94graffitiA r t ,Vandalism orSuBliminalT h r e a t ?by dougr o d o s k iKeeping to our theme of dirt and grime thissemester at MSM, I decided to examine a platformof communication which I once categorized in thedirt department: graffiti. Life experience, and alsomy valued college education here at the University ofNew Hampshire in Durham, as well as current events,have made me reevaluate my position on graffiti. Itcan be a productive medium for communication.I decided to look closer at the history and uses of graffitiand align it with my life experiences and observations.
1986, and meBefore my initial enlistment in the Army, I attended afascinating trade school for commercial underwater divingin City Island, NY. City Island is just a short distance bybridge from the Bronx, walking tours of which showed memany kinds of graffiti. The bus ride to the Port Authority inManhattan would roll past a building mural of (then) NewYork Mets ace pitcher Dwight Gooden. As a lifelong sportsfan, this generated excitement in me. Years later, I read ofTampa shipping magnate George Steinbrenner, and how hedealt with graffiti defacing Yankee Stadium after he becamethe teams’ owner in the early 1970’s. Like or hate the lateSteinbrenner, and his penchant for hiring and firing hisbeleaguered manager Billy Martin, I was entertainedthat he used his wealth to simply buy more paint andcover up graffiti on his stadium.I would take the subway into Manhattan on weekendsduring trade school to see the Knicks play at MadisonSquare Garden, or play pickup soccer at Central Park,or simply to walk around the city. The subways were ripewith graffiti of all types, at the kiosks and in and on thesubway cars themselves. Some of it was indecipherable,some beautiful, and some had a threatening vibe. Themore ominous of the subliminal threat graffiti featuredpredatory birds and/or human skulls which seemed to beanimated. Adding to the dark aura of some of Manhattan’s1980s graffiti was the odor of the subterranean subwaytunnels where it was displayed. It was a dirty, nervous urbansmell that reeked of dust and electricity, and potentialdanger.The 1980s darkness was often mitigated by sportsreferences. As a lifelong fan of sports in general and theNew York Mets in particular, I would be delighted when Itook a bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 625 8thAvenue, since just before entering, your bus would passthe building mural in nearby Times Square that featuredtalented and troubled ace pitcher Dwight Gooden.why use graffiti?Graffiti is a form of artistic expression, often known for its “underground” vibe, and overallrebelliousness against authority. The origins of graffiti featured public displays of outward artisticexpression, often as a response to limited access to institutions such as museums and other artplatforms. Also, graffiti seems to run parallel to themes of continuous strife, discrimination of varioustypes, and the overall grind of living in an urban area.Types of graffiti include, and are not limited to, tag; throw up (or bomb); letters; bubbles; and piece(or character). What is now known as calligraffiti combines calligraphy, typography, and graffiti. Thisincludes work with stencils, stickers and the more current memes and GIFs.When categorized as vandalism, graffiti in most instances is illegal, a willful defacing of privateor public or government property. What makes graffiti timeless, and makes it transcendgenerations, is that it is a low-cost form of artistic expression, empowering a person or groupto voice opinions which were previously not acknowledged. It can be a platform from whichpeople can express their political opinions, and proudly present their indigenous heritage aswell as cultural and religious ancestry. Graffiti can also provide alternative views to dominantportrayals of life in the barrios and neighborhoods. Graffiti has evolved to become another tool ofresistance, reclamation, and empowerment, and gives the artist their own stage for expression.97
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