Graffiti Cultural Appropriation

I have always liked graffiti; you can find it everywhere and it expresses the culture of the place and their particular struggle. When thinking about street art most of the time we only think of the final product (at least I usually did that), but to reach this point there are multiple things that we should think about. First is all the effort and time they invest in their art, but also that in most places is difficult to be a graffiti artist and live on that. Many graffiti artist see their urban work not only as a way of expression or but also as an investment. They invest money in all the materials they need, time and effort; and one of the limited ways they have to recover that investment is that someone that appreciates their art hires them to make private murals, illustrations or even designs for tattoos. 
In Ecuador it has been really recent that graffiti has become trendy and that some artists can actually make a living out of it, very few of them I must say. Apitatán was born in Quito and his art is inspired in Ecuadorian clichés, phrases that he overhears while walking in the city or the stories that people tell him. If you pay attention to his illustrations they are colorful, which reflects the Andean landscape. His characters have the physical characteristics of Ecuadorian mestizos and indigenous groups. Its narrative is the history of Latin American and now it can be appreciated many countries in US and Europe.

                   Image Retreived from "Diseño en Ecuador"

Apitatán says that the most important characteristic of urban art is that it can reach everybody, because it is on the streets you don’t need a ticket or to pay. It is not reserved for the elite and or for a certain public, and at the same time it allows him to break the routine and the “gray” in the city.  Painting in the street is completely different that working in the studio because the external factors have more influence and impact, from the usual noise of the city to the people that interact with the artists (sometimes giving them ideas or offering them food). Apitatán also mentions that one of the main differences between the studio and the street is that when you are painting in a public space the product becomes everyone’s property, not only of the artist.  
I think that one of the things that I enjoy about graffiti is how it links the global and the local. How people can use global technologies and elements to express local identities and culture. How it can join people from across the world. Specifically in the work of Apitatán find it amazing Latin America can be seen at a glance.



Comments

  1. Majo,

    This was a wonderful post to read. I love visual art, and I'm especially intrigued by the way that graffiti artists comment on culture by engaging with urban spaces. I really like Apitatán's outlook on art within the urban landscape – the idea that street art should appeal to everyone, and that there shouldn't be a sense of exclusivity like there is with private galleries, or any space which rejects stigmatized groups. You also raise the point earlier on in your post that many graffiti artists see their work as an investment. I thought this was an interesting concept. Pretty much all graffiti artists risk legal trouble for the reward of completing pieces, which is an investment in itself. However, as their notoriety develops, they might be commissioned to do a big mural, or perhaps even create important political iconography like Shepard Fairey.

    All in all, great post, I'll be sure to follow Apitatán on Instagram!

    Best,
    Evan Bowser

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