Posted on Wed, 23rd Apr 2008 by Sevgi Safer
Behind The Line
Graffiti - nuisance or art?
Graffiti is a complex and controversial art culture that has taken a massive revolutionary turn in recent years. Once perceived as a a defacing nuisance it has now, with the fame of street artists like Banksy and Obey, taken a complete 360 turn to become a fashionable form of outdoor art, commissioned for major advertising campaigns such Coca Cola's Sprite can design launched a few years ago and Volvo's new ad campaign launched just recently. Some may say commercial exposure is a good thing for street artists while other's claim it's defeating the object of the graffiti culture - a rebel's sport. What are your views? Are we simply glorifying public sabotage?
Here are some other comments on the subject and check out Temper Does Grafitti
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Comments
Thu, 24th Apr 2008 10:23 am
What Banksy has done is to move graffiti from the perception (by most) of being purely destructive and mundane content to a more cerebral artform. What one then has to consider is that if 'Graffiti' becomes elitist (i.e purchased by celebs etc) then it seems to me that it no longer represents street culture and 'rebellion'...There is probably room for both but for me they are miles apart.
Thu, 24th Apr 2008 19:28 pm
Absolutely. They are miles apart now but they still stem from the same root - there is a certain sadness to this reality. Graffiti is losing what it stands for. Artists like Banky were once looked upon (by aspiring writers) as an icon yet now they (the aspiring writers) feel he has betrayed them by tuning commercial. Only today did I hear someone accuse him of being a hypocrite. He still paints illegally on private properties yet also paints on commissioned canvasses and sells them to the rich and famous!
Fri, 25th Apr 2008 09:44 am
I think Banksy is a legend. Having lived in Bristol I have seen his work first hand and loved what it added to the streetscape and of course his political/satirical comment. rock on Banksy.
Mon, 28th Apr 2008 16:40 pm
What Banksy has done is take the PUNK out of ROCK
Tue, 6th May 2008 13:50 pm
Sadly the only 'artists' round my way are called Wanksy.