As mentioned in some of the other pages, graffiti has been around for a long time.
By definition, graffiti is an act of vandalism as it is art that is drawn or inscribed on someone else’s property, without the property owner’s consent. Graffiti can be found on the sides of buildings, on railroads and train cars, on billboards along the highway, on a freeway overpass, on street signs…basically any surface that will take paint or a marker.
Graffiti originated in 30,000 BC in cave drawings which typically consisted of stick figure drawings to tell a story. Stories involved a hunt, a battle or other big occurrence. Other drawings were made for religious purposes to pay homage to the Gods. Modern graffiti can be traced to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In Greece, early graffiti is said to have been marks for prostitution, with the image of a handprint resembling the shape of a heart, with the heart denoting the proximity of a brothel and the handprint being the icon for payment.
More recently graffiti has become a form of expression of a political or social message, and has notably becoming associated with hip hop culture, most recognizably in New York City subway terminals – graffiti has been a common sight on subways and railroad cars for decades. Take a look at our page of “Famous Graffiti” for examples of graffiti that has appeared throughout the world.
Not just limited to the hip hop scene in New York City, graffiti has no boundaries and can be found all over the world. Banksy, a British graffiti artist, has become famous world-wide for his unique stencil designs that spread political and social messages, and has become so notorious as to have a documentary film made about him. In South America, Brazil has become known as the modern day capital of graffiti artists, with São Paulo being known as the inspiration for many graffiti artists and considered the “new shrine to graffiti.”