How can such beauty be seen as a crime? It brightens up our streets and the lives of those who are able to catch a glimpse of it. Inspiration, creativity, skill, beauty; all pulled into one word which doesn’t do it any justice. Graffiti.


Graffiti is a very broad, but it is always associated with words such as vandalising, rude, teenagers, trashy. It is fair to say that most graffiti devalues our towns and cities and the reputation of our streets, but there are some cases in which it has quite the opposite effect.


The wonderful piece that I have here included was beautifully created to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Although street artists realise and admit that they are creating their spectacles on property that does not belong to them, some see it as their only way to express themselves and be noticed. They have no intention of causing trouble or creating discomfort for us, but rather want to enlighten us and enable us to see hidden talent that isn’t recognised as it ought to be. 


I am for street art and the beauty it creates; I believe that a distinction needs to be made legally between ART and GRAFFITI, because they mean very different things. I asked a bystander who was also admiring this Chinese New Year Art Piece in Hackney how she defines art.

 
‘Something which has meaning and beauty. Art is something that is appreciated and inspiring to those who see it and this definitely ticks all those boxes. This is my first time in the area and this piece of work automatically caught my attention.’


This beautiful piece shows the creativity and feelings behind the eyes of its creator and it is absurd that these amazing and imaginative individuals are seen as wrong doers, law breakers, criminals.


Anyone who understands and recognises real art will agree that these people may be going to extreme measures to make their voices heard, but if we do not listen to them they will continue to do so and 'disrupt our society'.
 

Art is beauty. Graffiti is a crime. Eatablish the difference.