General Chat / Graffiti is it art?

At my community college at the moment I have to write a report on urban culture to pass my English basic diploma. Now its state that I have to have a few people’s opinions on the subject. So do you consider it art or an eyesore?

It's art because you use paint .

It's art.

Depends what you mean by grafitti. Taking a can of spray paint and writing your name on a wall is grafitti but it isn't art. If you actually try to reprent something than it's definately art.

Aesthetically, it is art, as it isn't just regular handwriting, there is a unique style and method of doing graffiti that would make it art.


I would not consider it art in general, because the purpose is not meant to be as an aesthetically pleasing symbol.

I agree with Coaster Ed on this. Although some graffiti is very artistic, IMO, unless the 'artist' is actually painting a picture as opposed to tagging, I wouldn't consider it to be a form of art.

Depends on the graffiti.

Someone wrote "Band Fags" outside the bandroom doors at my high school. That is not art.

The giant mural type graffiti that I've seen in Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, etc. are art.

Words alone cannot be classified as art.

Band Fags

some people are so clever, and when they have nothing better to do... de Jesùs! idiots.

Graffiti is art, tags are not.

Much like what everyone else has said, vandalizing someone’s property just for the sake of vandalizing someone’s property, is not art. However, it (like most everything else, actually) can be raised to the level of an art, if you do it correctly.

There are actually quite a few books on the art of graffiti, and artists even have websites to show theirs off!

Finally, let us not forget the numerous people working in the commercial field, and in the world of both fine and degenerate art, who while not technically doing graffiti, are using the methods of graffiti in a more refined, legal, and perhaps artistic, method.

In other words, stuff like this (Banksy, the first example which came to mind), can most certainly be considered art. Actually, what else could you consider it? It is art, through and through.

Keith Haring is art.

If art is self expression in physical form, than graffiti is art.

The question is, is it good art or not, and that varies case to case.

Its art.

I have tons of books on graffiti right now as its what I love. I considering doing stencil graffiti for my next project at college.

Graffiti is definetely art, and I reckon if it's done properly (as in no offensive language or such), it looks kick arse!

Graffiti is definetely art, and I reckon if it's done properly (as in no offensive language or such), it looks kick arse!

Just because its done "properly" doesn't mean its art.


Grafitti as an Art, to me, is very symbolic. Those who can represent thier symbolism, thoughts, ideas, and selflessness into writing, and color are artists. Those who just grafitti on a wall, without any emotion arn't artists, just vandals - even if it does look "kick ass".

It's definatly art. Art is about expression, and even just a simple tag with someones name is expression. just my opinion though