picture taken from you-are-beautiful

Alright, i discussed this point a lot in the last few weeks with friends. I made a clear pladoyer for graffiti and street art as a part of urban culture. Therefore this kind of art has to be treated like any art that is. But the answers i got was mostly very narrow minded, only focusing on right of property (not on common property!). The most answer i got were like: “…but think of the owners property. Imagine someone would spray something on your building.” I thought they didn’t got the point. I were pretty sure that they didn’t got then point when they added: “YOU like graffiti, but this is just YOUR taste, it is your narrow minded thought, that you want everybody to like graffiti.” Aha, alright. That’s not what i intent. I don’t want everybody to go out and love or make graffiti. No, that’s not what i want. It would be utopian.

What i want is, that this kind of ART and CULTURE would be percieved like ART and CULTURE. In fact i think, that threre are many boring and ugly opera at the opera-house or bad tv- and radio-programme. And they are paid from my tax-money. But this is okay, because it is a kind of culture, that has a tradition and sometimes developes over time. And there are people enjoying it.

picture taken from wooster collective

Streetart should be seen as an integral part of the urban. Me really don’t like that the discussion (in Germany) is ONLY focussing on the vandalism aspect (when there are at the same time evidence for urban sites / underground sites, that were enhanced by colurful sprayings on the wall). Writing, Pieces, Graffiti and Streetart has meanwile a 30+ year tradition and is constantly evolving. (and can’t be stopped). And there are lot of people enjoing it.

PS: Why should i accept ugly and wrong advertisment? Only because someone paid for it? What about freedom of speech?