Pablo Picasso said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls” – and that is exactly what some artists are striving towards in town.
In certain locations around town there are walls with words spray-painted on them. The words are not always clear but there is something about the colours that makes the walls they are painted on look less grimy and mundane.
Even so, graffiti is not always welcomed as it is not always legal, and some graffiti is not pleasing on the eye.
According to Tshidiso Tlharipe, spokesperson for the Rand West City Executive Mayor, graffiti painted without permission from the municipality is illegal and is seen as vandalism. He added the municipality is not necessarily against graffiti – should artists get permission from the municipality, it is in fact welcomed.
“The municipality is promoting arts and culture through graffiti. We have created a new portfolio solely to focus on sports, recreation, arts and culture.
The intention is to create more youth employment through arts and culture, which will contribute handsomely to the economic well-being of the city,” he said.
According to Magriet Botha, local artist and member of the Randfontein Art Association, graffiti has been around for millennia. She said it has its advantages and disadvantages. She added there are more disadvantages than advantages, as graffiti isn’t always legal, it doesn’t always convey a good message, and can be political, and because of that, it can be considered dangerous and plain vandalism.
She said context is important in graffiti. Both the artist and the audience have to consider and understand the context; the graffiti can’t just be words on a wall.
However, should an artist keep the above in mind and execute the art well, graffiti can be used as a tool to make art accessible to the general public.
Magriet added that graffiti is not stupid: it carries social commentary, it can incorporate the environment around it and a graffiti artist is a very skilled artist, just like those who use paint brushes and canvases.
“It’s not an easy art. You have to be trained, regardless of whether it is formal training or self-training. Graffiti becomes a part of your everyday life. It should make you smile, not intimidate you,” she said.
According to Harry Brown, a local sign-writer who comes into contact with graffiti every day while walking under the Kenneth Road bridge, “This is art. This is what it is all about and it looks so much better than those sticker adverts pasted everywhere.”
“If people are interested in identifying walls for graffiti, they must approach the municipality and declare their interest,” Tshidiso said.
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