Is Graffiti Art, or Vandalism?
Do you have an opinion on the subject? Two of our members, very concerned with keeping Hayes Valley
a vibrant and livable neighborhood, have different opinions about graffiti.
Please email your comments to voice@hayesvalleysf.org.

Color in the Lines?
Bill Bulkley

The question of graffiti is not whether it is vandalism or not but whether it is a vigorous means of communication by a segment of our society that has something vital to say. The question should be "is there a way to embrace the art form and reinterpret it as something other than vandalism?"

This premise assumes three principles:
1. Graffiti is an art form;
2. It relates a vital message, and
3. It is worth cultivating.

Art Form: Graffiti that is intended to be art, is an art form. It uses a traditional art material, paint, in the creation of an image which elicits an aesthetic response in the viewer. Much graffiti is not intended to be art but is rather an expression of personal ego or created for the illegal thrill of destruction. This graffiti does not rise to the level of a work of art. Still, graffiti fits solidly in the contemporary street art genre alongside stenciling, poster art and other forms of guerilla art. Famous contemporary artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Barry McGee, and Shepard Fairey all started as graffiti or street artists. Within the graffiti culture there are hierarchies of “writings” signifying that the artists themselves are analyzing their work for artistic merit. From a basic “tag” to a “throw up”, a “fill in” or a “piece”, various levels of artistic expression match the amount of time and ability the artist can afford. Ironically, Post-Graffiti Art or Low-Brow or Pop Surrealism, is the new urban art form featuring paintings and installations that derive from the comic book and graffiti aesthetic. Graffiti itself is being usurped by the next wave of youthful creativity. That the next generation of artists is influenced by graffiti is a testament to it’s stature as an art form.

Vital Message: For centuries people have been creating graffiti to leave their mark and to usurp the overt power structure of a place. In the United States, the Wars and Depression, left a hopelessness that resulted in a form of urban expression that we recognize as graffiti. Again in the 60s and 70s, New York, the Times states, “artists such as Phase 2, Noc 167, Toxic, Seen, and Quik, were politically engaged, warriors against the injustice of society, their tag names a triumphant reassertion of suppressed identity.” It’s not hard to understand the frustration of today’s graffiti artists who most likely have very similar issues. The strong association of graffiti to hip-hop culture further entrenches the art form within a movement that is rooted in American culture and which has, for decades, reached out with a message of social inequity.

Worth Cultivating: Graffiti is youthful creative energy that has been misdirected in a largely destructive manner. To engage that youthful energy in a positive manner while still allowing for the sense of discovery and rebellion would be an achievement. City agencies have tried youth art programs with mixed results. Other city agencies around the world have had other solutions. In Australia for example, the governments of Sydney and Melbourne have allowed “permit graffiti walls” where youth are allowed to paint, stencil, post, whatever they like. It has become such a success that “the graffiti-covered walls and art-installations have become a popular backdrops for fashion and wedding photography.” Closer to home, the walls on the parking lot on Market Street opposite Franklin used to be covered with amazingly colorful graffiti. The creativity seemed to stretch for miles. This could be a great permit free art wall space once more. As could the parking lot at Franklin and Oak and the alley that leads to Market from there. There are already some beautiful “pieces” in that lot. By allowing a space to exist where artists could spend a little time and still have the freedom to create as they feel the need could lead to some very strong graphic work. Limitations would exist, such as on gang symbols and any hate language.

A zero tolerance on graffiti policy is like putting a band-aid over the mouth of a screaming child. Let’s listen and in the listening we may realize that the color and texture of our society is not as perfect as we may like to think that the lives of our neighbors and those that we pass on the street are sometimes not colored neatly between the lines. In listening we may also discover our own creativity and dream of ways we can transform that child’s frustration into fruitful expression.

GRAFFITI IS VANDALISM
Bob Barnwell

Graffiti in Hayes Valley and many parts of San Francisco is vandalism. It is like someone going by and slashing tires---it has no value and only causes harm to the owner of the car. Graffiti in Hayes Valley has no value and causes harm to the owner of the building - plus it is an eyesore for the rest of the community. There are some places in San Francisco where a wall or series of walls are open to graffiti. Some are changed into art work but this place does not exist in Hayes Valley or the Western Addition.

The best response to graffiti is to remove it as soon as possible. There are people who help the DPW under the Graffiti Watch program remove graffiti from public spots. These include utility poles, mail boxes, parking meter, fire hydrants, etc. While never having authorized the tagging, it becomes the responsibility of the owner of the building to remove graffiti from private property. This is especially hard because the city can site the owner for graffiti he had nothing to do with. The owner has 15 days to remove the graffiti or receive a fine of $500. There are many buildings where the owner has paint ready to use when the building is tagged by vandals.

Residents should report graffiti to the 311 number especially on areas like parking lot fences. It is a sad commentary, but for the most part the vandals who put up graffiti are from out of the area and even out of the city. A vandal caught tagging a red building on Octavia turned out to live in Palo Alto! To keep Hayes Valley and the Western Addition looking good, we must cut down on the vandalism called graffiti.