Week 7: Graffiti is Art

In “Graffiti is Art'' by Charles “Chaz” Bojorquez, it explains that Graffiti is an art form used to express one’s own identity and create one’s own reality. The purpose of graffiti has always been questioned and seen as a disgraceful act of vandalism. People try to define it as an immoral act that destroys someone’s property with no meaning behind it. Society has made great efforts to punish graffiti artists but do not even question why graffiti exists in the first place. There has been a growing division in society where the public views graffiti as an established art form in the world of art. Or as a danger to society that corrupts the minds of the youth and that anyone involved in should be punished. For the youth graffiti has served as a source of self-expression where adolescents can gain self-esteem. Youth involvement demonstrates that graffiti will never die because new generations are entering the graffiti movement. The history of graffiti stems far back in time, it has been visually represented by placas, gang wall writings in Los Angeles and are a form of allegiance to a specific neighborhood. The graffiti on the walls of Los Angeles convey the Mexican American history in the streets of cities like East Los Angeles. This type of graffiti are the markings of past generations seeking to be validated and respected. The writing on the walls makes them immortal, it also represents their strength and existence in this world. The graffiti movement has drastically developed throughout the years beyond just tagging walls. It shows how the art form has gradually become accepted in society and the personal growth many graffiti writers undergo. Graffiti writers are now questioning the purpose of graffiti and their love for the art form. All of this has helped transform graffiti writers to full professional artists who are willing to dedicate themselves to graffiti.

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman