Analysis Of The Artworks By Brick Lane
Brick Lane and its graffiti is unquestionably “Instagrammable”. Its topography, covered in thickets of strokes and colors convey so much motion and activity - a noisy and chaotic evocation of life in and around the area itself. However, arguably the most valuable consequence of the artscapes of Brick Lane are their success in de-stigmatising its surfaces. No wall or structure is less than the finest of canvasses, and revered artists like Thierry Noir, Banksy and alike, from around the globe are inspired to come and mark its walls. This in turn makes it interesting to then evaluate the agency assigned to the art that is placed upon these walls, and how it in turn further helps it assert itself to its viewership. Graffiti has progressed from being seen as merely an iconoclastic act of vandalism to something that is now considered an accepted art form. Often ubiquitous in areas of conflict, it aims to stimulate thought and attempts to open dialogue, propagate ideologies, represent the issues and opinions of the voiceless, and overall initiate conversation about the otherwise uncomfortable or taboo. Its provocative and edgy style is engaging and entertaining, making it easier to converse with uncensored material. In this way, graffiti can be seen as an abstract expression of multifaceted struggles claiming themselves through running riots of color and form; that when questioned, speak volumes about several thematic undertones.
Graffiti serves up an interesting commentary on materiality, by redefining the “value” ofart in new accessible spaces with available materials - Artists use spray paint cans, validating dilapidating structures and giving them a new legitimacy by using their surfaces as the medium and mode for their message. In turn they get access to a wide audience and are guaranteed an inescapable visibility which grants them continual proliferation through mediums like the camera and channels like social media. In function, graffiti often represents a collective voice for a differentiated viewership. Recently this has arguably furthered the progressive way graffiti has come to be revived in positive roles. The Chinese wall mounted newspapers or “Dazibao”, literally meaning ‘big character reports’ are public posters that use large Chinese characters to speak of protest, propaganda, etc. A similarity can be drawn between the continual dissemination that both these formats enjoy by their attention grabbing styles that almost force an engagement from the viewer. Such public art also has a re-inventive quality, where it transforms a regular public space to an artistic landscape; a curation of space emphasizing on the freedom of viewership. It is the agency of the viewer to go wherever, and decide to look at things that he deems worthy. Additionally, in a Post Modern world, it transforms “Non-spaces” to places of socio-historic-political consequence, through its emotive, meaning - making processes.
Today there is an increased awareness for the preservations of Graffiti and ghost signs, as they’re viewed as essential markers of visual history. Writer Frank Jump in his text, “Fading Ads of New York City” (2011) very aptly encompasses both fading ads and graffiti to coin the term ‘Ediglyph’ derived from the words - edifice (building) & petroglyph (ancient stone wall etching) to underpin their historic significance & cultural value. Sometimes one may underestimate that possibly the graffiti isn’t meant to convey anything, it exists purely to exude an illegible mood. Some lose themselves for hours in a hypnotic reimagining of the gestures and movements that have created this work of art, while others see recovered retellings of history within its details. It’s easy to forget oneself in the overwhelming assail of copulating colors and lines that depict even the simplest things so extraordinarily, sometimes leaving the onlooker feeling uneasy between knowledge and fantasy... But amidst the walk along its vivid forms and colors, I purport that the art in Brick Lane holds a mirror to its past; one that has seen division and conflict, and knows to value beauty over violence. In the contemporary world today we have many who are revered in this artform. However, the elevation of their work has now ascribed it further validation which in turn has polarized its “value” - something constantly debated in the art world. This has brought into question the dilemma of commercialization of essentially a non-profit art form; how certain previous works of Banksy now stay under protective glass.
In extension this makes us question whether we’re possibly impedimenting the intentionalities behind graffiti and the struggles it illustrates? Such changes in the ways we view and ascribe value to art only makes it more important to question our own integrity as designers. The impassioned debate between Crouwel and Toorn, uncovered the multiplicitous ways one can view the role of the designer, however as Ken Garland’s “First thing first” manifesto (2000) declares, we must consider to design for the betterment of society, and to retain our humanity at all costs.
