Graffiti Then And Now

Graffiti is a unique form of writing technology, because it is available the masses. While typewriters, computers and now iPhones all have formidable writing capabilities, not everyone in our society has access to these technologies. Computers and iPhones are able to post writings online, where they can be viewed by the community and the world. Graffiti allows people to share their thoughts in a similar fashion, without access to expensive devices.

In ancient Rome, citizens where not able to post things online and they used graffiti to share their thoughts. This functioned as a sort of message board, where all classes of people would contribute equally. The Roman version of graffiti was kinder than most current graffiti, with citizens writing things like “good luck” or “have a nice day.”

Graffiti evolved in modern America through mostly cultural determinism. In Baltimore, people use graffiti to expose injustice and express anger. On North ave and Greenmount, one piece of graffiti proclaims, “Whoever died from a rough ride? The whole damn system.” This is a response to the death of Freddie Gray, who died while in the back of a police van in an example of police brutality. Graffiti has always been the art of outsiders, people who were not able to have their voices heard through more traditional means. Because it is illegal, there is the belief that it is an act against society, perpetrated by criminals. In reality it is a creative art form that garners different responses from different people.