Lizbeth+M’s+OpEd+Article



Undermined and Unappreciated

Everyone has seen it, thousands more so billions of times. Scratched upon billboards, deserted buildings, interstate overpasses, dumpsters, sidewalks-on any flat surface- all over the world. Some of it is colorful and of significant artistic value. Some are just signatures, initials, a name, or gang symbol-it ranges. The complex intertwined letters and designs-known as graffiti-that are found on these surfaces I find absolutely intriguing.

They are not just scribbled words with tangled letters; they can tell a story. One thing about graffiti art is that one cannot really explain it; one has to see it to feel what the artist was writing or designing. “Taggers” “Bombers” (ones who just throw up their gang sign or name) can give graffiti artist's a bad name. What I want one to realize that there is a difference that in some kids it is just tagging. Just to show where they have been and they do not withhold that artistic desire. For some it seems as though vandalism is their only mission. Yet, there are others who advocate and create legitimate art pieces. “A lot of people probably hate it because they don't understand it. But I think if they understood…art is not just scribbling on a wall. There's a lot behind it."- Bantr (graffiti artist). It is to create art that draws you in to affect the viewer, and make it memorable; to inspire.

For me it is more than just painting on a wall. It’s more than just being suspended upside down being held by your legs. It is the intense and twisted drawing one creates and moves people, like George Braque once said “Art is meant to disturb.” It is meant to disturb in a good or bad way. Graffiti artist Mind from Tennessee said "It's not because we want to destroy stuff; it's because we love art. We want our art for everybody. We don't want you to have to go to an art gallery to pay to see art, if you can drive down the street and see art for free, I mean, what's better than that?"

This is not my imagination,  it is my reality and part of my identity for I do graffiti art (not illegally).media type="file" key="lizbethm-muckraker-0910.mp3"