| − | '''Graffiti''' is the illegal practice of painting, drawing or writing on walls, [[train]]s or other surfaces that do not belong to oneself, usually in public places. Graffiti can range from crude, untidily scrawled slogans to elaborately painted murals. Most graffiti is considered to be [[vandalism]], although some practitioners devote considerable effort and undeniable talent to their 'work' and claim that it should be judged as [[art]]. | + | '''Graffiti''' is the illegal practice of painting, drawing, or writing on walls, [[train]]s, or other surfaces that do not belong to oneself, usually in public places. Graffiti can range from crude, untidily scrawled slogans to elaborately painted murals. Most graffiti is considered to be [[vandalism]], although some practitioners devote considerable effort and undeniable talent to their 'work' and claim that it should be judged as [[art]]. |
| − | A common form of graffiti is 'tagging', which involves writing one's name or nickname in highly stylised letters. Other written graffiti may contain [[politics|political]] messages; political graffiti is especially common in Western [[Europe]]an towns and cities. Graffiti can appeal to groups who see themselves as disenfranchised, as it enables them to have a 'voice' without representation in the [[media]] or in [[government]]. | + | A common form of graffiti is 'tagging', which involves writing one's name or nickname in highly stylized letters. Other written graffiti may contain [[politics|political]] messages; political graffiti is especially common in Western [[Europe]]an towns and cities. Graffiti can appeal to groups who see themselves as disenfranchised, as it enables them to have a 'voice' without representation in the [[media]] or in [[government]]. |
| − | Some see graffiti as a part of modern 'street culture' (often associated with [[skateboarding]] or [[hip-hop]] and related pastimes). However, graffiti appears to be as old as civilisation itself - it has been found in the ruins of the [[Roman]] city of [[Pompeii]], for example. | + | Some see graffiti as a part of modern 'street culture' (often associated with [[skateboarding]] or [[hip-hop]] and related pastimes). However, graffiti appears to be as old as civilization itself - it has been found in the ruins of the [[Roman]] city of [[Pompeii]], for example. |