Thursday, March 7, 2013

(#4) Creating a Working Thesis and Intro Paragraph

Over the weekend, produce and post a draft introductory paragraph to the second formal essay assignment. Be sure to include an argumentative thesis statement that clearly identifies your two chosen authors and texts, and the main point(s) that will be utilized to support your paper's thesis. 

Remember that in your paper you can argue for the positive purposes and outcomes of graffiti and street art, you can argue against the negative purposes and outcomes of graffiti and street art, or you can argue for a combination of both positive and negative purpose and outcomes of graffiti and street art. Furthermore, the paper's main point(s) can stem from the list of ten possibilities that appear on the Rubric for Paper Two. 

Please bring one hardcopy of your draft introduction and thesis statement to class. (Due Tue, 3/12)

29 comments:





  1. Introduction and thesis


    A mind is a very complex part in human beings that allows someone to think, imagine, and remember and to reason. People interpret their thoughts differently based on their understanding. Some express their imagination either in drawings or in scribbled. Graffiti is a way of expression in which people can visualize the beauty of a chez-d’oeuvre or see a message through it. It is a form of art that can translate so many emotions and identify some good existing talents. For some it is just a means to create illegal activity. However, after I read a few articles on graffiti, I understand that it can also utilize it for positive reason. The authors Leeann McCoy in graffiti, Louis Gauthier in the Reflexions on Fieldwork with Graffiti Writers in Montreal elaborated on various uses of graffiti and Leonardo Claudio in graffiti artists face homelessness: The battle for 5 Pointz is loss. Those are the three sources that will guide me in planning a community-sponsored work of street art in my community. The main focus will be on the location, the type of graffiti used the purpose and the producer of the project, how it will be financed and what will be the outcome expected. Basically, I will be focus on the positive side of graffiti.

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  2. I see graffiti everywhere. Just on my way to work, I saw “ R.I.P. Gangsta Lite” spray painted on a wall, “Fuck You”, written in black marker on a bus window, and a tag I could not decipher beautifully painted near the neighborhood park. Regardless of their purposes or differences, they are all considered vandalism in my eyes. Graffiti from its origin was unlawful, but as both Jessie L Whitehead in “Graffiti: The Use of the Familiar”, and Kristine Somerville in “The Urban Canvas and Its Artist” illustrated, graffiti has since evolved. Some artist have broken away from their underground roots and accepted legal work. As a result of these changes, a distinction must be made between graffiti that is unlawful or vandalism and commissioned graffiti. Graffiti may be creative, aesthetically beautiful or have significant meaning to its writers or intended audiences, but if it is not commissioned, it is illegal and thus considered vandalism.

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  3. If you live in an urban city such as New York City, you probably see something common on buildings or walls every day. That would be graffiti. Graffiti, also referred to as street art, is a culture by itself. It is also a culture that is heavily male dominated. It is very hard for a female to be accepted within the male dominate graffiti culture. Over the years women have come into graffiti culture and have proven they can do what their male counterparts do and perhaps do it better. Artist such as Lady Pink have paved their mark within graffiti culture, contributed to it, helped it become realized as a form of legit art as well as give back to the community through the use of street art.

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  4. The word "graffiti" includes many other words. It can be anything we want it to be. That depends from us. It does not have to be associated only with vandalism. Graffiti can become whatever we want it to be. We can create graffiti for a great number of reasons. Unfortunately, there are individuals who will create it for the "bad" reason. However, there are also people who will choose to produce it for a good purpose. Therefore, it is up to us what our graffiti will become. Maybe it will destroy someone's property? Maybe it will make an old, dull building look beautiful? Kristine Somerville, in "The Urban Canvas and Its Artists" points out causes of why is graffiti created at all and what it can lead to. Richard Lachmann in "Graffiti as Career and Ideology" talks about how the public once can portray creating graffiti as a "deviant behavior" and an art depending on the circumstances. There are different viewpoints on graffiti, but surely it can have positive and negative effects on us, as well as on the whole community.

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  5. Graffiti is writings or drawings that have been scribbled or sprayed on a wall or surface of a public place. It started on our New York subway and has now spread beyond it. In our city of New York, we see this form of art every day. We see many beautiful murals and pieces of art that decorate walls of buildings or surfaces of a public place that shows respect/honor to those who have become a victim or victims of violence. According to Kristine Somerville, in "The Urban Canvas and Its Artist," graffiti has evolved. Many people are becoming more tolerable to graffiti today because people are recognizing it as an art and not vandalism. I too see graffiti as an art that has a positive effect on our society.

    To explain my stance I will use my photo of graffiti to show how it has been a repository for communal memory and remembrance. I will also use the readings that we read.

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  6. Graffiti has played an important role in gang related activities. In the journal “Graffiti as Career and Ideology” Richard Lachmann discusses weighty reasons why gangs utilize taggers to gain fame and claim territory. In turn, graffiti taggers additionally benefit from this affiliation as they are gaining public recognition and protection from gang members in the process. Nonetheless, graffiti is intended to bring groups of people or communities together. It brings about a sense of unity and uniqueness to its culture despite your race or gender. In “Confessions of an Ethnographer” Louise Gauthier apprises us on her experience with a group of graffiti writers as a female “insider”.

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  7. As humans, we tend to give diverse interpretations to similar daily events we encounter. These can be based on an individual's experience, cultural background, and feelings; in a similar fashion, so can graffiti and street art be seen and interpreted differently. Somerville enlightens us in her article "The Urban Canvas and It's Artists" on the beauty of ancient graffiti and the possible motives of the artists. She also goes on to discuss how the art of graffiti evolved over the years as a more defiant crowd now resort to it for mostly rebellious activities.

    On the other hand, McCoy takes a different approach in her article “Graffiti,” where she paints a clear picture of her connection with the graffiti and their artists. To her, each graffiti leaves her with lingering questions. What message does the artist want to convey? Who is the artist trying to communicate with? McCoy and every one of us are just interpreters to graffiti.

    To my understanding, graffiti is an art that can only be rightly interpreted by the artist’s motive for each work.

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  8. Graffiti is a form of youthful expression that can leave a lasting impression for a lifetime. The opinions and views of graffiti have transformed over time, along with its styles. Graffiti originated as “tags” and has evolved into beautiful pieces and decorative murals, as Jessie Whitehead explained in “Graffiti: The Use of the Familiar.” This extravagant transformation has become known as street art, as urban landscapes have been turned into graffiti showcases. Graffiti artists are not just vandalistic youth defacing property; they create artistic expressions that have become appreciated by most of the urban population. In her article, “Confessions of an Ethnographer: Reflections on Fieldwork with Graffiti Writers in Montreal,” Louise Gauthier gave a glimpse within the experience of graffiti artists. These beautiful creations have gained increasing popularity over time. As graffiti has become more accepted, corporations have embraced it as a means of advertising and marketing in order to appeal to the public. In “The Urban Canvas and Its Artists,” Kristine Somerville pointed out the increasing use of graffiti in current advertisements. Although graffiti has had a negative reputation in the past, its evolution into street art has positively contributed to its overall social acceptance, success, and popularity in urban societies, as well as corporate America.

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  9. Graffiti also known as street art is something you see everyday on walls,buildings, especially in urban centers. But when you think of graffiti do you consider it art or vandalism? Graffiti and street art can serve both as a form of art and an act of vandalism depending on the individual perception of art and how it should be display. Kristine Somerville in “The Urban Canvas and Its Artists” and Richard Lachmann in “Graffiti as Career and Ideology both show, that graffiti can be define as negative or positive depending on the label it is given by it’s audience.
    Regardless of its purpose, there is no simple definition of graffiti.

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  10. Graffiti has been marking cities in many ways, also it has been changing thru the passing of the years from simple vandalism to street art, gaining acceptance by many outside its subculture. Today Graffiti can be found anywhere in the USA and plays an important role on the image of any neighborhood, it can create both a positive and negative image to it. Some styles can enhance the communities beauty, live up the place and project a sense of unity among the neighbors, because some graffiti require a team work, yet other styles of graffiti can make the community seem ugly dirty and dangerous with a careless feeling from the people living there, devaluating the place and allowing a easier access to crime. Jessie Whitehead and Richard Bachmann give helpful information about graffiti styles and its negative and positive influences.

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  11. Despite its bad rep, Graffiti is used in many profitable circumstances. Weather it be monetary, popularity, or simply a way of expressing yourself. All good things that come with a price tag of being thought of as a nuisance to others; with no respect or care for weather or not people want to see your tags everyday. So do you take the good with the bad or leave it all behind? Leonardo Claudio in graffiti artists face homelessness: The battle for 5 Pointz is loss shows us how powerful and important graffiti is to some. Richard Lachmann helps weigh out the good and the bad in “Graffiti as Career and Ideology.” I will be using those as well as other articles to point out the positive and negative sides of graffiti to better allow us to make our own decision.

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  12. There are many different styles of art in today’s society. In New York City one art style is very popular amongst the youth is Graffiti. Graffiti is drawings that are written on walls. Many of the drawings are words or sketches on public places. Since the late 1960s, graffiti was never accepted in our society. In New York City, graffiti is displayed everywhere. Many believe graffiti has a negative effect to the community. However, graffiti can have a positive effect in a community. We see in both Kristine Somerville and Richard Lachmann’s articles how graffiti is something that does the community good and how it does not.

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  13. Everyone who's passed by in any urban cityscape has observed the colorful, stimulating, so called "illegal" art or tag that's graffiti. Although in the eyes of many residents graffiti is considered graffiti to be a spray painted tag of a nuisance, it has been gaining recognition from the art world. Graffiti sort of speaks out to many people in extravagant ways others do not see it as. Graffiti has many ways in which it hold powerful meanings. Those who see it as vandalism haven't seen the numerous amount of murals and other challenging graffiti drawings the city has. In some ways graffiti is vandalism, and in other cases graffiti can have a significant meaning behind it. It could disgust some, but have others stand there and wonder what's the meaning, the purpose, the story behind this ? What was on the artists mind? What made him or her put up such a mysterious mural or drawing ? Leeann McCoy, in "The Iowa Review" states how much meaning a statement " I Love You PK" in a heart could have. What it could symbolize, and how the person who drew it was feeling towards "PK". Graffiti has no simple definition behind it, whether its done into art form or just a simple tag. The graffiti community is moves in different directions.

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  14. Everyone who's passed by in any urban cityscape has observed the colorful, stimulating, so called "illegal" art or tag that's graffiti. Although in the eyes of many residents graffiti is considered graffiti to be a spray painted tag of a nuisance, it has been gaining recognition from the art world. Graffiti sort of speaks out to many people in extravagant ways others do not see it as. Graffiti has many ways in which it hold powerful meanings. Those who see it as vandalism haven't seen the numerous amount of murals and other challenging graffiti drawings the city has. In some ways graffiti is vandalism, and in other cases graffiti can have a significant meaning behind it. It could disgust some, but have others stand there and wonder what's the meaning, the purpose, the story behind this ? What was on the artists mind? What made him or her put up such a mysterious mural or drawing ? Leeann McCoy, in "The Iowa Review" states how much meaning a statement " I Love You PK" in a heart could have. What it could symbolize, and how the person who drew it was feeling towards "PK". Graffiti has no simple definition behind it, whether its done into art form or just a simple tag. The graffiti community is moves in different directions.

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  15. Is graffiti an art that should be promoted and respected by others or is it an illegal public defacement of property perpetrated by defiance youths who seem to have nothing else better to do in society than to cause vandalism to both public and private property. In this paper, I would examine the rise of graffiti culture (history) from Jessie Whitehead paper Graffiti: The use of the familiar, I would also contrast how the defiant behavior of this sub-culture has been label as in relation to their means of expression as a TAZ and the danger attached to the practice with works from Hakim Bey and Louise Gauthier. Finally I would give my comment on what I feel about the graffiti practice as a culture and what impact it has on society.

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  16. Introduction and Thesis

    What is graffiti? What is street art? Do they both have a purpose or is it just the vandalization of ones property? Many people's views and opinions on graffiti and street art are very different because of what is presented for everyone to see. This leads to many positive and negative purpose and outcomes to graffiti and street art. Two texts that best supports and describes graffiti and street art that I will be using are Louise Gauthier's " Confessions of an Ethnographer: Reflections on Fieldwork with Graffiti Writers in Montreal" and Richard Lachmann's "Graffiti as Career and Ideology".

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  17. During the late 1960s, graffiti began to develop in the city of New York. Graffiti is a system of writing on a wall that street gangs use to express their feelings or to claim territories. This new style began to disturb the citizens in the community. Graffiti can be found almost everywhere; in a building, train, any walls, houses, and corners. Society view toward graffiti in two distinctive asperses. For some persons graffiti is view as vandalism and others view it as artistic. For the gangs, graffiti represent their history and their legacy. It tells a story without pages and pages of written words; often times its simply creative vibrant colors that illustrate someone’s message. This is a message that can be seen as offensive by some. Such as the gangs, people that are not in support of them will view graffiti that promotes through way of illustration as offensive. However the gang members will embrace the mural, with so much respect, love and compassion. Jessie L. Whitehead, in graffiti: the use of the familiar states how much meaning graffiti represent for the youth. And Richard Lachmann in Graffiti as Career and Ideology shows that graffiti is part of the community in both positive and negative aspect.

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  18. Art what is it what might be a work of art for some is nothing more than rubbish for others however who is the person or persons that was given the divine judgment of evaluating and grading these pieces of work more so what makes theme qualify to do so . Art is it only intended to be learnt and express in an institutional setting or can it exceed the boundaries of the canvas and galleries. With the form of graffiti writing it has, no longer does a artist need to be confine to a formal learning and broadcasting area they can post their work in a area for thousands of people to see as the author Somerville says it’s hardwired into society it can be station in one place or be a moving master piece referring to the local graffiti on a train and or station.

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  19. The word "Graffiti" have different meaning to different people in our society. It could be portray as underground art, young epression, urban culture, dynamic, and creativity of new form of art in all over the world. Graffiti also a visual expression of modern art. Graffiti drawn, wtitten, or symbolized in the wall, train, public property or cars. When graffiti drawn in a public place or property it’s become vandalism. Vandalism means destroying private or public property without the owner permission. Graffiti known as "tags" too in our society. Graffiti vandals use spray, crayons, or any permanent color which can’t be erasable. Richard Lachmann in "Graffiti as Career and Ideology” emphasize that graffiti has possitive and negative impact in our society. In another ariticles author McCoy in "Graffiti" explains what is graffiti and what is different form of graffiti.

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  20. A majority of people tend to view Graffiti as an illegal act of vandalism. Even though, it has been affiliated most predominantly with gangs and many different types of race of the poorer population according to Lachmann, it has also benefited communities in a positive way. Graffiti has produced many topics of discussion in reference to social interactions with audiences and whether it is art or illegal vandalism. According to Whitehead, there are many forms and styles of Graffiti that we are all familiar with but just were not aware of it. Nonetheless, today's Graffiti has brought positive social and cultural relationships together in understanding.

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  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  22. Introduction and Thesis
    For decades, graffiti has been seen as vandalism, yet the artist might say otherwise. Graffiti is a form of expression of a single or group of artists. Modern graffiti has been accepted socially as street art which is still a form of expression at a grander scale. Graffiti and street art encourages and brings out the imagination of artists and viewers. Leanne McCoy, in a journal article, describes a scene of graffiti to be a beautiful piece of art while in the bad part of town. Although graffiti can be a bunch of writing that defaces property, graffiti can also beautify a bad neighborhood. Jessie Whitehead’s article on graffiti explains the mainstream ability of graffiti to become art and be used for consumerism. McCoy’s journal, “Graffiti,”, and Whitehead’s article, “Graffiti: the use of the familiar,” both illustrate the positive elements that street art and graffiti bring forth in a community.

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  23. Introduction and thesis -Sadad

    Graffiti has long been portrayed as a means of rebellion and the defacing of public property through scribble and paint. When one first observes these types of work many questions pop up in their minds. Presently however Graffiti has taken a more different role. People have started to see graffiti as a form of expressive street art, and in the great city of New York we see it everywhere. The bigger picture to consider is what gives graffiti its identity and how the artist feels when developing this form of work . Graffiti is present in different forms and in different canvases and to fully understand it we have to understand its roots and identity. Graffiti is a form of expression and what makes it unique is that is shows us how the artist felt at the moment. This form of street art makes one feel free and strong and thus its identity is diverse and mysterious.

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  24. Marie B. Pulanco
    WRIT 303 TW2
    Professor D’Amato
    Graffitti
    March 12, 2013


    According to Whitehead, “Graffitti is words or drawings, scratched or scribbled on a wall.” (Whitehead, Graffitti: The Use of the Familiar, p.26) This definition alone shows that graffitti has no sets of boundaries as to how it is used by the artist, to the legallity use of public space and to its purpose. It basically implies graffitti are unauthorized writings and drawings on a wall, marking of a public space by an individual or a group. Many view points from different group of people has been raised that made graffitti an issue through which, over the years, Graffitti has gained a lot of attention as to its form and structure, the location of the display, the group or culture it caters, and whether or not it should be classified as a vandalism or an art. Although it is generally viewed by the understanding of the artist’s motives versus the perspectives of different indiviuals or group, the transformation of graffitti itself plays an important role on its influence and validity to the society, and our generation today.

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  25. Some people show their talent by using different kinds of art. People of ancient cultures around the world expressed their art and knowledge through designing figures. Furthermore, the people of ancient cultures used a variety of symbol, colors on clothes, rocks, metals, walls, woods and clay. The ancient cultures developed art graffiti by printing their languages on murals or statutes. Their amazing artwork is called graffiti. However, today, young people practice writing graffiti in urban areas and public spaces. And some graffiti artists perform their work in abandoned areas for members of gangs to mark their territory which is consider being illegal and a form of vandalism. However, some art graffiti can be an important factor to project good image in the society. In the articles The Urban Canvas and its Artists by Kristine Somerville, she argues about modern graffiti because the property is devaluated. In the second, article Graffiti as Career and Ideology by Richer Lanchmannn, in shows positive arguments about modern art graffiti; he describes it as a form of career pathway for young people.


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  26. Graffiti which started in the 1960s in Philadelphia, USA has since evolved from Tag in the 1960s to more advanced and sophisticated piece in the 2000s and has been spread global. It can be seen on subway cars, on train overpasses, abundant buildings and some may even go as far as putting it on automobiles as a design. This paper will examine literary texts on graffiti, some of its negative and positive purposes by the following authors: “The Urban Canvas and Its Artists: by Kristine Somerville and “Graffiti as Career and Ideology” by Richard Lachmann. Although some people may view graffiti as an act of rebellious vandalism and destruction graffiti is an admirable piece of art and it is suitable for galleries and museums.

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  27. There are many things that people will consider art. It all depends on how you view it as an individual. Some will label it as vandalism and a waste of time because they don't see "art" in the particular piece, and then there are some that will see it as art work just because of the fact that the person who did the piece put their time, effort and creativity into it. When the topic of graffiti and street art come about, there are various opinions about it. Graffiti and street art always have a purpose displayed within these forms of art. However, not all the time do they have positive purposes. In this paper, I will present to you how there are different purposes of graffiti and street art, both positive and negative. This will shown by Richard Lachman's "Graffiti as career and Ideology" where you will see the negative and positive impact graffiti has on us and our societies, also the article "Graffiti" written by MCcoy to show how graffiti can be shown in different forms.

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  28. The articles ‘The urban canvas and its arts’ by Somerville and ‘Graffiti as a career and ideology’ by Lachmann reasoned that graffiti and street art has a deeper meaning to not only the individuals drawing them but to the community as a whole. They explain the purpose and the identities shaped behind the works. Also they reveal the differences between the two forms of work. The hegemony of America is constantly setting the standard of what is acceptable all the while depicting a picture perfect society. Graffiti and street art paints a real picture of the unspoken classes and denied opportunities of many.

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  29. Of course, graffiti can be shown in different forms and ways. However, most people find the negative and positive impact graffiti on us and our society! To make sure, just read an entry, which has been published at http://bigessaywriter.com/blog/graffiti-wall-art-or-act-of-vandalism! Happy reading!

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