Each weekend I visit my aunt’s apartment at Jane and Wilson where there is a nearby park. The path I take to get to the park is behind a small plaza, where several different graffiti pieces can be found on the back of each business’ unit. The one located in the center is the piece that has always captured my attention because it is on the back of my family’s previous business. Previously, there was a simple white graffiti stating “MAC”; however, recently an upgraded piece has been created with bright colours and the addition of a few phrases. Given its hidden location away from primary public sight at the back of the plaza, this artistic piece lends itself to be semi-private that should be kept in its current place.
Although there are many people who associate graffiti negatively with crime as mentioned in McAuliffe's and Iverson's findings, I view graffiti as artistic crime. Regardless if it is illustrative pictures, phrases or a single word, graffiti is an expression that the creator places in a meaningful space. In connection to an in-class statement, graffiti artists use it as a way to get “something” or a feeling out from their inner feelings because they find it difficult to share their inner thoughts despite it being illegal (Class, October 28 2015). For this reason, there may be an emotional attachment that makes a particular space sentiment to a graffiti artist.
In certain cases, artists find the practice of drawing graffiti as a coping mechanism for their current situation. Although I do not know the creator of this graffiti, I made a conclusion about the true reason behind its existence after a few assumptions. I think that the original white “MAC” first represented the artist’s initial exposure to graffiti as a coping mechanism. This is because the original piece was only in white and there were no additional comments or drawings near it. I remember back in 2012, I always saw a few regular people in their early twenties in this space smoking, drinking, sleeping, and arguing. I always thought that these people might have been going through a difficult time in their lives and they used graffiti to escape reality.
Close-up photos of phrases that can be found surrounding my chosen graffiti.
On the other hand, this newly upgraded piece could be from the same person who is exposing their improved life through the use of bright red and yellow colours. I state this because of three phrases I found surrounding the piece: “Evolving with time”, “Happy New Year!”, and “Back from the dead”. From their word choices, I feel that they may have been able to overcome their previous dilemmas as seen in the photos above. They may have been able to revitalize themselves through time as shown in the statement “back from the dead” –the dead signifying their potentially dark past. Even though this is just a theory I have, it is evident that some individuals find graffiti helpful in enabling them to move forward with their lives. Therefore, I can conclude that this person has been able to improve themselves through this form of artistic expression, which supports my opinion of keeping it there.
With this theory in mind, I believe that graffiti at times are private yet they can be public as well. Graffiti is presented in many public spaces just like the one that I have chosen. Even if I do not focus on it, I still unintentionally take a quick glance while passing by which might be the same for those who do access this path to get to the park. However, given its location at the back of the plaza, I would also say it is in a private space to a certain extent. After operating a business in this location for eight years, I noticed that this area does not have as much traffic compared to subway stations or downtown buildings. Mainly because there is a larger main entrance accessible from a neighbourhood on the other side of the park and only those who take this particular route will be able to see it. For this reason, this space is less congested for the artist, giving them the chance to claim this territory as it was not widely seen by onlookers, making it semi-private as seen in the video below.
A video featuring the surrounding space of "MAC".
Another way that graffiti proves itself to be private is through the use of the artist’s own language. I have an understanding that graffiti is a form of communication that cannot be interpreted the same way by its creator. In this perspective, graffiti presents itself to be a subject that the public most likely does not comprehend. In my chosen piece, there is a word that is located near the top that I cannot depict, thus emphasizing that only those who know the language will understand it. McAuliffe and Iverson mentioned that people who are opposed to graffiti find it to be “a selfish, individualistic and ‘private’ appropriation of the public realm.” Similar to someone speaking a different, graffiti at times can be considered as a foreign language which only engages those who are in the know (McAuliffe and Iverson, 2011). Although I can read most of my chosen graffiti’s content, the fact that there is still a part of it that I cannot read further proves it to be a piece midway between the polar boundaries of private and public material.
In some ways, graffiti can alter our perceptions, making us feel different levels of comfort, associating race and gender to a particular space. Although I do have a prior association to this space, I felt uneasy entering the area and capturing this graffiti onto my device without the artist’s consent. On several occasions, I feared that its writer or a gang would appear and claim this territory. In connection to our class discussion, some people associate graffiti with gangs, drugs or any other illegal activities in which negatively situates graffiti in society. I believe the way that media and entertainment uses graffiti may play a part in forming these general misconceptions which can be seen through my associations. This emphasizes the “broken window” theory as the public associates these activities negatively impacting their community that will only perpetuate over time (McAuliffe and Iverson, 2011). Despite its bright colours and evolution over the years, the graffiti did not make me feel welcomed -I felt unsafe knowing the history of this space. Without it, the space would be empty because the walls will be unoccupied yet I would feel more secure as mentioned in class. The association of my feelings with the negative conception towards graffiti attributes to this conclusion; removing this graffiti will make me feel more comfortable. Despite my discomfort, I strongly suggest keeping it because it is a space where the graffiti artist feels comfortable. By taking their private space away, we disturb their right of comfort which may negatively affect their lives.
Other graffiti that can be found in the same space as "MAC".
From looking at the graffiti, there is a masculine impression presented through its characteristics, especially since I’ve mainly seen males in this area. The colours are very bold and the word choices are associated with male dominance. This regular male presence contributes to a biased assumption that one of these males drew it. My perception of this graffiti being produced by a male has shaped the space in a way that contributed to the discomfort I felt. If it included feminine objects such as flowers or bubbles, I might have considered it to be a more welcoming since it is feminized. The other graffiti pieces in this space, as seen above, are also bold and aggressive, thus, suggesting that this is a male-dominated space. In terms of race, I cannot pinpoint a specific category in connection to this graffiti because of the message if conveys. It is very open ended as it does not make me consider race that prevalent is in this area. Although the business units are operated by Indian and Asian individuals, there is no clear distinction of what kind of ethnic background this artist is in relation to his or her piece. As a result, there is no need to take this piece off this wall because it does not promote racism or genderism.
Graffiti is a subjective form of expression that is considered illegal in many parts of the world. After analyzing this specific graffiti, I firmly believe that it should remain on the walls due to the nature of this space. It is not fully visible due to its location and there must be an emotional meaning behind it. Although people might debate upon graffiti’s existence, it is important to discover its purpose and content. It all comes down to why this graffiti was drawn in this location. Even if my theory around it is incorrect, removing this piece will be a form of erasing that person’s personal connection to the space. Spaces are always evolving over time, and it is difficult to hold onto cherished products, including graffiti. If it remains on this wall over the course of several months, I would love to revisit my chosen graffiti and see what changes that might have been made!
i very much agree with you that graffiti is not always just a crime. it can some times be art in a strange form, it's a large expression of who the artist is. most of the time there aren't enough public places where artistic expression is acceptable so many artists take what they can get because without this sort of expression they have no sense of self.
Great blog post! I especially love the way you commented on the possible character and personality change experienced by the artist. This really goes to show you that we are all humans, with feelings and things to say that change over time. That is why graffiti is such a great medium for some people to be able to express themselves. I agree with you that the graffiti should stay - being in a more private location, the piece does not appear disruptive to the public. I feel that by having this space available to the artist, it gives them a more positive outlet to be who they are. Do you think it's possible for the artist to come back to the piece and cover it up with a new one?
Response to robert95:
First off, thank you for showing your interest in my chosen graffiti Robert! To solidify your statement, I firmly believe that graffiti has a more in-depth meaning to its purpose. The way that a portion of society negatively perceives this form of expression is mainly due to the overall consensus to associate it unfavorably. As I mentioned in my post, the media –both social and traditional –plays a big role in shaping our understanding of graffiti. Most of the time, they paint a tarnished image in relation to drugs, smoking, alcoholics, and vandalism which is not the case for every graffiti found in the city.
Although graffiti may appear on unwanted areas, this does not mean that we should dispose all forms of graffiti regardless of their context. I’m not saying that we should have a graffiti auditor go around to determine whether or not a specific piece should remain on a wall, I’m saying that we should come to understand the original purpose of graffiti before quickly jumping to conclusions. We are all creatures of expression and graffiti proves itself to be a mechanism to translate feelings into an art form. Another person may have a way of expression that is completely different to graffiti yet it is socially accepted. Like you mentioned, if we were to start making extensive limits to graffiti drawing, these individuals might become trapped in their emotions. In relation to my blog’s conclusion, I believe that there is room for advancement in the world of graffiti which all starts in comprehending it before judging it because only then there would be less subjectivity that exists in our perceptions of this art form.
Response to dumlaok:
Thank you for reading and enjoying my blog post Kimberly! To build off my comment to Robert, I strongly agree that all humans are creatures of expression which includes graffiti. While we all evolve with time, it is interesting to see how one expresses their transformations as seen in my chosen piece. Although I am not certain of my own theory about the artist’s intent or situation, I have a feeling that he or she certainly did go through a change. From a simple white piece to a colourful upgrade, I can tell that there has been a change in their life given from the attached phrases.
It’s great to hear that you agree in keeping this piece here because I feel that there is a personal feel to the overall space. If we were to take it away, it would be an act of trespassing one’s personal space that connects to their feelings. Because it is located in a less public area, not many people seem to recognize its presence which creates no need for it to be taken down. As long as the artist does not begin to obstruct the outer view of the business units, there should be no problem to keep it as is.
To respond to your question, I think that it is possible for the artist to come back to this space and draw a new piece. I don’t necessarily think that he or she will specifically cover up this piece because of the potential personal connections that exists. If he or she finds the new “MAC” to be a coping mechanism or symbol of motivation, I think they might come back to see their final product when they feel pressured or when they are experiencing a bad day. To them, the space is inviting and helps him or her to cope with any source of pain or anger. Instead, he or she might revisit this space to draw a different graffiti on other parts of the wall to signify their most current feelings. For example, I think that it would be possible for him or her to come back and draw an inspirational piece that makes the space uplifting. Whether it is a word or visual drawing, I look forward to revisiting space at the end of this month to see if there are any additional pieces drawn in relation to “MAC”.
I really admire your perspective on the trying to understand why the graffiti artists might have decide to do his piece of graffiti. Most people see graffiti artists as trouble makers, but never really think why they do it. I do believe it is a form of expression, and some of these artists might have had something happen in their life that is hard to cope with and this is kind of their way to cope with it. I know a graffiti artist who's work has gone through similar changes as the piece you have written about from just plain tagging and simple throw ups to more colourful and artistic pieces, and your assumptions on the mentality of the graffiti artist of you piece is accurate. You can tell how the artist is feeling by their work, it goes from a dark and gloomy piece to a little more inviting and cheerful. Really cool that you are able to connect to this piece, even though you say it makes you feel uncomfortable.
Response to sonalr:
Thank you for your comment and for enjoying my blog post! Although I know there are a lot of different aspects that we can take into consideration for graffiti; however, I strongly believe the true meaning behind a piece is key. As I mentioned in my previous responses, only by understanding the artist’s true intent will we then be able to formulize an accurate understanding of a piece. I associated my piece with my prior knowledge of the place which I’m glad to hear from you that is somewhat accurate. As someone who does not understand the language of graffiti, I always find it interesting in how each piece symbolizes a different meaning artistically as we can see from everyone’s blog post.
In terms of the transitional change of a piece, I find it quite rare and intriguing for graffiti to experience it. It is not common to see the evolution of the same piece over time because many graffiti get erased or covered up by a more recent one. I was fortunate enough to recall the very first piece which was the simple “MAC” that can still be seen under the current “MAC”. I believe that this transition is the highlight of my chosen piece for the reasons you’ve stated. When a graffiti artist goes through a difficult phase of their lives, they might start off simple and gloomy to signify their current state. However, over time they change and mature in which they can illustrate by upgrades of their specific piece. Finally, although I do find my piece to be very interesting, I also find the space that it is located in to be uncomfortable. I believe part of it is because of the past memories I have of who used this space previously. This prior knowledge has led me to think that he or she may have been associated with drugs or alcohol in ways that I cannot comfortably associate with myself. Even though it has been a few years, I find myself to be tense and anxious, wondering who may behind me as pass by to get to the park.