© Richard HuangAs in other Western cities, graffiti is everywhere in Madrid and Barcelona. There is a saying that a city without graffiti is a city without colour. I once agreed, and even became interested in photographing it. But graffiti is difficult to photograph well. Its colours are often overpowering and its designs chaotic; simply pointing a camera at it produces nothing more than an unimaginative copy, with little interest of its own.
© Richard HuangOne fairly simple way to make the picture more interesting is to include nearby people or objects in the frame. Take these three colourful headscarves: don’t they play nicely off the graffiti behind them?
© Richard HuangAnother example is the Kissing Wall near Barcelona Cathedral, a mosaic assembled from photographs of varying shades. From a distance, it forms a pair of lips locked in a passionate kiss and has become a popular photo spot. But stare at it long enough, and doesn’t it begin to feel a little monotonous?
© Richard HuangNow add a couple in love, wrapped passionately in each other’s arms and oblivious to everyone around them…
© Richard HuangOr two lovers exchanging a restrained yet lingering glance: doesn’t the scene acquire a little more poetry and romance?
© Richard HuangFollowing this idea, a series of street-life photographs set against graffiti began to take shape.
© Richard HuangThe word “graffiti” comes from the Italian graffio, and the practice has a very long history. Traces of human graffiti have been found in prehistoric Spanish caves, ancient Roman ruins, Maya cities, and medieval English churches. By the twentieth century, graffiti in Europe and North America had become associated with gangs and juvenile groups, who used it to claim territory and mark their activities.
© Richard HuangIn modern times, it has developed into a marginal art form practised mainly by young individuals who use public spaces to display their energy, skill, emotions, and even political views. Its two principal forms are pictorial and calligraphic. Pictorial graffiti generally occupies a larger area and is more visually appealing. Studies have found that the public is relatively more accepting of this kind of graffiti and feels safer around it.
© Richard HuangGraffiti artists observe an unwritten “moral code”: they do not paint over the work already there. Many businesses therefore hire well-known artists or professional graffiti companies to paint their shopfronts, effectively claiming the space first. Famous murals have also become tourist attractions, drawing visitors eager to photograph them.
© Richard HuangThe other, more common form is lettering, known as tagging. It favours simplicity and fluidity, and above all speed. In Spain, graffiti artists caught in the act can be fined anywhere from €300 to €3,000. Since they must finish spraying quickly to evade the police, they often resort to this simple form. Tags are also commonly seen on moving objects such as trains and trucks.
© Richard HuangBecause tagging is so simple, it is more readily regarded as vandalism of public space. Areas covered in tags tend to be seen as dirty, disorderly, and unsafe.
© Richard HuangThe rise of graffiti reflects the idea of “taking to the streets,” expressing resistance and a break with tradition. Behind it lies the belief that art should stand in opposition to absolute rules concerning law and property ownership; it should be open to the public rather than hidden away in private spaces such as galleries and museums.
© Richard HuangMost graffiti artists are young people from ordinary families. Lacking resources and a public voice, and unable to gain entry to established institutions, they turn the city into their canvas and exhibition hall.
© Richard HuangWhen I was young, I too embraced such ideas, eagerly pursuing currents of thought associated with progress, openness, freedom, and even disorder.
© Richard HuangYet as we grow older and accumulate experience, we tend to become more conservative. We come to understand that social order, principles, moral restraints, common sense, and self-evident truths matter just as much.
© Richard HuangIt is precisely this clash of ideas that makes graffiti so difficult to deal with. On the one hand, it may be an inevitable consequence of social progress; on the other, it may be a symptom of social decline.
© Richard HuangThe authorities likewise take a two-sided approach. Supporters of the “broken windows theory” insist on cracking down on graffiti. The theory holds that if a small break in a building’s window is not promptly repaired, it will invite more serious damage. Acting on this principle, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani launched what was then the largest anti-graffiti campaign in American history, seeking to stop larger problems before they began. Measures included legislation prohibiting the sale of spray paint to anyone under eighteen. New York during the Giuliani years was said to be at its safest; that era is now gone.
© Richard HuangBecause catching graffiti artists in the act is so difficult, the Madrid town of Brunete tried a slightly different approach. It held a graffiti competition and asked entrants to submit photographs of their work. From those images, the authorities could quickly identify the artists behind graffiti all over town. Lured by a modest cash prize, not one of them escaped notice.
© Richard HuangMost authorities turn a blind eye. Some cities also provide legal public walls, designated graffiti districts, or graffiti websites, giving young people an outlet for their energies.
© Richard HuangBesides, some celebrated works of graffiti have become tourist assets in their own right, and the authorities hope to make use of them.
© Richard HuangGraffiti is common in Toronto too, but it cannot compare with Madrid and Barcelona in sheer quantity, geographical spread, or profusion of styles. After all, they had graffiti in their caves tens of thousands of years ago—they have a “tradition.” Whether we like it or not, this marginal cultural phenomenon will probably be with us for good. Where the way forward lies is something society as a whole may have to discover…