Painting and sculpture, striking installations, performances and shows of light and sound - all this is today perceived as an indisputable manifestation of art. The perception of such phenomena entirely depends on the consciousness of the beholder, the degree of his awareness of cultural issues, readiness to understand and realize something new. For some, bold steps towards beauty seem wild and useless, for some - inspiring and truly decisive, and for some, such manifestations of art are absolutely indifferent.

Generally, street art is legal, street artists get permission to decorate urban areas, but it can also happen that they are hired by the commune itself to paint special white walls. Curiously, this is the situation of the famous Banksy and other street artists who, while doing completely illegal activities, are considered real artists for the priceless beauty and energy of their works. In fact, in Rome, Banksy's graffiti was literally torn off the street and displayed in a museum until September 4: this deeply angered the artist for a purely temporary and urban character - they are all graffiti, but this could do little without being able to boast of copyright.

In every town the globe you can find walls on which all kinds of inscriptions or drawings flaunt. This is real street art, perceived by some as vandalism.

From the Depths of Human History to the Present Day

It is hardly a secret that everything new is simply well-forgotten old. By and large, the inscriptions on the surface of the walls are by no means know-how for humanity. Recall, for example, the drawings of the Paleolithic era, which representatives of the world archaeological community now and then find in various parts of the globe.

Illegal or not, according to Andrea Borsetto, one of the most famous writers in Milan: Graffiti cannot be regarded as one of the most important and universal artistic and expressive currents of our time in its eclecticism: perhaps one of the most developed and follow the youth level. In terms of culture, learning, diversity and technology, there is nothing but other currents that deny that they have no conscience of the concept of art.

Instead, the new urban regeneration plan plans to place economic activity. This type of contemporary art "is born, lives and dies like us," explains Naldi. And "it makes no sense to think of using the same conservative philosophy" that refers to the ancient or contemporary art. The way it is done is completely different. As an art historian, Naldi points out, "I'm sorry, but it's okay."

Of course, in this case, we can say that at that stage of development, such manifestations of craving for beauty had a completely different meaning, but there is no escape from the similarity in relation to the physical manifestation. From this point of view, graffiti is just a small legacy of our great past.

It all depends on the interpretation

Few people know, but in the archaeological and art history this term is used quite actively, however, it has a slightly different meaning. In the mind of an ordinary layman, graffiti is any drawing or inscription located on a wall, fence, and, by and large, on any horizontal or vertical surface (let's not forget about three-dimensional drawings on asphalt, which are gaining popularity around the world).

The only idea of ​​"tearing" - the fresco removal technique - "would be a disgrace both to the work and to the person who conceived and made it". In short, Naldi warns, "no artist will ever ask that he won't break down a wall" to save his work. Often, on the other hand, artists use sketch books as houses destroying buildings; or they paint in illegal places.

This, for its part, has already appealed to the "Blue Cause" in a meeting with Patricia Gabellini and the property of the Savignano sul Panaro company. “I asked the owner to evaluate the possibility of holding a piece of the wall as evidence,” says Ara, “and moving it to a city park or museum.” Property "told me he thought about it."


In the historiographic view, the term has a slightly different, deeper and more specific meaning. In the broadest sense, graffiti is any image or inscription applied to a surface using paint or, for example, chasing, scratching. In a narrower view, to this kind archaeological finds only scratched images and letters are included, which is explained by the etymological origin of the term. Everything else is referred to only as dipinti.

Mayor Virginio Merola spoke about this a year ago: “There are no urban planning decisions based on questions like this,” he warned. The value of the retraining plan in the first phase comes down to timely questions. “I really like the frescoes, even the blue ones on Zanardi Street,” Gabellini added, “but you can’t freeze a mock-up for that.” Naldi has already explained this. The real problem would be "if there were no artist, if there were no new creations". Instead, "Fortunately, Bologna is full of great writers, and there are others at Blue's level who deserve the same attention."

A little historical background

For those who believe that graffiti is only a manifestation of vandalism, it should be noted once again the fact of the antiquity of such a phenomenon on the path of world development.

Gradually, primitive pictograms improved, acquired a certain meaning and were reflected in the era of Antiquity. The art of graffiti can be found in ancient Greek, which is located on the territory of modern Turkey, and the ancient Romans did tend to decorate not only walls, but also statues with inscriptions.

Graffiti is the creation of idiosyncratic and distinctive art of various qualities using spray paint. There was a time when graffiti, especially naughty ones, were compared to outsiders, or he was considered mentally ill. Such an opinion is somewhat grounded and often somewhat underground, and is mainly associated with empty disagreements, a suppressed ability to live both personal and supra-personal communication. Graffiti, like the controversial street art, considered overdue and risky by youth, is a phenomenon that affects the subcultures of the modern world.

No matter how strange it may sound, but this method of fixing and transmitting information was quite common for Ancient Russia. In Novgorod, Kyiv and other cities, hundreds of wall images and inscriptions have been preserved, which are now considered full-fledged historical monuments. By the way, such phenomena say a lot modern world about the development of writing.

condemned uprising in adolescence related to the questions: what is the meaning of life? Do I have any right, or is my identity already persecuted and my life pre-attached? An impersonal and inanimate connection is combined with modern technologies on the one hand, and separates and alienates each other. Forming a personal identity can be very difficult for a young person without direct, frequent and sensitive communication. On the one hand, we associate the behavior of actions and lack of discipline with boredom and aggression, and on the other hand, with an internal desire for self-expression, with the desire to apply personal creativity in a different way than the harsh homogeneity of the civilized world, and especially youth, suggests.

On the walls of the Egyptian pyramids, you can also find the scratched names of French soldiers who were in this area.

Present day

In fairness, it should be noted that all of the above historical evidence can be described as "graffiti" in an exclusively cultural sense. All these inscriptions were scratched on the walls of temples, on statues and stones, while today such things are manifested exclusively with the help of paint. Nowadays, graffiti is the art of the streets, these are paintings painted on the walls, among which you can sometimes find truly beautiful things: replicas or original works that are simply breathtaking.

And this has a lot to do with the point of view of graffiti is an illegal act, the issue of vandalism Leaving aside now, even that most of the creations are poor. Graphics is mainly about finding a way of life, finding the right message that can be distinguished from the majority, striving for respect and recognition from the immediate environment. This is also due to the fact that the personality of a teenager, when he subconsciously searches for the right role in life, is vulnerable. Graffiti is especially addressed to young people who internally feel that something is wrong with the company.

The problem of society itself

In this case, you will say, where does such a huge number of people come from, who consider such manipulations with paints exclusively vandalism and do not want to look at things a little differently?


This point of view is indeed quite common in this moment, and there's no getting away from it. The thing is that the perception of beauty is, firstly, a purely individual thing, and secondly, it requires thorough cultural preparation. In order to consider that graffiti is an art, it is necessary to have a minimal understanding of aesthetics in general and its modern manifestation in particular. This applies not only to the beholder, but also to the one who draws - drawing an inscription for the sake of the inscription itself, of course, can hardly be called a masterpiece. Especially if this is done carelessly and completely thoughtlessly.

In addition, we have retained in the collective subconscious memories of the time when people did not know from the Scriptures, and express their ideas, and then, for example, runic writing, and later hieroglyphs. Petroglyphs also refer to the stories of their creators, as well as today's graffiti - the language of the street. A similar role is played by the signature of the author, the linking of the site with a partially hidden identity and at first glance invisible links for "casual passers-by".

Spray painting is one of the many ways to overcome periods of disobedience and look for subconscious conflicts, expressions of dissatisfaction with external environment, in which serious internal emotional states related to the vulnerability of teenagers, companies forget. This is a protest against patterns of behavior, as well as against boxing in different sections of society. This is one way to test the limits of one's abilities, as well as bordering on ignorance or prejudice, on the contrary, of other stakeholders. Graffiti can be seen as a kind of subconscious combination of an act of initiation, as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, the graffiti's symbolic signature in a way mimics the initiating name change and subsequent acceptance of a new identity and responsibility for oneself, which is associated with the adoption of a clan.

The same inscription, however, if presented correctly, can become an exclusively aesthetic object.

Banksy

That's who definitely showed the world the art of graffiti. Photos of the works of this artist have spread all over the Internet and at one time became a real sensation. In particular, this was reinforced by the audacity with which the street paintings were revealed. Many of the works of this artist were a real Other - just conceptual drawings that allow you to think.

These rituals associated with nature, self-knowledge, a test of courage, satisfaction, change of children's names, and worthy acceptance into the adult world they used in their time something for themselves. Today is the act of initiating a license, purchasing the first car, and demonstrating the courage of risky driving, for example?

Graffiti such a small replacement for the ancient rituals led by the patriarch, is a test of courage, although without the help of the family clan, without mortal danger when hunting in the dark desert and the like. Graffiti became a game of adrenaline fun, a defense against boredom to protest against "unhealthy" time recycling parents, and ultimately compete for the best artistic expression. Graffiti on the other hand is also useful to play with space, color, rhythm, light and shadow, it is useful to experiment with some people's hidden talent.

Paintings continually appeared on the walls of various cities, the style became more and more recognizable, but the identity of the street artist still could not be established. Moreover, no one has succeeded to this day.


For Banksy and those like him, graffiti is something between a way of self-expression and a tool to work with, because there is simply no work to be found that does not make you think.

The first ugly scrawled city later became open galleries where you can sometimes find tasteful paintings and interesting symbolic drawings. Some paintings hide a raw, and sometimes tragic, yet another fresh and relaxed story. Graffiti is associated with the stress of being "considered", with speed and concentration, the joy of creativity, with the search for sensation and excitement, the desire to experience something unusual, personal rituals that can bring a kind of intoxication. By using new and unusual experiences the individual will learn to recognize and process the internal processes associated with feeling and to think differently than in a routine, mechanical and boring way.

Politics and the birth of street art

Oddly enough, street paintings are so popular today largely due to the activities of American political activists who sought to express their point of view by any available means.

From 1969 to 1974, graffiti was actively developing, new styles appeared, ways of applying paint to walls, until the popularity of this art form reached a kind of apogee. Since then, not only the streets and underground passages began to be full of "tags", but also metro stations.

Moral responsibility and fear of punishment comes aside at that moment, because any spontaneous way of life brings a feeling of liberation from the system. The soul wants to express itself freely, and the "artist" at that moment may not even know, at the forefront of the mind is restless and disagreeing with the current reality in a society that does not have much to do - but it can at least "erase". It can make passers-by stop, move with their emotions and emotions, provoke change.

And from around the corner, looking with curiosity at the squeamish face of this young man, the educator is unconsciously provoking. But the street painting is more of a contempt than a deep reflection on why this is really happening. Few people allow the point of painting "some villain" to enter their consciousness and, perhaps, their conscience. What does a company do for children and youth without the ever-present desire to make a profit? It's all just a matter of money, whether it's for school rings, extracurricular activities, parents financially demanding sports, school trips, summer camps and the like.


Political slogans gradually began to be diluted with other words, starting from quotes literary works ending swear words. Perhaps it was during this period that the question: is graffiti a form of art or vandalism, was the most relevant.

decline in popularity

It is quite natural that such antics could not remain unpunished for a long time. Because of the "crack epidemic" that broke out and the growth of obscene language on the city walls, the government had to take action, and gradually they became more and more drastic.

Instead of looking for deeper meaning and questions why the company is concerned that someone is destroying the orderly and gray stereotyped road leading for decades to basically nowhere. How is it possible that someone would allow the reins of their own creativity that dares to have a different view of the world that allows you to express your condemnation in such a worthy and primitive way.

The company's culture is like a chessboard and neat, everything must be white or black, and each has its own brand, its place, its scope - systems. To maintain existence do not get paid to leave their marks, their action of the action turned upside down is unacceptable. Stop taking death seriously is unacceptable. Although it is very clear that there is something very vexed about his essence, such as taste and smell, having disappeared from life. Identity is not colorful in gray laws through a system of established, increasingly restrictive norms, commands, prohibitions, and often meaningless laws.

This naturally led to a decrease in the popularity of this art form. For a long time it fell into a state of decline.

Commercialization and return to popularity

Despite the fact that this art form has practically turned into graffiti on paper and did not find any reflection on the city walls, there have always been true fans of such modern "rock inscriptions". In cities, new paintings appeared every now and then, which sometimes even acquired the status of a landmark.

What patterns and what inspiration does the system give to a young person? Is the spray and related activities just a name for "Risk Behavior Syndrome"? The worship of popular icons, whether in the world of business or sports, cannot be the subject of normal thinking for a long time. Usually a thinking person will show in time that this only leads to destruction, self-destruction, diversion of attention from essential things and plunder of society. Are we even trying to understand the real reasons for young people, the hidden reasons leading to risky behavior?


Quite often, the walls of various shops and shopping centers became the “victims” of graffiti. Entrepreneurial owners, able to appreciate the benefits of such phenomena, quickly took note of this way of attracting consumer attention, and soon graffiti on paper turned into full-fledged custom-made paintings. For many artists, this has literally become a way to earn money, and it is not at all surprising that this phenomenon fits so well into the concept of pop art.

Modernity

Today, graffiti is a predominantly non-commercial phenomenon, but in almost every city in the world you can find some kind of cafe or bookstore decorated in this style.

Pictures placed on walls and fences either acquire greater aesthetics, or are replaced by inscriptions that have an exclusively political context. It depends, first of all, on the situation in a particular country, the level of stability and well-being of the population.

Despite the fact that the tendency towards aestheticization is definitely taking place, in moments of popular upheaval, the original purpose of graffiti art returns, and a forced decline follows the heyday of the culture of street paintings.


How to relate to such manifestations of art is a personal matter for everyone. Someone prefers not to notice them at all, someone writes angry messages about them on personal blogs, and someone collects and enjoys the simple contemplation of freedom of expression.

An unsuccessfully written inscription can sometimes spoil even the greatest building, considered one of the greatest architectural monuments, but sometimes just a few colored strokes can turn the most ordinary ruins into a real object of art ...

What do you think, how many means and ways of self-expression exist in the world? In the era of technological progress, they simply cannot be counted. Human possibilities have become almost limitless. However, despite this, people did not stop drawing on the walls. But far from everyone perceives painted walls as a way of self-expression. For them, this is more hooliganism than creativity. Many call it vandalism.

What is the connection between vandalism and graffiti? According to Big Soviet encyclopedia vandalism is “the senseless destruction of cultural and material values”. But in a broader sense, vandalism means sabotage, antisocial behavior. Well, for example, someone threw garbage in the park, trampled on the lawn or smashed the store - all this is an act of vandalism, deviant behavior. This is done mostly by teenagers. What's with the graffiti here? Some believe that graffiti is a kind of deviant behavior that is very common among teenagers and young people. One can argue with this. Firstly, no one has studied the phenomenon of graffiti in Russia and no one has conducted any research. Secondly, graffiti is a way of communication in society, a way to express one's opinion or convey any information, and at the same time do it incognito. Depending on their purpose, graffiti can be public and private, or can be meaningful inscriptions made in the hip-hop style. And yet, why do people pick up a can of paint and go to paint? There are many reasons for this: it may be a negative reaction, or there may be a surge of positive emotions, there may be a protest, or there may be creative motives.

It is very difficult to give a clear definition of what graffiti is, but most researchers agreed that it is a means of communication, the main characteristic of which is a public and informal character. This is a kind of alternative to the traditional ways of expressing your opinion. Of course, on the main street of the city you can hardly see painted walls, but in other areas, usually in marginal areas, graffiti is found at every turn. If you want to appreciate the paintings on the walls, go through the underpass or go to the train station - these are the most common places for graffiti.

Graffiti is the freest (if I may say so) of the means of self-expression. Write, draw about whatever you want, not being afraid to break any norms and rules, there are no taboos and prohibitions. In general, complete freedom of creativity. And we most often see such creativity on the street (walls of buildings, garages, underground passages, payphone booths, asphalt pavement in courtyards, etc.); transport is also used for drawing, and, of course, we must not forget about the entrances and stairs. If we talk about large cities, then there are so-called galleries graffiti, that is, walls completely covered with paint. There are such galleries for various reasons. But basically, these are gathering places for “informal” youth. For example, in St. Petersburg there are several such places. This is the Rotunda, the entrance of the house in which B.B. Grebenshchikov lives, the walls of the courtyard of the house number 10 on Pushkinskaya Street. Another vivid example is the concrete fence and the foot of the viaduct at the Ladozhskaya metro station. Thanks to graffiti all young people now know this place, which is intended specifically for such drawings.

The choice of how it will be drawn depends on the place where the drawing is located. Most of the graffiti is drawn with a marker or paint. But it all depends on the capabilities of the one who draws. For example, in Moscow and St. Petersburg they paint much less with spray paint than in Berlin, Paris or New York. These cities are recognized as the so-called capitals of graffiti, and the painted walls there fit quite organically into the urban landscape and do not cause a negative reaction from the public.

There is another supposed criterion by which people choose a place for a drawing. People don't draw in "their" space. All buildings, all walls and fences, underground passages, public transport are perceived as the property of the city and are not “their own” objects for the authors of the drawings. And perhaps graffiti artists have a desire (whether conscious or not) to somehow make this space their own. And graffiti is a very convenient way to do this. To some extent, this is similar to animal instinct. Remember how many animals mark their territory in various ways. And here graffiti, perhaps, is a kind of label. But how then to explain the fact that teenagers literally paint their own houses and porches? The same principle applies here. If this is not a private house built by my parents, but a city building - this is not mine, but urban, this is the property of another, "adult world", someone else's space. The same attitude, for example, among schoolchildren to their textbooks, issued in the library. This is not mine - so you can draw in this book. But as for your room or your apartment, then to meet graffiti there is a rarity. The popularity of graffiti among young people is steadily growing. Yes, and society is more loyal to wall paintings. People stopped discussing street drawings so actively... and they also stopped condemning graffiti artists. This phenomenon is no longer considered shameful or asocial. People are simply used to colorful city walls and porches.

Graffiti also carries a certain continuity. Those who are new to this business tend to learn something from more experienced artists, professionals in their field. They want to get high marks for their work from these people. Logical, isn't it? It can even be said that without such a relationship (teacher-student), the art of graffiti could sink into oblivion. Any artist strives not only for self-expression, but also for recognition, for fame. Well, as they say, the soldier who does not want to become a general is bad. Achieving the cherished goal can be done in different ways. The simplest is, of course, the media. Photos of works, interviews, presence of works in clips, etc. will undoubtedly bring the author of graffiti wide fame. Taki 183 was the first to gain popularity in this way. And those who took this height are now called Kings. But glory is not eternal, and after some time these Kings are replaced. Perhaps this is what attracts graffiti culture to young people. Although the process of creating a masterpiece on the wall becomes really attractive. And the style, color, shape of the drawing are the means by which the graffiti artist expresses his own self.

The history of modern graffiti began in the 1970s, the years of inventions. This art has come down to us, but over the years it has lost the meaning of a pronounced protest. graffiti has lost the role of an alternative version of the generally accepted culture, it organically fit into it. The language of graffiti is becoming universal as more people understand and accept it. Drawings on the walls are no longer equated with hooliganism. And of course, vandalism, it can not be called. Maybe the inscription on the wall “Vasya is a goat” can be called vandalism, but not every inscription on the wall is graffiti!

Graffiti is really an art, the art of self-expression, the art of drawing your own self.