‘Graffiti is (also) illegal...’

If the early days of graffiti were looked on with amusement, the excesses that followed resulted in zero tolerance, before society made another U-turn to universal acceptance and social recognition. In some cases this art proven to be a contribution to the urban fabric, notably by being part of traditional tourist trails or advertising campaigns.

Yet, in spite of the polished and decorative aspect of certain frescos that are recognised as “useful”, the practice of graffiti remains largely illegal. This contradiction doesn’t seem to bother anyone and there are plenty of graffiti artists who embrace it. Others look at this recognition with suspicion. They have chosen instead to pursue other goals, such as the freedom of creation, the aesthetics of calligraphy, the purity of the gesture, militant vandalism, or the joy of the untrained hand. The tag, the flop, acid marking, scratching and painting on trains and metros form turn their back on the aesthetic, colourful and controlled frescos.

BOZAR invites you to examine the relevance of both positions during a heated debate.

With: Byz, Gomez, (director and retired train writer) and two other members of the movement.