Architexters

Graffiti has incurred a mixed press over recent years. On the “good press” side, talented artists such as Banksy have made graffiti an artform that is pleasing on the eye, utilising stencils to produce technically challenging graphics loaded with political messages attached. This kind of graffiti was bound to get popular with the public and the artworld : pleasing to the eye, and the intellect. This kind of graffiti is even acquired as canvas prints, and placed in suburban households and corporate meeting rooms.

However, what about the other end of the spectrum? – the gangbanger, the tagger, the street urchin – this is just seen as antisocial, a crime committed by the talentless. But misinterprets graffiti as purely an art form. To many individuals, it’s not only art, but a means to put your stamp on a district, or even a rejection of society altogether : anti-establishment, anti-social, even anti-art.

Spraying has invariably been a covert pursuit, even though the effects are public facing. The targeted audience is often unidentified. Is it for a rival crew? A communication to a single person? To the public at large? Or….maybe it’s merely gratuitous and out of boredom.

Whatever the causes, there seems to be a enduring need to spray graffiti. Some towns have conceded that graffiti isn’t a short-term craze, so they’ve marked off areas where graffiti is permitted – usually unoccupied areas, but from time to time busier areas like boarding that surrounds inner city buildings under construction.