HISTORY OF GRAFFITI

Graffiti has been around for millions of years. Romans wrote on the walls of buildings they conquered and cave men drew illustrations on cave walls, although graffiti has not been in the United States quite that long. Graffiti first became big in New York and spread through other states. It started as tagging or writing your name on a street sign. Then gangs used graffiti as a way to mark territory. Not long after, graffiti became a form of art. It inspired young artists to come out and use this new art as a form of self expression. Whatever mood they were feeling they were able to make somthing beautiful. Lee Quinones, one of many graffiti artists, changed the grimy place near Brooklyn bridge into an incredible gallery of art.

Graffiti started moving from streets to subways and quickly became competitive. Graffiti artists had to compete for space and it inevitably offended property owners. This, and the misunderstanding that all graffiti represented gang activity, led to community pressure on polititions. But still graffiti artists strive to improve their art which is constantly changing.

Graffiti. This is something most of us see everyday. It is all over walls and buildings downtown. My school is in the center of "Graffiti Heaven". But have you ever thought about graffiti? When you do think of graffiti, does your mind go to vandalism... or art? Yes, there is plenty of graffiti that is rude and disrespectful. But it can be used for good. For art. Art is a good way to express your true feelings. It is the same with graffiti. Some of us might not view graffiti as art, but, believe it or not, it is.

Graffiti is a form of self-expression and creativity. Some graffiti artists might be angry at something or someone. They take it out on the walls. Some people paint graffiti just to be vandalizing. Gangs paint graffiti to mark their territory. But some people create graffiti with a hidden message. Some people make graffiti with a purpose- to let out their feelings and to add a bit of color in everyone's lives. I know whenever I walk downtown, I see mostly colorful graffiti. Graffiti that is not disresepctful.

Some people are actually paid to paint graffiti. For example, the TATS CRU in New York is known as the Mural Kings for painting graffiti in subways and streets. The TATS CRU is sometimes paid to advertise on the street walls with their graffiti. The TATS CRU is another example of ways graffiti can be used.