It's More Than Just Graffiti
The impact that graffiti has is larger than what people realize.
What Is Graffiti?
Graffiti is an art form where a person draws and/or writes on a wall (oftentimes on the side(s) of a business) in a public space. This art style often uses the mediums of chalk and spray paint, making it somewhat of a cheap excursion among young artists. Graffiti is different from Street Art; Graffiti being an art form with letters/words and sometimes images while Street Art mainly consists of images like a mural. However, unlike street art, doing graffiti is illegal because it is often done without taking the right precautions with cities and business owners, making it an act of vandalism.
Beneath the surface, graffiti is more than just letters and images. It's a way for the artist to express themselves, convey an important ideal that they may have (a social and/or political ideal), or simply having an outlet from everyday life.
O n the left side is a commissioned piece of street art that is a part of the South Side Committee Council's initiative to embrace the history and culture in Pittsburgh . On the right side is a Tag from a graffiti artist in the same area.
Despite graffiti being simplistic in its nature, there are over ten types of graffiti . However, the focus will be on the top three: tagging, throwing-up, and piecing.
Tagging is the atom of graffiti; it's as simple as spraying an artist's name handle in one color. It can take artists months or years to come up with the tag they want to use since that is what will distinguish them in the graffiti world. Having a tag allows for other artists and onlookers to know who has done the art they see.
Next is a throw-up. Most of the time, a throw-up is a complicated version of a tag. Whereas the tag only uses one color and block letters, a throw-up uses bubble letters and two to three colors as well as a small design around it.
Finally, there is the piece. A piece is an elaborate mural of letters that make up the artist's name, can take several hours, and has vibrant colors that cover the entire wall. Due to the amount of time piecing can take, many graffiti artists often ask for permission for the wall they want before they paint on it (otherwise, it can prove daunting to try to complete with law enforcement looming). Piecing can also be a group effort; many artists group together so that they can cover more ground, providing the public with beautiful artwork that has a cohesive theme.
Why Is Graffiti Illegal?
In spite of the beauty that the art adds to a community, graffiti comes with a multitude of complications. Spray paints are aerosols that emit damaging compounds that erode the ozone layer, contributing to the already high pollution levels. Not only is the spray itself toxic to the environment but, the removal supplies are also toxic. Some of these products include methanol which, is admittedly not that as bad as other greenhouse gases, is bad for humans.
Sadly, many business owners are tasked with removing the graffiti on their own if the city of Pittsburgh, PA does not cover the costs, leaving the owners to enlist the help of various removal companies (a single vandalism removal averages $3,370). Understandably, many business owners are upset because they have to pay for something they had no control over. Annually, Pittsburgh spends about $350,000 cleaning up the graffiti that is in public government-owned spaces.
The Cost of Vandalism - Stellar Energy Solutions
Police have been cracking down on these artists, arresting them and charging some of them with fines that are thousands of dollars in an attempt to stop them. It's important to understand that many of these artists are at juvenile (13-17) ages, meaning that some children's parents are incurring the cost as well. Some artists have even been sent to jail, still having to pay back the fines once they are released.
Gangs will also tag businesses in their area to claim them as territory. Businesses that have graffiti on them often experience a downturn in business because people do not want to be in any gang-related activity. Many of the tags that are on businesses are harmless but, people tend to avoid the business if they can. Rival gangs will see certain tags on a certain business and they target that business as well, driving away customers. So, not only does graffiti prove costly to businesses but, it also proves dangerous.
Above is a map that you can search for the locations of a few graffiti spots that have been documented for removal in Pittsburgh, PA. At the bottom left corner is the legend!
Mark Gonzalez and Shane Pilser give a lot a makeover.
A Trip Down Graffiti Lane
Pittsburgh has a rich history with graffiti.
The graffiti scene in Pittsburgh took off in the late 1970's, some time after the rise of graffiti in New York and Philadelphia.
Many artists started young, getting into graffiti as a way to connect to the punk and hip-hop culture that was their environment, being entranced by the creative outlet that graffiti offered.
However, artists recognize that their environments were in urban areas- areas that had gang activity. Oftentimes, the artists would choose graffiti as a way to "stay out of trouble" since they did not want to be involved in gang activity. Some artists even saw graffiti as a way to be free and rebel while some used their graffiti to practice their art and perfect their craft.
As stated earlier, artists would band together but, it was more than just a precaution against law enforcement. These artists were spreading their name, turning their run-down neighborhoods into places of rustic beauty, tagging as much property as they could to alleviate the likelihood of being caught that was posed to one person alone.
The graffiti groups brought these teenagers together; allowed them to bond through their mutual creative flow.
FWTV - The HISTORY of GRAFFITI in under FIVE MINUTES. Above is a brief history of graffiti in more depth.
The Icon That Was MFONE
Speaking about the history of graffiti in Pittsburgh is incomplete if you do not mention Daniel "MFONE" Montano. He was an amazing graffiti artist, still giving inspiration to other artists to this day.
His Beginning
Since there are no records of Montano speaking about his start, the public can only estimate that he started in the early 2000's (although, he was expelled from his high school after he vandalized a building across from it). He began gaining notoriety once his tags started everywhere!
His End
Sadly, Montano died of a drug overdose in 2017. It's clear to see from his art that he loved creating and being able to focus his emotions on the art he made. His art was a staple of what he believed in. He leaves behind many pieces that are still a focual point in many communities, some of his art even making it into museums.
His Negative Impact
It is important to understand that, while he was an amazing artist, he still was no saint. He vandalized countless businesses (making a name for himself in a negative way). Many communities thought he was driving their neighborhoods down. And, in the end, he caused over $700,000 in property damage.
His Positive Impact
Despite the damage that he caused, Montano continued to inspire his fellow artist. He even commissioned a few art pieces for local businesses.
A New Wave of Graffiti
There are two artists who have truly elevated the old graffiti game in Pittsburgh: Alphonso Sloan and Darron Batch . Both of these men come from completely different backgrounds of life but, they are united by this graffiti culture.
The story starts when Alphonso Sloan was a teenager. He often engaged in creating graffiti, feeling that there was a certain thrill of being able to run from the police. Eventually, he would settle down as a police officer dedicated to catching other graffiti artists per Mayor Bill Peduto's request.
Alphonso Sloan has used his current art to highlight his views on police brutality and social unrest in the United States.
Because of his job, he was able to meet Darron Batch, a former NFL Steelers player. Sloan caught Batch in the act of creating multiple large murals (which damaged thousands of dollars of property) while he was on the beat. Amazingly enough, Batch and Sloan bonded over their mutual respect for graffiti and each other, collaborating on multiple pieces of art to inspire their community.
Batch paired up with a non-profit to help create and paint "The Color Park," a place where all people are welcomed to create murals and paintings in an open and safe place. The park has become an important sight for both locals and tourists. It's given artists a safe outlet to practice what they love while also giving the public some beautiful art, all while taking away some of the damage these artists could create when left to their own devices.
The Future of Graffiti
It's clear the only aversion to graffiti is that it's monetarily damaging and, in some cases, damaging to the community. So, how can you help continue the future of graffiti culture while also ensuring that people's property is not damaged and the community is pleased?
- Help donate to the South Side's Committee Council or volunteer your time !
- Fill out this form: The form below helps document any graffiti sites that you enjoy. The responses will be shared with the public once they have been collected each month. It's important that the community helps build an appreciation for this art form. Thank you for your time!
Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.
