Graffiti as vandalism: An analysis of the intentions, influence, and growth of graffiti

Through media exposure, pop culture and inclusion into the art world, graffiti has grown to become a broadly labeled activity that incorporates an abundance of public forms of expression. I will clarify how the transgressive nature of illegal graffiti distinguishes it from graffiti-influenced art that is being made for display in the gallery and museum environment. My work will also explore some of the lesser-known influences on graffiti culture such as punk and hardcore music and skateboard culture and the importance of freight train graffiti as an overlapping subset of graffiti culture. Graffiti's use as an effective tool to refute corporate advertising helps to reinforce its unique ability to create expression in the public realm. Recent museum and gallery exhibitions of graffiti-influenced art expose how graffiti has changed from its original destructive roots and gained an enormously broad label including street art and other forms of public art under the umbrella of the graffiti title. The main goal of my work is to distinguish illegal graffiti that is not made with artistic intentions, from the other practices it has influenced, whether artistic or otherwise. With this distinction made, I hope to reinforce graffiti's cultural value as an important and unique form of public expression.