Instead of calling graffiti a form of vandalism or a crime perpetrated by lower class youth, it is currently politically correct to refer to it as tagging. In reality tagging is defacing property without the property owner's consent, and is considered vandalism which is punishable by law. Apparently many times tagging is done by young males who were raised in bad environments, by screwed up parents, and have chosen to join a gang. In many cases these young people are also significant substance abusers.
I have seen many examples of 2,000 year old Roman graffiti, and I’ve also seen it on top of na
tive American rock art where the white settlers in the 1800’s felt compelled to scribble their names and/or dates over the top of much older Indian rock art. So this phenomenon is not new.
I guess in a way modern day graffiti is often seen in twitter accounts, on my space, or in blogs (like this one). While this internet activity may indicate an inappropriately large ego, at least it does not deface another person’s property.
In a very few cases graffiti is elevated to an art form. Before Keith Haring died of AIDS many of his works of graffiti were seen as works of art. While walking the dog this afternoon I saw some fresh graffiti on a stone wall inside of a city water department rainwater impoundment area in El Paso, Texas. In my judgement this painting clearly does not rise to the level where it would be appropriate to refer to it as art.
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I have seen many examples of 2,000 year old Roman graffiti, and I’ve also seen it on top of na
tive American rock art where the white settlers in the 1800’s felt compelled to scribble their names and/or dates over the top of much older Indian rock art. So this phenomenon is not new.I guess in a way modern day graffiti is often seen in twitter accounts, on my space, or in blogs (like this one). While this internet activity may indicate an inappropriately large ego, at least it does not deface another person’s property.
In a very few cases graffiti is elevated to an art form. Before Keith Haring died of AIDS many of his works of graffiti were seen as works of art. While walking the dog this afternoon I saw some fresh graffiti on a stone wall inside of a city water department rainwater impoundment area in El Paso, Texas. In my judgement this painting clearly does not rise to the level where it would be appropriate to refer to it as art.
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