Graffiti is an art form that has always interested me. It is one of the few formats of art that is not widely accepted as an art form, and is illegal to make in most places. As I got older and started to realize that photographing this art was a better way for me to participate in the culture. Photography of graffiti is something that has long been a large part of the graffiti scene overall.
Ever since graffiti began to take on its modern form, there have been photographers there to document it. Both Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant have been key parts of the photo-documentation of graffiti through the years. Seeing Henry Chalfant’s work at the AIPAD show was an awesome experience for me, to be able to see original prints of images I had seen over and over on the pages of graffiti books was incredible. The prints were very large, and this played into part of the reason why I think I love the culture of graffiti so much. Being in place like train yards, and under bridges and overpasses is an incredibly belittling feeling. Being surrounded by trains that are not only much larger than oneself, but also far larger than they appear from afar, gives a feeling similar to standing at the foot of a large mountain. Surrounded by these large and powerful objects you can’t help but feel small and powerless. Another aspect of train yards that has always intrigued me is the history of trains in this country, and how significant they are to our nations history.
As far as the artwork itself goes, there are many reasons why I have been drawn to graffiti. The bright colors, diverse styles, and challenge of the medium are just a few. When I drive by a train yard and see a dull, brown or gray box car, with a splash of bright color on the side of it, I’m always interested in what it says, or why it says that, or even who wrote it. More often than not, graffiti is made with some sort of politically motivated idea in mind. These box cars are like giant journals for all of the graffiti writers to express their thoughts upon.
Due to the fact that the art work is not the only part of graffiti that I enjoy, I have decided to document varying aspects of the culture. This idea, coupled with the idea that taking pictures of other peoples art is not much more than mere documentation, I have decided to mainly take pictures of the spaces where graffiti exists, spaces where dialogues are written on the walls, spaces that most people never get to enjoy first hand. The main goal of the images is to show beauty in the spaces, rather than in the physical artwork.
