Cityspace + Vancouver = Debate!

Review of City Space-A Documentary by Craig Noble, 2004
Graffiti Ideas from Vancouver, BC

From the point of view of the artist:

• public space should be a public forum
• buffing all graffiti is sterilizing the city
• no artist wants to be seen doing graffiti, anonymous fame!
• art and adventure in the city, in doing graffiti you see the city in a different way
• experience the space as you paint, the space becomes tied to memory
• graffiti=resistance=subculture=artists don't want to fit in, they want to resist
  
• the thought of getting caught, the risk is part of the excitement of graffiti for the youth who participate
• the most dangerous thing about graffiti is actually inhaling paint!
• graffiti is for other graffiti artists, an artist wants to impress his fellow artists, it is suppose to be misunderstood
• people should not be afraid of graffiti artists all they do is paint on walls!
• graffiti art is all about being original
• graffiti art is about destabilization, angles, resisting the grid of the city streets and the law
• artists do not always hate the buff, it gives them a fresh new walls to paint, and weeds out the artists who do not keep up
• young graffiti artists may want to mess up a society that they do not feel a part of
• artists in Vancouver are frustrated, the city is not very tolerant and is only taking away walls
• artists feel they have right to public space, they feel public space should be free, artists are questioning the use of public space. Who gets to decide how public space is used?
• graffiti that is supported can be nice, graffiti that is done quickly in fear of the police is ugly!
  
• artists feel they contribute to the city. graffiti part of what makes a city a city, it brings out the nooks and crannies, it adds texture, it is real not sterile, graffiti adds to the rich variety of the city
• graffiti resists and is the opposite of advertising, although graffiti pulls ideas from advertising
• what makes advertising allowed and graffiti not? graffiti artists are not allowed to decorate public space, but corporations can advertise? local vs corporations
• there is advertising everywhere now, in places where graffiti once was, like trains and subway stations
• "fuck the rich, fuck the polished"
• graffiti is real interaction with your environment
• artists ask, why do the wealthy and those in power get to dictate how our public space looks, why should their opinion be the only one that matters? are they going to push everything underground until all that exists is institutional public art?
• artists ask why the city keeps those down want to create public art for free?
• to deny graffiti shows a lack of culture, since graffiti has existed since ancient times it is ignorant to think that any city could wipe it away completely
• graffiti has positive influence as well, it has taught some artists to work hard and study, it has taught them things they did not learn in the school system
• graffiti creates a dialogue, it shows another side of society, it shows that society is not one dimensional
• graffiti can raise questions. communities communicate in different ways and can differ on how they use public space. how should a community respond when there are different opinions on how to use public space? tolerance? should it be one-sided?

From the point of view of the authorities, business owners and the city:

• business owners in Vancouver are responsible for the removal of the graffiti that is illegally painted on their property, it must be removed at the expense of the business owner within ten business days. if a business does not remove graffiti they can not renew their license with the city! business owners are forced to remove graffiti, even if they do not want to they will get fined
  
• the city sees graffiti as a black and white issue. graffiti is a crime, even if it looks good. but there are some mural programs
  
• a clean beautiful city is a "selling point" to the rich who want to invest their money in business and advertising
• graffiti is feared by the general public, but the police understand there are many misconceptions about graffiti and its relation to crime
• removing graffiti shows that city cares and is maintaining the streets
  

City Space is basically filmed as one long interview. although this film leans towards the side of the graffiti artist, the director does let those opposed to graffiti speak their opinion freely. artists, business owners, city employees, and police in Vancouver all speak about what graffiti means to them and the institutions they represent. this film opens a debate and raises questions, for example, who gets to decide how public space is used? it is clear the two sides have very different opinions, but should it be an ongoing war or a compromise that attempts to solve the problem?