Is Graffiti Art or Vandalism?

When you walk past graffiti in the street, do you view it as vandalism, or do you view it as artwork? Some people will view graffiti as illegal, whereas others may appreciate the creativity or message.

So, is graffiti a form of art? Where do we draw the line between vandalism and art? Let’s find out – in this blog post, we will explore the graffiti vs art debate, and find out whether graffiti is a form of art or vandalism.

Is Graffiti a Crime in the UK?

In short, yes - graffiti is considered a crime in the UK. It is an offence of criminal damage according to UK law, specifically the Criminal Damage Act 1971. It is an offence to write, paint or draw on public or private property without prior permission.

Graffiti is also considered illegal in the United States and is treated as vandalism and property damage. In fact, many notable names in the street art scene have been arrested for this crime…

1. Keith Haring, one of the most famous street artists, was arrested several times -- most notably for his New York subway art.
2. Shepard Fairey, who created the iconic Obama 'HOPE' poster and the 'OBEY' campaign, was arrested several times for vandalism, especially in the earlier stages of his career.
3. Kenny Scharf, American muralist and pop artist, was arrested back in 2013 for painting on a wall in Brooklyn and was charged with creating graffiti.

Although these artists have been arrested for their work, does that diminish the artistic value of their work?

When is Graffiti Considered Art and Not Vandalism?

In some instances, graffiti is more likely to be considered art than vandalism. Let’s explore when the lines between art and vandalism may blur…

When The Artist Has Permission

First of all, graffiti is far more likely to be considered as art if it is created with consent, or it has been commissioned. Some artists are hired and paid to create graffiti murals in public spaces or on buildings, and this is viewed as art instead of vandalism.

For example, many of Keith Haring’s street art pieces were commissioned, such as the Berlin Wall mural and his murals on hospitals and schools. Some urban areas also have designated zones for street artists and graffiti artists to create their work – some of which are referred to as ‘open air galleries’.

For example, Shoreditch and Brick Lane in London are graffiti hot spots, with countless murals and street art pieces from artists around the world. Here, graffiti art is celebrated and not considered vandalism.

When The Art Provides Value

• Took skill and effort to create
• Has a meaning behind it or conveys a message
• Is visually appealing

However, simple tags without any message or image will likely be considered vandalism as opposed to art. Take Banksy’s graffiti art, for example. His artwork takes skill and effort to create, and almost always has some kind of political or societal message behind it.

His pieces look good and evoke thought – and even though he doesn’t always have permission, his work is considered artwork. Even though his graffiti is illegal, it isn't generally considered vandalism by the public due to its cultural significance. Let's not forget that the police may have a tough time tracking Banksy down due to his anonymity, too!

When Graffiti is Displayed in Galleries

Graffiti is sometimes transferred to art galleries – and many art galleries will display graffiti-style artwork. At Grove Gallery, we have graffiti-style artwork created by prominent graffiti artists both for sale and on display.

When you view graffiti on display in an art gallery, you don’t view it as vandalism, do you? This is because of the context. When graffiti is recognised by art galleries and critics as art, it can transform from vandalism to artistic expression.

When is Graffiti Considered Vandalism?

We’ve established why graffiti can be considered art, now let’s look into some reasons why graffiti may not be considered art…

When The Graffiti is Offensive

If a piece of graffiti contains offensive imagery or hate speech, it's much more likely to be considered vandalism than art. In urban areas, you may come across offensive words scribbled on park benches, bus stops or walls – and you probably won’t view it as art, would you?

When The Graffiti Has No Meaning

When you walk through a city centre and see graffiti tags with no meaning, do you consider it art? Probably not, because tags don’t usually have any meaning. The general consensus is that tags are just names scribbled on public property (when, of course, there is no art accompanying it).

When The Graffiti Covers Existing Art

In the street art scene, covering somebody else’s artwork is considered an act of vandalism and disrespect. It's part of an unwritten code among graffiti artists - where going over a piece of art that provides value or looks good with a simple tag is highly frowned upon.

However, more experienced artists with more skill may go over less complex pieces or tags. So, if a piece of graffiti covers a piece of art that previously provided value, then it’s generally considered vandalism. If a graffiti artist defaced a Banksy piece or a commissioned mural, you’d more than likely consider it vandalism.

Why is Graffiti Art Important?

Graffiti dates back to the Paleolithic era, with ancient drawings dating back 35,000 years. However, the modern idea of graffiti dates back to the '60s, in urban spaces in New York City and Philadelphia.

Many graffiti artists will evoke conversations through their artwork, using it as a tool for social activism. Banksy's graffiti pieces, for example, open conversations about surveillance, gun violence, war, human rights and much more.

Keith Haring’s public art pieces spread messages about aids awareness, gay rights and apartheid. Graffiti can be a powerful tool to raise awareness about social and political issues, in a way that’s accessible to everyone. So, graffiti art is important because:

• It’s accessible to everybody
• It can make an area look better
• It can evoke thought and conversation
• It can spread awareness about political or social issues

Ultimately, graffiti is a powerful form of expression and can transform public spaces for the better, if done with thought and skill.

Although it may be legally considered vandalism, the public will be more likely to view it as art if it is visually appealing and spreads a positive message.