Christchurch Graffiti Art

by Michelle Sullivan

Graffiti. Art or vandalism? It’s a contentious issue, but if you were to contend that grafitti is in fact art, this example would certainly help your argument.

I’m not sure why, but I’m personally quite drawn to this type of drawing, perhaps its the vibrant use of colour.

The shot was taken from the Waltham Road over bridge which goes over the railway line. If you ever walk over it, look down and you will see there is a wall of quite stunning graffiti art running parallel to the train tracks. I also happened to find a great YouTube video of some Christchurch graffiti artists in action - in fact parts of the video look like they’ve been filmed near the the location of this picture (watch as one graffiti artist gets a little too close for comfort to an oncoming train).

All photos (above) are copyright 2007 Michelle Sullivan.  

The reason for the above post is that I had my fence "graffiti'd" in an artistic, almost sweet manner. It is actually vandalism however, because I must repair it.  In an effort to "discuss the artistic side of it", while making the necessary repairs, I  am calling for the "artists" to help me paint my fence, over music and Pizza. I'd like discuss the how's and where's of placing graffiti art in the future, and what constitutes vandalism... Here's my fence. 

We'll see if anyone shows up!

Oh, anyone interested in some great books on this "art" click on read more (below), there's two books on the next page.

Editorial Reviews

Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New York City's major art museums, he's also "hung" his work at London's Tate Gallery and adorned Israel's West Bank barrier with satirical images. Banksy's identity remains unknown, but his work is unmistakable—with prints selling for as much as $45,000.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–This book is packed with full-color photographs representative of graffiti styles and artists from around the world. Though there is still a level of lawlessness involved in some who practice in the traditional way, many of the murals shown are commissioned works of "urban art." The frequent use of nicknames and disguised photos shows that often these artists are still "underground" even as their art form becomes more recognized. The encyclopedic arrangement, first by continent and then by artist's nom de plume, serves the book well. Each continent also gets a foldout that demonstrates the best local artwork. Most of the textual information about the artists and their work is contained in a back "information" section, keeping the focus of the book on the art. This beautifully designed volume is respectful and knowledgeable about its oft-misunderstood subject matter. Budding artists everywhere will be thrilled to see the level of expertise that can be achieved in the graffiti format.–Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD 
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From School Library Journal