05-22-19 Graffiti

The documentary gives different artists from different regions a chance to explain their thoughts on their art. The documentary from the start has an artist exclaiming that graffiti is an insect just like any other bodily reaction and how "all walks of life" can participate in it. 

Cornbread says that people remember his name and the more they remembered and spoke about it, he drew more. Lava and Tracey 168 both say how the Bronx was “trash” and had been left to die and that this is a way to fight the system. Stay High 149 also says that the city was in an horrible condition and that he wanted to “give it something to do” so he started. These artist lived in this area and the condition of it, allowed them to realize that they could make it better. On the whole, they were aware that the city/government had forgotten about them and participating in graffiti would remind them that they exist. TKID also discusses how when he was arrested for gang related violence, his support system vanished and did not visit him in jail. His brother brought him paper to draw and this is when he created his brand. The video explains how the artists use basic letters they learned in childhood but put their own twist on it. They have the memory of the “basic” alphabet and add their own details into the shapes of the letters. The artists in America say that they are “military soldiers”. Drawing amongst other “soldiers” also gives these artists a sense of community. Graffiti is their culture and when trains began to be cleaned, they moved to the walls. The councilmen describes graffiti as a gateway crime and how a police system has been made to recognize tags. 

In France, Bleke says his art is to serve a social cause and not a militarist one. He also says that  when he first started, he felt that American patterns would not work on the buildings; the french architecture clashed with Americanized patterns, so he began with mice along the walls. Other artists in France also explained that they felt that their city had abandoned them and that graffiti is a way to express themselves. Again, by expressing themselves they are reminding the city that they do exist. 

In Barcelona, Kenor and Kode explain that painting allows them to discover their feelings because their feelings will show up in the art. Sixe says that his art has more of an opportunity to be different because of the freedom and space that he has been given.

The 2 twins from Brazil explain they wanted their graffiti to reflect their culture and be more internalized. The artists from Brazil say that many things in their city have been blown up from American and European culture. 

I found it very interesting that many feel that putting graffiti in a gallery takes the shock factor and its potency away.