Van Gogh

Are you annoyed at the way the authorities are dealing with graffiti art?  If you live in a major city in North America, you are almost certain to encounter these beautiful paintings that grace more than a few otherwise bland walls.  There’s an attitude that comes from these authorities because some criminal elements in our inner cities use graffiti as coded forms of communication.

It can be agreed that what some call graffiti is filth mascarading as art that defaces some people’s property without their permission.  This filth should be distinguished from graffiti art and artists. It is generally not good to paint all artists with the same brush, pardon the pun.

Graffiti artists and their paintings are our modern-day versions of what can be interpreted as equivalent to Vincent van Gogh.  This statement may draw some wrath from followers and admirers of this great painter.

However, a careful examination of Van Gogh’s work and those that care to be honest about his work, would have to admit that he has had significant influence on 20th century art.  Van Gogh is a well known pioneer of Expressionism and it is this expressionism that forms the basis of the graffiti art.

Rap and hip hop is another art form that is routed in Van Gogh’s same pioneering spirit of Expressionism.  Rappers have found an outlet for their Expressionism so let’s provide an outlet for graffiti and not marginalize the art or the artists that draw these beautiful paintings.