geography assignment graffiti debate

GEOG 2300 Space, Place and Identity 22 May 2013

Graffiti Debate: Is Graffiti, or Street Art, art or vandalism?

Debate Date: 29 May 2014

Individual Write-ups Due: 3 June 2014 (15% 3-4 pages double spaced)

Graffiti/ Street Art is considered to be pollution, an eyesore and criminal by many civic authorities, businesses and homeowners. We can witness the recent decisions by Mayor Ford in Toronto to eradicate graffiti in Toronto as a clear example of this way of thinking. Many, like Ford, believe that it is related to or a prelude to more significant crimes. In particular, “tagging” is believed to be associated with gang activity and territoriality. Much money is now spent on cleaning up graffiti.

But, for those involved in graffiti “art” and those who support its presence in the urban environment, it is seen to be a form of urban expression. What had once been viewed as subversive is now part of the “mainstream” - hung in galleries, part of mural art, used in advertising campaigns, etc..

Class Debate:

In preparation for the class debate, you will be assigned to a group and will prepare arguments for or against the presence of graffiti/ street art and whether it is art or vandalism. In groups, you will have to develop your argument from the perspective of:

1) City council

2) The Police Department,

3) Local Business Owner’s Association

4) Graffiti Artists

5) Youth Workers

6) Local Resident’s Association

7) Gallery Owners and the Art Community

Each group will be asked to argue the case of whether graffiti is:

a) vandalism and a crime or

b) A type of artistic expression and part of urban culture.

You might consider the following questions that are often asked when considering graffiti:

Is graffiti art or vandalism?

What makes it art?

What makes it vandalism?

Where might we consider graffiti to be appropriate - “in place” - or inappropriate - out of place?

Who makes the decisions on the latter?

How may the gulf between those who approve and those who disapprove be bridged?

As you seek answers, be aware of the fact that the case may not be clear within each group – you may disagree and you may have to offer different perspectives. We will run this like a debate – each group will have time to present its position. We will then open the floor to debate! And be prepared to fight you position.

NOTES:

Each group must think of all the different angles of this debate. In making your decisions, you must consider: the geographic LOCATION; in place/ out of place; public vs. private space; culture and sub-culture; cultural expression; tagging vs. street art; gangs and youth; etc. I suggest that you might divide the topic up into different aspects of the debate.

You must use academic papers to help develop an impression of the complexity of the issues. You should also look for relevant newspaper articles, reports, case-studies to support your arguments. There will be time in class next week to work on this.

Individual Contribution:

Following the debate, each of you will submit a 3-4 page individual summary of your own findings, views and opinions of the debate. NOTE: You must be able to put your own contribution and that of your group in the context of the whole debate.

Have fun!

Readings:

James Tierney, “Graffiti and Urban Space,” Dialogue (2005) 3:2, pp 16-28 ( http://www.polsis.uq.edu.au/dialogue/3-2-2.pdf )

Ella Chmielewska (2007), “Framing [Con]text: Graffiti and Place”

Space and Culture, 10, pp.145-169

Extra Readings:

Koon-Hwee Kan Source (2001), “Adolescents and Graffiti,” Art Education, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 18-23 Http://www.jstor.org/stable/3193889

Ken Johnson, “When Aerosol Outlaws Became Insiders: Graffiti Art at the Brooklyn Museum,” NY Times June 30, 2006.

“It's vandalism, not art, says council as it bans Banksy,” Times Online, 24 October 2008.

Alice Fisher, “How the Tate got streetwise,” The Observer, Sunday 11 May 2008

Arifa Akbar and Paul Vallely, “Graffiti: Street art – or crime?” The Independent, Wednesday, 16 July 2008