Graffiti: Art or vandalism?

ONCE upon a time, spray painting a wall would land you in jail.

These days, even politicians are associating with graffiti artists to get a bit of street cred and internationally-acclaimed artist, Banksy, now makes millions for his works of art, and has transformed the way the community views street-art.

But many still see it as a crime and, after all, the cost of removing grafitti from walls costs millions of euros every year.

Last May, members of a gang which left a six-year, 250,000 euro trail of destruction on trains as far away as Australia and the Far East, were jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

The notorious graffiti crew called NKA vandalised trains and property across England and  continental Europe with tags of Ogre, Hack and TWOK.

No other form of art has ever divided people so strongly.

Yet the need to leave a mark goes back to caveman days.  No one would imagine scraping cave drawings off the walls of a cave.

And perhaps a thousand years from now, kids will study street artists in school.

So, is it art or is it vandalism? OPX wants to see the graffiti that you loved. Where and when did you see it? Email newsdesk@theolivepress.es