Since graffiti artists have little time to do their work, often in less than 3 minutes, their pieces are hastily assembled. The anonymity and speed of their work (which rarely produces a clear and original work) usually leads to a loss of copyright protection and tends to dilute the legitimacy of street art. What street art is not, however, is graffiti, which brings with it the specter of arrest and a criminal record. Since graffiti is a crime and is considered vandalism by law enforcement agencies in most communities, it is a criminal offence that can include a fine, jail time, or possibly both. Meres was curator of 5Pointz, an industrial complex converted into an open-air art gallery. Once known as the “Mecca” of graffiti and street art, it was one of the few places in the city where artists could paint freely. When 5Pointz closed its doors in 2013 for real estate renovation, artists elsewhere had to turn to legal walls. The owners were willing to grant permission, but only with a warning ⎯ street art. To make sure that street art is legal within a particular community, you need to ask several pertinent questions. Take Banksy, for example, a global icon. His public plays are political statements and are worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
His street art has been reproduced in many forms and shown in exhibitions in museums. Back in the United States, the City of Brotherly Love has a famous mural program that recruits artists to paint on vacant properties. It is important that street artists and owners know their intellectual property rights. Street artists should also ensure that they can market their art through licensing agreements and enforce their legal rights. Part of the charm of street art, however, is its ephemeral nature. The work can be preserved and reproduced in other ways, for example by means of a photograph. 1) Graffiti artist – an artist who uses the original form of graffiti. They write their name, usually with stylized letters. It is usually made with spray paint, but it could also be with other materials. The main audience is made up of other graffiti artists like her. It can be illegal (usually of inferior quality) or licensed (usually of higher quality). Many graffiti artists also make artwork that is not lettering (portraits, images, etc.), but their fidelity is to graffiti writing and they have spent a lot of time improving their lettering skills.
Graffiti artists are also known as “taggers” or “bombers”. Many large companies have found themselves in hot water when they use street art in advertising without permission. Companies usually agree to settle the case amicably to avoid lengthy and costly litigation. 2) Neutral on art allowed and no permission required – like in New York. The government targets vandalism but is essentially neutral vis-à-vis authorized urban art. It is not necessary to obtain permission for an owner-approved artwork. If it has been used without permission, they will come after you because of this vandalism. If it has been approved by the owner, it is legal and the government will not take any action. Small towns are also starting to work on validating street art. Another element that supports the credibility of street art is the issue of copyright on the art created.
The Venice Graffiti Pit in Venice Beach is world famous as an open and creative space for street artists. It is not uncommon to see a female artist working on a mural. The only downside? The works of art are painted by other artists in rapid succession. The famous Venice Beach is one of Los Angeles` top tourist attractions. This definitely makes the Venice Beach Art Wall one of the most important places for legal graffiti. You can get a permit and paint under the California sun, feet in the sand right by the ocean. The Bushwick Collective is the name of several blocks in the Brooklyn borough of Bushwick where street performers have free permission to paint murals on the walls of buildings. The area has become so famous that artists from all over the world come to participate.
Lately, however, something out of place has appeared on the murals ⎯ neon-colored smileys dotting the finely painted images. For the casual passer-by, they will go unnoticed or look at the work of an eccentric artist. But in reality, these smiling faces are artistic bandages applied by street artists who painted the walls to cover a flood of tags by graffiti artists who specifically targeted these walls. This is more than what some would call vandalism, these are the first signs of a battle where street art is a gentrification weapon against graffiti, and graffiti has finally begun its defense. If you intend to use street art for commercial purposes or in advertising for commercial purposes, you must first obtain the consent of the street artist. You probably need a license agreement. Although a license agreement grants you the right to use street art, the artist retains all ownership rights to their work. Using street art without the artist`s permission may violate their moral rights and copyrights.
Use may include displaying street art on your website, photographing art for commercial purposes, or publishing the work in a magazine or book. However, if you reproduce street art for the purpose of criticism and scrutiny, if you report news and current affairs, or if you do research and study, this falls within the fair dealing exception and you are not violating. Moreover, the inclusion of street art in a cinematographic work is also an exception. What is considered incidental depends on the particular circumstances. However, this exception does not apply if you publish the cinematographic work online. Therefore, you must obtain consent and have a license agreement to reproduce street art or publish it on your website. The opposite view is that street art is the abuse and abuse of public space: a horror for some. If the artist receives permission from the owner or the city, the public painting is considered legal. Otherwise, it is considered vandalism and can be repainted. This is a general rule that applies in most places in the world.
For more than 10 years, we have been organizing a directory of legal graffiti. When we remember our travels around the world, there are places that stand out clearly. It is a tribute to the most iconic walls we know. Some have great importance to graffiti culture and have helped shape today`s scene. So, to the question “Are graffiti illegal?”, we have our answer: it depends on whether they have been authorized or not. And now you also have an understanding of the different types of art that people call “graffiti.” Also, you have a basic graffiti history as well as common types of street art. You are now able to better understand these phenomena! Given the huge costs associated with this problem, many cities have begun to offer different types of street art programs and encourage graffiti artists to embrace the legal side of street art.