The History of Graffiti as an Art Form

During World War II, graffiti began making its mark through “Kilroy.” A sketch of a bald cartoon figure peering over a wall, accompanied by the phrase “Kilroy Was Here!”, became a symbol for American soldiers. The tag could be found on bathroom walls, bridges, sides of ships, and even on the shells of Air Force missiles, acting as a form of documentation as to where the soldiers had been.

Although its origins are not exactly known, the drawing was likely inspired by a British cartoon, and the name is believed to have come from an American shipyard inspector. Even during such tumultuous times, the graffiti served as a connecting force between soldiers, reminding them of their resilience as “Kilroy” followed them from place to place. 

Contemporary graffiti– the style which most are more familiar with today– came into popularity a few decades later, in the 1960s and 70s, particularly throughout cities across the United States. This was mainly catalyzed by the invention and increasing availability of aerosol spray cans.

The earliest graffiti artists were often referred to as “taggers;” they marked as many locations as possible with their stylized signatures in order to make themselves known. Movement was also an essential element for these tags. Subway cars and trains soon became canvasses, allowing taggers to have their signatures seen by a wider audience. The font grew larger, the colors brighter, so the dynamic art form could be appreciated in motion. 

As the artwork expanded, so did the style and its mediums. Graffiti was no longer solely just a person’s signature; stenciled murals and large-scale posters also became staple components of the street art scene. 

Artists state that graffiti is not only self-expressionistic, often using shapes and symbols to convey messages, but it is also an accessible medium that the public can experience without hindrance. 

The art form has also now grown to be increasingly political. It's often used an outlet for artists like Banksy– a popular, England-based street artist and activist– to make public, political statements in a way that is, as mentioned, widely distributed and seen by every day passerby.  

However, just as these artists have the right to express themselves, when doing so in public, the cities and building owners also have the right to do with the space as they please. This sometimes results in paintings being covered up or taken down, or even artists getting into legal trouble, as it can be perceived as a form of vandalism.

Although graffiti itself is not typically found within the walls of museums, some artists– such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat– adopted the style into their own colorful, symbolic works, bringing street art into fine art spaces as well.  

Whether it's a pop of color in a vacant parking lot, or a smiley face on the side of a brick building greeting commuters on their way to work, graffiti is a non-elitist art form that is catered to the general public for them to enjoy on a daily basis.