Welcome to a New Era of Graffiti
Is this the revolution or just vandalism?
The act of graffiti is best known for marking territory between rivalries and delivering messages to any who may read it. Meanwhile, police departments are under siege with protests, bringing out all types of activists. One activist drawn to these protests that is not easily forgotten by design is the tagger.
“The revolution will not be televised” is incorrect in today’s social media-driven atmosphere. The current racial justice movement for genuine equality across the United States, primarily led under the slogan Black Lives Matter, now broadcasts into the devices of tens of thousands of viewers worldwide by independent live-streamers on several internet platforms. This online content from protests comes in the wake of several police-involved Black Americans’ deaths while in custody or during arrest this, and subsequent years across the U.S.
News programs and live streams that highlight the protests show graffiti displayed everywhere in these cities. An example of an extensive inundation of spray-painted anti-authority statements is the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland. These protests have also seen the culmination of messages placed on controversial statues, monuments, and private businesses.
In a phone interview with a graffiti artist of over twenty years who wished to be named only as their alias, Destro said, “Everyone is using their artistic expression to bring attention to these issues without seeking any compensation. They’re risking their own lives and freedom by contributing their resources to help spread this message, and that’s powerful, in my opinion.”
“I have gone to (BLM) protests, and I chose not to write any graffiti because I want to stand on the non-violent side of the protest,” Destro continues. “There’s a lot more to it in being respectful as a notable graffiti writer. I have done social projects and graffiti about the passing of social justice warriors, from past to present, giving them a nod and shout-out for their contributions.”
“As a white person, I am staunchly opposed to profiting off of graffiti because it brings up questions in my mind of cultural appropriation,” Destro said.
From the daily crime log at the UO Public Safety website, which lists the previous 60 days of incidents, there is an uptick in the reported cases of Criminal Mischief — Graffiti from August 27th until September 9th. But after the multiple forest fires across the state when smoke heavily impacted the Eugene/Springfield metro area, only one reported graffiti incident on the 17th has occurred.
The UO Student Free Speech and Demonstration Guidelines has a section explaining graffiti. It says, “no markings, including chalking, may be left on campus buildings or other structures or surfaces; chalking may be allowed on certain sidewalks and streets but is subject to removal, consistent with campus maintenance standards and practices.”
Meanwhile, hate speech graffiti has continued with controversy involving the UO policy on reporting these hate crimes to the federal government. As written by The Register-Guard last year, individuals filed an anonymous complaint to the Department of Education. The UO violated the Clery Act by not reporting all hate crimes in its annual list in 2017 and 2018. In the complaint were over 30 documented cases of hate crimes, but only one sexual orientation related crime was listed for each year by the school during those two years.
One example, The Emerald reported in September of 2017 white nationalist graffiti between Gerlinger Hall and Knight Library. Although the school documented and removed the intimidating hate speech, it was unlisted in that year’s Clery Act report.
A request for questions answered about graffiti on campus to the UO Media and Communications Manager Saul Hubbard has yet to gain a response.
“The best is yet to come.” -Destro.
On the future of graffiti, Destro said, “In twenty years from now, it’s going to be everywhere. Graffiti has already infiltrated every aspect of life, from community art projects to advertising. A lot of reputable graffiti artists are behind album artwork for musicians and their advertising campaigns. I know a graffiti writer who designs bags of chips.”
“The best is yet to come,” Destro continues. “I don’t think we’ve begun to see the impact on all of these social and political issues, especially in America. And everything I’m saying is applied on a global scale. There are people in other countries who pay tribute to George Floyd on public transit systems in Europe.”
