Graffiti, Street Art & Murals: What We Learn from Public Art

Independent public art like graffiti and street art often gets a bad rap, thanks to its legal classification as vandalism. But these art forms have much to offer as a means for people to speak truth to power and take ownership of community spaces. In this episode of Crash Course Art History, we’ll explore the various ways artists have used illicit public art to express themselves.

Crash Course Art History #17
Introduction: Ancient Graffiti 00:00
Independent Public Art 01:01
Impermanent Art 02:29
Public Art as Political Expression 04:11
Jean-Michel Basquiat 06:40
Review & Credits 09:12

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[tamedthethreebears]

Whenever I see graffiti Im always in awe of " how'd they get up there ?" 😅

[Beryllahawk]

Back in my freshman year of college the dorm I was in decided to plaster paper all over the walls of the bathroom stalls, on every floor. There were crayons in plastic cups by the windows. You could grab one, go do whatever you were gonna do, and scribble on the wall while you were at it. Plenty of girls brought pens and so forth too. LOTS of text based art resulted. But at end of term the Dean of Students declared that no, we couldn't do that, though he did praise the idea. There was some back and forth arguing for a year or so, and in the end the school put together a new set of rules that still forbade any scribbling in the bathrooms, but allowed for other forms of decoration - like paper wrapping on the doors of dorm rooms. At the time I didn't think much about it, but now I can see that this was independent art, as well as a pretty good example of the artist in conversation with the community and the authorities overseeing that community.

[ArtichokeHunter]

it's interesting with the chalk example to think about how independent public art doesn't have to be paint on a public structure. makes me think of flash mobs, people doing theatre in a park without a permit.

[jacobbass]

The artwork at 5:48 took me off guard in a way I wasn’t expecting. Something so human about it had me welling up with tears.

[ATHIP]

This conversation has to include Banksy. I've been lucky enough to travel to cities where he has done his art, and it is so incredible to see one of his works on a random street. It is worth so much money, yet it is out in the open for everyone to enjoy.

[martywhalen]

The Museum of Canterbury in Christchurch New Zealand was starting a major remodel/rebuild project last year and they invited a bunch of “urban artists” in after the museum collections were removed but before demolition started. It was incredibly cool to see, with some really stunning huge murals. I was a bit heartbroken that everything was going to be removed during the remodel, but I guess that plays to the temporary nature of street art.

[tongsampahkecil]

LOVE this crash course series of yours sarah. missed art assignment!

[itsme]

The graffiti I see most often is on the sides of railroad cars. It always makes me wonder where it was done and by whom. It makes me feel somehow closer to people and places that could be far far away.

[BrianHutzellMusic]

For anyone interested in Basquiat or street art in general or the New York art & music scene of the late 1970s-early 1980s, check out “Downtown 81.” It’s a slice of life film made by Glenn O’Brien and starring Basquiat as himself, along with a cast of other artists and musicians from the New Wave/No Wave scene. Judged by traditional guidelines, it’s a terrible movie, but as a time capsule of an especially creative time and place, it’s wonderful!

[Kellan__they-them]

I find group public art installations interesting, like the Seattle "gum wall" or the "Cadenas d'Amour" in Paris. Both of which are also technically illegal, like graffiti.

[eviep]

"Vandalism Art" 101. That could very well be a college course.

[kts]

Personal favorite public art: Moss art! You can collect moss, put it in a blender with a fertilizer, and spray or paint it in beautiful shapes!!!

[hmstr]

A lot of graffiti artists could make a fortune if they had the opportunity.

[Demetrius]

Played Marc Ecko's getting up not long ago and understood that graffiti isn't just vandalism.

[KristenRowenPliske]

It’s not graffiti but our city paid to have all the electrical boxes (the ones by traffic lights) painted over completely. Different scenes related to the larger area. Several sculptures, too, of herons or a bird like them but larger than life & colorfully painted.
It’s visually appealing.

[Linares]

I wish there was something about Charging Bull and all the different perspectives it was seen on.

[coprococore]

I miss your PBS show! Because of you i am going to the Venice Biennial this year. A bucket list art destination inspired by you. Thank you for doing this crash course episode. Please do more.

[uria]

A certain artist once said “I’m painting the TRUTH, I’m painting REBELLION!”

[alarcon]

We visited Wynwood Walls in Miami this summer and it was such an amazing experience ❤

[MasterOfBaiter]

What's important is that it's a way to reclaim the space. In our class based society if not for public art our cities and villages and so on would look the way those who own would want it to. They would be the static designs of architects Green lit by the handful of private property owners. Meanwhile those who actually live there would have no say. Hence why tagging is such a predominant thing that just kind of happens everywhere. It's basically the disposesed saying "I am here too". The contradiction of grafity on a fancy building forces you to recognize that wealth exists right next to its absence.