What Is Graffiti Art?
The art of graffiti has become a part of our everyday lives. Somewhere or the other, one can witness this street art as he travels through the city. Though today graffiti is considered one of the most creative art forms in the world and an impressive means of expression, there are still debates about it being an act of vandalism.
Graffiti History Facts
The history of graffiti dates back to ancient times when men used to draw on the walls for communication purposes. However, the contemporary graffiti we see today was first started in Philadelphia and New York in the 1960s just like that of hip-hop culture. Groups of artists known as crews or taggers were the first ones to spread the concept of graffiti in New York’s subway cars. They were of the idea that instead of painting on a stationary surface, graffiti could reach places and advertised when it is drawn on a moving vehicle such as the subway trains.
In 1984, a law was passed to eliminate graffiti art on subway cars. The program called ‘Clean Cars’ was launched that stated that a subway car can operate only when it is steer clear of any kinds of graffiti over it. This five-year plan was quickly adopted and was quite successful. However, the graffiti artists started using aerosol paint cans to paint the walls of the city.
Today, graffiti has become more of a cultural phenomenon to express people’s political views, traditions, rage, and humorous aspects. Posters, 3D graffiti, Stencil, Wildstyle, Blockbuster, Throw-Ups, and Tags are some of the most popular and trending graffiti styles these days. There is also a style called “pissing” that involves filling fire extinguishers with paint and spraying them over high walls.
No matter what, graffiti is an amazing art form that is fun, unique, and talks about the feelings of the public. There are even graffiti competitions being conducted in several countries around the world.