Interesting facts about this artistic movement

omotolani

April 12, 2018 4:28 PM

Referred to as vandalism by officials, they are indeed beautiful artworks.

Graffiti is more than a mark but an artwork that often times tries to pass a message.

They are writings or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface where the public can see them. Referred to as vandalism by officials, they are indeed beautiful artworks.

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Below are true facts about this worldwide artistic movement.

1. The word "Graffiti" can be traced back to Greek and Italy. It is a combination of the Greek word “graphein” which means “to write,” and the Italian word “graffito” which means “a scratch.”

2. Graffiti started in Philadelphia in the late 1960s and was mainly used to make political statements and mark gang territory, rather than to provide artistic value.

3. The world record for the longest graffiti is located in Dubai. It is 7,366 feet and 9 inches and was done in 2014 by over 100 artists, and contained scenes of history for the United Arab Emirates in celebration of their 43rd United Arab Emirates Union Day.

4. The first known example of modern graffiti is found in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. The graffiti shows a handprint that somewhat resembles a heart, along with a footprint and a number. Experts say it was used to indicate a brothel was nearby.

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The earliest forms of graffiti were however found on ancient Roman architecture as images carved onto walls.

5. Graffiti was used to refer to inscriptions and figure drawings found on the walls of ancient ruins, like Pompeii or the Roman Catacombs. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius preserved the graffiti in Pompeii.

6. Graffiti is often mistaken for street art. In graffiti, the writers are generally not interested in the public understanding their work, instead, they use it to speak to other writers while street art is used to engage everyone.

omotolani