In the city I live in there is a truck that drives around with the following slogan: “graffiti harms everyone”. Harm seems like such a strong word, and I hate to see art slandered with the word graffiti.
Many artists see ourselves as messengers or communicators. There is a desire to reveal something through our art, and then to have others wonder with us. Those of us who desire to have our art seen can have a hard time in the traditional venues. Galleries, art shows, and other types of events are usually looking for established artists or those that may have work that will sell. Where is the place for artists who simply want to have their work seen? We artists can take our message to the street. I will say there is indeed a difference between a tag and a piece of public art, but in an effort to support public art for now, perhaps we accept a tag here or there. If we allowed public art it could even lead to a decline in tagging. If artists fine works could remain alive on dumpsters, electric boxes, light poles, or the like and can be seen and appreciated. Doesn’t that improve our lives? Perhaps it also encourages all of us, not just artists to create, to make, to share. After all, we have been created to do these things at all times, so I ask: “who does art harm?”
