Art is extremely interesting to me because expression is achieved through so many different mediums. Take graffiti for example, an art form that has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Modern graffiti is usually tied to acts of vandalism, with perpetrators rising out of the underground hip-hop and gang cultures. But that isn’t always the case – the infamous Banksy, a mysterious and unidentified British graffiti artist, doesn’t come from the underworld.
New York City’s transit system was a huge target for graffiti artists in the 1970s and ‘80s, with many trains and subway cars covered in the art. The modes of transportation were the victims of graffiti “bombing,” a technique in which “artists” normally painted very quickly with two or three colors, sacrificing aesthetics for speed. To make matters worse, economic restraints on New York City limited its ability to combat the vandalism with graffiti removal programs or transit maintenance.
It’s fairly rare that I come across graffiti during my ventures around the city (unless it’s been approved and commissioned by the city), with the exception of a truck I see parked along 31st Street nearly every day. I have no idea who belongs to the truck, but they have made no attempt to combat the graffiti in the nearly 10 months I have been commuting to the city. Or maybe that’s their strategy. Who am I to judge?
A truck covered in graffiti parked on 31st Street in NYC
