The graffiti subculture mirrors the functions of 'institutionalized art'.

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The graffiti subculture mirrors the functions of ‘institutionalized art’.

3rd Year Visual Sociology.

I Watson.

Cara Forbes-Malone

00076848.

Graffiti first came to public attention in the late 1960s, mainly in New York City and largely as an outgrowth of political radicalism and of black and Hispanic empowerment and identity. It was from here that it spread to Europe and other parts of the world as part of a ‘graffiti underground’ (Ferrell J, 1995:74).

The term ‘graffiti’ comes from a word meaning to scratch, and in a sense graffiti is the imprinting of an image onto a surface leaving a mark or a stamp of recognition. It is in this way that graffiti and ‘institutionalized art’ can be commonly linked or bonded together in the same manner. Institutionalized art is considered art that derives from a learned background or educated in museum art where the study of technique and history are mandatory. Graffiti in comparison to this form of art is often considered mere vandalism and born from or leading to further acts of criminality. In both cases however, the graffiti ‘writer’ and the ‘trained artist’ consider themselves proper artists. In this sense does graffiti mirror the functions of  ‘institutionalised art’ or is it recognisable in its own right as an independent form of expression with an opposing agenda to this other form of art?

In this essay I intend to give an overview on graffiti as a subculture and it how it is seen from the perspectives of the writers and from the point of view of the law and galley art. I will compare graffiti to galley art and assess to what degree it is accepted under the artistic sphere focusing on it’s meaning and how it is understood. I hope to draw a successful conclusion to the essay topic through the analysis of sociological perspectives and literature surrounding it.

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Graffiti can be seen in terms of writing and mural varieties. Graffiti was of aesthetic interest for its fusion of multiple styles drawn from mass culture and from more specific ethnic traditions. The ‘tag’ is the stylized logo, which identifies the otherwise anonymous artist. The tag is like a signature from which the artist is identified and their audience is generally other graffiti artists. From this tag they become recognized and establish themselves in the graffiti world. Tags in their larger and more elaborate ‘throw-up’ versions become the initial focus of stylistic and social organisational innovation. Graffiti writers developed new ...

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