A Survey Of The Status-quo Of Graffiti In Beijing

Graffiti is an art form that was produced in the United States in the1960s and prevailed allover the world in the1970s and1980s. It is characterized by non-mainstream consciousness andsubjectivity as well as diverse manifestations. Labelled as a kind of anti-tradition and anti-mainstream "treason" art, graffiti has brought about different judgments due to its complicatedsocial causes, marginalization, and grass-roots nature. However, in spite of despised eyes andsevere criticisms, graffiti has become an undeniable reality of existence, which illustrates thatgraffiti has its reason to exist.The graffiti art has existed in Beijing for over twenty years since its emergence between theend of the1980s and the beginning of the1990s. How is graffiti, as a foreign art form, embodiedin Beijing? What is its current development status? Where are the main places of graffiti? Whichindividuals and groups are practicing graffiti? And what characteristics are shown in its contentsand artistic forms? This article aims to explore these questions, which is of great significance tohelp individuals better understand graffiti as a unique art as well as to facilitate the sustainabledevelopment of graffiti in Beijing.Based on the in-depth research of graffiti art in Beijing City through video-recording andcollecting first-hand information as well as browsing a lot of literature on graffiti, this articleexplores the origin and development process of Beijing graffiti art. In addition, by interviewingindividuals and groups involved in graffiti, visiting specific graffiti sites, and studying concretegraffiti works, this article clarifies the genealogy of Beijing graffiti practitioners and analyzescontents, themes, styles, and techniques of their graffiti works. The findings suggest that Beijinggraffiti has its own characteristics. First, there are many graffiti activities and frequent exchangesin Beijing thanks to Beijing’s special geo-political factor as the national capital and internationalmetropolis that has drawn many graffiti people at home and abroad to congregate together.Second, the contents and forms of Beijing graffiti are characterized by diversity and richnessowing to the diverse practicing methods and structures of individuals involved in graffiti. Third,there are multiple graffiti places in Beijing, especially some relatively fixed ones that have enabled graffiti to become a publicly accepted street art. Fourth, compared with foreign originalgraffiti labelled as "treason" and "anti-mainstream", Beijing graffiti has embodied some kind ofcompromise or adaptability. Relatively loose management, regulation of graffiti behaviors, anddiverse life-ways of graffiti practitioners have provided Beijing graffiti art with a certain degreeof space for sustainable development.