Graffiti Against The System

This project is for the last unit of my Art and History class P'art of History. The purpose of this project was to think of something that would cause you to revolt and then write a poem about what the future utopia would look like after the revolt I learned a lot about the Chicago 8, activists, anarchists, and revolutionists, I also learned how to write a poem. I am very proud of the poem I wrote because it is the first one I've ever written  and I think it was a pretty successful first try.

Title: Graffiti Against the System

Medium: soft cut linoleum, carving tools, clay, plaster, paint

Size: 6in. x 6in.

Date of completion: 7/27/14

When creating my piece I knew I wanted to show something that symbolized the system getting overthrown by graffiti. As I was thinking I figured I'd draw a man in a suit because whenever I think of the government or someone of power I think of suit and tie. I drew the spray can pointed at the "system’s" head to symbolize a gun, which symbolizes that graffiti is the only way that I feel we can end the corruption of the government’s laws.

After I got all of my ideas down I had to make the initial sketch and then after touching it up I had to finalize it. Next I had to shade in all the part I wanted to come out with pencil. Then I had to place the shaded sketch on top of the linoleum and rub vigorously until the pencil marks transferred onto the linoleum. Then I had to take a carving tool and carve out all the parts that were shaded in. Then I made a clay box around the linoleum. After I built the box I mixed plaster and poured it in the clay box and smoothed it out until it covered every part of the linoleum. Then I waited for it to dry. Finally, When it was done drying I took the clay walls off and painted the plaster mold

Propaganda posters were a very important part of warfare at home during world war 2. Propaganda posters were made by artists in Russia, America, and Germany to keep people at home informed about what was going on in the war and also The posters were also used to taunt leaders of other countries and they were suppose to be like a call to action. propaganda posters must have symbolic imagery or a symbol of power. I believe I used this in my piece by putting the guy in the suit because I believe that people in suit and ties are often associated with power or wealth. I also used symbolic imagery in my piece by putting the spray can which means graffiti overthrowing the system. The reason i wrote graffiti over system is because i feel that graffiti gives me like and the system just tries to put me back in a hole so i do feel that graffiti is way more powerful than the system.

This is the year that graffiti is considered art

and the city is covered with pieces from people all around the world

This is the year that the cops will not only accept graffiti but will pick up a can and write their thoughts

This is the year that cops put down their guns and fight with a can and a message

This is the year of 2014 but lets take it back to the 80’s when subway trains were covered with tags and pieces and the streets were our canvases

This is the year the writers don't have to wear masks and bandanas  like thieves and crooks for following their passion

This is the year that police officers hide their identities for the violence they’ve cause as the writers roam the street with pride  

This is the year that cops learn a lesson from the Chicago 8 of 1968 and don't profile someone because you know that they have a different thought or a different passion

The Chicago 8 were anarchists that got imprisoned because the government knew they had different thoughts and seen that as a threat

This is the year that you can walk down the street with spray paint on your clothes without cops stopping you

This is the year that the blue uniform and police badges are a symbol of shame and cops trade out their guns for a more powerful weapon a can of paint and a message

This is the year that our free art walls are the sides of police stations and government buildings

This is the year that we go out and take back our freedom and make this world OURS