Graffiti slathers the walls of Greece, like on this Athens building.
There is so much graffiti in Greece, we even saw graffiti on the PLANTS growing up the Acropolis in Athens.
Throughout our Greece Teacher Tour, we’d exclaim, “Look at that graffiti over there, and there… and THERE! So terrible. Why do they allow it?”
How jarring it is to have an idealized vision of a country (you know, Greek gods in flowing togas striding around a pristine Athens and handing out free Ambrosia)… then arrive and see the country’s walls defaced.
When you encounter this, you have to ask: “What the heck’s going on with all the graffiti in Greece?”
We even saw graffiti ON THE PLANTS going up the Acropolis in Athens!
Is all this writing on the walls a sign of the anger the Greek people feel at what’s going on with their economy?
Is the graffiti a result of the government being so preoccupied with its many problems that it can’t spare the resources to prevent or clean up wall drawings?
Are these wall scrawls simply a cultural difference? Do Greeks tolerate or even enjoy graffiti, rather than seeing it as a sign of disrespect or disrepair?
In Boston, we have very little graffiti in comparison, largely because our law enforcement and government officials have embraced the Broken Window Theory.
Some very, very strange graffiti on that wall in Athens. Devious mushroom?!
To understand this theory, imagine a street in perfect repair, spotlessly clean. Would you be more or less likely to commit a crime in such an environment?
Now imagine that same street with a violently shattered house window. As a resident, would you suddenly feel unsafe? If you were a criminal, would you think, “Hey, this neighborhood is already going downhill. I might as well attack!”
The Broken Widow Theory theorizes that a city must clean up the smallest acts of disorder (graffiti, broken windows, etc.) immediately, in order to ward off larger acts of crime like armed robbery.
Graffiti in Nafplio, Greece. Is graffiti art?
There’s a similar theory in teaching: You must get compliance from students from small things (taking hats off, not chewing gum, etc.) to prevent larger classroom blow-outs like fistfights and chair-throwing.
Most of the time I believe the Broken Window theory and thus think that graffiti should be prevented and cleaned, and students shouldn’t wear hats.
BUT, there are some slippery, slide-y gray areas when it comes to these little transgressions.
Most notably in the case of graffiti: when is vandalism actually art?
Examine the photo to the right of the graffiti we saw sprayed on walls throughout lovely Nafplio, Greece: “We are Artists, not Vandals.”
There were moments in Greece I had to admit, that sentiment had a point. Look at the first photo in this article, for example. What a luscious splash of color on a brilliantly sunny day!
Is this pretty wall in Athens the result of paying graffiti artists to do legal art?
But I know from my experience as a teacher and a human: Sometimes kids and adults can handle the small bit of lawlessness and not go on to the big transgressions… but often they can’t!
It’s a trap to cling to the glimmers of good and ignore the building wave of chaos and disrespect!
Here’s a better solution: Channel the criminal activity and develop the beauty by hiring graffiti artists to do paid, legal public art! My guess is that the photo on the left is the result of such brilliance. Pretty! And also legal.
So, dearest readers, what is YOUR take on graffiti??? Share your views in the comments section!
Want more photos and stories about graffiti and street art around the world?
• For an article on Boston street art, click here.
• For pics of beautiful street paintings (or maybe graffiti) in Granada, Spain, click here.
• For photos of CRAZY public art in Beijing, China, click here.
The graffiti on the plant was just plain rude and to me is a plant abuse. The graffiti has chemical in them that causes the plant to suffer. If I was the police, I would just arrest the ones that drew them and put them in jail. Well, there is a lot of graffiti on the wall of my own house too and my family was planning to paint over it so it won’t look that ugly. Graffiti that is on walls around buildings are colorful but they should be put in a artwork that can be put in the museum for others to see and amuse. Graffiti are permanent too which means you can’t erase them.
I know a lot of people are against grafitti in subways and stuff but I think that grafitti I actually really beautiful. It gave the places character and makes it look ever more original. Even though it’s illegal it’s still pretty. In ny opinion at least
I never thought graffiti would be art because here in Boston, the police take this stuff more seriously. Also, some people here are very narrow minded about if graffiti is art or not. Looking at this picture changes my perceptive of art and learn that some people think graffiti is beautiful, and I can not change that.
I believe that it is ok depending on the context of the graffiti. What needs to be kept in mind is whether or not you are infringing on the rights of others by what you are doing. There is no easy answer for that.
I love graffiti. It is awesome. These walls with graffiti look very amazing and interesting. I can do graffiti, but i’m not that good at it. These walls with graffiti reminds me of the art museum.
It is very interesting to see the art that is all around Greece. I think its appropriate as long as there isn’t anything bad. It is normal to see graffiti, but on plants I don’t think so. I guess it would be cool to live in a word full of art.
I think it is crazy that people in Greece will draw graffiti all over the country. I think it is a silly idea to protest against your government like that. If I was them,I would go to the government and just talk this out with the government. There is no need to draw random picture on walls to protest. I think it is very immature and very silly.
In a way I believe that graffiti is art because someone is expressing themselves (in an illegal way). But, I also believe that people should respect others property. So it’s a two sided situation. I think that they should just dedicate special houses to graffiti. So people could have a place to express themselves freely and respectfully without bothering other people!
I think that it does matter that people can’t write on walls because words can do more damage to a person than physical power. People can take words the wrong way.
Are inappropriate language on the walls? Like citizens swearing in Greek graffiti?
I think so, but I can’t read Greek! Interestingly, there were some swears in English on some of the walls.
I now understand why teachers are so picky about what we do in class. The whole broken Window thing actually makes a lot of sense. I am less likely to hate on teachers for getting so angry now. But I do think that graffiti is not a bad thing. I think it is a way of showing how you feel and who you are. And sometimes the art is really really good.
Woo hoo (!!!) that now you understand teachers a bit more!
I think graffiti is kind of cool. I like looking at it a lot. I do agree with you that sometimes graffiti can be bad. I think most graffiti is like art, and I think if you do decide to do graffiti it should be in the right spot.
I can not believe there is so much graffiti in Greece. I always thought that there was a lot of graffiti in Boston, but I guess I was wrong. I do think graffiti is art in some ways, it depends on how you use it. If you write stuff like what you represent and where you are from, I believe that is vandalism. I hope you enjoyed your time in Greece!
I know this was a topic briefly mentioned, and not at all mentioned in the comments, I’d like to address the classroom comment. When you talked about gum chewing leading to a larger ordeal, it brought up something I have been thinking about for a while. Gum is not allowed in school, and many teachers say it is due to the fact that students stick it under the desktops. Though, if students were allowed to chew gum, they wouldn’t have to quickly hide it by sticking it under the desks.
On the third picture, the graffiti kind of reminds me of Mario (a video game). xD
This is very interesting! I have always viewed graffiti as art (unless it is just some random writing). If you know Banksy, you know what I’m talking about. His graffiti is art/protest that is very reasonable. Sometimes, graffiti is not that great because it shows how “unclean” or how our city is too carefree in something. It shouldn’t be done on important buildings though.
P.S. You spelled “can’t” wrong. You spelled it “cant”
Thanks for the comment and the typo fix. Editing it now!
The “graffiti” on the walls of Greece doesn’t look like graffiti at all. It looks more like color, modern, and creative paintings for all to enjoy.
I have to say, it looks so better than graffiti I see in some alleys.
I think these are really artist. Look how they are giving color to their town. They give it more of a cozy feeling.
I thought it was crazy that they had graffiti on plants in Greece
What in the world! Graffiti on plants what are they doing over there in Greece? Here in Boston there is only graffiti on bridges and on the walls in the subway, I think graffiti is a form of art it takes some time and a lot of skill to actually master the art of graffiti and to be able to do it freely is a privilege.
I didn’t know people did this in other places, I only thought this was something we do in America! Although, some graffiti is a natural beauty, others can be very harsh and wrong. I would be okay with having graffiti being legal but not to be used in a bad way. Do you get what I’m saying?
This is a great post and shows the nuances of the graffiti issue — is it vandalism or art? We were surprised by how much Berlin was covered in graffiti – apparently it’s because of the long tradition of street art as protest (via the wall), but also because the city has NO MONEY and just can’t afford to clean it up.
I personally thought a lot of the graffiti art was beautiful, though, and while it made the city look a little more grungy, it also contributed to its unique character.
Christy,
Thanks for reading and commenting, and for sharing the insight from Germany!
I think that the graffiti is beautiful. It seems like a way to express themselves and show their creative side. I’ve always thought about doing graffiti because there always seems to be a reason in doing it, not criminally. The only thing that seemed a bit off was the graffiti on plants, that’s a bit extreme.
This is a total different aspect on how I imagined Greece. Graffiti is a way of expressing yourself.
I never knew that Greece did graffiti too, I thought it was only an American thing. I tried to draw graffiti once in art and it turned out that I wasn’t really good at it. I really how the Greeks do graffiti because it very detailed, and it doesn’t have any bad words or gang violence in it.
Well… the photos I included here have no swears or gang violence in them, but there certainly was graffiti like that in Greece. And there sure is graffiti outside of America. Here’s some from Rome, Italy that I photographed a few years ago: http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2009/12/29/observations-about-rome-in-december/
It’s a fine line to walk, but I think there is “good” graffiti and “bad” graffiti. It can be a positive form of expression and a beautiful art form that requires a load of talent and skill, like any other art form. Swear words sprayed on plants doesn’t constitute positive expression or talent/skill/planning, though!
Hah! Right!
I recently toured Brooklyn where some areas have embraced graffiti art, realizing that it can play a role in revitalizing abandoned parts of the city. In an interesting reversal of the Broken Window theory, graffiti can actually bring back people & businesses to a broken-down industrial wasteland.
i’d love to have graffiti be paid – that would really change things, in visualizing it publicly as art. i think it is art,. but sometimes the art isn’t to my taste. gorgeous photos!
Right– Public art can really add beauty to a space, but you’re right it has to be semi-sanitized because some edgy art (even if it’s legal) can offend a wide swath of folks. Glad you like the pics!
I remember during the first time I visited Europe (in 2001) being shocked by the sight of graffiti (in Rome) because I thought graffiti only existed in the U.S. When I lived in France and took the train to Paris, I always knew I was about to arrive in Paris when I saw graffiti from the inside of my train.
But I do think there’s a big difference between graffiti and street art. Once in Marseille, I took a picture of the most groovy wall that has served as my Flickr and YouTube avatar. On a couple of occasions, I saw some wonderful street art in Japan.
I just wish I could explain the difference between street art and graffiti.
Right!
In my home town local artists are encouraged to paint murals all over the place, the only catch- make it historical, and as a result disgraceful graffiti is uncommon here. If other places let artists paint murals would graffiti slowly disappear there too?
What an awesome idea!!!!
It depends on what the graffiti looks like and all comes down to personal opinion. I think most people would agree the big bubble letters are ugly and garish. To me that’s not art–anybody can do that with a spray can.
However then you have something like the East Side Gallery in Berlin, Germany–an entire mural decorated by artists on a section of the Berlin Wall when it came down. The artists recently restored the East Side Gallery for the second time–over the years other people will write over the original mural work. Some of the murals on it are just incredible.
I hadn’t heard of that East Side Gallery exhibit! Sounds breathtaking. But doesn’t that then fall into the category of legal, government-supported art?
I don’t think the government as anything to do with it. Some artists got together and decided to paint the Wall.
There are probably rules about painting on other sections of the Wall still up today. But the first artists painted over it in 1990, probably before there were any rules or regulations in place.
I guess I’m in the minority here, so far. I most definitely see graffiti as art. Also as political statement. I think sometimes, when people are offended by the message, they can’t see the graffiti as beautiful.
Although, yes, I know, graffiti is not always beautiful. I will say, here in Salta, and many other places in Argentina, it is very beautiful. I think that’s why so many here call graffiti artists “muralistas” or street artists. And when you think about it, Keith Haring is incredibly well known for his street art.
I recently found a website — http://www.unurth.com — that allows people from all over the world to upload street art. There are some really spectacular examples there.
But like all art, some is actually art, and some is just, well, trash.
I hear your point of view, too! I guess I would just prefer a partnership between the powers that be and the artists so that things don’t get out of control, but indeed if the government is opressive, that means some voices will be silenced.
Thanks for sharing the website. Some beautiful and fascinating stuff on it. You’re right about Keith Haring having great street art, and in the Boston area, Shepard Fairey (the man behind the Obama “Hope” icon) has both created wonderful murals and gotten arrested by Boston police. Banksy also has powerful, unauthorized art like these pieces on the wall separating Israel and Palestine: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4748063.stm
Love those wall photos in Israel/Palestine. And that happens to be a place that holds a particularly special significance to me.
There is also such a huge difference between art that makes an actual statement and does so in a way that is visually appealing (which of course is a very subjective thing) and just tagging a bunch of plants for the heck of it.
I’m not sure where the line between art and vandalism lies.
Agreed!!!
I personally consider graffiti as act of vandalism. Our Old Town is full of it, senseless paint on medieval walls. The church was repainted new and the next morning it was spotting a graffiti. There’s no working system to combat that though vandals must be fined. It’s a disgrace. If they want to “be artists” they can go and ruin derelict buildings etc. but not monuments of architecture!
I hear you! I see you are writing from Lithuania? Fascinated by your insights!
I too was amazed at not only the graffiti but the massive amount of litter in Athens during my visit in 2006. Unfortunately it also seemed that there was an epidemic of poverty and homelessness. There are certainly parts of the city that were truly breathtaking. The architecture and historical sites are truly awe inspiring. I was also able to travel to the beaches which was like entering another world. It was a great overall experience and as a solo traveler I found the people that I came in contact with very friendly.
Fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing some of your experiences and observations. I didn’t see a large amount of litter or homelessness (though there was some), but the graffiti is definitely still there. Oh man… I MUST get to the Greek islands soon!