How Social Media Killed and Saved Graffiti
Graffiti in the year 2024 is not exactly the most exciting form of art. [Graff-writers are gonna read that and say I’m an idiot]
Hear me out-
New York, mid 1980s, graffiti has been around for a handful of years by that time, Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant have already published their photographs/films around the world. People outside New York are becoming inspired by the new art form by way of photographs, films, zines and traveling shows/exhibitions.
Before the book ‘Subway art’, and the films ‘Style Wars’ and 'Beat Street’, most graffiti was seen on the street. Train cars, prominent walls on main avenues and popular hangout spots. Graff writers would document their work with film photographs regardless of how many people saw their work, because graffiti is not forever. Writers would share their photographs with other writers or graff enthusiasts. This is not much different than social media. In fact, it is a form of social media. This helped and diluted graffiti. More kids were interested in the art form, which led to more people painting, but made certain people cherish the photo rather than the placement of the piece on the street, which eliminates the risk factor (a major part of graffiti). On the bright side, street documentation has served as a form of historical preservation; oral histories being the other.
Fast forward to the early 2000’s- Many graffiti writers have made it into the offices of corporations and the stages of auction houses; an overwhelming amount of documentaries, films, and exhibitions have been made about anything and everyone that has touched a spray-can.
I want to clarify, these string of events are not necessarily bad. It’s better to have a graffiti writer on a corporate board rather than a someone with a degree in international relations and marketing trying to make skateboarding integrate with soda for a commercial.
Eventually, inspired by social and consumer media surrounding graffiti in the early 2000’s, “Street Art” becomes a very popular form of art. Graffiti/Street artists/writers are posting their pieces, liking and hating on each other through the internet, hoping to get the gallery deal through Myspace, Facebook or their friend's indie film.
Some cracked the code-
Shepard Fairey, for example, became famous on the street, in the auction houses, and even helped Obama become president with his social media and street campaigns. The famous “HOPE” poster was design by him.
Shepard Fairey, Obama HOPE, 2008
This saved and killed graffiti.
It showed how powerful graffiti is.
It also made everyone believe they could do it. Everyone believed it was a fast track into gaining artistic recognition. A name, a character and a mediocre street campaign mixed with a semi good studio practice could land you a NY show or an article in juxtapoze magazine. The art world knowing this, focused Miami’s international art week, or Art Basel, on this style of art way back in 2002. (China and Switzerland’s Art Basel have little to no focus on graffiti/street art) Miami’s satellite fairs and parties are heavily tied into the graff/street art movement. This is where writers, artists, and whoever likes to party can be social media art heroes for a week.
VITAS building, December 2023. Photo courtesy of Wiseknave.
This is good and bad for graffiti.
VITAS building, 2023. Photo courtesy of KET.
How is it good?
Last Basel, an abandoned building in Downtown Miami, better known as the “VITAS” building was completely covered from top to bottom during Miami Art Week. Because of this, Miami now has a building covered in pieces from a diverse demographic of graff artists, from all around the world, giving downtown real color, character and energy. It was completely illegal, unlike the murals that go up legally during the first week of December.
How is it bad?
This was fueled by the love of the graff game, as well as love for the instagram post. It was a hit on instagram when the first couple of floors were taken up by the ones who knew. What happened after a couple of posts? Everyone and their mother went to the VITAS building and painted it.
This is how social media killed and saved graffiti.
There is good, bad, and there is ugly. That building has it. But I’m glad it happened.
VITAS building, 2023. Photo courtesy of KET.
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