Urban: Graffiti
The age old argument -
Graffiti: Street Art or Street Crime?
As usual there are two sides to the story and both have their own element of truth.
Consider you are on your way home after a dreary days' work, the weather is dismal too, life seems duller than ever and then suddenly you notice a colorful cartoony mural - you can't help it, you just have to smile! Won't you feel a bit better?
Consider a bright and sunny day; you are just arriving home from an enjoyable meeting with a friend. You look up - the façade of your house has been defaced by strangers! Even if you happen to agree with part of the message - the act remains "an act of vandalism" and it ruined your day.
So why am I so drawn to photographing the graffiti on the walls and buildings?
I think that partially I identify with those young artists. It is hard to make a living as an artist - moreover artists not only need money, they need recognition, they need to share their art and expose their ideas to the public.
With sprays, brushes and felt-tip-pens, they create art for all to see. They draw attention to perceived wrongs - provoke and influence emotions on a social, political or emotional level.
Whether Graffiti is "Street Art" or "Street Crime" - Graffiti is the social and political "writing on the wall"!
While graffiti is illegal in Israel, the municipality of Tel Aviv turns a blind eye to graffiti in certain areas, notable among them the Florentin neighborhood.
Here are some options of how to see them:
- A self-guided street art tour of Florentin
- The Florentin Urban Culture & Graffiti Tour
- Tel Aviv Graffiti & Street Art