Grafite or graffiti

Carlos Alberto Reis, journalist

From the Italian graffiti, plural for graffito, it means mark or inscription done on the wall, expression used since the Roman Empire. What for some is vandalism that stains and visually pollutes public places, without sparing nor even historical monuments, for others it is a fair form of expression, imposing to society the reality of those less privileged. Placed at the center of the urban scene on large towns, surrounded by communication signs, graffiti establishes a permanent dialogue with the pieces around: posters, panels, traffic signs, outdoors, busdoors, etc.

What is seen as visual pollution can also be seen as inscriptions of a great variety of linguistic signs. To be able to know the typography used is essential to discover what is represented at graffiti. To understand the abbreviations, for example, is certainly impossible for those who are not involved at a graffitist's network: they are codified messages, attached to various types of information which intend to establish a dialogue with society, especially with those who know the linguistic codes of the authors.

If taken from is natural habitat, the street, to an art room, graffiti sees flaws and limitation to its power of communication, because the visual interaction with the external environment is the oxygen that feeds its expansion structure, its process of dissemination of the urban routine, its protest full of structures, sometimes extremely complex, others just simple. So here is the question: graffiti has to do with victimization of those without access to conventional media and imposes to society - in an authoritarian way - its inscriptions in walls with their messages, values, and reasons? Or could it be seen as a scream of the excluded, a marginal action which threatens the collective unconscious of the population at the graffited town, calling attention to the problems that strike the less privileged? Looking at the letters painted with spray on the walls, through the window of your air-conditioned car, leaving the good restaurant you are used to go, or leaving the music show at the crowded theater, or cinema, where a good movie has inspired you, think...