Thoughts on Monday's class (2.6.07)

"Style Wars" should be required viewing for anyone interested in American culture/subculture. That film deals with so many important issues that I barely know where to begin when I think/talk about it. Let me try to break it down a bit:

Graffiti: It's difficult for me to even begin. On the one hand, it's so obviously illegal and contrary to one of the most fundamental American rights--private property (and those of you in Government learned about that the other day, during the lecture on John Locke's 2nd Treatise on Government). & yet, there is another, so incredibly American element to it. There is a subversive element to it, an artistic element, a competitive element, and all of these can (and have been) placed within the context of art history, as well as the history of the written word.

In addition, it's hard not to draw a parallel between the cryptic and hermetic aspects of graffiti with the work songs sung by second-generation slaves in America. But I'll save that thought for another day...

The Case of Cap:

It is important to understand that the reason why Cap is so controversial is because he fully understands the codes behind the graffiti subculture, and yet seems to be indifferent to them. (Just as a student noted in class, CAP IS PART OF THE GRAFFITI SUBCULTURE). He is thumbing his nose at the more refined understandings that the other graffiti artists have acquired (i.e. don't paint over someone else's "burner", especially with a crappy throw up). Cap represents a dissenting voice from within...it's as if he's indifferent to the already "subversive" aspect of graffiti that the other writers represent. He's just "doing his own thing" (as people in his position often say). Still, for our purposes as "critics" of this subculture, I do think it's important to note that he makes an interesting distinction between a graffiti "artist" and a graffiti "bomber." For cap (as well as other bombers) it's quantity, not quality. Of course, some may see this as a lack of artistic ability...