graffiti: art or vandalism?

hi. i'm writing a research paper and i really need your thoughts on this subject. is graffiti art or vandalism? your reasons why you think what you think and anything else you care to say about the subject. thanks alot!

they cant be both?

Art. Some kids do graffiti so that their art can be seen, either because they can't afford to go to school for art or other reasons. I have seen some really beautiful graffiti, and I have seen just alot of graffiti gang crap. So it depends on what kind of graffiti you are looking at.

Tagging is what kills the art form. A lot of people will just simply get a can of black spray paint, and just write out in some crap, non-artist manner their tag name. In my opinion, grafitti can be beautiful and artsy if it's done with a view and a care.

[Edited on Dec 03, 2003 by FromThisSoil]

murals or "burners" are art. although they are sometimes seen as destructive because the artist isn't considerate of the placement of his work. there is an unwriten code to painting. you don't paint on schools, churches, houses, or any operating buisness on a main drag. keep to the bridges, tunnels, trains, back alley walls ,and wharehouses. throw up tags, although sometimes well done, are just vandalizm, marking territory of the bomber or particular crew.
lok in my pics under "trolley". and judge for yourself. is it art, or vandalizm...

20% Art 80% Vandalism, some of the people that grafitti are really talented but for every good piece you see, you also see so much crap e.g. ..... 2003, ..... luvs/loves/hearts etc .......

both, graffitti can most definitely be art (mural pieces, etc), but writing your name in black spray paint on a mini-mart = vandalism.

Amen - Great mural of Cerebus as seen from the freeway driving into LA = art!!!!
Some moron who can't spell doing the urban version of pissing in the snow ... NOT!

In Kings Cross station (that's in london) the police have put up posters of people tags, and anyone who names the artist gets a £500 ($850) reward if the info leads to conviction!

just saw it today, strange.

One of the things I love about LA is the street art. The thing that kills it is the crappy scribbles everywhere and those who don't respect homes,school churches and people's businesses.

graffiti if done right is true art there is no limits and no permission with the hopes of making people think, know tagging on the other hand is just some punk with no skills who thinks its cool to write some unreadable name on anything.

temper (http://www.temper-bmc.com/main.swf) is a great uk graffiti artist, ian wright (footballer) bought an amazing jimi hendrix image that he did, its not traditional graffiti, they look more like paintings and its only when u look closer that you can see the images were created with spray cans.

i love graffiti art when its done well. we've got a big 15metre by 9 metre wall in our living room which i'd love to get someone good to do a murial on! i remember seeing a vw camper at reading one year driving around with a bunch of really great graffitied images on and its an envy thats stayed with me all this time.

and i'd agree with the consensus that tagging is lame.