Gökçe Çetin
Graffiti is the way to express yourself. Not only the way to confess love or write your favorite piece of a poem as people define. The first known example of modern-style graffiti is in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, Turkey. People interpreted it to be an advertisement for prostitution.
Graffiti has spread from the New York subway system to the rest of the world in the 70s. People use graffiti to write political campaign slogans, messages to their favorite football team; etc. They used it as general to spread their ideas and point of view.
Today, the art of graffiti is a controversial subject since it is considered as “vandalism” by authorities. A boring, untouched wall of a building becomes brand new with the touch of graffiti. People mostly accept that it cannot be artistic since it is illegal.
However, we have to be aware of the fact that forms of artwork are unique in their own way. However we have to evaluate them depending on their own conditions. It is like evaluating a historical event, considering the time and the place when it happened. Looking from another point of view, Painting graffiti destroys another artist’s work because the sculpture is made by an architect.
Thinking deeply, “the competition between the ordinariness of life and the artist” is what I define graffiti as. Today, one of the famous graffiti artists is Banksy, who is anonymous. At the auction where “Love is in the Bin” was sold, he addressed social issues, mostly anti-war themes, in his artwork.
1.04 million dollars was the selling price of this art work. And the price was getting rise hereafter. Everyone there couldn’t believe in their eyes. After that, Banksy made a confession that he planned it before the auction.
Graffiti is a form of street art, influenced by hip-hop culture. Whether it is vandalism or art, it is making our streets colorful and alive. We can find a moment to be away from the grayness of the city. And thus dive into the colorful world of graffiti.
Also, visit:
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-brief-history-of-graffiti-kelly-wall
The “monikers” are the oldest example of modern graffiti. We found tem on trains created by hobos and rail workers since the late 1800s. “Who is Bozo Texino?” is a documentary about the Bozo Texino monikers by Bill Daniel. For more visit: http://www.billdaniel.net/who-is-bozo-texino
Love is in the Bin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgUvnznbCuc
