How often do you see graffiti in your local area? The answer is likely to be lots, as it’s not uncommon to spot graffiti in your neighbourhood, specifically in urban areas. The law sees graffiti as a form of vandalism. Street art, on the other hand, is legal and not usually frowned upon. But if the only difference between street art and graffiti is the legal aspect, why should one be made legal and not the other?
To find out more information about the effects street art and graffiti have on an area, I interviewed Helen Corner, a geography teacher, who expressed that “street art is an important part of urban regeneration. It rebrands an area and says ‘this place is creative, this place is new, this place is for youth’.”
Street art is particularly present in rejuvenated areas, such as Shoreditch, which is popular among younger generations. She described how these forms of public artwork “help as a catalyst for the economic, social and environmental regeneration of an area.” More designers and artists are drawn to these places with vibrant street art, and “old derelict buildings are reused and refreshed”, she added.
The real differences between these two forms of ‘art’ is that “street art is just a more legal and sanitised form of graffiti.” However, the perception of graffiti totally downgrading an area is not always correct. “Graffiti is often seen as vandalism, but in many cases, it can be seen as art and will often be the forerunner for businesses and local councils that catch on and commission street art or have legal graffiti walls.”
Helen Corner’s son, a former graffiti artist, believes that “graffiti is a pure art form, but it also has associations with crews and loyalty to those crews (not gangs) and therefore can be associated with being illegal.”
The media’s portrayal of graffiti can be inaccurate, as it is not always just irrelevant names and inappropriate words. He adds that “people who do graffiti refer to themselves as painters or writers, they see it as self-expression and as art. Often it helps with counteracting low self-esteem or lack of self-worth. What I mean is that you see yourself there, on the wall and so do others and what you have done is skilled and beautiful.”
Street art can “lead to more people volunteering, less crime, improved health and well -being,” she mentions, whereas many people view graffiti as degrading to an area. Perhaps it should be made easier for people to show their own art publicly, so they have more freedom to express themselves, instead of stripping a town of art completely.
