Graffiti: Art or vandalism

Graffiti
On the modern stage
History of the question
in Britain
in America
in Russia
in Kaliningrad
Graffiti gallery

Do you know?
The world " Graffiti " occurs from Italian "graffito", that is "scratched".
Within many centuries anonymous authors gave vent to soul on walls, admitted eternal love to the ladylove and кляли last words of objectionable governors. Sometimes граффити became even a source of inspiration. A word "fate" (in sense, "destiny"), traced on - гречески on a wall of the Cathedral of the Parisian mother of god, сподвигло Victor Gjugo on a spelling of the well-known novel.

Do you know?
The majority of street masters designate the role in another way: "writer" . Historically this writing was developed from so-called “Tag" - stylized "autographes" or author's trade marks
Ideal objects for applied arts of the New York teenagers are the trains of an underground. Graffiti has mobile and it is not limited to walls of schools and toilets. The messages are now, you can see in adifferent areas of the city.

Graffiti in Britain
THE UK POLICE ARE NOW BREAKING DOWN DOORS TO THE HOUSES OF GRAFFITI ARTISTS IN THE UK TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY SPRAY CANS IN THE HOUSE THAT COULD BE USED TO CONVICT THEM OF GRAFFITI CRIMES, A SERIES OF RAIDS ON THE HOUSES OF TEENAGERS IN BRITAIN HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE.
THE POLICE SPOKESMAN( I THINK HE WAS ON A BIKE IF NOT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN) SAID THAT GRAFFITI IS NOT ART AND A ZERO TOLLERENCE TO THE VERY SERIOUSE CRIME WAS BEING USED.

Graffiti in America
New Yorkers used to see the graffiti on the walls of poor neighborhoods and subway trains as something menacing and an example of urban decay. The scrawled names and slogans were seen as ugly and aggressive, the work of vandals seeking to express their identities or even make a political point. Up to the 1970s, most New Yorkers hated graffiti, considering it as an eyesore that was illegal and punishable by fines.
Since those days, graffiti has changed a lot and it is no longer found only in the subway.
The poor ghetto areas of the city. Nowadays, it has the status of street art' and you get graffiti in places where you wouldn't expect to — in advertisements, on clothes, on toys, and even on the Wall Street Journal's official website! In the early 1980s, there was a real craze for graffiti art and the sophisticated Manhattan art world had displays of street art in its galleries. The trend was short-lived — until the arrival of hip-hop music in the late 80s.

There are four types of graffiti – hip-hop, gang, hate, and generic (non-threatening messages like “Bobby loves Suzy” or “Class of 1997”).

New York is still esteemed as "cradle" graffiti. The world of street art - with the engineering, style and slang there was born. Generally, would be more exact to tell - styles. You see graffiti is a set of directions and currents. From considered nowadays already unfashionable "inflatable" letter-masters “ old school ” up to considerable skill demanding and skill “ wild style ”

Graffiti and Teens of Russia
Art, maybe it's controversial, but it's still art. One of my favorite things to do is make out graffiti. Olga, 14, Russia
I think graffiti is
vandalism. It makes our cities look really run-down and ugly. Natasha, 16, Russia
GRAFFITI DEPENDS UPON WHERE IT IS? LOTS OF STUFF THAT PASSES FOR ART IS GRAFFITI, E.G. MURAKAMI, MAJERUS, ACKERMAN, HARING. SO WHAT, BUT WHEN ITS ON A PUBLIC WALL, WITHOUT APPROVAL OR INVITATION IT'S A CRIME. Igor, 15 Russia

Most studies show the majority of “taggers” are males between 12 and 21 years old. Approximately 15 percent of graffiti vandals are young females.
Arrest data from 17 major cities shows that 50 to 70 percent of all street-level graffiti is created by suburban adolescents, predominately males between the ages of 12 and 19.
Community paint-brush murals are rarely defaced by graffiti and instill a sense of pride among those who live nearby.

Graffiti in Kaliningrad

I REALISE THAT - THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
-GRAFFITI IS NOT A CRIME IF ITS DONE WELL
- NOW OF COURSE THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR THIS EXPRESSION, BUT NOT ON PUBLIC WALLS, IT COSTS THE RATE PAYER MONEY TO BE CLEANED OFF FOR A START.