MANILA, Philippines - Art, defined as the undefined form of self-expression (or group,) is unquestionably found wherever you go. Although art is seen in different forms, sizes, shapes and textures, and of course, not limited to a kind of painting or any picture made by hand, it is arguably generalized by many that art is simply a picture. Having this idea made me think that a picture is more of an art to some when it is drawn by the hand. This kind of sorting gave me a very unique discovery that there is art wherever we look in the streets of the Philippines that is never recognized by award giving bodies, not even by the locals themselves. I am referring to the art that is probably the “most erased” of all time: graffiti.
Graffiti is a kind of a drawn picture or letters printed on a wall or any form of solid object using aerosol spray paint or simply paint as a sign of tags or expression of an individual, or groups. It is plainly a street art. A very detailed explanation would be the one written in 1985 by Allan Schwartzman in his book Street Art where it says "Art, specifically visual art developed in public spaces - that is, "in the streets" - thought the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives. The term can include traditional graffiti artwork, sculpture, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheatpasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerilla art, and street installations. Typically, the term street art or more specifically post-graffiti is used to distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial graffiti, vandalism, and corporate art. Artists have challenged art by situating it in non-art contexts. "Street" artists do not aspire to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the existing environment with its own language. They attempt to have their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being imprisoned by them."
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| Photo by: beermug |
Graffiti is a kind of a drawn picture or letters printed on a wall or any form of solid object using aerosol spray paint or simply paint as a sign of tags or expression of an individual, or groups. It is plainly a street art. A very detailed explanation would be the one written in 1985 by Allan Schwartzman in his book Street Art where it says "Art, specifically visual art developed in public spaces - that is, "in the streets" - thought the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives. The term can include traditional graffiti artwork, sculpture, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheatpasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerilla art, and street installations. Typically, the term street art or more specifically post-graffiti is used to distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial graffiti, vandalism, and corporate art. Artists have challenged art by situating it in non-art contexts. "Street" artists do not aspire to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the existing environment with its own language. They attempt to have their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being imprisoned by them."
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