The Colourful Case of Graffiti Artist and Graffiti Art

Wall Art and paintings are as old as the caveman. Graffiti in the classical world had different connotations than they carry in today's society concerning content. The ancient Romans carved graffiti on walls and monuments, examples of which also survive in Egypt. Ancient graffiti displayed phrases of love declarations, political rhetoric, and simple words of thought, compared to today's popular messages of social and political ideals. The first known example of modern style graffiti is from the ancient Greek city of Ephesus which is now in modern-day Turkey. Ancient tourists visiting Sri Lanka scribbled over eighteen hundred individual graffiti there between the 6th and 18th centuries. 

In the modern context, Graffiti art and Graffiti artist are subject to controversy and accused of abusive expression. In most countries, making wall art or painting property without permission is considered defacement and vandalism. On the other hand, graffiti artist’s particularly marginalized artists with no access to mainstream media, resist this viewpoint to display their art or political views in public locations. 

However, the responsible and professional graffiti artists are turning the old unutilized city walls and spaces into graffiti art pieces. In Delhi NCR graffiti is mostly done with permission to make the walls colourful and appealing through its beautification it has become a positive force for a city. The truth is that graffiti and street art was done with civic authority's permission are arguably contributing to gentrification and contributing to increases in the appeal of certain neighborhoods especially the economically weaker ones as their accommodations are not even painted. The graffiti art done over them by a graffiti artist makes them more livable.