Graffiti :

For you to stop and stare!

By Nilma DOLE

In the middle of the night, footsteps tread stealthily near the wall of a renowned girls' school. Out of their hiding places, some youth fish out their spray paint cans and start shaking them vigorously but silently. After picking the perfect spot on the wall, they draw pictures and write 'flowery' language that is sure to ruffle a few feathers, during the next morning, they being rather rib-tickling!Graffiti art has been the medium of self-expression, be it controversial or usage of powerful political messages. What makes it a powerful medium is the fact that people actually stop and stare whilst reflecting on it later.

"Who decides what is vandalism and what is art with regard to graffiti?" asked creative director of a leading advertising agency, Russell Miranda who headed a creative team that turned graffiti into an advertising medium. It started when one of Sri Lanka's leading conglomerates wanted to spruce up their company wall and so with the help of artists from the Academy of Design, the Art Faculty, and an international school, a graffiti advertising campaign on T.B. Jayah Mawatha (Darley Road) set an example for the youth to channel their energies into the right direction. In Sri Lanka, graffiti is yet to catch up despite it being a big thing abroad, because there are hardly any laws except for general vandalising rules that are not normally enforced by the police.

"Many use graffiti as an eye-catcher to advertise but graffiti is freedom of expression and is more an instance of rebellion" said Miranda. "The Government should organise competitions where prizes are awarded to paint a building or a train where you can get the average street artist to turn this art into something worthy" he said.

In fact, many prefer to ignore such art forms so that this problem will go away but this is not usually the case, says Geetha Abeygunawardena, the principal of the St.Paul's Girls' School, Milagiriya who has to paint their wall every other week because of the foul language sprayed on the walls. "We even see that the names of girls scrawled making this medium a form of revenge," she said. Also, during big match fever, school colours are displayed prominently. Right now as security measures are intensified, graffiti drawing is evidently less than before since security personnel are stationed everywhere which prevents street artists from coming out of their hiding places.Speaking to the Sunday Observer on this subject, the director of the Waste Management Division of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), P. Thangamyle said "Our duty is only to remove posters that are not on walls for pasting them". As of now, he said that there isn't a separate CMC division for painting over walls that have been vandalised by graffiti. "We have allocated billboards for pasting posters but since graffiti can be drawn almost on any white space, we are not responsible for camouflaging them" he said.

The police also don't look into matters pertaining to graffiti vandalising because it is the duty of the owner of the property to maintain it free of 'interference', said a police officer who preferred to remain anonymous.

Internationally, various artists like British street artist, Banksy and US artist Alain Ket have made a name for themselves with their graffiti art even though it may have put them into trouble with the law. While Banksy may have problems being a 'Guerilla artist' with his graffiti on the Israeli West Bank barrier, Alain Ket asks for support on his website to pay legal fees for being convicted of vandalism.

Around the world, graffiti art has been attention-grabbing but if harnessed properly, can make significant contributions in the art world since it is just beginning to be popular in Sri Lanka.

"There is immense potential for artists especially for graffiti art in Sri Lanka and those who have the talent should use it wisely" concludes Miranda.