Graffiti - Art or Vandalism?

[Jim]

Art or Vandalism - This argument seems to be one which is timeless, but for me its pretty straight forward.

There are 3 ways you can with this argument; Vandalism, art or both. For me when someone says 'Its art NOT vandalism' they are fucking retarded. After telling them that they'd bitch about how it looks 'sooo cool!' etc. Which for me, ISN'T a valid argument. If I thought a broken window looked awesome, then lobbed a brick through your damn window and said it was art I'd get arrested.

Then there are the people who say 'Vandalism! It looks shit!'. These people are more formally known as 'cunts'. They are the type who could see a Van Gogh piece on canvas in a museum and think 'Wow! The brush strokes, this is amazing, so beautiful!', then see it on the wall outside and turn their stuck-up noses up at it and tut like a wanker before reading the Daily Express like a typical bandwagon-jumping-prick.

Then there are those who say 'Both, it is a piece of art which is inappropriately placed on someone else's property'. These people are smart, open-mined individuals who know what the fuck they're talking about. Some may say 'Yes, but what if its badly drawn', well as you probably know art is based on opinion. I for one think Picasso's drawings look like shit, and wouldn't pay £5 for one, but there are people who are prepared to pay millions.

[d72]

I love grafitti. I love Banksy. I hate seeing gang signs and names sprawled all over mailboxes. I have the exact same opinion on it as you do.

[Zany]

sometimes its art. sometimes its vandalism. and sometimes its both.

[To Idolize]

Personally I find Graffiti to be both. The people who just go out there and do pointless Graffiti I find it to be vandalism. On the other hand, the people who make Graffiti artistic, I find it very interesting and definitely artwork.

[Mikey`]

Depends to me i guess, if its on just random walls throughout a city, such as like tunnels, and the subway, tbh thats awsome, but if someone goes and sprays profanity words all over someone's car or truck, thats vandalism.

[oReWaZ]

if its done shit, vandalism, good, art but depends where its done and the peoples opinions on it, imo i like it if its not like on public places and done where everyone can enjoy it and there are no problems wit it :D (thought out sht right there)

[Devlz]

I really love graffiti, I only think it's vandalism once it's used in a way which offends people. Such as the words Jew, Nigger, Faggot, etc.

If it's used in a way of drawing I think it's great.

I myself do graffiti sometimes, but without offending people. It's real fun.

James, do you have any pictures of your graffiti work? I'd love to see it. 

[o0 Thug o0]

Mhh.. You say van gogh or picasso are shit. But you don't understand point why people like them. It's not about how good their drawings are, they were the original artist who created styles that you and i use. so you think 'the fuck i am?' yeah you are, because art got to the point that it is now because of them...

Anyway, on topic. I am for graffiti because I like it myself. I don't think they are misplaced or vandalism. Not because it's cool, but because every type of art has its own 'paper'.

[Ethan|Unicornz]

i think tagging with just scribbles and shit is vandalism, but the more artistic stuff can actually look really cool. so it really depends on what you think of when you think of graffiti, in my opinion.

[Jim]

Mhh.. You say van gogh or picasso are shit. But you don't understand point why people like them. It's not about how good their drawings are, they were the original artist who created styles that you and i use. so you think 'the fuck i am?' yeah you are, because art got to the point that it is now because of them...

Anyway, on topic. I am for graffiti because I like it myself. I don't think they are misplaced or vandalism. Not because it's cool, but because every type of art has its own 'paper'.

I didn't say Picasso was shit, I said that in my opinions his drawings look like shit, and trying to argue that because he was one of the founders of modern art means fuck all to me. That's like trying to argue that a 1946 Ford Escort is great because that's where the 2008 model originated from.

I really love graffiti, I only think it's vandalism once it's used in a way which offends people. Such as the words Jew, ******, Faggot, etc.

If it's used in a way of drawing I think it's great.

I myself do graffiti sometimes, but without offending people. It's real fun.

James, do you have any pictures of your graffiti work? I'd love to see it. 

I don't have any pictures, or to be honest even a decent piece as of yet, but I will be posting some in the future.

[d72]

I really want to try stencil grafitti now lol

[Shut Up Kid]

its black art.

[Lat]

its black art.

and u are a faggot that needs to be banned already

[d72]

its black art.

lol Suburban Faggot

[PINGA]

Art to a certain extent, when used on a property owned by someone other than yourself, Its vandalism.

[il killzy il]

Depends where it is... I think both it's beautiful but sometimes it goes too far...

[MasterRoy]

its art!!! some people should get arrested cause they pretty much suck but the ones that do a good job should keep it up i rly love graffiti

[Mori]

sometimes its art. sometimes its vandalism. and sometimes its both.

[`Mike]

sometimes its art. sometimes its vandalism. and sometimes its both.

seems about right, depends what type it is.. cant be doing with people who just write their names on walls and shit lol

[Cal]

Art

[gfdgfd]

It's vandalism, plain and simple, somebody could paint the mona lisa on somebody's wall, would still be vandalism, because that person did not fewking ask for it to be painted there, it looks shit anyway, a large majority of the time it's just a word that nobody gives a shit about, if it's like Banksy, then fair enough his work is good, but has he never heard of a canvas.

[Jay]

I love grafitti. I love Banksy. I hate seeing gang signs and names sprawled all over mailboxes. I have the exact same opinion on it as you do.

I agree, banksy does some of the best stencils ive ever seen. In Melbourne there is a lot of graffiti. People mostly do pieces etc. I don't like 'bombs' across peoples back fences and stuff like that. I do legal graffiti for youth groups and stuff.

[Robbyy]

I had a friend who passed away last year, (R.I.P) and he was an avid graffiti artist. I used to watch him doodle away in his "black book". The drawings in themselves were so complicated and well thought out, I was amazed.

In my opinion, the graffiti on paper is just as good as the ones on public buildings. Each and every one has their own meaning and story behind it, even the gang related ones (though I don't like that type of graffiti)

So, graffiti can go both ways. I even read about in new york they opened a special section where graffiti artists could spray and not be charged with vandalism. My m8 wanted to go one day, sadly, he never will be able to.

I wanna go one day, and tag his name ^^

But yeah, both ways.

[Guest Emote|Muse]

The world has more to be worrying about than spraypainted names on walls, I think it's really neat and I love seeing it.

[Ellijah|Stoned]

Well to be neutral there are sometimes Good Graffiti and Bad Graffiti. Good Graffiti= Actual Art, My uncle was apart of a famous Tagging Crew in New york and there Tags actually looked good and looked like art. Then, the Bad Graffiti is when you see pointless shit that looks like shit . So idk Graffiti is good till a point.