(Gaia, NYC, 2008)
One of the things that is on my “to do before I die” list is flesh out a book on the history of graffito in terms of how it reflects on social conditions. Having been to Greece and Italy and exploring a number of the sites in and around Rome, Athens, Corinth, Pompeii, etc, the “writings on the wall” there tell an amazing story that often isn’t presented in the history books.
(The Alexamanos Graffito, Rome ca 200 CE)
And my own interest in Dura Europos (will be updating that place much more frequently soon) feeds into this obsession with graffiti as well. Much of what we know about Dura comes from the large amount of graffito spread across the city since many of the main buildings and their art were either destroyed when the city was sacked in 256 CE or deteriorated due to the building materials.
(Dura Europos Graffito Transcription)
All that to say, check out this great post of 40 contemporary street artists from around the world that you should know about. There are a number of things we can learn about our own selves and societies by looking to these artists…
Streetsy: 40+ Streetartists You Should Know Besides Banksy