simple or it can be very powerful much like that of Satrapi and Banksy who are
expressing their opinions on two very different yet very important events in time and political
issues. Satrapi style of using the comic strip was really effective and made it easy to understand
and kept you wanting to read more. It’s almost like an attention getting device in that you are
first hooked by the art and then move towards the message being expressed. The leaders feared
capitalism and so they tried to take away knowledge and privileges to keep the people doing
what they wanted. I think this is directly relatable to graffiti in that sometimes graffiti isn’t
accepted by the majority as a way of keeping the majority in power or in arts case confined to a
particular style so other artists won’t be recognized.
I believe that the basic concept presented by Banksy, Bowden, as well as Cockcroft and
Sanchez are similar they go about it in various ways. They all share the common belief that true
art is regarded by the artist and is an expression of self. But Bowden expresses this point by view
of Cordona who is a photographer. Banksy expresses his thoughts and opinions in a very real
very visual way seeing as how he is a graffiti artist. Cockcroft and Sanchez point out that the
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expression made by the group of people in the article is a new and inventive art form. But
something that was very different from author to author was the tone and the language used.
Banksy had the biggest impact on me because he is very straightforward and gets to the point.
This I like because you aren’t searching for some deeper meaning or underlying message.
Cockcroft and Sanchez use a softer tone and aren’t as straightforward. Cardona’s visual pictures
had the biggest effect on me because you are seeing first hand what he sees on a daily basis and
it is so real you almost feel like it is just a photo journal of his life.
Keeping in mind the definition of both art and graffiti we see that graffiti is not only a
form of expression but a form of art at its finest. Let us never forget that art cannot and should
not be defined by a single person. To each individual different works can be art and all hold a
different meaning. This is the beauty of art and we should always cherish it.
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Works Cited
Banksy. "Claiming Interpretive Space." George, Diana and John Trimbur. Reading Culture. New York:
Pearson, 2001. 305-308.
Bowden, Charles. "Camera Of Dirt." George, Diana. Reading Culture. New York: Pearson, 2001. 421-426.
Cockcroft, Eva Sperling and Holly Barnet-Sanchez. "Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals."
George, Diana and John Trimbur. Reading Culture. New York: Pearson, 2001. 300-305.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. 30 July 2001 <www.dictionary.com>.
Satrapi, Marjane. "The Veil." George, Diana and John Trimbur. Reading Culture. New York: Pearson,
2001. 370-377.