Graffiti Lives

In high school, when I was editing a music and arts page for the school paper we did a feature page on graffiti once. I remember being really interested in banksy and his social commentary graffiti and with the debate over whether graffiti was art or ugly writing mucking up bridges and walls in cities.

Reading Synder's book was really interesting for me so that I could get more in-depth with the actual history of graffiti since on the surface the whole thing fascianted me. I expected Synder's book to focus more on a broad overview of the art, rather than tell the history and origins of the art of graffiti, so I was pleasantly surprised when I read it.

While I am generally fascianted with graffiti and was aware of the professional artists that do it, I never knew the time and effort that goes into the smaller pieces and didn't know so many kids in New York City were emersed in graffiti culture.

Most times when I look at graffiti, it's not anywhere near as intricate or cool as the pieces offered in "Graffiti Lives." Where I'm from we actually think most of the graffiti is funny since it is so poorly done by real "gang members," when really it's a lot of poorly and quickly drawn letters, or throw-ups, that aren't worth a second glance. I also found Synder's book rewarding in the way he cast off any tying binds between graffiti writers, other than they all write graffiti; they are not generally of one race or social status and despite what people may think they don't turn out to be criminals and do other types of illegal activity.

Synder gives a candid look into graffiti, though doesn't praise its artists, rather gives an almost subjective look at it's history and the future of graffiti which was much better than the overlook I was kind of expecting this book to be.