In the process of researching vinyl records, for Project 1 and its associated underground subculture, I was reminded of the culture of graffiti street art that I was immersed in and inspired by, growing up in my home city of Bristol. Although most famous for the infamous anonymous urban street artist Banksy, the Bristol scene has nurtured many other styles and renowned artists and since the late 80s the city has been a melting pot for several generations of street art talent. The perception of, and attitudes towards street art and graffiti in Bristol has changed dramatically over these decades. It has transitioned from outright hostility and criminality and evolved into its own unique art form appreciated by many, even the law, not only for its artistic merit but also its social and political conscience.
While this artform is still controversial and illegal in some contexts today, its direct association with neglected or ‘rundown’ neighbourhoods, gang culture, vandalism and crime has changed over time. Instead it has become transgressive, embraced public spaces and more affluent districts, and blurred the boundaries between rich and poor neighbourhoods, and thus has disrupted the appearance of contemporary cityscapes globally.
Street art began with ‘tagging’ in British cities, where artists would compete to tag their name, symbol or a word to represent themselves. Tags were placed where they could be seen, on large budlings, on trains, underground stations and any especially hard to reach urban surfaces. I will explore how the narrative of graffiti has been transformed from ‘tagging’ into ‘street art’, and how some consider it has thus been hijacked or gentrified. In spite of this it still has an role in social and political activism.
Some of the questions I want to explore include: Who decides which graffiti is art and which is a crime, or can it be both at the same time? Is it only art if it is commodified and recognised by collectors and galleries? Which street artist’s voices and messages are listened to and whose are not, and why?
