Ever since the first person decided to get a can and spray their tag, a word or picture onto a piece of public property, the question has always been asked 'is graffiti an art or a crime?'. Well it's both. But it's a crime that allows people the freedom of expression in a physical and public way, one that even the internet cannot always provide. It's a crime that can make people think, appreciate or even challenge themselves and culture's values (Banksy is the number one example in this). And sometimes it's just simply some art that brightens up a neighborhood, turning some grey old wall into something beautiful. Surely there's no harm in any of this?
This Outside In documentary looks to explore the idea that if graffiti is done on a canvas and put between four walls, is it suddenly legal and acceptable? And does it still have the same artistic value and potency it may have had on the outside world? As one guy remarks, "everyone in there has been arrested for graffiti". Exhibitions like this look to be a sign that the authorities and general society are beginning to appreciate what is a truly magnificent and talented art-form, even if it is on their own terms.
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