Blog

City Scars – Graffiti and Fight For Urban Beauty

by Manuel Marino | Graffiti

It is widely acknowledged that art is highly subjective and truly lies in the eye of the beholder. Often, differences of opinion merely reveal individual preferences, and it is generally agreed that these personal tastes should not override the freedom granted to the artist and their work. However, the issue of graffiti is one of the few situations that gives rise to heated debate and contention over where these freedoms begin and end.

Historically, graffiti has been portrayed in a negative light, with artists often being individuals with criminal records or gang affiliations. This is likely the reason for such a pessimistic outlook. Nowadays, graffiti is seen in a different light – as a potentially more accepted and positive form of self-expression. However, there are limited venues and settings where this “socially acceptable” form of art can be expressed, and often, it is placed in areas deemed inappropriate and unsuitable by society. This raises the question: how can freedom of expression and urban aesthetics/social acceptability coexist? This issue is deeply rooted in the legality of property protection, but when crucial freedoms of expression and commentary are abused from either perspective, and encroach on undesired or unproductive spaces, steps must be …

...Read the rest.