Page 16 - Journeys C1 (Student Book)

1 ART AND CRAFT

Writing

A. Look at the pictures and discuss the questions.

1. Do the pictures show graffiti or street art?
2. Is this “art” acceptable or not, in your opinion?
3. What, in your opinion, is the difference between street
art and graffiti?

B. You are going to read an opinion article “Should
graffiti be considered art?” Before you read, which
of the topics below would you expect to find in this
article?
1. The costs of cleaning graffiti
2. What we can learn about history and society from
graffiti
3. Different styles of graffiti
4. Why graffiti artists produce graffiti

C. Read the article and check your answers in exercise B.

When it comes to graffiti, two rights are in conflict with one another: people’s freedom to express themselves
verses a property owner’s right for their building or structure to be free from vandalism. It is a contentious
issue since the costs to remove unwanted graffiti are high; the Federal Association of German Housing
and Real Estate Companies spends an estimated 500 million euros per year removing unwanted graffiti,
money which could be better spent in social or education programmes. On the other hand, a 2016 study
suggested that street art can significantly raise the property prices and appeal of a neighbourhood.

To some extent, graffiti is an individual’s self-expression. Like other artists, graffiti artists paint in order to
communicate their mood and feelings, and the process requires a degree of skill. Graffiti can also tell us
a lot about the culture and changes within a neighbourhood, which makes it interesting from a historical
and social perspective.

On the other hand, many members of the public dislike graffiti and find it messy and
illegible. Condoning this illegal activity gives the impression that an area is rife with
crime, and may lead to falls in property prices and further, more dangerous acts of
destruction. Moreover, some individuals use graffiti to spread hate and intolerance,
and this cannot be allowed in communities.

In sum, the question of whether graffiti is art is a tricky one, and is subject to many
questions: at what point does self-expression become intrusive? At what point
does a scrawled message become profound and insightful? At what point does
a sprayed picture on a wall become aesthetically pleasing? At what point does a
scribble on the wall become economically, socially or artistically valuable? And by
preventing inexperienced graffiti artists from developing their skills, will we lose the
talented graffiti artists of tomorrow?

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