Graffiti Culture in Toronto

Understand Street Art and Graffiti – Mayor Ford

by Ruth Wilgress (TorontoArtsGirl.com)

As I walk the streets of Toronto I have often had various feelings about Graffiti art. Some images I have admired. Other times I have felt sorry for property owners that have had some horrible looking markings imposed on their buildings. There is a wide range of street art and graffiti exposed all over this amazing Canadian city. Sometimes these tags or art works leave me repulsed; however, many times I feel a great amount of joy and appreciation for these artistic creations. They are not associated with monetary value. I recognize that I can feel these contradictory emotions in an art gallery as well. It’s important that we realize that art evokes emotions of all sorts. Rob Ford has a recent campaign to clean up the graffiti in Toronto. I only hope that he thinks twice before he begins his venture to remove all of these art forms from the streets in Toronto. Graffiti is part of our modern day urban pop culture. Before we form opinions on the new pop culture we should be prepared to understand it first. It would be a shame to have Rob Ford put hard earned money toward the elimination of all of these creative forms of expression in Toronto without any understanding.

There are few documentaries including the Exit Through the Gift Shop that give an insightful and interesting background on graffiti or street art. Exit Through the Gift Shop is a story of how an eccentric French shop keeper and amateur film maker attempt to locate and befriend Banksy a well known graffiti artist. The film contains footage of Banksy, Shephard Fairey, Invader and many of the world’s most infamous graffiti artists at work. There are so many different types of street artists that have incredible creative messages they are attempting to share with the world for different reasons..

This brings us to the controversy as to what Graffiti art actually is, and tagging verses graffiti art is arguable. According to Wikipedia the actual word, singular graffito; the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the form of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In our modern day, paint, particularly spray paint, sticker art, wheatpasting poster art, stencils and marker pens have become the most commonly used graffiti materials. Marking or painting property without the property owner’s consent is considered defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime. Sometimes graffiti expresses social and political messages and a whole genre of artistic expression is based upon spray paint graffiti styles. Recently it has become a valuable art form worthy of display in galleries and exhibitions; to others it is merely vandalism.

Street art and graffiti, are a part of the outsider art movement – that being artists with no academic or formal training in visual arts. Art history has shown us for centuries the progression of visual arts. It has moved further away from the elitist viewpoint and towards an accessible expression for all. Back through history art was seen as a technical skill that only a few chosen and talented artists mastered. We may still see some of this today. During the Renaissance the wealthy commissioned, bought and determined what, was “good art” and this was the majority in most cases until the turn of the nineteenth century.

As we move further into the twenty first century we have moved further towards more of a freedom of expression. Artists are taking more creative risks in hopes of being innovative and unique. The question of what makes art ‘real art’ still rises often. This challenge is often welcomed and modern art would say that question in itself is what makes art ‘art’. Art is a visual form of expression, inherit in all of us. Although some art connoisseurs still hold on to their traditional views with the disagreement, and feel only the highly skilled should be considered artists. Our transformative society has many who truly believe that any person who takes the opportunity to expresses themselves visually may be considered an artist. In the modern art world we see more innovative artists, and art has veered into the commercial world where rules are broken every day. Professional artists are in the position that they must learn to market their creative work in order to survive. Having talent and skill alone won’t pay your bills.

Some graffiti artists challenge the commercial world we live and the marketing statements that we see daily. Noise pollution is an issue in the urban areas with advertising and branding pasted everywhere on the streets. The quiet yet not so subtle visual pollution surrounds us everywhere as we go about our lives. It’s impossible to escape. Some graffiti artists see their creative process as a revolt against visual pollution. The overwhelming billboards and messages that pollute the streets in the city can leave us feeling inadequate and helpless at times. Some see the street art and graffiti art as a revolt against the arts in visual media marketing. Many graffiti artists challenge why the commercial world has control of visual art on the streets, and they want their own form of expression.

The controversies that surround graffiti art continue to create disagreement amongst city officials/law enforcement and graffiti artists who wish to display and appreciate work in public and private locations. There are many different types and styles of graffiti and it is a rapidly developing art form whose value is highly contested.

Graffiti has evolved into a pop culture existence often associated to underground hip hop music, b-boying, and a lifestyle that remains hidden from the general public. Graffiti can be used as a gang signal to mark territory or to serve as an indicator or “tag” for gang-related activity. There is a huge controversy in regards to the evolution of graffiti art, stencils, sticker art, wheatpasting / street poster art, and street installations. However, the ‘Street Art’ is typically used to differentiate this new movement from graffiti, vandalism, and corporate art. Many non profit organizations encourage creative self expression among youth and start mural projects among the street to beautify the dreary rural areas.

There is a large amount of cross over between the two art forms, Street Art and graffiti. There is a growing respect and admiration for both. In New York City, Spring Street was one of the World’s most famous Street Art canvases. On December 15, 2006 the outside and inside of the building, was opened to the public in one final and mass display / installation of Street Art before the building was cleaned up and turned into apartments. We are beginning to see more people develop a respect for the artistic expression of the underserved people on the streets. Art should be more accessible to all.

The Toronto Street is thy Canvas?

The graffiti art sub-culture can be very risky and dangerous one. Many of these bombers or artists not only risk being caught by authorities vandalizing insulated concrete forms on public buildings, but they also risk their lives. The term bombing is done everywhere and can be as simple as a freedom of expression. These bombers often don’t feel like they have a voice in society. Tagging a signature can feel empowering to an individual and may feel like a legacy is being left behind. This can be crucial in the lives of people who feel lost or forgotten in the huge city of Toronto and its’ capitalism..

Such is the case for 18 year old Bardia Bryan Zargham in 2005. On a section of the CPR tracks in mid-town Toronto, the young man was struck by an oncoming train. Bardia Bryan Zargham was a graffiti artist and he was writing his tag. His was painting his graffiti name, Alpha on the side of a stationary freight car when a train hit him. Alpha was known as the King of the Bombers at the time. He was apparently good at writing his name in big letters in a few short minutes repeatedly. This was an unfortunate event. Rest in peace Alpha.

More people are beginning to value and accept the beauty of graffiti and street art in Toronto. There is a move towards more regulated areas where it is more acceptable. This is true especially if the art form is respectful of private property. Local walking tours such as the Murals and Public Art in the Junction Triangle have organized a free walk in west Toronto that is bordered on all three sides by railways tracks and underpasses. This makes it an ideal place for public art. This walk on Saturday May 7, 2011 at 10am explores the painted murals, ghost signs, graffiti, and other public art throughout the neighbourhood. The appreciation for this Outsider art is increasing in interest.

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