Graffiti As Art ( 2. August 2006, 22:45 by Derek Young) ~ Discussion
This conversation has been floating around on the city’s arts listserve for a few days now. At first I didn’t want to join in, but then…
Charles Creso of the Sixth Avenue Art Gallery sent out this photo with a series of questions including “is it art?” In my understanding of the world, graffiti can be art. A few months ago I spent several hours in East London photographing pieces in the style of Banksy – a master of stencils that made headlines a few years ago for hanging his own canvases on the walls of museums in New York and London – without them knowing about it. There is something unique and alluring to his images. I’m not going to try and define art. But, if I’m wandering between markets and alleys looking for a signature graffiti style of a particular person – there’s art in there somewhere.
Is graffiti art or vandalism?
That word has a lot of negative connotations and it alienates people, so no, I don’t like to use the word ‘art’ at all. – Banksy
In my mind, for art to be good requires a vision and execution that goes beyond mere happenstance. Just because I have a canvas and paints, doesn’t make me an artist. Just because somebody graffitis a wall, doesn’t make them an artist. Where the line falls is, of course, the challenge for us.
Once we start talking about the ownership of the ‘canvas’, things get more complicated. At that point, the longevity of the piece may be as secure as a sand castle.
A response on the listserve summarized my thoughts pretty succinctly:
...How would you respond if someone questioned whether what you do is art?
I have seen many different forms of art and have often thought…”What were they thinking?” but, keeping an open mind and trying to understand the art as the artist intended is, I think, what art is all about.
Art is open to interpretation, the greats always buck the line and explore new and radical ideas. I applaud Charles Creso for keeping an open mind, despite the defacement of his building. I wonder about those who, having not been harmed in any way, have automatically condemed and critiqued the graffiti in question.
“There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.” -Sir Francis Bacon
So when I look at this particular piece… ehh… I think we could do better before having this discussion… But that’s just my opinion.
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I must credit the piece to the right to the artist currently known as “The Purple Rain URN8R.” His/her work is lighting up the Uptown/Franklin neighborhood. If the artist resides in Section 8 housing, then the caption between the pieces may indeed be one of the finest graffitique homages to civil society. “Purp” has donated freelance work on a few public property ‘found objects’ in close proximity to my house.
1 | Posted by Wildono | Aug 3, 10:48 PM
Check out the new art review in The Stranger.
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=45208
The UW sculpture program requires us to complete an exercise in performance art. I chose to create an art work in chalk in public. In my research of the Seattle graffiti laws, I found that chalk is one of the banned mediums. I intentionally chose civil disobedience when I could not get permission from the Parks Department to create a large chalk mural in the Westlake Center. The work I created and video taped drew attention from a crowd during evening rush hour, security and finally the Seattle police. The police choose to let the infraction pass as the work was not “lewd”. What I learned: law enforcers can choose when and when not to enforce, some unjust laws need to be challenged and art does need to push boundries, thats what it does best, makes one think, starts discussions and helps build a just society.
I feel that for me it was the finesse of being respectful, polite, in my interactions with the public that kept me out of a ticket. However the circumstances, I was prepared for the consequences of the steep $365 ticket and the litigation that would soon follow. I may re-visit this intention to challange and maybe to change the law. For now it sits as an almost succesful work of art.
John Karl
The new wall is up and is dedicated to true art of tacoma. Niles and Clone worked overtime on this project and it looks amazing. Thank you for making this space available to these emerging artists. These are the next wave of artists in Tacoma.
3 | Posted by Jason | Aug 8, 12:42 PM
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