Pieces, short for masterpieces, are a form of graffiti that involves large, elaborate and detailed letter forms. They are one of the main forms of modern graffiti, along with tags and throw ups, and are the least controversial of the three [1] and least likely to be seen as vandalism.[ citation needed ]
Due to their size, pieces are almost always done in aerosol spray paint, but may use paint rollers for large fill-ins. [1]
Pieces tend to be large, with multi-coloured fills and outlines. They often incorporate highlights, shadows, and a background, [2] and may use extensions, 3D effects, [2] and sometimes characters. [3]
Because of their complexity and large size, pieces usually take a significant amount of time to plan and paint [4] and therefore are often found on legal walls. [5] Illegal pieces tend to be found in less crowded spaces such as train yards, tunnels, drains, rooftops, and walls facing train tracks. [4] Illegal pieces done in busier areas are often done over multiple nights [6] or by multiple members of a crew. [7]
Many people unfamiliar with graffiti forms can find it difficult to distinguish the letters in more elaborate pieces. [2] While straight-letters are pieces with clear letters that prioritise legibility, wildstyle pieces have extremely exaggerated letters forms with multiple extensions and add-ons, and are often illegible to many people. This may be a deliberate choice to allow only those familiar with the art form to read them. [8] Some writers choose to sign their pieces with personal and crew tags. [7]
Pieces were first observed in the 1980s on trains in the New York Subway, until the metro began refusing to put out painted trains in an attempt to discourage writers, which had the unintended effect of writers instead painting pieces on city walls. [9]
Pieces are more likely to be considered a "true" art form by people outside of the graffiti community. With the rise of commercial graffiti since the late 2000s, legal pieces are sometimes commissioned by local businesses as promotion [6] or by local councils with the intention of discouraging less appreciated forms of graffiti such as tags, given that many writers will not go over another artist's work. [10] [11]
Art galleries may feature pieces, either directly on canvas or in photography. [12] Critics say that pieces originally in the street then put in galleries have their context and function removed, and recontexualise a piece from being public communication to one-way communication of those more privileged. [13] Pieces seen in public areas like streets have been shown to have a stronger emotional value for viewers than when seen in a museum. [12] Others argue that pieces in galleries allow the art to reach people who otherwise might dismiss it. [14]
Areas with large amounts of elaborate pieces can become tourist attractions such as Hosier Lane in Melbourne, which are advocated by tourism groups [15] despite the pieces being illegal. [16]
Graffiti is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elaborate wall paintings, and has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.
Sticker art is a form of street art in which an image or message is publicly displayed using stickers. These stickers may promote a political agenda, comment on a policy or issue, or comprise a subcategory of graffiti.
Wildstyle is a complicated and intricate form of graffiti, the most complex type of graffiti piece. Due to its complexity, wildstyle can be difficult to read for those unfamiliar with the form and process. It is considered the most difficult graffiti style to master.
Stencil graffiti is a form of graffiti that makes use of stencils made out of paper, cardboard, or other media to create an image or text that is easily reproducible. The desired design is cut out of the selected medium and then the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint or roll-on paint.
An arrow is a graphical symbol, such as ← or →, or a pictogram, used to point or indicate direction. In its simplest form, an arrow is a triangle, chevron, or concave kite, usually affixed to a line segment or rectangle, and in more complex forms a representation of an actual arrow. The direction indicated by an arrow is the one along the length of the line or rectangle toward the single pointed end.
A number of words and phrases that have come to describe different styles and aspects of graffiti and its subculture. Like other jargon and colloquialisms, some of these terms may vary regionally, taking on different meanings across different cities and countries. The following terminology originates primarily in the United States.
OSGEMEOS are identical twin street artists Otavio Pandolfo and Gustavo Pandolfo. They started painting graffiti in 1987 and their work appears on streets and in galleries across the world.
Michael Christopher Tracy, known as Tracy 168, was an American graffiti artist. He pioneered the art form known as wildstyle. Tracy 168 came to be known as one of the most influential graffiti and street artists of all time, as variations of wildstyle writing spread around the world. He is acknowledged to have been a seminal figure in the development of street art. Books about 1970s graffiti feature his car-long paintings with their characteristic kinetic script embellished with flames, arrows as well as cartoon characters and the "Tracy face," a grinning shaggy-haired visage in wrap-around shades.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland is a contemporary art museum in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is the only contemporary art venue of its kind in Metropolitan Cleveland. The organisation was founded by Marjorie Talalay, Agnes Gund, and Nina Castelli Sundell in 1968 and has undergone several name and venue changes in the years following its 1968 founding. Originally known as The New Gallery, the museum was rebranded as the Cleveland Centre for Contemporary Art in 1984. The gallery has operated under its current branding as the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa) since 2002.
Donald Joseph White, "DONDI" was an American graffiti artist.
Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and the second largest city in Australia, has gained international acclaim for its diverse range of street art and associated subcultures. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, much of the city's disaffected youth were influenced by the graffiti of New York City, which subsequently became popular in Melbourne's inner suburbs, and along suburban railway and tram lines.
Stephen J. Powers is an American contemporary artist and muralist. He is also known by the name ESPO, and Steve Powers. He lives in New York City.
Hosier Lane is a laneway in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Located on the CBD's southern edge, it extends between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, and opens opposite the Atrium at Federation Square. Since the late 1990s, Hosier Lane has become a popular tourist attraction due to its street art. Hosier Lane is a long-standing de facto ‘free-to-paint' area that does not require permits or permission.
Graffiti are writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place. Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Graffiti, consisting of the defacement of public spaces and buildings, remains a nuisance issue for cities.
Fred Fowler is an Australian-born visual artist, specialising in painting, drawing, bronze sculpture and printmaking.
Graffiti in New York City has had a substantial local, national, and international influence.
Facter, or Fletcher Anderson, is a Melbourne based, Australian multi-disciplinary artist, best known for his colorful creatures rendered in a illustrative style.
Tags are one of the primary forms of modern graffiti, along with throw ups and pieces. The act of writing a tag is known as tagging. Tags are often thought of as the simplest form of graffiti art, prioritising legibility and flow and are the form that most artists start with. Tags, perhaps due to their simplicity, are more likely to be considered vandalism than other more elaborate graffiti styles.
Throw ups, or throwies, are a form of graffiti that fall between tags and pieces in complexity. The name comes from the way they are designed to be "thrown" onto a surface as quickly as possible. They are almost always done with aerosol paint.
Characters, or karaks, are an integral part of modern graffiti culture. Characters are "creatures or personas” that feature in graffiti works. They may be taken from popular culture or created by the writer as a signature character. Chararacters are found in almost all forms of graffiti, including ancient graffiti and the earliest forms of modern graffiti.
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