I was up in Portland MA a little while ago visiting the Portland college of Art (awesome by the way.) Within about 4 minutes of arriving to the petite city, I was surrounded by an army of the word ANON. it was written in black marker and adorned everything: Street signs, walls, benches, windows. I was almost expecting it on people’s foreheads as they strolled past me. I don’t know who ANON is but its like he went all city, then went all city 4 more times. (*all city is where one will try to get there name all over the city.) There was so much graffiti in the place there was a special wall built just for the artists complete with garbage cans for spray paint cans. The wall is one of the most magnificent things I’ve ever seen. The uber-rad piece of concrete was decorated with color, soul, and opinion. (I took pics and there should be an attachment.)
After being there for about a day I started counting the various ANON’s around the city. I got up to 108 before I lost track. I don’t know ANON since they are a tad anonymous. so I can’t say that it isn’t a form of artwork. But to me it seemed the ever old attention grabber, you know? After my adventures in Portland I ended up buying a Banksy book ( http://www.banksy.co.uk/ ) and a Graffiti women book.
As a chick who wants to rock the art world some day, my vision is severely askew when it comes to graffiti. I was just wondering what you lot think about it. In my opinion art is all about the artist’s own motivations and reasons. But still, where’s the line between mindless tags and street art. What do you all consider rubbish or godly?
I think that the term "graffiti aritst" may vary well be valid, as a lot of the results can be quite powerful, however, I think that when it is done on property without consent, this is purely vandalism and not be tolarated. When it is focused toward something more constructive, that's great!
I feel that graffiti art has something to say -- usually there's a reason why a person would intentionally risk vandalizing property in order just to write a message. I have a sort of admiration for graffiti artists, since to them any blank building wall or empty space is a canvas for them to produce their work on. I know that there is "mindless tagging" done when people do graffiti, and I think that it's wrong when they are pointless and irrelevant to anything -- but there are some powerful messages out there done in graffiti and it's just an art form that really makes a person stop and capture their attention.
i read a book about the philosophy of art and it basically said that art is something that is taken out of your mind and mended for the world can understand. they are just all ideas out there. and if the random tagging is someone's way for them to get the ideas out of their minds then it is art. no other artist can say someone else's art isn't art!
I love graffiti. :D
You should check out the public art walls in venice beach california. Truly something to be rememebered.