Idk I,dont consider graffiti street art when I,think,of street art i think of the shit banksy does

 

LOL, sure, OK. But street art aside then. Why tag? Especially in places where it upsets people, like on historical buildings (as opposed to say subway trains). Isn't it destructive? Does that matter?

 

Simple its about recognition,street fame most do,it out of a necessity to destroy and bring chaos due to stress,etc etc others do it for the game,recognition it'll bring them others do it for the art aspect tvat involves technical,graphical,and typographical nature to it everyone has their reasons but the reason i see most people do and participate in this culture is for the simple aspect of writing your name on everything and anything with the intentions of it getting noticed. Aka street cred

 

That's a great answer. Thank you.

 

No problem

 

Agree with the point that graffiti (for me) isn't street art.

When doing gaffiti I don't think about it being vandalism.
It is of course, and I know very well some people like shopowners will get pissed off.
But that's not the reason I participate.

It's just about getting up. Being recognized. It's competition at any time.
Who gets the most tags/bombings? Who does the best spots? Who has the best style?

I don't really care what the regular "non-writing" person thinks about my stuff. As long as i know the other writers in the city/area will notice I am here and I am active.

I enjoy seeing graffiti in the streets for years.
So for me it just seems as the right consquence to hit up spots for others to look at.

And maybe the most important part:
It's hella fun!
Playing with paint and markers is just pure enjoyment.
Walking trough the streets looking for spots.
Beeing equiped with a variety of markers so you have the best on hand for the different spots.
Doing some nice flare tags. Climbing dumpsters to get your tag as heigh as you get.
Then of course the adrenaline because the shit is illegal and you don't want your ass get busted.

So long story short:
(For me) It's not about vandalizing stuff
It's about getting up, doing art and having a lot of fun.
One you started, you're kinda addictive I'd say.

 

Another great answer. Damn, now I'm tempted.

Thank you!

 

So wheres rhis article being published?

 

A teen magazine in the Czech Republic. (Sorry, can't post link in the forum, but it's called Bridge.)

 

If we use your quote, do you have a name you'd like us to use?

 

If we use your quote, do you have a name you'd like us to use? (I can't use milfhunter I'm afraid.)

 

I write azoner

 

Graffiti is never street art. Street art is about a message, and graffiti is about letters that read my name. That's me. And that's why many others and I bomb, to get up and get recognition amongst other writers. To some extent it is antisocial, after all it's very "in your face" even though it's not meant for you and you might not like it. It's a way to express ones self and to me I will always see it as a form of visual art. It's also very freeing to bomb stuff. What comes to monuments, I don't do those since I have enough respect for the history.

 

im in it for the girls

 

It really depends on the artist. Yes of course its vandalism, everyone knows that it is. There is no denying that.

Its about getting your name up there, getting people to speak about you, becoming infamous, respected. Sort of like tribal street cred. The more difficult in a place your throwup/tag is, the more respect you will get. Next, when you tag/throwie an illegal spot you get a rush. It feels good to do it and feels good to walk by and your name there. it becomes an addiction and then you want to do it more and more. You like the rush, the adrenaline, so you keep going.

A lot of the times these crappy tags and bad throwups (mine included) are basically dog piss and make the area its done in look worse or more run down. But truely, no one cares. They just want the name up everywhere as much as possible. With graf you want people to recognise thats you and this is the area you tag. Essentially its like when dogs piss to mark territories, it becomes similar but with tag names instead.

You can put up legal walls, but they then become full of street art and less graffiit. Tagging on a legal wall is fun, but you dont get that rush as when you tag an illegal spot. Theres also that feeling of 'shit, i get caught i am in deep shit' which becomes a game as people get away with it and then like to keep doing it.

 

I started graffiti through rap. Rap exposed me to KRS One and he exposed me to the culture of hiphop through his interviews. Being one of the four elements of hiphop, I already rapped and produced beats also an artistic individual in general. I had no identity, I wanted to be apart of something so I chose hiphop. I continue to do graffiti because I like the recognition and approval I get from others (or myself if no one is around) who see my name up. A lot of my tagging is done for the sake of the ego I've created through the name. I dont stop because if I do, I'll feel like a fake, not true or loyal to what I see myself as.

As far as art..- that is an expression. Through whatever medium be it painting, arranging sound or dancing around, as long as it is expressing it is art. Some people confuse art with something they like which is what I think most do when they bring up the question is graffiti art.

Is graffiti art or not? I couldn't give a fuck what someone else thinks it is. I only care what it is to me and thats a way to get respect, acceptance and belonging I don't seem to find anywhere else in my life. I dont do it cause I hate society or love art. I do it cause it fulfills a basic need.

 

Sorry but this whole article thing seems a bit suspect. This is for a teen mag from the Czech Republic that teaches English??
And really the subject has been played out, but every year you see some noob writing an article with 'burning questions' like is it art? and why do they do it?

It's simple: First you get the tags and bombings. Then, when you're a cool tagbanger, you get the power. Then when you get the power, you get the women.

 

Gayyyyyyy

 

I know cause KRS one exposed me to Africa Bammbatta who taught me it was normal for men and boys to shower together after break dance practice.