The aim of this thesis is to explore graffiti and street art and explain why this art form deserves to be respected. I will challenge the negative connotations of street art and graffiti by examining how graffiti has been used as a means of doing good throughout its existence and why it has earned its place in society. I will discuss its appearances in New York and its importance in the Egyptian revolution, as well as why graffiti and street art should stay on the streets and not in galleries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayGraffiti has been around since the late 1960s and has influenced many people over time and given the world artists who are of great importance to art. history like Jean-Michel Basquiat for example. It has its roots in struggle and the need to demand and receive respect and to be able to speak out when we feel like we are being silenced. “It’s an opportunity to express your frustrations, to say things you wouldn’t dare talk about.” Graffiti and street art are mediums that have always divided the public. Some understand the motivations behind them and believe it is a beneficial art form that we can all enjoy. However, on the other end of the spectrum are people who have an extremely negative view of graffiti and street art. This form of art is often frowned upon because it falls outside the box that society has painted for us. We are meant to stay inside this box and act accordingly according to the four lines around us, whether we like it or not. Graffiti challenges this psychology and is therefore seen as a blatant manifestation of disruption and disrespect. However, if one is unhappy with the limits and restrictions imposed by society and believes that there is room for change, it is much easier to change or challenge the system in question. off the beaten track. Acting from the outside shows that you will not comply. to societal norms and this is often seen as a shock because we, as a society, are so used to living within boundaries, even without realizing it. This therefore arouses controversy and raises awareness of certain issues. The main goal of graffiti is not to bring about physical change but rather to create a conversation. The way in which the message is transmitted is therefore much more important than its meaning itself. “Medium is the message” Not all street art needs to have a political rationale to be appreciated. However, nowadays we see everything in black, white and shades of gray. Graffiti is imaginative, expressive and artistic, it is something that shows us the colors of the world. Graffiti began to appear in New York in the 1970s. The city was in disarray; on the verge of bankruptcy, with growing slums and increasing crime rates. The sudden explosion of graffiti was a visual representation of New York City at the time. Small labels with markers quickly grew into large, elaborate works of art and the larger the art became, the larger the canvas. Subway cars became the favorite canvas for New York writers, if you wanted to get a message across, scribbling on a wall in your neighborhood wasn't enough, New York subway cars ran all over the city and it was guaranteed that everyone would do it. see what you wanted to post there. It's akey motivation behind graffiti and street art: allowing everyone, from different ranks of society, to see the writings of these artists, raises awareness of how the other half lives. The city's financial woes also contributed to the rise of graffiti – with the city unable to eradicate and combat it, urban decoration grew up around the city. Eventually, graffiti began to be more associated with crime, leading to the misconception that all graffiti artists are vandals and criminals. Although we cannot deny that graffiti is an act of vandalism, I do not believe that it is carried out simply because someone wants to tag public or private property and pose a threat to society. Except for some. There is a reason behind why these writers do it. The presence of graffiti, no matter where it is located, automatically allows it to become a catalyst for dialogue, good or bad. While many graffiti artists gain experience by experimenting with forms of vandalism, some do not view their works as a defacement of public or private property at all, but rather as a means of giving a voice to those who are disenfranchised. Over time, the financial burden of graffiti's influence on cities has since changed, with some graffiti and street art arguably contributing to gentrification and helping to increase the attractiveness of certain neighborhoods. An example of this is in neighborhoods like SoHo, statistics show that despite larger collections of graffiti, crime rates are rather low. And street art in New York, once considered a sign of criminal disorder, now attracts tourists and more urban consumers. businesses and advertisements aim to achieve. This in turn becomes a huge benefit to the economy, proving that street art and graffiti can truly benefit society and that these elaborate works bring much more to the table. People who want to remove graffiti and those who carry it out are ultimately working toward the same goal, but in opposite terms: making their surroundings more beautiful. Terminology also has an effect on how graffiti is interpreted. While 'graffiti' is mainly linked to gangs and 'irrelevant' tags scrawled across cities, the term 'street art' softens the perception of these works, this could be because the use of the word 'art' » shows that there is a process behind the piece and she literally calls it art, but you can't have one without the other. This method of thinking is supported by the theory of symbolic interactionism: people act toward things based on the meaning those things have for them and that these meanings are derived from social interaction and modified through interpretation. An example of this theory in practice is that when faced with an artist doing the same graffiti but one with a brush and the other with a spray paint, the brush is seen as a much less "criminal" tool whereas the spray aerosol already has terribly negative connotations, so society will react as such. Graffiti artist Veng is the perfect example of this problem. He states that when he paints outside with paintbrushes he is ignored, but when he paints the exact same room with spray paint he is viewed with suspicion and is often questioned by the police. A paradise for graffiti and street art However, this has not only proven to be a beneficial factor for a city's economy and tourism. They are a sign of hope. Moving away from the painted subway cars of the 1970s, welet us head towards the walls of Egypt. In April 2008, the April 6 Youth Movement was founded to promote peaceful political activism. Originally to support the workers of El-Mahalla, an industrial city in northern Egypt. The workers planned to strike on April 6 to protest for workers' rights. The group's goal was originally simply to document the country's struggles on social media. However, as the crackdown on protests continued, Egyptian activists called for an uprising in January 2011, to protest the poverty and corruption the country had faced for 30 years. under the rule of President Hosni Mubarak. This uprising was sparked by the death of Khaled Said at the hands of Egyptian police a year earlier. Graffiti became another April 6 tool to show the struggle their country was facing. First small silhouettes of Khaled Said appeared, then stencils of other people who suffered at the hands of the authorities. When street art started to appear, it confirmed that all of these artists were a small part of something big. It did what art is supposed to do: highlight shared feelings, thoughts, and impulses that many or many needed to hear. Many think that graffiti simply manifests itself as paint on a wall, but it can actually be exhibited in many other forms. There is a subculture of graffiti that is linked to advertising because it is something people are familiar with and resonates with them. An example of this is Ganzeer, an artist who used posters and stickers to show his opposition. This type of graffiti could be more accepted by society because it is more appropriate methods. The majority of artists involved in April 6 were young and educated. “The artists I met were all courteous and intelligent minds who had much more to say than just creating art on the walls.” This addresses the misconception that all graffiti artists are uneducated hooligans who would otherwise have an interest in not defacing public property. Street art became such an important part of the uprising that posters on "How to Revolt Smart" began to circulate, giving individuals important instructions and tactics on how to deal with incoming tear gas canisters and rubber bullets. they were caught writing by the authorities. This shows that graffiti can be a dangerous game and that writing is so meaningful that they risk their lives to do it. Another example of artists knowing their stuff is a group of people in Cambridge who labeled luxury homes in Latin script. “locus in domos” and “loci populum” meaning “room in the house” and “local population”. It's proof that graffiti artists can be intelligent people who know their neighborhood and their audience and that what is considered "senseless vandalism" requires a lot of thought. Street art reflects the difference between revolution and the system. While the system killed and caused suffering to many, the revolution immortalized and brought comfort, demonstrating that the Egyptian people will never forget. While the system has built walls on the country's streets, the revolution has transformed what was supposed to be obstructive into colorful and playful pieces. Once you throw a coin at a wall and make your feelings known so publicly, that emotion is no longer yours. It belongs to everyone. It shows the world the vulnerability of an artist. And this is an important factor forincite change, because not only does he communicate with people, but he encourages them to interact with him, either through social media or even responding by making their own graffiti. This is a reminder that graffiti artists are not beings without emotions and without regard for their surroundings, because even though they are unpleasant, graffiti gives the public a glimpse into the minds of these artists. From a graphic design perspective, encouraging conversation and interaction through my work is important because it shows that the message is being spread and has reached its target audience. The political motivation of street art is not limited to the Middle East. Closer to home, artists like Banksy are also producing their works with the aim of raising awareness and opening doors of conversation. “I like to think I have the courage to stand up to democracy and call for things no one else believes in – like peace, justice and freedom. » Banksy turned this distinct, undercover hobby into a profitable career that proves Banksy's and many others' points. artists like to prove about society. His works became highly valuable and sought after, the popularity of his work propelled graffiti and street art to the forefront of contemporary art and, in turn, made graffiti a slightly more art form. acceptable simply because it makes money. Banksy's works are almost always against capitalism and "making a lot of money". The people who run our country and our cities don't believe that graffiti, like everything else, deserves to exist unless it generates profit. “But if you just value money, your opinion is worthless. The upper strata of society are always the target of his messages and yet these are the strata of society who avoid graffiti and want to restrict this art are also very quick to pay £500.00 for a work by Bansky. When people buy pieces like this, they expect to be able to do whatever they want with it and get more out of it. The city would be much happier if they could take this £500,000 work of Bansky off the wall and put it in a gallery, but this is not being well received by artists and those with a true love of graffiti, like me. Street art isn't street art if it's not in the street. “Street art is meant to be seen in its natural environment, not in a gallery or a rich man's house. That’s why it’s called street art. “The location of an artist's work is just as important as its content and, as such, it is best made site-specific. An example of this is Banksy’s work in the West Bank. The two freestanding walls were apparently sold to the Keszler Gallery by Palestinian authorities, who then attempted to resell these pieces for up to $750,000. This defeats the very purpose of the piece. The Palestine works are among Bansky's most popular pieces and were intended to highlight the struggle of the Palestinian people in the Palestine/Israel conflict and to bring some color to a place that would otherwise be dust and rubble . Using a visual approach like graffiti to explain a specific topic or issue, abstract or unknown to the majority of the world, is refreshing and brings these issues to the forefront. Banksy-inspired graffiti has more recently been used in primary schools as a way to facilitate learning and help children understand current events. Children are often shielded from sensitive topics such as extremism and their opinions are often ignored because they are children. Some topics are difficult toexplain and difficult to discuss with children and using graffiti is a good way to allow them to express their feelings. A Slough primary school has taken inspiration from Banksy to inspire children to tackle the subject of extremism. Graffiti is a meaningful art form and can be beneficial to young minds, not only encouraging them to simply enjoy the art form, but it also encourages personal growth as it allows them to explore and develop their own personal identity. Because there is no right or wrong way to graffiti, they are able to share their thoughts and emotions with those around them, marking their social and cultural identity. As well as finding a form of escape from their worries and transforming those worries and fears into something creative and colorful, serving as a form of introspection and a message to others. Graffiti and street art like Banksy and Blek le Rat. gave rise to what is known as the guerrilla art movement, this movement still has the same intention as traditional graffiti, but incorporates a variety of other mediums than just painting and wheatpaste posters. Some of these art forms include digital technology, performance art, and installations. There are no rules as to which mediums can be used, which promotes the possibility of opening people's minds, often without them even realizing it. An example of guerrilla art is the augmented reality application “Frenchize the Mona Lisa” created by Amir Baradaran. Baradaran created this channel in response to France's ban on the hijab in public. “In France, the hijab has become a lightning rod for “Frenchness”, a visual threat to the ideals of the so-called secular state. This app featured the iconic painting of Mona Lisa coming to life through a mobile screen and placing the French flag "hijab" on her head. This provokes reflection on what national identity is and whether it even exists. After all, Lisa del Giocondo was an Italian with no ties to France, and she became part of one of the country's capital's most iconic landmarks. Graffiti has also become a language in its own right for certain groups of people. When approaching the writing on the walls, it is difficult to avoid the ancient hieroglyphics of Egypt. But more recently, there was what was called the Hobo Code, a hieroglyphic-like language used by the Hobo as a means of communicating with each other. The Hobo were nomadic individuals who traveled the country to find any type of honest work. They traveled from place to place and were often treated like outcasts and did whatever they could to get by. In order to watch over each other, they created a secret language made up of small icons. To the ordinary eye, these icons looked like simple graffiti on a wall, but to these nomads, these labels had much more meaning. These icons welcomed and alerted individuals. Letting them know that they were not alone and that someone was looking out for them as they sought to provide a better life for their family. These icons indicated a range of different things like: where to find food, if a certain area was safe to sleep in, if there was work available and even how to get food. This language was very carefully thought out and required many people to suffer and endure unfortunate circumstances in order to create this language in the first place. And this language was constantly changing over time to keep up with the changes in life. As a designer this is relevant as it is important to keep up to date with current trends and advancements.