A Brief History of Modern Graffiti

1969 Philadelphia - A kid tries to impress a girl by writing his nickname (cornbread) onto her locker, it didn’t work. He then writes it’s on her bus route and apartment block quite likes the idea and continues with the rest of the city. Soon other people copy him. Whether he gets the girl is unknown.

New York 1969-1974 - The idea works its way to New York with people mainly writing on the subway system with new styles and being developed and the names becoming bigger and most complex. One of the first to gain attention from the media is ‘TAKI 183’ a footmessager from Manhattan who used his job walking the city to put up his name.

New York mid 70s - One of the busiest and heaviest periods of graffiti in the city due to financial problems in New York city, the subways where left un-maintained with graffiti not being removed.

Rome 1979 - Lee Quinones, and Fab Five Freddy has a gallery opening in Rome. The first time graffiti art is in a gallery space.

London 1979 - Punk band ‘crass’ stencil political slogans around London.

Paris 1981- Blek Le Rat started stenciling small rats unto the streets of Paris and other French cities he soon moved onto life sized stencils of people and is one on the most influential graffiti artists of all time.

1980s - graffiti spreads to the 4 corners of the world where new styles are developed.

1990s - The obey campaign starts with Shepard Fairey creating stickers and posters of wrestler André the giant and is soon all over the country and eventually the world for people to stick up it becomes so famous it is seen in several films and TV shows.

Bristol 2003-Banksy has his ‘turf war’ show where he paints on cows.

Washington 2004-05 John Tsombikos starts the ‘BORF’ campaign a tribute to a dead friend, at his court appearance he turns up in paint-splattered clothes.

Art

I'd been painting rats for three years before someone said "that's a clever anagram of art" and I had to pretend I'd known that all along.

This is a blog dedicated to graffiti from around the world. Its accompanied by pictures, videos and clever quotes.

Banksy's Manifesto

When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me. - Emo Philips