Writin' vs. Graffiti
Writin' vs. Graffiti
During the past 19 years, I have interviewed and / or surveyed over 8,000 people in different parts of The Caribbean, South, Central & North America and Europe on the subject of "graffiti."
Upon learning that the NYC Writin' Movement originated in the working class neighborhoods, that it was an innovative and vibrant subculture intent on turning a boring subway ride into a splashing, colorful experience, and after considering the social issues that impact us all, an overwhelming majority of those 8,000+ folks agree that "graffiti" is a denigrating term invented by the media and other very influential elements of society in order to put down one of the few original art forms that have originated in the U.S. (jazz and gospel music - being two other examples of art forms that originated in the U.S.)
Look up the roots of the infamous "G" word and you'll discover that to the Italians and ancient Greeks it meant "to scrawl" or "scribble."
I, for instance, have never done "scrawlings." Starting in 1970, I "wrote" my name and did "masterpieces" on subway trains and walls which were based on my name.
In fact, my friends and I never used the infamous term "graffiti" in our lexicon. We used to go "writin'", or "hittin'." Around 1971 the term "bombin'" was added to our Culture. But we never went "to do graffiti" to a train yard or layup.
WHAT IS THE CORRECT AND ACCURATE NAME FOR OUR ART FORM?
It is "Writin'."
WHY "WRITIN'"?
Because all Writers "wrote" our names, and 99% of us used spray paint and magic markers at one time or another. Spray paint is the most impacting and the most desired medium used by young and old the world over for converting an idea or concept into a graphic reality on a given surface.
"Writers" have also used pilots, uniwides, miniwides, shoe polish bottles, mustard bottles, pens, pencils, flair pens, technical pens, crayons, chalk, knives, paint rollers, paint brushes, mirrors, stencils, shaving cream, beach sand, blood, urine, feces, cigarette lighters, and even condoms among other media in order to get up!
But spray paint continues to be the most popular and dramatic of all the media available.
"WHY" DID THE "POWERS-THAT-BE" ATTEMPT AND SUCCEED IN DENIGRATING AN ORIGINAL NORTH AMERICAN ART FORM?
Could it be racism? Let's examine things:
The answer given by 75% of the people I have interviewed on the subject of "graff" is that because "Writin'" was popularized by youth of color from the working classes, many of those powerful, racist elements in the ruling class of society felt a need to discredit this new Culture.
Most people I interviewed also felt that if Writin' had been invented and popularized a majority of upper class youths, then, the powers-that-be would have formalized it by naming it "Avant Garde Pop Something-Art..."
Thus, the question becomes three-pronged:
1. is it only racism?
2. is it classism?
3. is it both racism and classism?
This suggestion follows the trend originated by the same powers-that- be towards the term "black."
For example, why does it have to be "Black Monday" when the stock market crashes on a Monday, or Black Sunday when an act of terrorism takes place on a given Sunday at a Super Bowl game?
Why are the fluorescent orange-colored flight recorders in commercial aircraft referred to as the "black boxes?"
Is it because they are supposed to contain the "bad news" of really what happenned before the plane went down?
Look at the other side of the coin: The "White" House, "white" collar jobs, "white" hackers, even "white collar" crime, etc.
In other words, go to the dictionary and look up the word "black". Then, look up the word "white."
This subliminal method of perpetuating racism among us is a MAJOR part of the daily programming of our minds by what many feel is a racist class of the most powerful individuals in our society. We, and specially our Young Ones MUST identify it and de-program ourselves from said program, and re-program our minds with a different program, otherwise, NO ONE ELSE will do it for us.
IS THERE ANY PROOF THAT THE POWERS-THAT-BE CONSPIRED TO DENIGRATE WRITIN' BECAUSE IT WAS INVENTED AND MADE POPULAR BY YOUTH OF COLOR?
The most striking example one can think of in order to illustrate the racist attitude of the class that controls power in our society towards our original art form, is the "Keith Haring phenomenon." Haring (R.I.P.), a young white man from Pennsylvania that went to NYC to study commercial art, was a very talented, original artist whose work I happen to like.
However, we all know that Haring was no Write. The original work he became famous for (complete with staging his own "arrest" while the cameras were rolling), was done with white chalk on empty poster boards on the walls of NYC subway stations.
Haring never risked his personal safety to what us Writers did on a daily basis: the 600 volts of juice of the third rail. He never ever did a piece on a subway or bus.
Yet, he got the best reception by the art world and media, where he was incorrectly branded as a "graffiti artist." He also made the most money with his "graffiti art."
Twelve years before Haring there were pioneering, master Writers such as "Stay High 149" a.k.a. "VOICE OF THE GHETTO," "Stitch One," and "Dino Nod." Writers with their own styles who truly tore up transit and the streets of NYC, all, black and latino, however.
These Writers never got the respect and credit they deserved from the same group of powerful individuals who made Haring into the success he became. Could the reason for this inequality in giving credit to who credit deserves, be that these pioneering writers were black and latinos? This is a question that you must ask yourself.
The media really expects you to believe a lot of myths, as in "All The News That's Fit To Print..."
Well, if you really believe for example, that "racial profiling" is a new thing that only takes place within your city's police department, then you'll also believe that Bill Clinton got high but never inhaled, that the 1980s came before the 1970s, that Bush/Chaney/Rumsfeld and Powell were justified in murdering thousands of innocent Iraqui civilians because "Iraq had weapons of mass destruction," or that all Muslims are terrorists.
Many people are of the opinion that established institutions such as the art world and media are some of the biggest culprits in the practice of racism in modern society today.
Given the fact that racism has been with us for the last 200+ years (our first president George Washington, President Grant and even President Lincoln were slave owners), and will continue to be with us unless we as a People have the courage and strength to end it, the suggestion that a sinister campaign to denigrate our art form by the powers that be, may indeed start to make sense to the reader who never before viewed "graffiti" in this context.
My suggestion to you is simple: do your own objective research and judge for yourself. Then, educate your children on your findings.
MICO
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