Another "amateur" artist thread...graffitti art

[Dueller]

While graffitti "art" may be viewed as a pox on the face of public structures (or at the very least railroad cars), there are some very unique and talented vandals out there. I realize it is often gaang related messages...wonder how I would contact some local hooligan to commission a canvas without them thinking it was a sting operation?

Or is it really an art form?

[m21sniper]

It's more of a form of art than a giant clothespin.

[equality72521]

Whether is is art is questionable but I agree that there are some very talented vandals out there. It's a shame they choose to waste that talent in graffiti than channeling it into a productive career. Art? It's in the eye of the beholder and one can argue that "anything" is art.

[m21sniper]

Some graffiti artists make a lot of coin.

They have a following, just like "real" artists do.

[sammyg2]

Put me down as one who sees no art in graffiti, only intentional destruction and vandalism.

ANY AND ALL forms of encouragement show to these criminals is anti-social and anti-productive. They deserve punishment and discouragement, not admiration by people with confused ethics.

[m21sniper]

I make a distinction between murals and 'hits.'

Hits are vandalism, and make a neighborhood look horrible.

Murals on the other hand actually give a ghetto some color and personality, and are much more pleasing to the eye than the decaying bricks and mortar they're painted on.

[Noah930]

When these previously infamous/notorious graffiti "artists" and taggers are "discovered" by legitimate art galleries and start making big bucks selling canvases, I wonder how'd they feel if someone broke into one of the galleries in the middle of the night and then defaced/slashed up their art? I don't begret them success in life. But I do begret them success in something which previously caused so much destruction in society.

[Gogar]

Jim,

If there's any local 'urban youth outreach' type of places in you might be able to contact someone that way. They are really into helping kids focus their 'talent' in positive directions. I know we needed a set piece painted once and found a kid that way and he did a great job.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Dueller

...is it really an art form?

Some of the older stuff is.

[stomachmonkey]

Had to hire a graffiti artist once. Needed a quick way to deal with something that had not gone as planned during a trade show.

Fast forward and the bean counters are questioning the expense, "where's the receipt?' they wanna know. My response was, "I hired a criminal to do something illegal, they only take cash and they don't give receipts!"

[Jim Bremner]

Change the name "graffiti" to "Visual terrorism"

It changes your perspective doesn't it?

It's not "art" if you deface property that's not yours.

There's a building at 25th and Broadway in Santa Monica. It's been painted by "artist" paid for by the building's owner. I think that it's an eyesore.

[s_morrison57]

most graffiti is an eye sore as far as I'm concerned but Lenny does nice work and I don't consider that graffiti, there is a place for that type of stuff but 85% of the graffiti wording I can't make out