Graffiti in Florence

“Night Souls” by Beatrice Brandini

Since ancient times, man has always tried to express themselves through signs, a language congenial to him to represent his being and his feelings.

    

Graffiti in Florence 

I believe that in fact, for there to analyze if it is a phenomenon or a form of culture, one of the writers, it is important to understand that everything is born from the desire to leave its mark, more pronounced and visible than others. As the boys of New York, at night they signed the subway cars at the store, and the next day then go see them again, signed and personalized, or when the end of the sixties, a guy from New York called Taki, turned the state, leaving more than 300 thousand signatures .., in both cases, the context, the metropolitan discomfort, is a very important component for the origin of this form of expression. The graffiti began just like that, with a simple inscription, it is often their own name or a pseudonym (TAGS so are called signatures of graffiti), as a testimony of himself, a message, a rebellion, an expression of his own suffering and/or impatience.

    

Murals and graffiti in Pontedera 

So the drive to leave a mark, I think is the main feature, the primary intention of a writer.

    

Murales and graffiti in Pontedera

     

Murales and graffiti in Pontedera

At the end of the seventies to go through the walls, the signature has begun to take shape and thickness, the designs become more complex, clear messages, claims the word, and in time the spray began to be used more colors, becoming subsequently, the show that we often see in any city in the world.

“Tuttomondo” mural by Keith Haring in Pisa

Keith Haring said: “I increasingly clear that art is not elitist activity reserved for the appreciation of a few. Art is for everyone, and this is the end to which I want to work .” None better than Keith Haring symbolizes the social and artistic phenomenon of graffiti . Again: ” a wall is meant to be drawn, on Saturday night for revelry , life is meant to be celebrated .” This artist has created an abstract creature on earth but at the same time, a halo character, unmistakable, that has become a pop icon . Haring has ennobled this form of expression, exhibiting in major galleries, his works are in museums and in private collections. He made this art even more popular, lending itself to the creation of everyday objects, such as the Swatch watch, or collaborations in the world of fashion ( Vivienne Westwood ) . In Italy, then made two important things, has decorated the walls of the historic Fiorucci store in Piazza San Babila , and has made a permanent mural near the church of Sant’Antonio in Pisa. Elio Fiorucci remembers, invited Haring in Milan impressed by his ability to elevate this art form impromptu, and that Haring lent itself immediately, working a full day and a night inside his shop, the event became a kind of live performance , the audience intervened, observing, contemplating, drinking with the artist . ” Art should be something that liberates the soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go away with the fantasy .” Always Haring.

By Jean-Michael Basquiat 

With Keith Haring, Jean-Michael Basquiat is one of the most important exponents of American graffiti and world, together have raised this art form, bringing their works from the streets and walls to the galleries. The characteristic feature of Basquiat is the use of words, along with the signs, symbols, shapes seemingly “rude”; words become an integral part of the same work, often messages for the viewer. “I do not think the art when I’m working. I try to think about life “.. Basquiat said this, and it is the essence of his poetry. Basquiat died of a drug overdose at age 27, Haring AIDS at 31, both hungry for life, both enormously creative and this also sensitive and fragile …

    

                   “Sweed at Hoxton” di Banksy                                                                By Banksy

Banksy in Park Street in Bristols

Finally I want to mention Banksy , whose identity remains a mystery ( it seems every time  grabbed  and revealed its, it starts all over again … ). Certainly is the most famous exponent of street art . It has its own distinctive mark, in fact, working with stencils, and his work is extremely cynical and politically incorrect , dealing with topics such as politics and ethics, his complaint is against capitalism and globalization as an impoverishment of civilization. But its popularity is also nourished by his find, just as the riddle of his identity , and the capacity to enter into major museums and hanging his deeds among those already present ; desecrate classic images ( eighteenth-century ladies with gas mask ) … Famous are also “his” rats , the great Rats ( an anagram of the word RAT you get ART) . Banksy says that rats are perfect subjects , humanity has always tries to defeat them failing miserably, so hated and persecuted . Banksy has signed the initials of an episode of The Simpsons , made murals in cities around the world , distributed cd parody of Paris Hilton. In 2013, a mural attributed to him was sold £ 750,000 ….

    

Murales graffiti in Firenze and Pontedera

    

Murales graffiti in Pontedera

    

Murales graffiti outside Florence

However I want to emphasize that I do not appreciate those dirty for vandalism, for rebellion’s sake, to the detriment of the common, or ordinary citizens, who then have to clean up (and pay for) what has been improperly soiled. So I blame who does it in the walls of houses / buildings, or worse, damage to historical monuments.

    

Murales graffiti in Florence 

Murales graffiti in Pontedera

I love those instead of his rebellion, his discomfort of his creativity or simply unspoken, graces abandoned walls, facades or parks degraded by neglect or by time. Indeed, as they have cleverly made some Italian municipalities, devote specific areas for these “street artists” who with their works make us smile, think, reflect and often color and beautify our cities ….

Personally I find them beautiful, that I design, seeing them not only would not know to do better, but often, I would not know where to start … because beyond that it takes a “physical” for crawling everywhere, you have to be a kind of acrobat, a large part of their accomplishments not only at night but they are made to impressive heights of …

    

Murales and graffiti in Pontedera

    

Murales and graffiti in Pontedera

    

Murales graffiti outside Firenze

    

Murales graffiti in Florence

Thank Writers I admire because sometimes walking the magnificent drawings, works that inspire me with their shapes and their colors, that make me think with their messages …

Thanks for giving us the Writers Museum in the open air!

 

Finally, perhaps another potential talent writer, my son …. 

Good life to all!

Beatrice