Graffiti Tee Shirts As An Alternative Media Outlet

By Elisabeth Herring


Graffiti has been around for a very, very long time. It can be used for everything from advertising to marking territory. For some, it is an art form that enables the expression of thousands of artists who otherwise have no forum. For other people, it is vandalism, and a constant blight on society. Regardless, street art has experienced a rise in popularity in recent years. Many artists are managing to have their art displayed in legitimate galleries, and have even moved into apparel, mainly in the form of graffiti tee shirts.

Urban art has undergone a great many transformations over time. Hard core street artists, sometimes called 'graf artists', consider themselves part of what amounts to a global subculture. From Amsterdam to France, New York to Serbia, many of these artists risk a great deal to create their art.

Some artists use urban art as a means of commenting on social issues. Graphic images and slogans are used to evoke a response in a general populace seen as complacent. Other artists use their art to gain prominence within the street art community. Within this community, there are specific rules which may marginally differ depending on region.

These rules can govern things like the length of time a 'piece' should be left alone before being covered by another artists' work. There are rivalries between street art groups conducted beneath the noses of the general populace. Most times, only those involved in the struggles will even understand what the different messages mean.

The symbols and slogans utilized to signal the boundaries of specific gang territories are are one example of internal rules. Any citizens who are not involved in gang activity will frequently be ignorant of particular writings on the walls. Rival gang members however, will be instantly alerted to where they are trespassing.

It is the opinion of some people, that when images from street art are placed on clothing, it serves to legitimate that art. When an urban artist creates a work of art specifically to go on clothing, the art itself is re-contextualized. Clothing presents an opportunity for a moving installation, where several ideas are displayed simultaneously.

Urban art has played, and will continue to play, its' own part within the wider context of subculture and societal expression. Graffiti tee shirts may aide in the further spreading of particular messages that individual artists. They may also lead to increased awareness and acceptance of this kind of art as a legitimate form of artistic expression.

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