Graffiti: This rebellious art travelled from New York to Kolkata

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible, and childish… but that’s only if it’s done properly.”

― Banksy, Wall, and Piece

Creativity can never be ugly; we human beings make it ugly by using it in the wrong way. Graffiti was considered a controversial art form, usually on the walls without the owner’s permission.

This art form consists of simple written words to detailed paintings. The main aim is to spread some vital message without revealing the graffiti artist’s identity. However, contemporary Graffiti is changing with time, and we are heading to an era where people are accepting this art form spontaneously. 

What Graffiti is it all about?

To spread an important message in the form of an encrypted short story or express the artist’s feelings on the street walls is what Graffiti aims for. However, this public art can be either publicly acceptable or not.

These were used to mark territories amongst gangs and are well associated with criminals and political parties. This can be used to create humorous content or create some beautiful artform. As Graffiti is legally unacceptable, making this is risky, but its thrill counters that too. 

Although technically, Graffiti is considered an excellent artwork, it is not accepted by everyone. But, whether good or bad, accepted or not, the art is not aimed at those purposes; instead, it was started as a rebellious statement for self-expression. 

History of Graffiti

When and how Graffiti appeared on town walls surrounding us is not known in particular, but various forms of Graffiti can be found throughout history from the cave era.

The earliest Graffiti was found in the caves. This continued in different areas of the world. However, in the early days of the 19th-century modern era, a phrase in Graffiti was prevalent among American soldiers during World War II. The message followed by a simple outline of a man was viral along with many other forms.   

 The modern form of Graffiti started around 1960. This contemporary hip-hop Graffiti art form began in urban America, mainly in New York and Philadelphia.

To create these contemporary art graffiti forms, the artists started using aerosol spray cans of paints on city walls, and this process continues. This art form is widespread in public space and found in Mexico City, Berlin, Melbourne, Lisbon, London, Buenos Aires, Madrid, New Delhi, and even in Kolkata and several other urban areas.  

The differences that set Graffiti apart from standard art

 Once, Graffiti was considered vandalism and now is gaining recognition as a typical art form. Although, it is still not accepted as artwork by many, including the common public. Although Graffiti is known as street art, the art form, when used on canvas or other mediums, is known as Graffiti Art. The latter is more economical for the artists as those can be exhibited, displayed, and even sold. 

Graffiti is a public or urban art form and illegal that is painted on the street walls mostly and without the owner’s permission, whereas standard artworks are legal. Thus, irrespective of the artistic merit of Graffiti, it is illegal, and if any traditional art is made on the walls legally, it will be a mural or wall painting.  

The different types of graffiti art that you will find

There are different types of Graffiti found that includes:

• Stencil art is created using cardboard, plastic, or metal stencils and spray paints
• Sticker or Slap art is similar to posters and usually made on sticky labels
• Poster or Paste-Up that are made at their home’s comfort and simply pasted on street walls
• Piece or masterpiece are freehand Graffiti pictures and takes a longer time than tagging  
• Blockbuster is that form where the lettering is created in a block style
• 3D Graffiti are visual scenes that create a 3-dimensional illusion
• Tags or Tagging is the artist’s signature in pseudonym
• Throw Ups or bubble style writing is another type of tagging
• Wildstyle is text-based and uses elaborate font style
• Political Graffiti either for satire or propaganda
• Heaven or Heaven-spot style usually found in hard-to-reach areas like bridges or roofs

Some well-known Graffiti artists in Kolkata

As wall artists in Kolkata use pseudonyms as their signature and create the art behind public presence, the actual names are unknown. Some well-known names in Graffiti art in Kolkata are SREK, SHOCK, SNIK, SHAF, ETC. These young Graffiti artists are against the political nuisances in the name of Graffiti. They are focused on coloring the mundane and grey world with their art style and unique creations. 

The street walls become the canvas late nights for SNIK, who developed a love for this Guerilla art while studying in Sydney. He runs a Kolkata-based restaurant and communicates with other such artists through Facebook. 

Some streets in Kolkata are enriched with a high class of Graffiti art. For example, a hiking area in Kolkata, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road, is painted with Graffiti art where the font is in Bengali.

There are many street walls unnoticed where parts of it are decorated with this unique artwork. However, there are wall paintings on many streets, not Graffiti, but paintings on walls. Birla Academy of Art and Culture is another well-known destination, where the boundary walls are painted with unique ideas. These artworks are Graffiti styled. 

One recent addition is actor Anirban Bhattacharya’s initiative to change his locality to an artwork. Brahmapur, near Garia and Boral, is transformed into ‘Rong-Chhobi Para’ and is new attention for many eyes. These are mixed paintings, including Jamini Roy style, portraits of eminent persons, simple fish paintings, and Graffiti style art.   

Read more : Art Exhibition in Kolkata – Harvest of Winter: “A Versatile Voyage”

Lake Garden Graffiti Warehouse is a hidden gem of Graffiti artwork. Well-known artists have encrypted their paintings and signatures.

The place is now abandoned, without maintenance, and surrounded mainly by local uncultured goons. So, it is a little difficult for art lovers to visit this place at times.

However, the warehouse is large enough with long walls to showcase this unique artwork. The tagged and painted colorful warehouse walls are ideal for creating short videos and photographs for content creators. 

Famous painter Sri Samir Aich also supported this group of young gangs in their movement. According to his words, “But for these young men and women, calligraphy would be dead. All their creations are a mural to be appreciated. The colors, the intricate designs, they are all a piece of art,” Aich said.

I am in love with this art and wish to find out more of such in the streets of Kolkata shortly.