Many people see Graffiti as purely vandalism, but to me it’s a form of writing, illustration and expression.

Graffiti has been around for a long time, and was originally used as a voice for political activists and by street gangs to mark territory. The latter bringing about a culture of tagging - writing some kind of recognisable signature in urban areas. I don’t see much artistic merit in tagging, and it’s a big contributor to Graffiti’s bad name.

Tagging is everywhere and is difficult to control because it’s a quick way of being recognised. If there were more places for the artists to go, perhaps there would be less tagging on the streets. What gets me, not just about taggers, also the council, is the disrespect shown when good quality artwork is defaced or removed. However as Kid Acne, a well known Graffiti Artist based in Sheffield points out, “At the end of the day Graffiti is a disposable art, and often illegal, so who’s to say what’s right or wrong.”

All that said Graffiti is now defying the old stereotype of vandal, street gang and criminal.  Most Graffiti Artists don’t go out to vandalise, rather to produce a good piece of work that others can admire in a public ‘gallery’.
Graffiti artists such as Kid Acne are a good example of this.  He says “I see Graffiti much the same as fishing - it’s a seasonal vocation that involves specialist equipment and techniques and means a great deal to the people involved, yet very little to anyone else.”

I decided to research on the Sheffield government website for graffiti; all I found was graffiti removal services. The councils approach has added to the public’s negative perception of graffiti. Kid Acne thinks “A lot of people feel threatened by graffiti but more severe crimes are carried out and these are the problems that should be addressed over paint on walls.”

The overlooked fact is, graffiti artwork is often really imaginative, funny or informative, not to mention the skills, techniques and time it takes to produce this work. Kid Acne stated, “In cities such as Barcelona there seems to be a healthier attitude towards graffiti, I think a lot of people would be surprised at how much the quality of work would increase if graffiti artists weren’t threatened with prosecution all the while.”

I agree with Kid Acne on this point, that the council should promote Graffiti work; especially to help develop young people’s creative skills. After all, Graffiti is the grassroots for many jobs such as designing. Kid Acne himself is testimony to this.  Also writing as ‘Edna’, he started illustrating at the age of 14. This led to designing flyers and posters for his brother’s punk bandwhen he was 15. Inspired by fellow English writers She One and Carl 1.2.3, he says “Graffiti is generally self-taught and was no different for me.”His career really started when he was invited to display at an exhibition in Birmingham’s Custard Factory. Following that he was asked to design flyers for a regular night club and became an illustrator, notably working with what was ‘NY Sushi’in Sheffield.

What’s more, contrary to some beliefs, Graffiti isn’t just one style.  Kid Acne, like many artists, has created his own style, that he calls ‘Blood and Sand’, features a Warrior and Barbarian women and various other interesting characters, as he builds a whole fantasy world. 

 In conclusion, as with any public uncensored form of expression, it’s not going to be all good, and it’s impermanent nature is part of its appeal.  As Kid Acne sees it “I love painting graffiti –it’s a great feeling. I guess it’s because it can’t be bought or sold so there is more freedom to do what you want with it.”

As with all artforms, you can’t put graffiti in one box. From taggers, right up to incredibly talented artists, it needs to be recognised that graffiti is unique and varied.  If Kid Acne is anything to go by, times and perceptions are changing.

“I now make music with Req, and recently collaborated on a piece with She One at the Millennium Galleries, exhibiting along side Picasso and Rembrant, which was fantastic.”

Who would have thought Graffiti would end up in art galleries alongside the old masters!

Thanks to Kid Acne. To see more of this work go to: www.kidacne.com