Graffiti Lecture 1/26/11

   The film we watched on the art of graffiti called "Bomb It" was quite interesting because it explained the different types, styles, and reasons why people graffiti. Weather it be political, a freedom of expression, or in some cases marking gang territory, graffiti and its popularity have increased. And in some parts of the world it covers every street corner. The movie took us around the world to meet different artist and they gave us a back story to their art. One artist from Amsterdam was a school teacher during the day and graffiti artist by night. I honestly didn't like her art. She said she drew eye balls & aliens!?? She said something about it meaning we are always being watched. My favorite artists from the film were  "The Twins" from Sao Paulo, Brazil (one of their paintings is pictured above). To me their art was colorful, interesting and different. I liked that they painted characters, not words. I think they would be successful if they used their drawings on merchandise. The place that mostly used graffiti for political reasons was Cape Town in South Africa. Especially during the incarceration of Nelson Mandela in the 1980's. The graffiti is also used to depict the large population of poverty stricken citizens in the city. I think graffiti is a great way for people to express themselves since it is after all art. I just disagree with it covering the walls of the city I live in. If these people want to paint they have every right to but, they should go to an art store and buy a poster board or some canvas to pain it on. Graffiti in my opinion does not look nice. Most of the artists in the movie said they don't pain on homes, school, or churches but still the other places they graffiti on are public property and we all have to look at it. We don't get to vote on what goes on there its community property. I'm not going to acknowledge gang graffiti because I know that's not art and it's quite sad that these people think its ok to write  all over their communities. In general I enjoyed the film because it introduced me to the "graffiti culture" which I really knew nothing about.