THE sight of graffiti on walls and streets may not always sit well with everyone. In fact, they may be regarded as an eyesore, with some people viewing these "creative impressions" as an act of vandalism or protest.
This is probably because graffiti is often associated with the culture of rebellion, and is considered or perceived as being illegal. Graffiti done without permission or following a proper guideline from the local authorities, especially at public facilities or at non-authorised public spaces, can be deemed an act of vandalism rather than beautification.
Unlike graffiti, murals, on the other hand, are seen in a more positive light, even though both are forms of street art that can be used to send positive messages. Murals are often created on a bigger scale to give a sense of place, especially at schools and on public walls.
Sometimes they are created to elevate the street image as well as to revitalise what could be a dull space or street.
However, times are changing. There's been more works of graffiti seen in many Malaysian cities, in areas where greater and diverse artistic expressions are needed other than just murals.
GROWING APPRECIATION
In Malaysia, there's a growing appreciation for street art, which includes graffiti, murals, 3D art and more. Many cities have been using street art to revive back lanes, heritage buildings and improve the identity of any given street to attract people to walk on them again.
Street art is a diverse and evolving form, and varies from graffiti to murals and even sculptures. Nonetheless, without a guideline, graffiti can be a form of vandalism and is upsetting, particularly when the art and images touch on sensitivities of the local community. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
In Malaysia, graffiti and street art can be traced back to the 1990s, during the heyday of the hip-hop subculture in the country. Early rap and hip-hop groups used to feature graffiti-style elements, such as "throw up", "tag" and "paste-up" on their album covers.
Since then, graffiti and street art have appeared as a means of expressing the voices of the people and are increasingly accepted. Graffiti art as a form of urban enhancement is no longer regarded as "uncomfortable".
One need only take a trip down to towns such as Batu Pahat, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Seremban and George Town to see some really striking works of graffiti. In fact, graffiti has gone beyond walls and street corners; it's even featured as a creative element in branding and marketing strategies.
AT THE HEART OF GRAFFITI
The Greek verb graphene (which means to scrape, draw or write) is the root of the English word graffiti. Although Roman and Greek ruins have figures and writings on their walls dating back thousands of years, "graffiti" only became popular in the United States in Philadelphia in the 1960s, and New York in the 1970s.
It was thought to have started among the Black and Latino communities, along with hip-hop music and street subcultures, and that the development of the aerosol spray can was what gave it its impetus.
Graffiti can range from the most basic form of tagging, which only requires a quick, continuous one-line stroke of an aerosol spray can or paint marker to mark a name, to the more complex three-dimensional figures, which require numerous line strokes, colours and angles to create the illusion of depth.
According to Amanda Marie Bunting's 1974 article, A Sociological Study of Graffiti in Seville, Spain, teenagers use "tagging" and "bombing" to mark their names and the names of their gangs in declaring territory, which is how graffiti differs from street art.
But in the modern world, graffiti is a common urban phenomenon, symbolising the potential for revolution in a sociological sense.
It can be seen as an intervention in daily urban life that aims to use urban space to appeal to the public, in addition to being an act of defiance.
Finally, communicating a message is at the heart of any works of graffiti. This can be used to its fullest potential as a tool to strengthen the sense of place.
Graffiti can be seen as a moral and symbolic challenge to the established order of power. It can also be a sign of identity and an expression of the urban condition of today. Therefore, negative perceptions and attitudes towards graffiti may be a sign of an identity crisis in a particular location.