2.2 Evolution of modern graffiti (1960s-1980s)

Modern graffiti burst onto the urban scene in 1960s America, with pioneers like Taki 183 and Cornbread tagging city walls and subways. This rebellious art form quickly spread, becoming a powerful voice for marginalized youth and a key element of hip-hop culture.

As graffiti evolved, artists like Phase 2 and Dondi pushed the boundaries of style and technique. However, the art form faced intense backlash from authorities, who saw it as a symbol of urban decay and criminalized its practitioners.

The Rise of Modern Graffiti in Urban America

Emergence of modern urban graffiti

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• Graffiti emerged in urban centers like New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles in the 1960s
  • Early graffiti writers, such as Cornbread in Philadelphia and Taki 183 in New York, began tagging their names on walls and subway trains to gain notoriety and leave their mark on the city
• The spread of graffiti in New York City was facilitated by the city's extensive subway system
  • Writers would tag their names on subway cars, allowing their work to travel throughout the city and be seen by countless people
  • The subway became a mobile canvas for graffiti writers to showcase their skills and gain recognition among their peers and the public
• The 1970s saw a significant increase in the popularity and complexity of graffiti in New York City
  • Writers began forming crews, such as the Ex-Vandals and the Fabulous Five, to collaborate on larger, more intricate pieces and compete with other crews
  • Style wars emerged as writers sought to outdo one another with increasingly elaborate and colorful pieces, pushing the boundaries of the art form

Youth culture's influence on graffiti

• Graffiti emerged as a form of self-expression for youth in marginalized communities
  • Many early graffiti writers were young people of color from working-class neighborhoods who felt disconnected from mainstream society
  • Graffiti provided a means for these youth to assert their identity, leave their mark on the city, and claim public space in a city that often ignored or excluded them
• The rise of hip-hop culture in the 1970s was closely intertwined with the development of graffiti
  • Graffiti was considered one of the four elements of hip-hop, alongside DJing, MCing (rapping), and breakdancing
  • Graffiti writers often collaborated with other hip-hop artists, creating artwork for album covers, concert flyers, and clothing designs
• Graffiti served as a visual representation of the social and political issues faced by marginalized communities
  • Writers used their art to comment on poverty, racism, police brutality, and urban decay
  • Graffiti became a means of reclaiming public space, asserting the presence and value of marginalized communities, and demanding social change

Key Figures and Styles in Graffiti's Evolution

Key figures in graffiti evolution

• Taki 183, a Greek-American teenager from Washington Heights, is credited with popularizing tagging in New York City
  • Taki's prolific tagging of his name throughout the city (on walls, subway cars, and monuments) inspired countless other writers to follow suit
  • His style, which emphasized legibility and repetition, became a template for early graffiti writing and helped establish tagging as a key element of the art form
• Cornbread, a Philadelphia-based writer, is often cited as the first modern graffiti writer
  • Cornbread's tagging of his name on walls and buses in the late 1960s helped to establish graffiti as a distinct art form and subculture
  • His use of a consistent tag and his daring, high-profile pieces (such as tagging an elephant in the Philadelphia Zoo) helped to generate media attention and inspire other writers
• Other key figures, such as Phase 2, Blade, and Dondi, helped to push the boundaries of graffiti style and technique
  • Phase 2 is credited with pioneering the use of arrows, curves, and other graphic elements in graffiti lettering, adding a new level of dynamism and style to the art form
  • Blade and Dondi were known for their large-scale, colorful pieces that showcased a mastery of spray paint techniques, complex lettering styles, and compositional skills

Social factors in graffiti perception

• Graffiti was often seen as a symbol of urban decay and lawlessness by city officials and the media
  • The proliferation of graffiti in New York City coincided with a period of economic downturn, deindustrialization, and rising crime rates in the 1970s
  • Graffiti was portrayed as a symptom of a city out of control, and its practitioners were labeled as vandals, criminals, and a threat to public order
• The criminalization of graffiti led to increased police crackdowns and harsher penalties for writers
  • In 1972, New York City Mayor John Lindsay declared war on graffiti, leading to a series of anti-graffiti campaigns, laws, and enforcement measures
  • Writers faced arrest, fines, and even jail time for their work, forcing many to adopt more secretive and risky tactics to avoid detection and prosecution
• The negative perception of graffiti was often tied to broader social and racial prejudices
  • Graffiti was primarily associated with communities of color and working-class neighborhoods, leading to stereotypes, stigmatization, and assumptions about the character and motives of graffiti writers
  • The criminalization of graffiti can be seen as part of a larger pattern of over-policing, discrimination, and marginalization of minority communities in urban America
• Despite the criminalization and negative perception of graffiti, writers continued to create and innovate
  • The risk and danger associated with graffiti became part of its allure, mystique, and anti-establishment ethos
  • Writers adapted to the changing legal and social landscape, finding new ways to create and share their work (such as painting in abandoned buildings or remote locations) while evading authorities and maintaining the subversive spirit of the art form