Museum Curator and Local Artist Express Views on Graffiti
By Shaye McKeen | Assistant Editor
Art and crime, a mysterious mixture of expression and struggle–the origins of spray-paint graffiti, an art form that began in the New York projects, which can often be traced back to the 1960s in the Bronx, where African Americans attempted to reclaim their place in society which was previously barred by segregation.
Current perspectives surrounding graffiti art vary, as the act of creating graffiti art in its traditional sense of using various buildings and structures as its canvas is inherently illegal. Marjorie Rawle, an Assistant Curator for the Fitchburg Art Museum, offers her insight on the form of art’s ethos:
“I like to keep a very broad definition of art, so I think that anyone making images with a vision, personal style, and challenging boundaries and norms is doing important work. I think graffiti is an important part of art history (especially in the context of the development of American urban environments) that’s only beginning to be understood and studied.”
Graffiti is a form of art that predates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and was used by African Americans to assert their presence in society, the origins of which are rooted in emotional expression and strife. Graffiti was created as a cornerstone of the hip-hop movement which emerged in the Bronx in struggling communities of color.
Ms. Rawle recognizes that from this beginning of breaking social boundaries and stimulating change and states, “As an activity that’s technically illegal, graffiti probably elicits all sorts of opinions… from different people. It’s meant to disrupt public space, and the more outlandish or conspicuous it is, the better. I think that makes it an art form that is inherently controversial, whether you’re an art lover or not.”
She continues to state that the actual purchase and sale of graffiti is “a bit antithetical to the roots of the art form. It’s a counter-culture action that is dependent on the specific context of its location and time, so removing it from that context and subjecting it to market forces seems like it doesn’t fit with the spirit.” Essentially, graffiti is so expressive and meaningful in nature due to the setting which it occupies, it is an especially communicative form of art.
When discussing the topic of location and graffiti, Ms. Rawle elaborates: “I think location is everything when it comes to graffiti. Where an artist chooses to place their tag or image is an essential part of the meaning and impact of the piece. Whether it’s about calling attention to a specific site or just pulling off something that seems impossible, the location holds a lot of the power.”
She adds, “The graffiti artist Acer just tagged the outside of one of NYC’s most prominent contemporary art museums, which is a great example of that. It’s not only an extremely difficult spot to access undetected, but it also has people wondering about the artist’s commentary on contemporary art and museums.”
Challenging social rhetoric is the key principle behind graffiti, as Ms. Rawle describes, and while aesthetics is often held superior regarding an artistic piece’s value, Ms. Rawle believes that “…aesthetic value” is a loaded term that can be interpreted in many ways. For me, regardless of what the piece looks like, the aesthetic value of graffiti rests in its power to disrupt public space and challenge norms and power structures.”
A local artist, Britney McKeen, expresses her own opinions regarding graffiti art and its positive impact on communities as well. Ms. McKeen is an MWCC graduate from the graphic design program and stated that graffiti art “…brings beauty to something plain,” and can “absolutely” enhance a location’s aesthetic value.
When discussing the opinions which surround graffiti in society, she states “I feel overall it’s negative, which is unfortunate given the many walls of negative space that could be utilized,” in reference to the more unstimulating nature of modern urban infrastructure.
She outlines how graffiti can enhance a landscape: “[By] having a subject matter that ties to the area (say an ocean or beach scene near a waterway) [graffiti] can bring more whimsy to existing areas. Alternatively in cities, having a mural of the ocean, forests or otherwise inaccessible views can be uplifting.”
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