Graffiti serves many purposes: gang tagging, vandalism, beautification of derelict buildings, expression of local character, and a method of re-claiming public space by folks of all walks of life.

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Outside of Java Hut.

WHY GRAFFITI?

Graffiti is one of those forms of expression that intrigues us because of it’s history in urban areas. Stemming from New York City in step with hip hop culture, graffiti began as a grass roots, affordable form of artistic expression in the 70’s.

More graffiti outside of Java Hut.

Despite graffiti’s rise to a respected form of art, it is still used as a tool by gangs, cyber pirates, and vandals as a form of subversive communication and destruction of public property.
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The Ugly Side of Graffiti

As recently as a week ago the Telegram and Gazette reported anti-Semitic graffiti at WPI. This is just one form of hateful graffiti that can be seen around the city.

Early this year, several schools were the targets of graffiti that has cost thousands of dollars to clean up.

Unfortunately, this is the type of graffiti that receives the most attention from the local press.

Graffiti by the train tracks.

The police reaction to this is a city-wide crack down on all types of graffiti. Some officers even use graffiti as a way of tracking and cataloguing gang members and upcoming behavior.

The Good Side of Graffiti

While there are problems with this form of art, many are hiring graffiti artists to paint the sides of buildings as a way of beautifying the neighborhood and adding character.

Mural in a local community garden.

Businesses from Java Hut to Santiago’s grocery store to local community groups feature murals on the sides of their buildings as a way of establishing some identity in a public space.

We have no idea what this is.

So whether it’s good, bad, or ugly in your mind, check out some of the images we’ve collected in our galleries in either

Flash or HTML

versions and let us know where you stand on the topic in our comment forums.