When I was young, my parents spoke fondly of Tucson, AZ, where I was born. I only ever lived there a year, so I never remembered much about it. I later revisited the city on one of the many annual road trips my family used to take. One of the first impressions I had of the city was just how much graffiti there was, particularly in our old neighborhood. We lived in an adobe row house that had been built in the early 20th century for the railroad workers, next to the train tracks. My parents told stories of how the house would shake like a bomb had gone off whenever a train approached, followed by a deafening “choo-choo.” But rather than the stereotypical poverty-stricken storyline that often accompanies neighborhoods adjacent to railroads, my parents described that time as simple and romantic—a dusty, bohemian scene reminiscent of the Old West. The colorful and persistent graffiti on the trains especially caught my eye.
I’ve never really given graffiti much in-depth thought
beyond appreciating its aesthetic. After watching “Bomb It,” I’ve realized that
much like other art, graffiti has meaning. Graffiti is unique because it is illegal,
which adds a whole element to its creation. It serves a double purpose, because
it is both what a specific piece is representing, as well as a way to gain
power within public space.
This is especially true for graffiti on trains because they
are not stationary. It is as if the graffiti is a way of gaining spatial power
wherever the train goes, rather than just tied to one specific place. Therefore,
the artist’s work will be seen by a more diverse, possibly larger group of
people.
Furthermore, while the railroad system in the United States
is not very glamorous and often overlooked, they are still one of the most
common entities associated with industrialization. Graffiti serves as such a
strong juxtaposition when featured on trains, as if it exists to rebel against and
exploit the capitalist systems that led to post-industrial crumbling
infrastructure. Graffiti on trains may be illegal but it serves as an underground
public art that not only gives a voice to the marginalized but amplifies and
carries it beyond their personal mobility.
Excellent writing Levi-Joseph Facun. When I was reading through the blog articles, I was looking for something to connect them. This writing took my interest, and it also resonated with my class lessons. I only arrived in the United States one month ago. Before moving to the United States, the political situation in Bangladesh (my birthplace) was quite unstable because a public revolution happened on August 5th, and the dictator Prime Minister have fled from Bangladesh and where she had been ruling for the previous 16 years.And I was lucky to see the victory of democracy and participate in this public revolution. So, I connected this piece to the fact that during the revolution, people started spraying graffiti about the tyrant in important locations. This graffiti carries crucial key messages. So, as you mentioned in your blog post, graffiti conveys deeper meanings and acts as a means of expression for those who lack authority or a voice. I agree with this idea. Indeed, during the class lecture, I gained an understanding of the significance of place, which further helped my understanding of why students are creating graffiti in significant locations to highlight important messages. You also highlighted another crucial point; graffiti amplifies the voices of those who are marginalized. This statement also caught my attention, highlighting how the community's voice was highlighted during the entire public protest against the tyrant dictator. Thank you for writing such a beautiful article. After reading it, I found myself connecting with many aspects of it.
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