NYC Graffiti

Long known as a "Red Light District" for incessant drug and prostitution, the South Bronx neighborhood Hunts Point offers much more than what it's moniker suggests. When commuting along the 6 line in the Bronx, the train shifts it's underground path to an above ground oasis of  murals, "fill-ins", and "tags". Whether this colorful display constitutes an act of vandalism or not, it's presence showcases a cultural narrative amongst writers, as well as their audiences.

Youtube Citation and Annotation

ThaInfamousAce. "Getting Up (Full Graffiti Documentary)." Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. "Getting Up" is an educational documentary that features major graffiti writers JA, Ket, Noxer, Skuf, Chino, and many others. In 30 minutes, the film discusses aspects of a graffiti writer's lifestyle, including their outlooks on their own craft. Specifically, the writers discuss their personal intentions behind "tagging" and "bombing", as well as their opinions concerning the general rules in street art (such as, not writing over another person's work, or not writing on a church or school). While explaining the difference bewtween an amateur writer ( a "toy") and experienced artists, they assert that graffiti is a powerful tool used to publicly express their freedom. This activity is not necessarily an outlet for painting on as many surfaces as possible. It is message-oriented and provocative.  

 

Newspaper Article Citation and Annotation II

Citation

Buckley, Cara, and Marc Santora. "Night Falls, and 5Pointsz, a Graffiti Mecca, Is    Whited Out in Queens." New York Times 12 Feb. 2014: A23. Print.

Annotation

The article "Night Falls, and 5Pointsz, a Graffiti Mecca, Is Whited Out in Queens" remarks upon the graffiti haven's bitter undoing. Late last fall, hundreds of graffiti artists' artwork was covered by white in an effort to pave way for high-rise luxury apartments. While the owner of the former outdoor graffiti exhibit remains sympathetic of the aerosol artists' plight for space to legally showcase their work, many artists and tourists alike have taken news of the eventual destruction of the iconic landmark with heavy hearts.    

Citation and Annotation I

Citation
Khosravi, Shahram. "Graffiti in Tehran." Anthropology Now
        5.1 (2013): 1-17. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.  

Annotation
"Graffiti in Tehran" explores a cultural resistance founded on anti capitalist privatization notions in the form of provocative wall murals. The harsh climate of the Tehran social sphere (one which encompasses a massive youth population) drives young graffiti artists to express their attitudes and beliefs via visual representation. The article also ventures to suggest that the expansion of graffiti in Tehran can be attributed to the internet, a source which links the Tehran youth culture to the rest of the world.

"Style Wars"

The documentary "Style Wars" comments upon the perspectives of various people involved in an evolving hip hop culture during the early 1980s. Although the film features breakdancing and rapping, it mainly emphasizes graffiti. Throughout the one hour documentary, authority figures (such as Mayor Edward Koch) denounce graffiti, citing its financial burden on NYC, as well as its unsightly appearance for the city's residents. Nevertheless, in the film, many young struggling artists countered their attackers by asserting that "bombing" and going "all city" is their form of expression, an outlet for their distinct styles of street art. Disparaged by authority figures, they remain resilient and stand by their controversial craft. The film depicts these young people as both aloof about their supposed property damaging activities and pioneers for a hip hop revolution in the making.