Week 6 Journal

This article was especially relevant to me because I have studied many graffiti artists, like Banksy, Stephen Fairey and Space Invader and have always found the subject of street art extremely interesting. However, until this article, I had never really considered the large role that location plays in street art as a whole.

Of course, street art is generally found on walls and corners and other overlooked public places of cities. Hence the name ‘street’ art, it being found on streets. If it was found on canvases in homes, or in museums, or sketched onto napkins, it wouldn’t have the same title.

Street art is unique in the way that it is viewed. As pointed out in the article, a street artist’s name is only recognized after thousands of tags have been put up. Graffiti on trains can circulate across the country, while bathroom stall graffiti generally stays in one place. I suppose you could say that there is a difference in the choice of the artist who tags the bathroom stall, the artist who tags the train, and the artist who tags the billboard, as they become progressively bolder, and the difference in perception is all based on location.

While an idea elaborated upon in a scholarly journal may carry more weight, an idea concisely represented on a wall in New York likely will have more of a startling and emotional impact. Maybe that’s a part of what everyday writing means, that it is more raw and honest than its professional counterparts.