What is obvious, and is generally being ignored, is the fact that at times, street art compromises and devalues the property of another person. The fact that some people might cheat on their taxes or support corporations that harm the public, is not an argument that can justify the devaluation of property by a "street artist" Two wrongs don't make a right.
Personally, I find some street art appealing from an aesthetic point of view. However, if it was my property that was being used as a canvas, i might have a contrary view of it.
(Yes, property equates to capitalism...that, however, is a fact of life!)

giro,
Funny paradox. Your willing to accept the greed of capitalism as a fact of life but deplore its challenge by youth with a can of paint.

Well, honestly, if I owned my home and some kid spray painted this on it ...

http://www.graffiti.org/hyde/mos06_c...ae174857_b.jpg

I'd be like, "Goddamn kid, that's pretty good. Can you do the rest my house?" :)

TwoFatFeet,

Then hire them to do your own private property. But let's get real, that's not what graffiti is really about.

All this romanticizing graffiti on here strikes me as a bunch of white folks who really have no clue what the true ramifications are of trying to live in or work in a vandalized community.



I repeat my original thought:

As so often with teens, they just need a little re-channeling and little broadening of their horizons, and where better to get that than from a parent?

I read this thread yesterday afternoon and found the debate very interesting. So I was surprised last night when I picked up my February 2008 issue of Smithsonian to find an article on Aerosol Art.

The short piece is about a current exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery, <b>Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture&quot;,</b> which features four 20-foot-long graffiti murals. The article covers the artists commissioned for the murals, as well as the 40 year history of the art.

Quoting Frank H. Goodyear III, one of the exhibition's curators, <i>&quot;We are not glorifying the illegal activity, but we are acknowledging the larger impact this street tradition has had in contemporary art,&quot;</i>

Robyn :)&gt;-

Art or Grafitti?

http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm

Use the bottom scroll bar &amp; don't miss the &quot;next&quot; button on the far right-hand side.

Jim

&quot;All this romanticizing graffiti on here strikes me as a bunch of white folks who really have no clue what the true ramifications are of trying to live in or work in a vandalized community.&quot;



Well said.

Not technically 'graffiti', but on the LES, Houston near Avenue D is a huge Keith Haring mural, on the south side of the street. It's been awhile since I've been past it, so forgive me if it's gone now.

And also, if you wander through Alphabet City (the far east village, Aves A-D), you would also find more murals/paintings by local artists. There was an artist who was somewhat famous for his murals in the LES. Can't remember his name right now. A grungy neighborhood, but not unsafe.

Another place is the Mars Bar on 2 Ave and 2nd street. It's kind of a dive bar institution. The owner is OK with all the artists who constantly paint and repaint different murals, graffitti both outside and inside. I actually tended bar there eons ago.

Artman: Do I understand your comment as equating an inner city resident who scrapes by, buys his own house, and is then victimized by a graffiti&quot;artist&quot; as a personification of a greedy capitalist?

One more thing. After working with juveniles for many years in a professional capacity, I seriously doubt they are challenging capitalism when they are out spray painting.