Art Not Art

Manuel Seoane
Sep 5, 2018 · 3 min read

“Imagine a city where graffiti wasn’t illegal, a city where everybody could draw whatever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never boring. A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall — it’s wet.”
— Banksy.

This series is a visual exploration of the graffiti culture in Aarhus, from “recognized” artworks and their creators, to “common” draws and sketches around the city. What is art and what is not? Can’t both be considered the same, just creativeness expressed through paintings and interventions?

Danish graffiti artist SWET Boogie.
“Outlaws”. Graffiti is still an expression being legally banned and prosecuted.

“Some people tell us we are just vandals, but what damage does a graffiti to anyone? it is awful, it ruines the city image… those are just subjective and banal thoughts… it doesn’t hurt or harm anyone, and at the end no one should own the streets anyway, the streets should belong to us the people.”
— X.X.

Graffiti workshop for the youngsters at Godsbanen’s Institute for (X).

“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”
—Banksy.

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