Graffiti Art

The best description I can think of for the documentaries on graffiti is that they were energetic compilations that capture the emotion and meaning of graffiti art and that they accurately capture the spirits of the artists, from what I can tell.

I found it most interesting to see the graffiti art that surfaces internationally. All tend to have fundamental attributes concerning the technical aspect of graffiti art, and additionally have some of the same thematic elements. Though it is used as a sort of social commentary in some cases, it is still a very basic and raw expression of the artist’s thoughts and feelings. With these unilateral similarities, it is amazing to see how the cultural atmosphere of these places affect the compositions. The difference between the graffiti art in New York and Los Angeles alone is fascinating; while they are very similar, Los Angeles definitely has a sort of Hispanic flair.

Unfortunately, I found some parts of the documentaries were difficult for me to enjoy. While the energy of graffiti art was definitely portrayed, I often found that the speed at which the scenes change and the sheer quantity of images, examples, and artists combined with the background music was a little overwhelming. I regret that I couldn’t take more time to peruse some of these works of art and really feel the full effect of the detail and technical genius.

Regardless, these documentaries have instilled a new respect for graffiti art that I could never have gained living in the little nowhere town of Navarre.