Week 7 Graffiti is Art

Graffiti is a form of art that has been debated for years whether it really is art or is it just vandalism. Today’s exact definition according to Britinnicas’s dictionary of graffiti is, "form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group”. This is intriguing because we can see how society works with the division of classes. For people like Chicanx and Latinx who grew up in the lower income cities we see this form of art as a raw expression and identity of the streets. We hold a special tie to graffiti because it is not meant to be in museums where it is the rich white man’s environment. Graffiti makes them uncomfortable because they do not understand our identity and our world. Graffiti is Art, by Charles Bojorquez emphasizes one's voice (identity) is their art. Graffiti is a form of art that allows artist to express their own vision of their world and their identity. Graffiti is writing its own history into art by adding an art form that has no rules relevant to the widely accepted forms of art. This form of art arrived from different times of history from the shoeshine boys, zoo suiters, to gangs. These artists are creating their own spaces where they feel like they belong “by producing their own graffiti magazines, videos, music, and clothing” (121 Bojorquez). By doing so, they are validating themselves in their true identity and world where art institutions cannot accept them. Graffiti will and should never fit into established art institutions until they are ready to accept our part of history and narratives. The most important takeaway is that graffiti is not the modern form of art rather it is the response to our modern society and challenges they face. Forms of graffiti changes as the times go and there is always a new style or purpose for this art.