Graffiti — creative expression or vandalism?
One form of creative expression about which I contemplate occasionally is graffiti. Mostly, I’m talking about the mural-like paintings that appear on large public structures, and not simple profanity or scribble scrabble. I believe that someone picking up a paint can and creating art is, at its essence, engaging the creative force in everyday life. However, the goody-goody in me can’t ignore that it is marring someone else’s space, someone who was not consulted in the artistic process, and therefore is disrespectful.
An article in Stanford Magazine has helped me to reconcile my emotional vs. intellectual response to graffiti. It tells the story of a woman in Philadelphia who has found a way to harness the creativity in tagging and channel the positive force behind the vandalism. It seems most cities could follow her lead. Have a read:Painting the Town
Very cool! Haha, stole it to post on facebook :D