Historical Background and Evolution of Graffiti Art

Graffiti—derived from the Italian word graffio (“to scratch”)—refers to writing or imagery unlawfully inscribed on public surfaces (Crisafulli, 2020). Far from a strictly modern phenomenon, graffiti’s roots stretch back to ancient times. Over centuries, it has evolved from an act largely denounced as vandalism into an influential art form embraced by communities and collectors alike.

From Ancient Times to Urban Decay

Ancient Origins

Humanity has been etching marks on walls since antiquity (Baird & Taylor, 2016). Archaeological evidence shows that Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all practiced a form of graffiti; in Pompeii, messages and drawings on walls captured everyday life, politics, and humor (Benefiel, 2010). Elsewhere, Mayan hieroglyphs scratched into temple walls and Norse runes on religious structures illustrate that the impulse to leave messages in public spaces is near universal (Looper, 2003; Mol & Without, 2018).

Modern Emergence in Mid-20th Century America

While the word “graffiti” applies broadly, its modern incarnation often refers to the stylized lettering and imagery spray-painted in urban settings (Austin, 2010). In the 1960s, Philadelphia and New York City experienced a surge in tags—personal monikers or nicknames scrawled on subways, buildings, and other hard-to-reach surfaces (Castleman, 1982). Figures like Cornbread in Philadelphia and TAKI 183 in New York became household names among youth, sparking an ongoing subculture of competition, style innovation, and notoriety (Gastman et al., 2006).

During this era, graffiti was closely associated with gang culture and a perceived breakdown of civic order (Snyder, 2009). The heavily tagged subway systems in New York City fueled public anxiety about crime and urban decay, prompting officials to label graffiti as a blight requiring aggressive removal and punitive measures (Kimvall, 2014). Thus, early policy responses often embraced zero-tolerance approaches—removing tags on sight and arresting writers (Newman, 2019).

The Emergence of Graffiti as an Art Form

Shift to Artistic Recognition

By the 1970s and 1980s, graffiti writers had advanced from simple tags to full-scale “pieces,” with intricate lettering, character designs, and multi-color compositions (Castleman, 1982). This heightened aesthetic ambition paved the way for public and art-world acknowledgment. Artists like Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, and Zephyr pushed style boundaries, while others—such as Jean-Michel Basquiat (originally SAMO) and Keith Haring—transitioned from street-based expressions to high-profile gallery exhibitions (Cooper & Chalfant, 1984; Hoban, 1998).

Gallery and Market Acceptance

The 1980s saw an influx of gallery interest in graffiti-related work, particularly in New York’s SoHo art scene (Gastman et al., 2006). Basquiat’s meteoric rise symbolized this shift; once painting cryptic messages on city walls, he soon gained international acclaim and commercial success (Deitch, 2011). Haring similarly moved from subway chalk drawings to major museum exhibitions, while still maintaining an ethos of public-access art. Later artists, like the elusive British figure Banksy, further bridged the divide between illicit street art and high-priced auction pieces (Ellsworth-Jones, 2013).

Legal Walls and Commissions

Concurrently, some municipalities began partnering with graffiti writers rather than criminalizing them. In Philadelphia, the Anti-Graffiti Network (eventually the Mural Arts Philadelphia program) hired former taggers to create large-scale murals aimed at neighborhood beautification (Golden, 2017). These sanctioned projects not only provided legitimate outlets for artistic expression but also reframed graffiti as a potential ally in urban renewal rather than an enemy (Iveson, 2010). As a result, other cities introduced free walls or designated areas where painting was permitted, channeling unsanctioned activity into community-driven art (Hansen & Flynn, 2015).

Graffiti Today: Street Art and Community Expression

Global Phenomenon

In the 21st century, graffiti (often rebranded as “street art”) has spread worldwide, merging with local cultures to form distinct styles. Berlin, for instance, is renowned for vibrant murals and politically charged stencils, reflecting the city’s turbulent history and open-minded ethos (Schacter & Fekete, 2016). São Paulo boasts large-scale graffiti and the angular pixação style, fueling a street art tourism sector (Caldeira, 2012). Melbourne’s laneways, particularly Hosier Lane, have become iconic for constantly evolving spray-paint murals (Young, 2013).

Evolving Technologies

Digital innovations are reshaping graffiti’s boundaries. Projection mapping allows ephemeral “light graffiti,” while augmented reality (AR) apps overlay animations on existing walls (Dickens, 2020). Robots and drones can replicate intricate graffiti, signaling new horizons—and debates—about authenticity and human ingenuity in street art (Perlson, 2018). Online platforms like Instagram also elevate local artists to global audiences almost instantly, further intertwining graffiti with social media–driven subcultures (Bengtsen, 2014).

Policy and Community Engagement

Cities’ graffiti policies range from zero-tolerance laws (e.g., heavy fines, immediate removal) to supportive measures (e.g., sanctioned art festivals, commissioned murals). Evidence suggests that providing legal spaces and involving communities can minimize unwanted tagging and improve neighborhood aesthetics (Hansen & Flynn, 2015; Ross et al., 2021). Graffiti also serves as a medium for civic discourse and activism, addressing issues like climate change, social justice, and political resistance (Vasquez, 2017).

Social and Cultural Functions

Street artists often use their work to confront inequality, memorialize local history, and shape collective identity (Ross et al., 2021). In some communities, painted bins or murals in rundown areas convey messages of hope, solidarity, or environmental awareness, spurring greater public participation and pride (Kim & Park, 2020). The broad acceptance of graffiti festivals in cities from Montreal to London underscores the art form’s newfound legitimacy, transforming once-disparaged markings into cultural attractions.

References

Austin, J. (2010). More to see than a canvas in a white cube: For an art in the streets. City, 14(1-2), 33–47.

Baird, J. A., & Taylor, C. (2016). Ancient graffiti in context. American Journal of Archaeology, 120(2), 329–332.

Benefiel, R. R. (2010). Dialogues of ancient graffiti in the House of Maius Castricius in Pompeii. American Journal of Philology, 131(4), 579–600.

Bengtsen, P. (2014). The street art world. Almendros de Granada Press.

Caldeira, T. (2012). Imprinting and moving around: New visions of urban space and belonging. Public Culture, 24(3), 385–419.

Castleman, C. (1982). Getting up: Subway graffiti in New York. MIT Press.

Cooper, M., & Chalfant, H. (1984). Hip hop files: Photographs 1979-1984. Thames & Hudson.

Crisafulli, P. (2020). Definitions and boundaries in street art: Considering the ephemeral. Visual Studies, 35(2), 159–171.

Deitch, J. (2011). Art in the streets. Skira Rizzoli.

Dickens, L. (2020). Augmented streets: Mobile technologies and the politics of digitally mediated urban art. Space and Culture, 23(3), 266–280.

Ellsworth-Jones, W. (2013). Banksy: The man behind the wall. St. Martin’s Griffin.

Gastman, R., Neelon, C., & Smyrski, A. (2006). Street world: Urban art and culture from five continents. Abrams.

Golden, J. (2017). Philadelphia’s mural arts: A transformative approach. Temple University Press.

Hansen, S., & Flynn, M. (2015). ‘This is not a graffiti space’: Regulating urban art through rhetoric and policy. Urban Studies, 52(13), 2444–2460.

Hoban, P. (1998). Basquiat: A quick killing in art. Penguin.

Iveson, K. (2010). The wars on graffiti and the new military urbanism. City, 14(1–2), 115–134.

Kim & Park, J. (2020). Evaluating the effect of beautification projects on graffiti reduction. Environment and Behavior, 52(6), 619–640.

Kimvall, J. (2014). The graffiti reader. Dokument Press.

Looper, M. (2003). An investigation into Maya graffiti: Cultural significance in the muraled spaces at Naj Tunich. Ancient Mesoamerica, 14(1), 55–68.

Mol, M., & Without, D. (2018). Runes on the run: Traces of Viking graffiti in Hagia Sophia. Scandinavian Studies, 90(4), 442–462.

Newman, G. (2019). Zero tolerance policing and the war on graffiti: A re-evaluation. Policing and Society, 29(1), 85–97.

Perlson, H. (2018). Robots are painting the walls in London—are graffiti artists an endangered species? ArtNet News. https://news.artnet.com/

Ross, J., Bengtsen, P., & Lennon, J. (2021). Reconsidering street art: Alternative forms, alternative values. Journal of Urban Cultural Studies, 8(1), 10–25.

Schacter, R., & Fekete, L. (2016). The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti. Yale University Press.

Snyder, G. J. (2009). Graffiti lives: Beyond the tag in New York’s urban underground. NYU Press.

Vasquez, K. (2017). Painted activism: Street art as a form of protest in Latin America. Latin American Perspectives, 44(6), 102–114.

Young, A. (2013). Street art, public city: Law, crime and the urban imagination. Routledge.