Meaning of graffitiGraffiti is the act of inscribing or drawing on the wall for the purpose of communicating the message to the general public. The term comes from the Greek term "Graphein," which means' to write. "Graffiti has existed since humans first drawing in the caves. However, this paper focuses instead on the pre-history or amateur graffiti, but in modern hip-hop graffiti movement that began in late 1960.
There are three main types of modern graffiti art. The most basic types is a 'tag,' in which the artist writes his own name with a unique style. A more advanced form of tagging is to 'throw-ups,' in which the artist can use bubble-letters, or 'wild style' (Fig. 1) to create more complex designs. The next type of graffiti is 'part' or 'masterpiece,' which usually describes a famous scene or character in such a slogan. This type of graffiti often requires the collaboration of many artists. This is most often found on the subway train (which often take the entire car) or on the private walls.
Because the roots of the word "graffiti" is "to write," the graffiti can be interpreted as an instinctive human need for communication. The motive for producing varied from graffiti artist to artist. However, this motif can be categorically placed in two main groups: Mass Communication / Culture Frustration and Individual Expression.
In the first category there are many different explanations. Mostly, the artists in this category turn to graffiti to express their opinions on the cultural-critical situations they feel are about. (Stowers) Examples include the anti-war mural, portrait idolized figure, or an expression of contempt of authority. (Fig. 3 and 4) Artist in this category also switch to graffiti because of boredom, partly because they felt excluded from society or the arts elite. Less often graffiti crew will tag a particular area to mark territory, such as to let the public know that they "own" a particular block or alley. This specific motif types of graffiti art came into question because the murky border between vandalism and art, though important enough to be recognized.
Graffiti artists who are interested in the art form of individual expression much more creative with their work. They turned to graffiti because they believe that hip-hop style is the closest representation of what they as a person and background they have (Gadsby Ch.3). They feel that the way they want people to see their best expressed through hip-hop. This is the basis of personal socialization as a small child and the environment where he grew up. (Giller 2) Artist in this category usually working to master intricate design "wild-style" graffiti that said they were a little more than a street name, but offers a very attractive aesthetics. (Fig. 5 and 6)
Without a better understanding of why turn graffiti artists, it is not surprising that the average person a picture of a graffiti artist far from accurate. The majority of people tend to associate graffiti with vandalism. They think most of the graffiti artists criminals or gang-Bangers with nothing better to do with their time. As this paper will show, vandalism and graffiti came from very different motives and the environment. Although there is sometimes a fine line between the two, this is what gives graffiti a more organic feel.
Currently, about one-half of the graffiti artists came from white middle and houses high-class, mainly concentrated in the suburbs (Tucker Ch.3; Walsh 11). Although the art form had originally exiled to the low-income urban youth, the explosion of hip-hop style in 1990 brought graffiti to a whole range of new and artistically creative people. The kids from the suburbs seems to be connected with the same message that the children in the city trying to communicate. They use it to show rejection of the values and morals are being pressed on them by their environment. (Wimsatt 11) They feel it is the only way to disrupt sterilized, uniform isonomy from suburban community planned and free themselves from the culture of materialism and consumption.
There are three main types of modern graffiti art. The most basic types is a 'tag,' in which the artist writes his own name with a unique style. A more advanced form of tagging is to 'throw-ups,' in which the artist can use bubble-letters, or 'wild style' (Fig. 1) to create more complex designs. The next type of graffiti is 'part' or 'masterpiece,' which usually describes a famous scene or character in such a slogan. This type of graffiti often requires the collaboration of many artists. This is most often found on the subway train (which often take the entire car) or on the private walls.
Because the roots of the word "graffiti" is "to write," the graffiti can be interpreted as an instinctive human need for communication. The motive for producing varied from graffiti artist to artist. However, this motif can be categorically placed in two main groups: Mass Communication / Culture Frustration and Individual Expression.
In the first category there are many different explanations. Mostly, the artists in this category turn to graffiti to express their opinions on the cultural-critical situations they feel are about. (Stowers) Examples include the anti-war mural, portrait idolized figure, or an expression of contempt of authority. (Fig. 3 and 4) Artist in this category also switch to graffiti because of boredom, partly because they felt excluded from society or the arts elite. Less often graffiti crew will tag a particular area to mark territory, such as to let the public know that they "own" a particular block or alley. This specific motif types of graffiti art came into question because the murky border between vandalism and art, though important enough to be recognized.
Graffiti artists who are interested in the art form of individual expression much more creative with their work. They turned to graffiti because they believe that hip-hop style is the closest representation of what they as a person and background they have (Gadsby Ch.3). They feel that the way they want people to see their best expressed through hip-hop. This is the basis of personal socialization as a small child and the environment where he grew up. (Giller 2) Artist in this category usually working to master intricate design "wild-style" graffiti that said they were a little more than a street name, but offers a very attractive aesthetics. (Fig. 5 and 6)
Without a better understanding of why turn graffiti artists, it is not surprising that the average person a picture of a graffiti artist far from accurate. The majority of people tend to associate graffiti with vandalism. They think most of the graffiti artists criminals or gang-Bangers with nothing better to do with their time. As this paper will show, vandalism and graffiti came from very different motives and the environment. Although there is sometimes a fine line between the two, this is what gives graffiti a more organic feel.
Currently, about one-half of the graffiti artists came from white middle and houses high-class, mainly concentrated in the suburbs (Tucker Ch.3; Walsh 11). Although the art form had originally exiled to the low-income urban youth, the explosion of hip-hop style in 1990 brought graffiti to a whole range of new and artistically creative people. The kids from the suburbs seems to be connected with the same message that the children in the city trying to communicate. They use it to show rejection of the values and morals are being pressed on them by their environment. (Wimsatt 11) They feel it is the only way to disrupt sterilized, uniform isonomy from suburban community planned and free themselves from the culture of materialism and consumption.
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