Graffiti at School: Art or Crime?

Photo: graffiti mural at Central Memorial High School in Calgary.

Are graffiti creators arists or vandals?

For Bishop Carroll High School, vandalism is a rare occurrence, so when I saw a graffiti tag in yellow paint pen on a railing in the stairwell, I was surprised. I think the administration was as well because as soon as they found out, a hunt began to find the “vandal,” which made me question: was this person a vandal at all?

The debate as to whether or not graffiti is a demonstration of creativity or criminality has been never-ending. A former graffiti writer, who preferred to remain anonymous, tells me: “Graffiti is a lifestyle. There are different levels: tags, bombs, pieces… tags are what most people view as ugly scribbles. They’re actually like signatures. They’re necessary, like, in order to gain the skill to do a piece, you gotta do a few tags to get used to the adrenaline rush.”

But is it art? “Most definitely. Like abstract or impressionism, cubism, whatever, it’s just another style of art. Really, it doesn’t have to be done illegally to be considered graff, that’s just what makes the culture of graffiti what it is.”

When it comes to the school situation, this artist has a different opinion: “You never know, but I’m willing to guess it isn’t legit. Real writers don’t wanna get caught because not everyone sees it like we do. It is art. But putting it in your school is like putting a target on your back. Sounds like this guy just wanted to be glorified by his peers, but it’s gaining glory among the other writers that really makes you legit.”

Heather Wheatland, an instructor at BCHS explains, “I think there is a distinction between graffiti as art, and graffiti as vandalism. Some people claim that their graffiti is art, but they’re really just vandalizing.” She outlines a possible solution: “Some schools actually have murals that are painted on the walls in stairwells that are done by students.”

A good example of this would be at Central Memorial High School in Calgary, which proudly houses a student piece. This way, she says, “people respect and appreciate the talent that’s displayed.”

Art or crime? It’s up to you to decide, but either way, if it’s done inside a school, some serious consequences may arise.