The Impact of the Arts on Society

A perfect example of the presence of artworks available for viewing is in graffiti. Graffiti is often a derogative term used to describe writing, drawing, or images placed on the surfaces of public buildings or areas. Although not considered fine art by many, as an expression of creativity and imagination, it falls under the category of artworks. What separates this form of artwork from those found in galleries is the atmosphere and environment that is attached to graffiti that cannot be replicated or found in art galleries. The raw nature of graffiti makes it appealing for viewers, however, the fact it is abundant in the urban environment justifies the idea that it can be viewed without the need for an art gallery.

Graffiti has been around for more than half a decade and practiced worldwide. However there is debate between whether it is a form of art or vandalism. Graffiti artists’ debate that many do not understand the reason most graffiti artist take the risk of incarceration, fines, injuries, and in some cases death to paint a wall. A graffiti artist can have the simple desire to become recognized, or to create a piece that speaks to their audience as a form of self expression. Because graffiti is associated with gangs and acts of destruction to some many cannot see the history and importance graffiti can have on a worldwide scale. Due to the fact that graffiti is usually produced illegally, meaning it is

If you walk through almost any city, the buildings, bridges, and any other available spaces are seemingly filled with colors, picture, and words that are not part of the original architecture. This graffiti, which is a mix of tags, stencils, pieces, and freestyle, seems to have almost taken over cities across the world. Some of this graffiti, such as tags, are eyesores, but some pieces, such as the High Line “Love Is the Answer” and “Kiss” murals in New York City, are sites that have become iconic pieces of artwork. Unfortunately, pieces like these are also starting to be covered to a seemingly astronomical rate, which is causing outrage among those who visited to them.

Art has been around ever since the ancient city of Pompeii. The people of Pompeii used graffiti as a way to display their cleverness; from poetry contests to playful recombinations of the letters that form Roman Numerals. In the early ‘70s, graffiti was used as a way for young teens to mark their territory. During that time, many people – especially in New York City – saw graffiti as vandalism and prohibited it. Even though graffiti has been misused in some occasions, as long as the purpose is not to deliberately mischievous or malicious destruction, graffiti is art.

There are many different types of street art and murals that are part of any community. Street art and murals can give a voice or a cultural background to the community. Many types of cities have beautiful street art like Hollywood, within Hollywood there is a little community called Little Armenia. In this community there is a mural located on the side of Winona and Hollywood Boulevard. This mural is a symbol of what the Armenian Genocide was and because the mural is an area where Armenians and others walk from to go to the Turkish Embassy to fight for remembrance for the 1.5 million Armenians that have died on April 24. This mural shows us what the community is about and it brings the community higher and not lower.

There are many associations with graffiti writing, Hip-hop being the first. Though the emergence of graffiti can be attributed to street gangs; which, they used to mark their territories (Chronopoulos 2011, pg. 79), graffiti began to merge with hip-hop culture in the 70s (Chronopoulos 2011, pg. 82). Ultimately, this combination promoted the public domination over public spaces in New York City through the use

Street art is progressively increasing as a forbidding magnet to charm tourists to the Bronx. People are taking benefit of the worldwide interest in street art and its strong origins as a Bronx art form, and expecting that this overpowers what Maruri named the “world-wide problem” of a bad image that the area still fights with.

Street art is a visual art created all over the streets, it can be present in a form of posters, graffiti, window paints, and murals, among others. All of those artists that chose to exhibit their art on the streets, rather than in a museum or gallery is because they are situated it in a non-art context. The products they use to produce their art works most of the time are: free hand aerosol paints, krink markers, plutonium paints and graffiti remover used to create perfect images all over the cities. Street art adorn the urban landscape, explode the skills of the artists, and finally but no less important, is constructive providing a specific social message for all the audience.

The cutting edge of the public art development, connected with the hip-hop society of breakdancing and rap music, began with African-American and Latino teenagers in Philadelphia and New York in the late 1960s (MacDonald 1). At that time graffiti to most, was considered to be a form of art work. Regardless of those that thought of it as art, there were and are still numerous individuals that loathe the graffiti movement. Works of art have been dependably charming for ages, as it is a method for self-expression and inventiveness. Artistic expressions have advanced in many ways, such as public canvases offering an approach to modern day unique artwork. Graffiti is progressively turning into a hobby. Although one of the major controversies of graffiti surround the statement that it is not art and considered vandalism, graffiti allow artists to display grateful meanings, skills and expressions to the public.

“It may be called art, but I don’t like it,” (DuBois, 2015). Most of these artists who haven’t been recognized by galleries, risk themselves on a daily basis. This is their job, expressing their pain or happiness on a piece. Each time you pass a piece on a wall just ask yourself, “What could they be going through?” Art is expressed in so many ways. Graffiti is spread all over the world.

However, street art predecessor, graffiti, is less well-liked. With its history of being rooted in gang activity and vandalism, it is not hard to see why. As pointed out by student writer Matthew Powers, “Because graffiti is vandalism at its core, it quickly became popular with New York City’s gangs, and in turn became associated with crime…” (Powers). People often see the names scrawled on trains and park benches and only see the vandalism and gang activity, not the effort behind the writing and style. Despite this, there are still those who see graffiti and street art as a new form of art to capitalize upon. In the eighties documentary Style Wars, there were already investors in canvas graffiti. It seems that there is a sort of allure to the illegal nature street art and graffiti. Still, there are people who love the commissioned murals, but refuse to acknowledge that without graffiti, what is known as the legal “urban art” wouldn’t be the same. Artist Peter Ferrari put it into words the best, saying in an interview, “‘People hate the tags, but they want the murals,’…’I think there is a misunderstanding, and people don’t realize that it is all connected and all related. You can’t have the mural without the tag’” (Imam). On the opposite side,

The origin and history of graffiti is not what one might expect. Believed to have been created by a Philadelphia high school student named Cornbread in 1967, it was a bold effort to catch the attention of a girl (De Melker). In this same time period, graffiti sprung up in New York as well. It was “one among many forms of social protest” during

Art is not just a picture on a wall or in a museum, art comes in many forms. It can be a song you just heard, a video you watched, or a painting you saw in a gallery. Also, art can be just text. All forms of art grasp you in different ways and make your thoughts evolve to new distances. Art can bring you feelings you did not think you had. You can perceive the art in many ways and the creator wants it to influence you. I believe that yes, at can truly influence society and inform human behavior. While it may seem to some that pictures, songs, and videos influence you the most, it is actually true that books are the most influential and informative because they get in touch with your mind and emotions.

Another possibly positive outcome of art in the public could be the affect that it may have on the younger generations. If children are being raised in a community where they can see art on a daily basis then I believe it will have a positive effect on their lives by allowing them to learn how to appreciate art and what it has to offer. Art being in the public is also a way to grant people, who do not have enough money to enjoy the luxury of going to a gallery, the pleasure of seeing something aesthetically appealing on a regular basis. It also makes a town more interesting to visit; no one wants to visit a town with not much excitement. I once went to an art festival in Baltimore, Maryland, where they had green marbles ground up and put into the black top roads. This sight alone made my heart race and made this town more exciting. For towns that may have tourism it could be a way to attract to coming there or maybe even staying.

One of the most popular places where Banksy’s art fills the streets is New York City, which was