In class we discussed, to some extent, “what is art?”.
Professor G-B would show us an image and open up discussion by asking “is this
art?”. Today I want to show you an image and ask you what you think. Is
graffiti art?
I took these photographs while I was wandering the streets in Valencia, Spain. When you think of Spain you may think of the architecture, statues, or famous gardens as art, but what about this street wall graffiti?
The vibrant colours and metallic shine are what made me not
only want to take a photo, but also to take some time to step back and really
admire the mural. In my opinion this is art. Graffiti is definitely an artistic
talent.
Besides the intergalactic design, this mural offers a
written message to its audience. Close to the large blue character is a message
that says: “Live big in a small world”. To me, this means something along the
lines of making yourself standout, making a difference, following your dreams and
getting the most out of life in the “small world” in which we live. The artist
is telling its audience to express themselves in “big” ways. You may agree to
some extent that this graffiti artist is taking his/her own advice and is
“living big” and standing out in this “small world” by showing this kind of
artistic expression on a street wall.
Who else is appreciating this kind of art? As I was
researching this mural, I came across the exact same image on a website called Street Files. This site is quite interesting. You can get background information
such as its year of production and its location on graffiti from all over the
world including this exact image that I am providing in this post.
I really like this post and think it makes for a great blog topic. I agree with you. I think the photos you shared are beautiful examples of graffiti and I would definitely view them as works of art. It makes me think of the talent and hard work that went into making these murals. I like that you pointed out the message of "live big in a small world." Regardless of the type of art, if something has a larger meaning and gives off a message it is definitely artistic. I love the originality of the pieces as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessie.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to absolutely agree with you that this is art, mainly because it makes me think and feel.
Graffiti seems to be one of those "one person's trash, another's treasure" forms of art. Some people raise their noses at it, while others stare in awe.
I think the fact that graffiti artists are out-sourced by governments to decorate different areas of urban cities is telling of the fact that they really are artists - however, when what they are "allowed" to create is limited or regulated, is it really still art? It's such an arbitrary concept, the definition of art, at I've never really thought of before this class. Really cool post.
@Jackie, Thanks for the input! I like your definition of what it is to be artistic.
ReplyDelete@Jennifer, I find it interesting the spin you put on the question. I don't know much about government involvement in what is "allowed". I guess in a way that kind of restriction could perhaps alter "what is art". To play devils advocate, the artist may still be able to work happily within the restrictions; as we can see it is hard to tell where to draw the line.
I think a large reason why many people do not see graffiti as art is because it is considered defacement or vandalism. However, I think that this adds to the artistic value of graffiti because it crosses boundaries and challenges the norm. There is also a large amount of talent that goes into graffiti art which people tend to overlook due to its illegal nature. But I love graffiti and I think its very interesting that the photographs you took were taken in Spain; somewhere where I would never think this subculture would exist.
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