Graffiti has never been considered as a true and professional art form.It has be conclealed and painted over, the striking spirals of spray paint never noticed in their vivid flamboyance.Cities and towns all over London have maintained their best efforts to restore their crusty brown brick walls and dull stone streets and to supress the revolution of art expressionism emerging from the majority of the youth.As a country that values the freedom of expression,looking down at a movement as massive as "pop culture" may undoubtedly come across as rather bigoted.
To this generation ,street art encapsulates notions of complete freedom, defiance against the social norms and acceptance that life is ultimately a frenzied journey. To many, the exuberant patterns tell a story:the colours and designs conveying the artist's emotion,a feelings of esctacy, depression and peace all emanating from a single artwork.
Graffiti, today, is also seen as a form of typography where the artist spray paints "tags" in unique fonts of text.This art is fascinating and unprecedented as it presents the artist's thoughts and feeling in not only an artistic way but also through the use of words.
One aspect of street art that does cause lots of contraversy is that public/private property being used as a canvas for art may be looked at as vandalism. As much as street art symbolises freedom, it is important to recognise that rules and regulations do exist and that the freedom lies within the art itself not the freedom of the artist from the laws of society.Art is meant to be admired-not imposed.
"There is no right or wrong in art.Graffiti need to be recognised as a pureform of expression" says a local resident ,Sanjana Chanda.
For that reason,it is increasingly essential for the government to provide facilities where art forms such as street art and graffiti are accepted and encouraged.With the use of these facilities, not only will new artists emerges, but also the number of cases of vandalism will decrease and street art will no longer be look upon with distaste, but as an esteemed at form.
Shruti Cotra,Newstead Wood School
