Mapping & Way Finding: Graffiti

Fig. 1 Graffiti- sketchbook (author's own)

Fig. 2 Graffiti info- sketchbook (author's own)

Fig. 3 Bansky newspaper article (author's own)

Fig. 4 Bansky info- sketchbook (author's own)

Fig. 5 Basquiat info- sketchbook (author's own)

I have been taking photographs on the streets. Photography equals to art, therefore photography on the street equals to street art. The street art that comes to mind is graffiti... So I decided to research graffiti.

Graffiti is scribbled, scratched or sprayed, it could be presented in the form of writing or drawing. It is usually on a surface in a public space and is an art of expression. Expression of territory, of social and political views and of Hip Hop culture. Usually the expression of this art is done with no consent, therefore making it a crime as it is considered as vandalism. If only all vandalism looked like this.

I researched into two graffiti artists, Bansky and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Bansky is a graffiti artist which we know nothing about, yet love so much. It is good to know you are being appreciated purely on the basis of your works rather than your life, its history and how you decide to live it. Bansky has always been quite bold and confident within his work. Not afraid to speak out politically, he is what graffiti is all about.

Basquiat was an artist that was keen on colour, orange, red yellow, blue and black, these colours were almost always used in his work. He was a part of the neo-expressionist and primitivist movement. I have noticed that a lot of the heads in his work have a similar shape to Africa, I wonder if this was purposely done.