Graffiti: A Sign of a Healthy Urban Ecosystem

By Andrew Patterson

Why we should be thanking Graffiti Artists...

Graffiti. The topic sends shudders down my spine; if only for the fact that in my humble opinion, it’s been demonized, misunderstood, and used as an easy scapegoat for politicians vowing to ‘clean up neighbourhoods’ since time immemorial. The argument is tired and played out, and short of suggesting that you read some books and watch some documentaries (Style Wars is a brilliant documentary, and still stands as one of the most informative and unbiased studies of Graffiti today 30 years after it’s release) to educate yourself, I’m not going to rehash the old ‘is it art or is it a crime’ debate. I’m not going to tell you about the rich history and soulful passion behind the history of Hip Hop culture. I’m not even going to discuss our mayor’s recent ‘War on Graffiti’, or tell you that one way or another is the right way. I’m going to take a bit of a different tack, and in explaining what I think is beautiful about Graffiti, maybe bring a different perspective to light. One that isn’t grounded in misconceptions connecting street art to gang activity or sympathy for vandals and property owners, but is more akin to waking up and appreciating the beauty in the world around us. I’m going to tell you why I think graffiti is not only a sign of a culturally healthy city, but is integral to the continued growth of a city and how we as residents fit into the urban ecosystem.

Let me begin by telling you a little bit about myself: I’m a young working professional, currently residing in a clean, well maintained, condo-sprouting, up-and-coming neighbourhood of our fair city. I’m an artist, and have two BAA degrees in Illustration and Animation. My own personal work is heavily influenced by Hip Hop culture and graffiti, and among other things, I painted a mural at the last Style In Progress festival in 2008. I love skateboarding, and I love graffiti. How are those two things connected, and why is it relevant, you ask? We’ll get to that shortly. First let’s talk about innovators. Most people agree that for a city to grow and stay on an even keel, there needs to be a healthy balance between the older, experienced generation, and the young innovative freethinkers pushing new ideas into the world. Not enough youthful invigoration and fresh thinking can make for a stagnating urban culture, which is what attracts new people to a city and keeps things interesting for those already living there. Not enough experience to shape these ideas and keep wacky, wild, untested innovation in check could lead to unforeseen economic or cultural backlash and (maybe) disaster.

Skaters and Graffiti artists belong to - you guessed it - the innovator category. One of the things I admire the most about them is that they are unafraid to try new things, discover new uses for forgotten tools and objects, and see unlimited possibilities where most of us see the mundane. Put aside for a moment any preconceived notions you might have about their appearance or what a skater or graffiti artist looks like, or what their lifestyle might entail. Try to forget society’s obsession with possession, ownership, borders, and ‘do not’ signs. Look at the world through their eyes. See the plethora of opportunities for creative expression (or ANY expression). Where you see (or don’t even notice) a bland, rust-stained box truck, a graffiti writer sees a massive, moving canvas. Where you might only notice a curb when you trip over it, a skater sees a platform for an unlimited variety of physical feats. A dark alley: a cozy space with a chance for a larger format painting than would ever be otherwise possible with conventional canvas. A hydro box: a streetside installation. And one of my personal favourites; ANY surface in ANY location, a space with the promise of a one of a kind handstyle or font in any number of compositions. Every day 100,000 new original hand drawn types are being created and just as quickly washed away or painted over without any but a select few having a moment to appreciate their fleeting beauty.

All this without even delving into the wide array of styles, colours, and varieties of street art that exist. Like any artform, not every piece will do it for everyone. Of course what might be ugly to one might be breathtaking to another. But think about the lightning quick assessment of a spot to create anything not sold pre-stretched in a plastic wrapper from your local art store. We value quick, creative, out-of-the-box thinking where making money is concerned, but become outraged when it challenges the public perception of what’s good or clean. How many phone booths, hoardings, dumpsters, freight trains, or yes, even entire buildings do you stop to appreciate or even notice on a daily basis? Graffiti snaps you out of your own little world that’s consumed with mobile screens and...mobile screens. It forces one to notice, for better or worse, all the little things that we take for granted. And more often than not, they do it in the most creative ways; be it colour, messaging, scale, composition, or mediums used. Any of these things might be appreciated in the safe confines of a gallery wall, and are mindlessly accepted in advertising, movies, tv shows, and on clothes we wear (which have all hijacked Hip Hop culture and the eye-catching beauty of graffiti to sell us things). In my opinion, the saddest part about this is that the surface on which graffiti is applied to is what defines it. It’s arguably the most important aspect of the art and it’s typically either vilified or not even noticed.

The fact that there’s a group of people who are engaging with civilization and the structures of our cities in such an innovative way is to me a sign of a brilliant group of unrestricted creative thinkers. It tells me that there’s a lively, mostly young demographic of innovators REALLY living in the city, exploring it’s every nook and cranny. Who knows what these artists might do with the rest of their time, or how such a healthy outlook unfettered and unfiltered by the shackles of complacency and the status quo might be getting put to use in a day job. Who knows where they might go in life, what things they might accomplish. The label of vandal and the criminal stereotype associated with graffiti writers and artists hardly reflects the actual truth of who these people are. A city with no graffiti can only really exist in some sort of Orwellian dystopia; no new ideas, no individuality, and a dull acceptance of the state of things.

So the next time a garish piece catches your eye and you react with knee-jerk reflex of lamenting the damage done to that poor, decrepit rooftop facade or faded peeling street-level apartment door, stop and take a step back. If you own a shop, take a deep breath, and maybe take a picture before giving in to your anger at this unexpected expense. Think about the fact that you have a one-of-a-kind expression in front of you, for better or worse, and somebody thought it a worthwhile enough spot to grab someone’s attention even for a moment. Look for the balance, the colour, the curves, the flick of the wrist and the effort in even the dirtiest, sloppiest appearing work. And thank the mystery artist for pulling you out of your cell-induced, headphone sealed reverie for just a second to appreciate the character of a city that was, is, and could be tomorrow.