A graffiti is a painting or a line written in a public place. Graffiti is considered vandalism by some, while art by others. According to the law, it is wrong to do so. But despite being illegal, many people find Graffiti to be an art form.
Graffiti is a form of visual communication and many consider it to be the purest form of art. While some consider it to be an eyesore and a sign of social breakdown. Let's be a devil’s advocate and listen to both sides of the argument.
Can art ever become vandalism?
The primary point put forth by those against considering graffiti as art is that it is done without permission. Moreover, they say that it ruins the aesthetics of public spaces and create litter thus making it vandalism. We should here consider that graffiti can be considered vandalism depending on where it is committed.
If the graffiti doesn’t destroy public buildings or structures then it is not vandalism as it just improves the look. As Graffiti primarily evokes emotions and creates sensationalism thus it is considered a form of artistic expression and ‘art’. The purpose of any art is to arouse emotions and to make a statement. On that front, those who do graffiti express themselves and bring topics of importance to the public eye.
When graffiti is a crime?
Tools of graffiti are not illegal. But when they (paints, spray paint, brushes, etc) are used on personal property, it is a kind of theft. Imagine someone making a cross with black paint on Mona Lisa. In most countries, there are laws against graffiti with punishments ranging from fines to prison time. Anyone convicted of intentionally or recklessly destroying private property can be booked under several laws. Thus, any scribbling, scratching, drawing, or spraying on a wall in an unauthorized manner or on any surface in a public space, can be considered a crime.
A work of graffiti may be artfully compelling to some viewers, but not to others. Surely, the reality is somewhere in between. Graffiti is considered a symbol of rebellion, an exotic form of creativity, and a way to express an individual’s social and political opinions and even sometimes dissatisfaction. Thus it being an art is a purely subjective matter. Though we can say that art and vandalism are somewhat combined to make graffiti.
