A Magazine created by Terry Old
Introduction
An issue with Street Art
Is graffiti art or vandalism? In many countries, it is a crime to paint on walls and street artists can have problems with the police. In other countries, street art is permitted in certain places. Within this short 20 page photography magazine I will be going through some amazing pieces of street art within my home town (London) and I will be discussing how Graffiti can make an impact on the people surrounding the area it is in and give the reader a chance to decide whether street art is a positive change or negative one 1
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Art forms have always intrigued us as it is a way of self-expression and creativity. To some, it is something very fundamental and a treasured heritage. However, art forms have evolved and transformed and drifted giving way to contemporary modern day art. Unfortunately under the lieu of modern hip hop culture, art has digressed and various practices have emerged. More often than not, there is a very thin line between vandalism as an art form and true art. One such practice which has become commonplace is ‘Graffiti’.
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Graffiti on world issues
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Gone are the days when graďŹƒti is merely seen as a nuisance to the streets, an act of vandalism. Street artists now take to spray paints, stencils and a good pair of running shoes for creating beautiful, public murals under the nose of the police. GraďŹƒti is not only an aesthetic tool, but a tool for propaganda too. GraďŹƒti is giving voice to the oppressed; where otherwise would be left unseen and unheard.
What is more public than taking art it to the streets after all? The street art displays powerful messages on various topics: environment, social justice, animal cruelty, and other world issues. The compelling messages from street artists are clear and poignant: humans need to make a stance. We need to make a change.
For alot of artists Graffiti is a way to tell the world their problems or shared problems that people face, it is a way that people can share information whilst having fun with their art. It gives the general public a chance to interpret the art and find a meaning that they may think the artist meant. although not all street art is a serious topic
there are some that have a much deeper meaning to them whether it be global warming or an oppressive government Graffiti allows the artist to show there art on a large scale where as if they didnt they would only be suffering in silence.
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Graffiti with RISK
Should Graffiti be criminalized or should it be an expression of emotions.
Mainstream media and society view graffiti as only a crime, and ignore the meanings behind the art and why it was created in the first place. Graffiti is a crime, but is a crime that speaks out against all that is wrong in the world and messages that are being expressed through street art. Graffiti shows how different places in this world are full of governments that are corrupt, drugs that overwhelm the streets, or an economy that is failing. These cities that are struggling with these issues are painted from top to bottom with huge paintings of graffiti to express the public concerns. Graffiti artists are aware that these
works of art are not going to change the world, but getting your voice heard and raising awareness is a step in the right direction. Street artists such as banksy, the famous but unknown artist of London, and Shepard Fairey, founder of the Obey campaign, produce graffiti designed to challenge peopleʼs perception of society and get them to question that status of their environment. It is through this type of graffiti 'graffiti that ignites thought' that really has the power to raise awareness about social issues and to motivate people to act upon them.
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What Can We Learn From Street Art Street artists risk their safety, freedom, and finances every time they go out and create something illegally. Its important to take risks in our lives every once in a while—whether its something as grand as quitting your job to pursue a passion or tricky as trying something new on the menu. Taking risks pushes us out of our comfort zones to experience and feel something new in our lives.Many street artists create work with the belief that freedom of speech and free art should be enjoyed by everyone. They create out of pure enjoyment and give their art to the world selflessly. When you put things out into the universe without the expectation of a return, it will come back to you in one form or another. Street artists are disruptive. Simply put. Whether this is weighed as positive or negative depends on who you're talking to. What is considered norm is all relative. So its important to break away from the norm in your life and determine your own anchor of truth. It takes a lot of courage to go out into the night and risk your life in the name of art and freedom. Against authority, against the odds, and against the norm, street artists show us what it means to be fearless. Life is too short to contemplate the what ifs.� Make a decision, commit to this decision, and be fearless with it. Some street artists have a political message encouraging viewers to question society. Non-political street art challenges society through the sheer act of defying authority. Everyday we are told that street art is bad because it is illegal, and street artists are bad because they are vandals. But these statements only hold value within the legal framework. Is street art really bad if it is not harming anyone and aims to beautify the environment? If we told you that all street art is good, would you believe us? Question everything. Think for yourself
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The Role of Graffiti in Democracy Democracy plays a big role in graffiti practices and vice versa. Graffiti, as a social medium, provides people with a public voice that otherwise may not be heard in a society flooded with personal messages and opinions via blogs, Twitter, and other social media platforms which corporations are beginning to take over. Graffiti is a tool that can promote choice, equality, freedom, etc. People can learn from it. It can act as an educational tool. It can act as propaganda. It can act as art. It is as powerful as public statements and because of its function through visual images and words, it can be more powerful and influential than speech alone. Perhaps the most powerful characteristic of graffiti is its ability to evoke emotion. It is an outlet for people to publicly “speak out” in regards to important social and political issues.
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GraďŹƒti On Social Change.
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Graffiti is directly influenced by an adaptive society; meaning as society evolves and is ever changing so does the art. Graffiti is a direct reflection and our response to the way we interpret the world around us. It is the outlet and driving force of social issues, a voice that remains nameless in a world where branding and commodity is the principal of capitalism. Yet Graffiti doesnʼt need any of this. It has no recognition; artists create free masterpieces for our eyes to interpret. From London to America, all the way to South America, Graffiti is everywhere. It is a social movement and a source to bring up real issues. The beautiful thing about this is you can get away with anything you want to say feel or act because the true artists are disguised behind the world vandalism. Vandalism is defined as “deliberately mischievous or malicious destruction or damage of property”. Is this what artistʼs do? Do you need permission to paint what you feel? In a society where one-sided views are pushed upon the masses, why canʼt there be other perspectives in the form of art. Yes, Art. I am not referring to a deliberate damaging of property, or some hateful or
mischievous message that often gets associated with Graffiti. I am referring to the art of Graffiti that society does not want to explore. The type of Graffiti where you canʼt paint beautiful murals without the permission of society. A scripture where you can use the urban canvass to make your voice heard. You want to change the way society works, have people open their eyes to it. Just like Nike, Gatorade, Samsung and all the other billion corporations making their statements by throwing something in your face, so why canʼt artists do the same. Walls, buildings, concrete; I see nothing wrong making art from this.
A simple piece of graffiti next to a shop in Shoreditch
Will street art ever be accepted by the masses as a voice for the unheard or will it continued to be frowned upon Some will approve or oppose however the one thing is clear that the line between Murals and Graffiti is very thin, and the only thing separating them is legality. However in my opinion those who do not ask for permission often find ways to make-to-make art that is a direct reflection of the environment we live in.
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The Fight Against Gentrification Over the last couple of years, East London district of Shoreditch has become a synonym of gentrification, a phenomenon that has become an apparently inevitable part of the mainstream consumerist culture. Like many changes resulting from the evolution of society, it tends to bring improvement, although like it often happens, many of those who are directly affected by it would strongly disagree. The truth is that gentrification, by now a familiar concept has an impact on everyone, but the kind of that impact is what makes all the difference. In many big cities, regular urban areas that are
not doing all that well get discovered by wealthy investors and property developers. This draws attention to the neighbourhood and causes the prices to soar. By consequence, there's now a double effect: as house prices and rents go up, lowerincome families are forced out, while those who can afford the new cost of living come in and take their place. Before long, the new destiny of Shoreditch matched the one of other areas like Dalston and Peckham, and this reflected in all aspects of everyday life, culture and art.
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What Are Your Views On Street Art ?
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