Modern forms of art and culture in urban environment as a means of youth expression ( Graffiti – street voices) Eugeniy Ivanov 19 July 2012, Dobrich Investing in your future! Romania - Bulgaria Cross Border Cooperation Programme is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund Project title: „Development of the civil society and the local communities by intercultural exchange of knowledge and experience”

History of graffiti (1) Graffiti has become popular with the signs/figures initiated in Bronx and Brooklyn and widely disseminated in NY in the 1970’s and has been connected to hip-hop culture Reaction in colour and forms against the rich disco lovers from the expensive neighbourhoods, expression of the street culture of the gangs A way to mark the territory Visual attack against the settled life of the refine and expensively dressed youths from the “good” areas Graffiti is often linked to hip-hop and break – in the late 1970’s and beginning of 1980’s, and after that with everything related to that – fashion, jargon, subculture

History of graffiti (2) Keith Haring is considered to be the first “official” graffiti writer The courier Demetrius starts to leave his nickname (TAKI 183) on the walls of the buildings where he delivers his goods Taki from Demetrius and 183 is the street in NY where he lives

Keith Haring – the history (a) –Born on 4 May 1958 in Redding, Pennsylvania –Visits Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburg (1976 г. – first appearance) –Goes to NY in 1978 in the College of Visual Arts (East Village) –Inspired by the beauty and spontaneity of graffiti that he sees in the metro –Technical perfection and calligraphy quality of the tags –Starts to draw on posters in the metro, in front of schools, in the street, etc. –Makes video presentations and performances –Presentations in P.S.122 and Club 57 –Участие в широкомащабни кулутурни събития –Media popularity –Exhibitions in USA, Europe, Japan –In April1986 opens the Pop Shop in NY –In1988 he learned he is ill of AIDS –Dies on16 Feb 1990 (age of 31)

Keith Haring – the history (b)

Keith Haring – the history (c) Бордо, 1985 г.

Keith Haring – the history (d)

Keith Haring – impact Fab 5ive, 1980, New York Lee, 1980, New York

History of graffiti (3) The drawing of graffiti is very often linked with hip-hop and break – in the 1970s and in the beginning of the 1980s, and then with rap and everything related to it Fashion, street language, subculture of those who prefer to live on the edge In Europe graffiti receive popularity owing to a series of TV broadcasts for them and after the spreading of internet Besides articles in lifestyle magazines, a number of serious books are published – Subway Art, Wild Style, Style Wars, Spray Can Art, etc. New fashion – “aerosol art” Main centers – Germany, France, Scandinavian countries

Relation between graffiti and other arts “American Graffiti” by George Lukas (1973) Led Zeppelin “Physical Graffiti” (1975) - Kashmir Muralism (Diego Rivera) Islamic calligraphy

Muralism (Diego Rivera) Born on 13 Dec 1886 in Guanajuato, Mexico In 1896 starts an evening drawing course in the San Carlos Academy In 1907 starts to study in Spain In 1913 gets interested in cubism, post-impressionism In the beginning of the 1920s starts to work in the field of muralism – gets back to Mexico In1931 goes to the USA – starts to make paintings on public buildings 1957 dies of a heart attack in Mexico

Islamic calligraphy

Styles in graffiti (1) Political graffiti Writings (Letter Style) with or without easily recognizable meaning Figural compositions

Political graffiti (а)

Political graffiti (b)

Styles in graffiti (c) Simple style – letters with not very complex shape: Tags – the oldest type of graffiti, the signature of the writer Throw-ups – the letters have contours and are filled in with colour Blockbuster style – easily readable letters, in a rectangular frame

Tags

Throw-up

Blockbuster style Public style

Styles in graffiti (3) Semi-wild and wild style The letters are more dynamic than in Simple Style as they begin to get incorporated into each other There are more ornaments, counterweights, arrows, the connecting elements are more refined, which makes the style more calligraphic and difficult to read

Wild style

Styles in graffiti (4) Complex style – expands the boundaries of the letters by using a large number of ornaments, mirror effects, etc. 3-D – tri-dimensional images Characters Manga

3-D

Character

Styles in graffiti (5) Figural compositions Very rich style in terms of the available images The quality and the contents of the graffiti depend on the talent of the author, if its aesthetic requirements and the richness of techniques Some of those graffiti are real masterpieces and are qidely recognised in the important museums of the world

Figural compositions (а)

Figural compositions (b)

Editor of the material: “Regional and Transnational Initiatives” Association The content of this material does not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union. Project title: „Development of the civil society and the local communities by intercultural exchange of knowledge and experience” Investing in your future! Romania - Bulgaria Cross Border Cooperation Programme is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund Date of publishing: 12 July