Glossary of Graffiti Terms
All city to achieve fame throughout a whole city through one’s tag or piece by completing a piece or a tag on train to be seen all over the city.
Bombing illegal sprayed graffiti, tags and throw ups mostly.
Bubble style letters with round edges and overlapping one another usually completed in two colours.
Buff or Buffing the removal of graffiti or the covering of it with paint the same colour as the background it was done on.
Burner a really well-done piece of graffiti with a lot of detail.
Crew a group of writers who collaborate and paint together
Dubs graffiti done using chrome or silver, originated in London UK
End to end
A piece of graffiti which covers the whole length of a train carriage. If the graffiti also covers from top to bottom, then it’s called a whole car.
Freestyle a piece of graffiti done in the moment without a sketch or preparation.
Ghost when a piece of graffiti is still visible after someone has tried to remove it.
Graffiti styles bubble, semi wild, silver style, stencils, wild style Heavens roof top spots, bridges or chimneys. Somewhere the piece can be seen from far away.
Hollows a quick throw up with no infill colour and only an outline.
Key line the outline of a full piece
Line piece a piece that has been sprayed next to a set of railway tracks.
Married couple two whole cars right next to each other
One-liner a tag or throw up done in one full movement without spotting between any letters
Piece taken from the word masterpiece, when graffiti is created in a complex design, most likely in 3D or wild style and a detailed background.
Tag a graffiti writer’s signature, usually done with one colour with styles calligraphic letters
Throw up a fast, sprayed simple piece of graffiti, most likely done in one colour.
Topping painting a piece directly above someone else’s piece of work. can be considered as passive aggressive confrontation.
Toy a beginner writer or an existing writer with no skills
Wild letters with very extravagant shaping, sometimes unreadable to the wider public
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Abstract
My interest in painting has led me into the wonderful world of graffiti. My research and first-hand experience, together with the people I have met and inspirational women artists I have learnt about, have all had a direct impact on me and my work. Discovering these hidden communities has made me realise I am not alone.
What I have done is to consolidate and link my visual practice and my research, while being open to new ideas and following where they lead. My reading had made me reconsider the role of graffiti, not only the differing styles of spray art, its development and history as a medium, but also its importance as a social and cultural barometer.
For me the role of graffiti is to connect visual art, activism and personal expression to a wider public. During the course of my writing and research it has become evident to me that contrary to my initial proposition there are many more women involved on an international scale in graffiti. I have been trying to write from a graffiti artist’s point of view, but I have learnt that from a female perspective the issues involved are complex, connecting directly to issues that concern women, with public awareness and mainstream media understanding often lagging behind, or even threatened by its uncomfortable dialogue with Feminism. The lack of visibility and opportunities for women in society, is mirrored in graffiti culture.
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Introduction
This dissertation is concerned with investigating female representation within the world of graffiti. As part of the exploration to underpin my dissertation I have attempted to search out books and articles which were written by women themselves, however this field is limited From an academic perspective, there is far too little research on the subject of female representation in graffiti art. Due to this, social media will be used as a direct reference, which I will combine with first hand sources (mainly interviews and personal experience) as well as secondary resources gathered from both the library and the internet. I will also discuss the legal implications of being a Graffiti Artist.
I have hit upon an issue which arose from my own art practice, and that is how to define the nature of Graffiti Art as opposed to the increasing popular world of Street Art. My thoughts on how to draw a line between Graffiti Art and Street Art are not straightforward: to me, there seems to be no direct answer to this question as it involves the superficial categorisation and the pigeon-holing of terms, as well as involving thoughts around lifestyle, appropriation and culture. I have gradually come to realise just how interdependent Graffiti Art and Street Art are. They rely on each other because many of the artists involved have various different facets to their work, and work within different genres and styles.
In defining the term graffiti, the author and documentary photographer Martha Cooper has stated that, “Graffiti consists of writing your ‘street name’ in stylish letters, usually with a spray can or marker.” She continues, “Graffiti writers usually appropriate public space illegally ” (Martha Cooper, Date Unknown) However, for me it is more complex than this, as graffiti has become a world-wide language with styles and variations reflecting a multitude of local cultures and histories. There are many different forms of graffiti, and in my dissertation, I want to focus on the areas and the innovations where women have led the way.
Challenges to traditional depictions of gender in art and the media are becoming increasingly common. Many contemporary artists, authors and performers are using their practice to question gender norms, challenging traditionally feminine and
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masculine ideas to blur boundaries. Nevertheless, the history of Graffiti Art, like that of Fine Art, has always been dominated by masculinity. I believe Graffiti Art along with most other art forms is actually gender-neutral, and it is only society’s genderperception that has coloured our view In this dissertation my original theme was to be lack of female representation within graffiti; however, my research has led me to believe that the issue in reality is a lack of visibility for women within the graffiti scene
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1. Example Of Street Art, Irony+Boe in Bristol, 2020
2. Example of Graffiti, Unknown Artist, Livingston Skate Park, 2023, Photo by Rue Liddell
Representation
To me, any description of graffiti would have to acknowledge the under-representation of women. This has limited their participation and recognition within graffiti culture. There are many reasons for this being so, including its underground nature and taking place at night in secluded areas or abandoned spaces.
As it is often seen as illegal, there is a real risk of arrest and prosecution, and even imprisonment. Historically, women haven’t been allowed the time or opportunity to engage in such activities, due to the systematic sexism of society which has often led to restrictions being placed upon them, not only by the wider public but even by family members and friends. It has only been recently that some of my male friends have realised just how wary women are about being alone outside at night. There are signs, however, that this situation is beginning to change; this is due in part to high profile movements such as “Reclaim the Streets” actively supporting women and raising awareness within communities.
Street culture and graffiti are both seen as subversive, pushing at the boundaries of the acceptable; both appealed to me from an early age because I have experienced the injustice of a poor education system which didn’t provide me with the support I needed as someone with dyslexia and ADHD, both undiagnosed until I was in my thirties. Due to my neurodivergence I am much more comfortable with visual communication, so graffiti and street culture both appeal and speak directly to me.
In the spirit of activism, giving a voice to the voiceless has greatly influenced my own creative direction and my professional artistic practice; I continuously draw inspiration from my own experiences within these cultures. In 2022 I undertook the painting of my local skate park in Arbroath as a creative outlet for my mental health, developing my own style of graffiti into a cryptic diary. In doing so I have been introduced to the skating community, who supported the artwork I was doing, although this only included one other woman at the time. However, since the introduction of skateboarding into the Summer Olympics in 2020/1 and the success of the youngest ever British competitor,
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Skye Brown, who won a bronze medal at the very young age of thirteen, I have noticed an increasing number of girls and young women coming to the skate park.
Being welcomed into this community who openly support me with my artwork, spurred me on to start skateboarding myself; this has now become something I cannot do without. Through these new connections I have been introduced to a vast community of artists from various backgrounds, and entered into spaces I would not necessarily have entered before.
For me, the melding of graffiti and skateboarding is a natural overlap because of the shared rebellious spirit and the desire to express creativity in a public space. Common
themes in this cultural intermesh include street culture, music, and fashion. Taking part in both activities has led me to believe that the physical rhythm, the balancing of movement and colour and willingness to learn, together with peers in a supportive community, are attractive elements in both sub-cultures. As a painter the architecture of skateparks, with its concrete surfaces, provide a perfect blank canvas for spraypaint work; as a skater the artwork provides a backdrop to video recording of progress and tricks.
This has been crucial for my own artistic practice and personal development. The medium of spray paint and the environment of being outside is a constant theme throughout my work. I plan to create my degree show around these cultures, hosting
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3. Arial Photograph of Arbroath Skate Park during the annual skate jam, August 13th 2022, Photo by Arryn Skelly
a space for female representation as an opportunity to create and display work together with other women.
My primary focus for this dissertation will be on women in modern graffiti; however, it is evident that graffiti has existed long before this time. Modern graffiti is a global art movement created by young people, based on the cultures and the society they live in, effectively writing a new history for themselves The word graffiti is taken from the Latin word graffio, meaning “scratch”, (Oxford Dictionary, 2024) as in Roman times the only way to deface fresco (a technique of wall decoration where pigment and water are painted on top of wet plaster) was to scratch into it. However, it could be argued that humans have been carving into rock and trees for thousands of years, leaving their mark as a trace of their existence. This is one of the same reasons that young people started tagging in New York and other major cities around the world from as early as the 1970s. They achieved local fame and notoriety within the city or area they lived in, by having their names up high on buildings or on trains passing through the city, making them feel like celebrities on billboards and advertisements. Many artists were being recognised for their illegal graffiti, which in some cases helped propel them into the professional art world, as can be evidenced through Lady Pink’s biography Street Art on the other hand, meaning visual art created in public locations for the purpose of public visibility, rather than being considered ‘vandalism’is often connected with urban regeneration and community empowerment. This is not the same for graffiti Although the medium used for both Graffiti and Street Art (permanent markers and spray paint) is the same, they are viewed very differently. Abig part of what constitutes modern graffiti is the negative public perception, due to the spin given to it by the authorities and the media; a piece of work or writing that is done on public or private property is seen as vandalism The modern meaning has become more connected to the illegality of it since the pinnacle time for graffiti within the 1970s.
Recognizing the artistic value of graffiti, many cities have designated legal walls or spaces where artists can create without fear of legal repercussions. Graffiti festivals and events have also become popular, providing a platform for artists to showcase their work. Yardworks Studio, Scotland’s first purpose-built home for street arts based in the centre of Glasgow, is a prime example of this. Launched at the Yardworks Festival in 2023, it offers a solid base for artists to showcase and create work within a
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growing supportive community. They are currently working towards transforming the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District to attract new visitors by turning it into a graffiti and street art haven, linking communities together and creating an open-air gallery trail. They have even teamed up with Network Rail, an unusual pairing when it comes to graffiti, to provide a safe and legal space to create work and develop skills by providing 27 railway arches, found beneath the gentle curve of the railway bridge that runs alongside the venue and the expressway way to the West End of Glasgow. This has also led to a number of young Yardworks artists being asked to paint on several train stations across the country.
Addressing the lack of female representation in graffiti requires a multi-faceted approach. It is difficult to write about a culture that is accustomed to being underground.
There are a lot of well-known graffiti artists but there is often little information about them because they want to keep their identity hidden, due to the nature of graffiti and it being deemed anti-social behaviour in most countries around the world Graffiti is widely misunderstood, with many people disregarding it due to its illegal nature. This has hindered people from learning about it as an art form, appreciating the many positive reasons why people may do graffiti, which include self-expression, creative and mental health outlet, and activism.
At the beginning of this paper, I was aiming to write about the lack of female representation within the graffiti scene; however, throughout my research and writing I have come to find that the problem isn’t a lack of women practising graffiti, but a lack of their visibility Graffiti is a non-gendered artform, with contributors who usually prefer to remain anonymous, meaning there has never been a way of telling if a piece was created by a male or female. Anonymity is part of the unwritten code of being a graffiti
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4. Arial photograph of Yardworks, Glasgow railway aches, Yardworks Instagram 2022
artist, because of it being illegal, but as Miss17 states within Graffiti Grrlz, “Once a woman is vocal about who she is, it is possible and even likely that she will be looked at differently.” (Miss17, 2017) Ironically, then, the anonymity may actually favour women taking part, providing protection.
One contributory factor is the societal stereotypes and gender norms that have traditionally associated graffiti with masculinity. These stereotypes can discourage women from engaging in graffiti, either due to a lack of role models or to the fear of facing discrimination or harassment within these spaces. Additionally, graffiti culture often revolves around certain notions of rebellion, risk-taking, and urban exploration, which may not align with the societal expectations placed on women.
Another factor is the lack of access and opportunities for women to engage in graffiti. The graffiti subculture often operates within tight-knit communities, where established networks and connections play a crucial role. If women are not provided with equal opportunities to participate in these communities, it becomes difficult for them to gain recognition and establish themselves as prominent graffiti artists.
A New Medium
Painting and graffiti as an art form is directly related to developments in aerosol technology. One of the main reasons for the ubiquity of graffiti nowadays is the medium’s portability, ease of use, and its ability to adhere to almost any surface.
5. Cave Painting of hand silhouettes, Date Unknown
Spraying techniques are millennia old, uncannily like the images of animals found in 1940 at the Lascaux caves in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwest France. Dating back between 13,000 and 9,000 years, this is one of the first uses of pure aerosol technique in art: the “silhouettes of hands” paintings found in The Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands) in Rio Pinturas, Argentina, are stencilled outlines of human hands. Using natural mineral pigments (iron oxides red and purple), kaolin
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(white), and natrojarosite (yellow), manganese oxide (black) and animal bone fashioned into a small bone pipe filled with the ground pigment, the colour was blown onto the cave walls, leaving the outline of the artist’s hand. As most cave paintings depicted the animals the people at this time would hunt, it was assumed they were created by males although through new research, this doesn’t seem to be correct, “when scientists looked closely at a sample of hand stencils, a common motif in cave art, they concluded that about three-quarters were actually drawn by women.” (Rachel Nuwer, 2013)
It was not until 1887 that spray paint was used to speed up the application of whitewash to large buildings by Joseph Binks in Chicago. By the 1920s car manufacturers had adapted the DeVilbiss spray gun used in the furniture industry since 1907 and were using DuPont nitrocellulose lacquers. Global vehicle manufacturers like Ford valued speeding up the painting process, with paint drying faster and the finish was consistent. Unlike the coach makers of the previous century, workers did not have to spend years in apprenticeships learning hand painting techniques. At this point spray painting was done only through spray guns with a compressor attached; inherently non-portable.
Throughout the early 20th Century engineers and scientists expanded the commercial use of aerosols from a portable insecticide for military use, to hair spray, deodorant, perfumes, beauty, and other common household products. By developing the valve technology and improving the can manufacturing and materials, they had made the perfect vessel for portable paint.
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Bonnie Seymour, the wife of Ed Seymour of Seymour Paints, a company based in Illinois, USA(the first manufacturer to developer a can of aluminium paint designed for radiators) first suggested the idea of putting paint into spray cans in 1949. This suggestion from Bonnie made spray paint conveniently potable and easy for anyone to use, while also making her husband’s company a household name
With the ban on CFCs in the 1970s and 80s, aerosol manufacturers shifted to different propellants, and paint cans moved away from solvent-based colours for artists, to acrylic. One of spray art’s fundamental differences is, unlike the traditional medium of paint, it’s very difficult to mix colours. It can take years of practice to become an expert in blending and gradating colours. For the less experienced, manufacturers like Kobra and Molotow produce wide ranges of closely related colours. Other developments have included adding a ‘pea’ (small steel ball) to mix paint and propellent, and spray can caps now come in a range of interchangeable sizes from skinny, for fine lines, to fat, for covering large areas with colour.
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6. Diagram of a Spray Can by E.H Seymour, 1949
First Ladies
Although it is not possible to determine the exact origins of Graffiti Art, New York has been dubbed the birthplace of the modern scene, with it being where most of the contemporary styles were created; Bubble, Wild and Bombing Before the rise of modern graffiti, ‘name graffiti’ was initially used by street gangs to mark their territories but by the late 1960s and early 70s, young people started to adopt this style, calling themselves Writers. In an interview with Henry Chalfont, Martha Cooper said, “Youths developed an art form that was not understood by adults”. (Martha Cooper, 1983)
Writing their nicknames accompanied by numerical digits, usually the number of the street they lived on, created a street identity for themselves. This was the start of ‘tagging’ with some of the earliest recorded tags were done by women.
Eva 62 and Barbara 62 were two of these women and gave their male counterparts competition as they dominated the streets and subways all over the five Boroughs of New York, however this is the only information known about them.
Recognised as one of the pioneering women writers of the New York scene, Charmin 65 (birth name Harriet George Allen) lived on 165 St in the Bronx Charmin, “because ‘I’m squeezable soft,’ inspired by the toilet paper brand and its advertising at the time” (Charmin 65, 2023), started tagging at a young age with Pentel markers in December 1969. She even used
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7.Wall of Tags in New York City including Eva 62 & Barbra 62, Photo by Jon Naar, Alex Naar 1974
8. Charmin 65 Tag on a New York Train Carriage
a school trip to the Statue of Liberty to her advantage, having her classmates keep a look out while she tagged every flight of stairs on the way up.
She is said to be the first woman to tag the subway trains, which gained her respect within the male-dominated writing community. In her 2019 interview with Steve Zeitlin for City Lore, Charmin describes how being a women could be used to her advantage while out tagging trains: “sometimes the cops would come and because I was a girl I would just sit on the platform, they would look to see if I was one of the guys and they would say oh no she’s just a girl, they would run and continue chasing the guys, so I said oh if I put on a miniskirt they really won't look at me, so I would stand there proudly showing off my miniskirt and they never thought to look down at my sneakers to see the paint all over them. They just saw the miniskirts and they just took off after the guys”. (Charmin 65, 2023) Charmin was clearly willing to use her femininity as an advantage.
Starting her graffiti journey in New York at a young age Lady Pink, (birth name Sandra Fabara) gained local notoriety early on and by the 1980s was soon becoming a legendary name within the graffiti scene. She is the only female writer who stars in the 1983 film Wild Style, (not to be confused with the 1982 documentary film Style Warz).
Keeping up with her male counterparts and giving them a run for their money with her whole car pieces, Pink soon received recognition above ground She began exhibiting work while still at high school, alongside some of the most influential graffiti artists of the time such as Zephyr, Dave, Lee, and Crash. By the age of twenty-one, Pink had held her first solo show at the Moore College of Art
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9. Pink piece painted by Lady Pink on a New York Train
10. “The Death of Graffiti”, Mixed media Painting by Lady Pink
Within the context of the ‘80s, “men were becoming enlightened” (Lady Pink 2020) but Pink was still only one woman out of around 10,000 male writers in New York at the time. She understood that she was a token female, but she got her foot in the door which pushed her even more to keep making better work.
Lady Pink’s appearance in Wild Style as ‘Rose’ is the first time a female spray artist is recorded on film, with a short sequence of her creating a piece of work. A more prominent role is the character of ‘Victoria,’ played by Patti Astor, co-founder of the Fun Gallery (1981-1985), who specialised in showing graffiti artists, including Lady Pink. The film soundtrack produced by Chris Stein (of the pop group, Blondie) raises the interesting interplay between the ascetics of the punk movement, a DIY approach to music and fashion, and Patti’s curation of the Fun Gallery. Punk and New Wave ideas accepted graffiti as a fully developed art form. As Patti says, ‘I thought they were good artists, I never really distinguished between graffiti and art”. (Patti Astor, 1983)
Patti’s skill was to introduce graffiti to the gallery, at a time when most galleries would not consider showing graffiti as art. The birth of graffiti going mainstream also benefited the men. In the 2021 interview with Rodger Gastman, for Beyond the Street; Lady Pink strikes a philosophical tone as she talks about her time painting trains: “Those are my origins and part of my education. But I am so much more than that.
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12. Lisa Kahane, Lady Pink photographed in Times Square (1983), wearing a t-shirt from Jenny Holzer’s "Truisms" (1978–87). ©2019 Jenny Holzer, member Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo ©1983, Lisa Kahane, NYC
11. Sandra “Lady Pink” Fabara and Lee Quiñones in WILDSTYLE(1982). Photo courtesy of Charlie Ahearn
After most people graduate from college they don’t continue calling you a college student I have grown up from just being a subway painter. But they continue to call us graffiti writers, like that is the sum of all our parts. It’s taken me 37 years, and I still explain that I am much more than that.”
(Lady Pink, 2021)
Some of the writers documented within the famous Style Warz film, used their graffiti as a form of anti-establishment protest. New York was going through social and political issues at the time: the Metropolitan Transit Authority had developed an anti-graffiti policy and made access much more difficult; removal and repair were much swifter, and train yards were heavily guarded; in addition, harsher penalties were put in place. In addition to these factors, crack cocaine was becoming an epidemic, which made the atmosphere of the city much tenser; firearms were carried with much more frequency because of the drug culture. This saw the decline of subway graffiti, and by the late 1980s they were hardly anywhere to be seen
Martha Cooper was a photojournalist for the New York Post, who became well known for her documentation of subway art together with Henry Chalfant, an urban cultural photographer, they published the book Subway Art in 1984; like Jill Posener’s book of protest graffiti in the UK in the 1970’s, this was a photographic record, that captured the development of graffiti art on subway trains between 1971 and 1983. I am impressed by Martha’s statements about meeting the artists: she believed they were “developing an aesthetic”. (Martha Cooper, 1984)
14. Martha Cooper and Claw Money during 2003 Tribeca Film Festival - "Style Wars" DVD Launch Party at bauhaus in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage)
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13. Patti Astor at the Fun Gallery, 1983
She bases this opinion on getting to know the artists, seeing their sketchbook drawing appear larger than life on the trains. Impressed by the preparation, commitment and the danger involved, she researched their motives, and felt that “youth developed an art form not understood by adults” (Martha Cooper, 1984)
This book is a real labour of love, as she must have been spending thousands of hours chasing trains. Over this length of time, the authors were able to record developments and trends as they evolved. Because of the resistance to the subject matter in the United States it took them two years to find a publisher in the UK. For me there are several interesting facets to this book, especially that Martha photographed art on the trains as part of the whole urban environment. You are presented with the paintings in context, as can be seen from the image below.
Hidden deep in the sparse text, there is real practical advice for spray artists, from selecting spray caps on household products, to getting to know your colours and favourite brands like Rustoleum, Red Devil, Wet Look and Krylon. Ideas on technique and preparing sketches beforehand are illustrated with photographs of sketchbooks. It also shows the importance of photographing your artwork, as there is no way to study a moving train. Martha has said “I don’t see myself as an interpreter, but rather
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15. Sub way art BOOK- Happy Holiday by Richie (Seen) and Jason, 1982, at 174th Street, South Bronx.
as a provider of documentary evidence, of historic preservation.” (Martha Cooper 1984) This is very apt for, as the Introduction to ‘Subway Art’ laments, “Few pieces survive long” (Martha Cooper 1984) especially after train companies introduced chemical washing containing paint solvents, later coined buffing. Plus, times had changed, with spray art becoming popular, and moving into galleries: why spray a train and get nothing, when you could do it on canvas, and sell it?
Claudia Gold, known to many as Claw Money, started graffiti in the 1980s. Born and raised in Fresh Meadows, New York, she attended schools in Long Island, transitioning from there to Manhattan when she was introduced to the world of graffiti. Getting involved with the night life of New York for work, after dropping out of the Fashion Institute of Tech, was when she met a lot of graffiti writers, joining them after the bars and clubs closed to tag around the city. She started off writing Claw then developed the claw motif; symbolism is an important part of her work, being able to communicate with the public through image. She is one of only a few women from this time period to become well-known above ground for her work and be featured within various documentaries about graffiti. After finding street fame with her graffiti, Claw stopped painting illegally and came out with a book of her work to mark the occasion. From then her career has been fashion-based, becoming a designer and launching her own clothing line,
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16. Tags being buffed off the wall of a Berlin subway station, January 2023, Rue Liddell
17. Claw Money Mural, 2018, Photo by Brent Broza
which of course is called Claw Money. Of interest to me is how she turned her fame and imagery into a brand logo, adapting her skills and ideas to commodities for gallery and catwalk. Claw used her fame to promote a brand, which reduces and repeats onedimensionally, utilising graffiti as a starting point, a way to become known.
Contemporary Women
For me, Claudia Walde sits in the world of both graffiti and contemporary abstract art. Known as MadC, her book ‘Street Fonts’, a summary of 154 graffiti artists from around the world, has been an inspiration and guide in developing my tags and style. The idea behind the book is stated by MadC in the introduction: “each artist was given the same brief: to design all twenty-six letters of the Latin alphabet.” (MadC 2011) Two years of editing and compiling resulted in 320 pages of graffiti writers’ heaven. What particularly interests me is how she crosses boundaries between Street Art and galleries. Using strong design and colour in her work, she has become an inventive muralist. MadC’s paintings make reference to graffiti in terms of using spray paint. She has said about her artwork, “For me is its more graffiti than street art”. (MadC 2020)
MadC’s designs are bold and colourful: as her work in the Berlin Mural Fest 2019 shows, her work is almost a gigantic blowup of her studio paintings, providing a safe, accessible face of Street Art for a world-wide public. MadC talks about separating her studio/gallery work from the mural work. She admits she needs both, in terms of paid commissions for the murals and ‘alone time’ with the smaller canvas paintings to develop ideas. In discussing her large-scale mural works she mentions, “the whole idea of what I am doing is that I am painting very energetic pieces, travelling the world and experiencing a “flood of impressions.” She continues, “that’s when the studio work comes in, I spend eight hours on my own, in total silence.” (MadC 2018)
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18. MADC Mural for Berlin Mural Fest, Germany 2019
MadC’s vision of street art is far removed from the protest writing of Jill Posener’s ‘Spray it Loud’. This is professionalised graffiti, an international language everyone can now understand and enjoy. However, you could argue that decorating high rises and repurposed industrial buildings has stripped graffiti of much of its social concerns and context.
During the summer of 2023 I was attending skate jams across Scotland, which led me to meet a wider network of people within the community. I used this to my advantage and started asking around the female skaters if they knew any of their local female graffiti artists. Luckily (pun intended) a friend from Glasgow sent me the Instagram page of the LUCK and I was instantly excited. Her style could be described as modern traditional graffiti, producing high quality pieces illegally. She’s the only women I know to have painted train carriages. Luck launched Bonkerz magazine in 2022, one of the first graffiti magazines by a female, and one of the first graffiti publications to come out from Scotland, focusing on the benefits graffiti has on mental health. Luck considers being part of a community, having a creative outlet and having fun to be vital for everyone’s wellbeing.
Luck has been painting since 2009, her professional career taking her across Europe and working with companies like Posca, the paint marker company. She also runs the first graffiti store owned by a woman, which opened in Barrhead last year, ‘for writers by writers’ (Luck, 2023). In November I had the chance to visit the store and conduct a candid interview with LUCK. I was really excited to meet her: we have shared interests in fashion, music, and mental health, as we both have ADHD and dyslexia. She is an advocate for mental
20.Front Cover of Bonkerz Magazine Issue 2, 2022
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19. Luck & Kink Graffiti Pieces on the side of a train, July 2019
21. Luck on the front of a train carriage, location & date unknown
health and a vocal ambassador against bullying and toxic masculinity. We discussed why there is such a lack of exposure and recognition for female artists in the graffiti world. Luck acknowledged just how “toxic” (Luck 2023) working in graffiti can be for a woman, with abuse “going well beyond painting,” (Luck 2023) to negative and abusive social media posts, being asked to paint “around the corner” (Luck, 2023) and disgruntled artists even going to the extreme length of contacting their employers. Summing up the situation she found herself in, she stated: “There was no women, I was alone” (Luck, 2023). Although we both acknowledged the scene has moved a long way since the early 2000s, Luck concluded, “Things could be so much better.” (Luck, 2023)
Through talking with Luck, I heard about the StreetArtist Diamages, who had arranged an all-female paint jam in Dundee in June 2021. A native Dundonian, Diamages answered a number of questions about her StreetArt activities in the city. When asked why she started painting outside she replied, “I have always had an interest in art and design and within this realm lies Street Art, which is something that touched my heart. When travelling around Europe, seeing breathtaking murals on the side of large buildings, I felt compelled to be part of that world where art speaks volumes and can be enjoyed by anybody, just as I did as I wandered around. It felt exciting and I initially picked up spray paint around three years ago.” (Diamages 2024) Diamages is talking
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not about tagging, but rather like her own murals she is referring to illustrative street art, with a strong graphic design element. This is evident in the way she thinks about the differences between Street and Graffiti Art.
“I think culturally there probably is many who see a difference between Street art and Graffiti, and there is in some aspects. But both writers and street artists are capable of being in the graffiti category in my eyes” (Diamages 2024)
However, for me there is a vital difference between street art and graffiti, and it is to do with the underground, almost ethereal nature of graffiti, as against the sanitised, safe version of Street Art.
One of the specific reasons I became aware of Diamages involves an incident of graffiti etiquette. From its beginning modern graffiti has had unwritten rules, which ensures common respect throughout the community. The 1982 film ‘Style Wars’ gives an insight into this. At 44.44 minutes into the film, the featured artists discuss their work being “bombed” and the rules of spray painting and the etiquette involved. Unfortunately for Diamages, she was unaware of these rules. It is evident to me that she hadn’t done her research prior and the backlash against her is a result of this. Not showing respect for the artists who were already in this space, which in my opinion devalues the Graffiti and ignores the effort, time and expense that has been involved. If you are not aware of these rules and enter the space without doing research this can cause retaliation, the defacing of the artwork and social media bullying which can lead to the toxic masculinity of the scene coming out as can be seen in the before and after photographs.
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22. Diamges, Untitled, 21st of March 2022
23. Diamages, Untitled, 25th of May 2022, Photo by Rue Liddell
I had the chance to ask Diamages her opinion on the question of what she thought of the historical unspoken etiquette of graffiti.
“I think etiquette is important yes, and I did stumble into problems due to these “unspoken words” because I was genuinely unaware, I am quite a literal person where I need clear communication, and often you have to make mistakes to learn from them Painting outside can attract a lot of attention from others who paint who may or may not be welcoming to newcomers, so with etiquette I also believe in mutual respect and probably ran into further problems due to standing my ground on many things, which sometimes felt like unfair treatment.” (Diamages 2024)
I find that the unspoken rules and etiquette are important in terms of community, mutual understand and respect within these unmanned spaces.Although I do find they can be very contradictory depending on who you speak to within the scene. If you are a new artist wanting to learn techniques, it can be very off putting if peers do not welcome you in the community in order for you to learn and grow. The expectations for new artists to be fully competent is unrealistic as if they are unable to practice how will they improve.
Overlooked and Outlawed
I have found, through first hand research, what is known about graffiti in the general public tends towards the negative; this applies also to a general bias within creative education. There is a lack of understanding around the art form yet there has been a rise in acceptance of Street art and murals within the last few years. In terms of Street Art, as Martha Cooper says, “Street artists often, but not always, have permission to paint. Many street artists began their careers by painting illegal graffiti.” (Martha Cooper, Date Unknown)
Urban art is the recognition that art produced in urban areas is necessary. As Claire Malaika discussed, “Urban Street art plays a vital role in exploring the cultural, societal and behavioural shifts”. (Claire Malaika, 2016)
The dependency of urban art on architecture, and a new perception of urban space has resulted in urban planning taking Street Art into account. Malaika also points out that providing “spaces for artists” is a form of control; a position that many graffiti artists
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may not accept, as being against control by establishments is one of its fundamental values.
Modern graffiti in most people’s minds is connected to anti-social behaviour, seen as a public nuisance issue and causing criminal damage. This has led to artists being prosecuted for “malicious mischief,” (Mike Robson, 2015) with prosecutors being able to ramp up charges to conspiracy, citing graffiti’s links to organised crime, and therefore any graffiti is seen as an ‘attack’ on society.
A prime example of this is ‘Operation Doodle’, an ongoing anti-graffiti investigation taking place in Liverpool by the British Transport Police, Merseyside Police, Network Rail and City Council This was set up to catch a graffiti crew of at least eight individuals that had been tagging buildings and structures around the city since 2016, apparently causing two million pounds worth of ‘damage’
“Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “These graffiti vandals have scarred Liverpool. This is not street-art. This is mindless vandalism. And the cost to the public purse to clean it up has been astronomical.” (Laura Robertson-Collins 2023)
This statement implies that if it was Street Art, even though this can be illegal as well, it wouldn’t be an issue. This is a very good example of the general public’s perception on Graffiti and Street Art, due to the negative language and terminology used by institutions, the media and establishments such as the privately-owned rail companies and local authorities.
The sentencing for graffiti is heavier than ever before, with a maximum sentence of 24 months in a detention centre for an artist aged between 12 and 17, while any above this age can be imprisoned for up to 10 years.
An anonymous artist who was interviewed by Vice magazine in 2015, dubbed Mike Robson, was subject to this and sentenced to two years. During the investigation into Mike, the police raided not only his own home but his mother’s which he hadn’t lived at for years, and also his place of work, taking all computers and equipment. “Nobody thought this was just for graff,” (Mike Robson, 2015) as he himself said.
The double standards of society’s confusing attitudes towards graffiti are blindingly obvious in this case, as Mike states, "I was even asked to paint a graffiti mural in the
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prison, the same thing I would've done on a train. There's no other crime that they'd make you do inside,". (Mike Robson, 2015)
At the same time, the Tate Modern hosted an exhibition called ‘StreetArt,’ flying artists in from around the world to complete work on the outside of the TM building. Two of the artists included were Sixeart and JR, both of whom “made their name doing the same thing we did – illegal graffiti” (Mike Robson, 2015)
CONCLUSION
Graffiti continues to be a dynamic and evolving form of artistic expression, creating a universal language. Both despite and because of its complex relationship with mainstream culture and the art world, it remains a powerful means of communication, activism, and self-expression for many artists worldwide. From the work I have carried out, I have found social media to be the perfect platform to find a wider community of female graffiti artists. We can only imagine the possibilities if this technology had been available for artists such as Charmin 65. Its instant connection with the world can open up many possibilities for artists, creating their own gallery, by-passing traditional Fine Art gallery systems. I can relate to this, as an artist myself: the idea of rules and hierarchy of Fine Art are not a consideration to me when creating work
The interdependence of Graffiti and Street art doesn’t mean one is better than the other, they fall under the same category of urban art, with many artists practicing in both street art and graffiti.
“Both art forms have had a significant impact on society, and their continued existence raises important questions about art, ownership, and public space.”
(Graffter Gallery,
2023)
In regard to Graffiti and Street Art, they may have a lot of similarities although they are two distinct art forms with different origins and intentions. Graffiti connects constantly
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developing youth culture to a wider world. It is much more primal and satisfies a need for comment and communication, just as Street Art provides an income and career opportunities. Within my own experience in higher artistic education, there is definitely a lack of understanding and education around graffiti compared to street art.
“I never really distinguished between graffiti and art really.” (Patty Astor 1983)
Looking back and compared to other art movements, Graffiti is still very young. With the new medium of spray paint only being invented sixty years ago it had no history of technique, subject matter, and had no examples to follow.
I have found there is confusion as graffiti, in the grand scheme of things, is still a very new art form, unlike other art movements such as impressionism, it is continuity evolving and will continue to do with future generations of young people at the forefront.
Through the work I have carried out for this dissertation, it has given me a real insight into how women have had to adapt to become a graffiti artist. It is disappointing that there is still such a high level of toxic masculinity throughout the scene because it is evident that some of the best graffiti has been executed by women and they have been at the forefront scene since its birth, yet there is still a lack recognition.
It is amazing how women used graffiti to express themselves, creating their own rules and develop it into careers. It has become a worldwide art movement, with women being at the forefront, organising and taking part in all-female graffiti jams, Street Art events and more, focusing on the painting while avoiding the negative male attitudes and toxic masculinity. There is not as much of a lack of female representation as I initially thought but in actual fact a lack of exposure for female artists, in common with many art forms and the creative industries as a whole.
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24. Graffiti Toilet, Berlin, 2023, photo by Rue Liddell
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Images
1. Can be accessed on https://www.misstravelclogs.com/top-10-street-art-cities-in-the-uk/
2. Courtesy of Rue Liddell
3. Courtesy of Arryn Skelly
4. Can be accessed on https://www.instagram.com/yardworksglasgow/?hl=en
5. Can be accessed on https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-women-artists-maybe-responsible-for-most-cave-art1094929/#:~:text=But%20new%20research%20suggests%20that%27s,were%20actually%20dra wn%20by%20women
6. Can be accessed on https://www.seymourpaint.com/about/
7. Can be accessed on https://www.jonnaar.com/image/I0000xoYCW68RwQY
8. Can be accessed on https://graffitikings.tumblr.com/post/128594942466/femalecaps-charmin65-via-12oz
9. Can be accessed on https://www.ladypinknyc.com
10. Can be accessed on https://www.ladypinknyc.com
11. Can be accessed on https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lady-pink-interview-1602208
12. Can be accessed on https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lady-pink-interview-1602208
13. Can be accessed on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa8LBtaOsxs&t=9s
14. Can be accessed on https://www.gettyimages.ca/editorial-images/entertainment/event/tribecafilm-festival-style-wars-dvd-launch-party/107659063
15. Scanned image from the book “Subway Art” by Martha Cooper & Henry Chalfant, 1984
16. Courtesy of Rue Liddell, 2023
17. Can be accessed on https://beyondthestreets.com/pages/claidia-gold
18. Can be accessed on https://madc.tv/street/berlin-mural-fest-2019/
19. Can be accessed on https://www.instagram.com/____lucyfer/
20. Can be accessed on https://www.graff-city.com/media-c130/magazines-c101/bonkerz-magazineissue-2-p4822
21. Can be accessed on https://www.instagram.com/____lucyfer/
22. Can be accessed on https://www.inst agram.com/diamages/
23. Courtesy of Rue Liddell, 2022
24. Courtesy of Rue Liddell, 2022
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