If we were to define graffiti as any type of writing or pictures drawn on walls, it could trace back to ancient Rome where Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with scenes from the Book of Genesis. We could even trace it further back to the first cave drawings or even Egyptian hieroglyphics. However, the urban style of graffiti that most of us know and recognize is seen on our way home on the subway, on bridges, residential buildings and freight carts; the kind that uses permanent markers and spray paint cans. This urban graffiti art form came from “the States” in the late 1960’s, and rumor has it that it originated in Philadelphia and commuted it’s way to the streets of New York, whereas some see it differently and say that New York gave birth to graffiti. Despite where the origins of graffiti are, this art form, or what others consider “trash” is inevitably a part of our mainstream culture. We see it everywhere in the greater Toronto area, it’s something we cannot avoid and has been around for quite some time.
It is apparent that there are people who reside or own commercial and residential property in the cities, take the subway or visit the city, and they detest the graffiti they see. These people consider it trash, almost like a pollution to the city, and don’t see it as art but rather what makes the beauty of the city life rather ugly. Stereotypically and most commonly these “haters” are believed to be the older generation, and the more orderly law abiding and political. The reason why this belief exists is because of what people perceive the idealistic graffiti artist to be; a 16 to 24 year old, uneducated, a low level income irresponsible or troublesome boy. Conventionally, graffiti is considered to be a masculine sport or hobby, and it’s mostly due to the underlying ideologies of recognition, respect and resistance that graffiti art portrays. Culturally, society believes that it’s a part of masculinity to establish a presence, to gain respect and to defy the mainstream, and these ideologies are evident within the history of graffiti art.
Before graffiti became artistic, it was more competitive, but even before that it was about recognition. Most commonly referred to as “tagging”, graffiti writers were inscribing their street names all over subway cars. When the story of a tagger who went by the name of TAKI 183 was featured in the New York Times, everyone hopped on the graffiti train. Demetrius, who was better known as TAKI 183 was a poor boy from Manhattan who was employed as a foot messenger. This required him to ride the subway frequently, and in doing so he took advantage of it by painting motion tags, writing TAKI 183 (his nickname) all over New York’s subway trains. The appearance of this unusual name and number sparked some public curiosity, prompting the 1971 Times article. He may not have been the first graffiti writer, but he was however the first to be recognized. This paved the way for several other underprivileged youths to tag the streets they grew up in. It was about recognition, and having a place in a subculture of society. This idea of recognition became about much more when tagging turned into a competition. The idea was to have the most tags, and thus be the most recognized or more so like a king. The sole purpose of tagging was to establish your presence, and with so many writers fighting for the top spot, it became harder and harder for writers to stand out from the rest. Presence and recognition meant respect, and with the challenges graffiti writers faced, they found new ways to get their names out there. This is where the more artistic tags came from. Writers began using bright and bold colours; scale changed, whereas writers made their tags much bigger, and used bubble/block/3D letters and more edgy, hip and urban calligraphic styles, and did everything in their effort to stand a part from everyone else.
With so many youths participating in this competition of recognition, subway trains began to fill up with tags, including buildings, catwalks and bridges. This graffiti bombing was becoming an epidemic, the public was not reacting very well towards it, they wanted it gone. So laws restricting the sale of paint to minors were enabled and required merchants to place spray paint in locked cages, which made shoplifting more difficult. Legislation was in the works to make penalties for graffiti more severe. Many favored painting areas became almost inaccessible. Graffiti removal was stronger and more consistent than ever, and this frustrated many writers causing some to quit. However, others were not so easily discouraged, but were still affected. They perceived the new circumstances as a challenge and determined not to be defeated. They challenged the system and resisted against such confinement of expression. Taggers wanted to take back what belonged to them - their proof of existence.
However, due to the lack of resources graffiti artists became extremely territorial and aggressive, claiming ownership to yards (favored alleys, catwalks, and bridges for graffiti paintings). Claiming territory was nothing new in writing, but the difference at this time was that threats were enforced. If a writer went to a yard unarmed he could almost be guaranteed to be beaten and robbed of his painting supplies, and it was at this point that physical strength and unity in street gangs became a major part of the graffiti experience. This is the reason why people attach connotations of poverty, no education homelessness, violence, and street life to graffiti.
Inevitably, graffiti will always be perceived as the result of a youth in revolt. Some will continue to see it as art, and others as garbage. Some corporations even see it as a way to capitalize, commodifying it by inscribing clothing (generally mens apparel), and fitted hats with graffiti like designs to attract the younger, more hip and urban generation. There are artists like Banksy, who comes from Britain, and does stencil graffiti of images that provoke the system and go against capitalism. Graffiti has come a long way since the 1960’s, but for many it is still a form of vandalism.
