Graffiti often are social comments with clear messages
Graffiti is a form of art which expresses different opinions, but very often it becomes a form of vandalism.
Essentially, graffiti differs from country to country because it’s messages are social comments.
There are several “legal printing” areas in many cities in the word, like London and Bristol.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, there is an area called Santurce where it is possible to do graffiti legally and this helps to transform it into a major art destination.
A neighborhood often depicted as the epicenter of cool, Williamsburg, inevitably attracts tourists who use the art of its streets as selfie backdrops.
Looking deeper you can discover works showing the many faces of humanity that make up the fabric of our cities.
Why do people feel the need to express themselves through graffiti?
Why is it that young people are prepared to take so many risks to express their opinions? Is it just the general “rush” or do they really have something to say?
Some people do graffiti because they feel that their lives are a bit dull and boring without it. They need that rush of adrenaline in their daily lives.
Another reason why people do graffiti is because some gangs are marking their territory. Their graffiti warns other groups to stay out of their territory. (Or maybe is it just an outlet for some people’s lack of artistic skills?)
What does the general public think of graffiti?
When you say the word “graffiti”, some people think of big, beautiful and colourful artwork, while others think of a mess that makes our towns and cities look untidy and badly maintained.
For most people, however, graffiti is a form of art which is used by artists to express themselves, their opinions, or to promote a rebellion, while others think that graffiti is nothing but scribbles which ruin a town and give a bad impression to tourists.
In conclusion, graffiti is seen by both its supporters and its opponents as a form of culture and crime.
If the graffiti damages private property, it is seen as a crime, but if the graffiti adds beauty to an area or a town, it is seen as a form of art.
I think that graffiti is an art form if they are used to spread messages, but sometimes they are used like an act of vandalism, so in this case they must be punished. In some cities, like Terni, there are many graffiti that ruin the walls, but in other cities like New York or Paris there are important graffiti, in fact there is an artist that is called Bansky, that used graffiti to diffuse messages of protest against wars or pollution.
Some graffiti (NOT on ancient walls or private property, can be amazing: https://www.facebook.com/CheddarNews/videos/2230740400512514/