What does graffiti in your city reveal about itself? 'It's an incredible tool,' said artist Dan Aravosis, who is a founding member of the San Francisco based group. He told Mashable that he started creating murals at age 11 as a way to express his self-doubt and feelings of loneliness among teenage friends living on a tight budget without much financial support. Those memories stuck with him throughout high school, because after graduation from Stanford University, where many students opt for masters' degrees instead—meaning there was little time spent outside painting —Aruza decided to start building simple abstract visual works when he found himself thinking: "Why can't I just paint things?"
The author of [2009] The Color of Graffiti (New York: Little, Brown and Company), offers some interesting comments. I don't think anyone has a definitive answer to why we see so many colors but one thing seems pretty clear -- there are multiple motivations behind it. What can you tell me – how do they all work together?
It's kind of funny, because it doesn't really tell us anything but we assume that the people are aware of what goes on around them. Some cities don´t even have a public art festival which is another sign to me and I think this might be something more than just our preconceptions - there is not much for you guys to do anymore apart from buying stuff online.
To put it bluntly, the United States is an urban nation: a huge melting pot of cultures. From rural communities where little music and entertainment take place to cities that include several million people – I would consider myself among them; as many Americans see themselves locally or nationally here they recognize what makes our culture special but also know how much room exists for growth anywhere (including Los Angeles) if we allow ourselves small amounts without being overrun by their excesses.
The world's second biggest street art site, located on the outskirts of New York City, is called "Dead White Trash" and has been around for decades. Founded by French artist Jean-Baptiste Boucicault 15 years ago, this was once known as a neighborhood alley but now it functions as the home to more than 200 artists who paint their own work along with other visitors seeking out what they think will be fun or interesting pieces of artwork. Deadwhite trash provides some answers - everything from funny signs showing where people hang themselves outside windows to random stencils depicting iconic buildings like Big Ben to portraits.
So what does graffiti say about your city? I think art has and always will have an inside look at how the people in the community are feeling.
Comments