In many cities, walls are set up for graffiti artists to write on without breaking the law. More "legal walls" could be set up to give younger kids something to do and allow the artist to express themselves without having to look over their shoulders.
Many solutions have been put into practice around the world, with varying degrees of success. Paints have been developed that basically cause graffiti paint to dissolve when applied, or else make it quick and easy to remove. Community groups and government departments coordinate graffiti removal teams.
But is removing the graffiti doing a disservice to the artistic community? Maybe if some of the people behind the graffiti art were taken in hand and trained, they could use their artistic skills in more productive ways.
It hardly makes sense to encourage these artists to deface public property, and so commit a crime.
But perhaps there are other ways to cooperate with the graffiti artists rather than just opposing them. Graffiti artists can create sanctioned murals for private property owners and get paid for it.
Maybe we need to start at a very basic level, and find a way to encourage the creation of graffiti art on paper or canvas, rather than walls.
After all, who would remember Monet or Picasso if they’d created their masterpieces on walls, only to have them painted over the next day?
Finding a solution to such a complex situation is never going to be easy, but as more graffiti art is being recognized in galleries around the world, we do need to try.
Editor: Feng Hui
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