The rise of artistic delinquency in Cincinnati Tuesday, December 04, 2012 By Kyle Chase, ‘13 The channels serve as a gallery for Cincinnati’s graffiti artists. From seasoned pros to juvenile taggers, there is no space left untouched by graffiti. - Kyle Chase Advertising Writing on walls has been a part of human nature since the beginning of mankind. However, it has greatly evolved since then. Today, the art of writing on walls is better known as graffiti. A local graffiti artist describes it as “a way to express myself beyond the norm and keep it all my own.” The practice is appreciated by some, but frowned upon by many more.              “It depends on the context,” says SENIOR Harrison Hildebrandt, “If it’s done tastefully with intent to be meaningful, I feel it’s art, but when it’s inappropriate scribble it’s more of a crime.”  While a portion of the world views graffiti as a crime, the “criminals” who practice it consider it a form of art.  “Delinquency is a good word for a portion of what graffiti is,” says the graffiti artist. When most people see graffiti, they link it to gangs, assuming that all graffiti has something to do with gangs and posses. “In no way is... a [graffiti] crew a gang. It can be formed to act as a gang,” the artist clarifies. “Really it’s just a group of friends who like to paint together.”   “There is definitely a sneaky part of graffiti, considering it is illegal,” SENIOR Sylvie Hayes-Wallace chimes in, “but the good graffiti artists are like any other artists—willing to do whatever to get their point across, regardless of breaking the law.”  To those who spray, it is an art form; a way to express one’s feelings or emotions. The graffiti artist says that the art has become a passion for him, an adrenaline rush he finds addictive. “Graffiti is its own subculture. People just have the wrong idea about it,” he says, “as an artist myself, I will always love the art and everything about it” “There’s no better feeling when you are proud of what you just wrote on the wall, legally or illegally, or if anybody will ever see it.” The spray painter explains, “To me it’s about you and what you did, not what anyone else thinks.” Despite the graffiti artist’s passion, many say that there is no way that graffiti is art, especially if it’s not in galleries anywhere.    However to these artists, the streets are their gallery. Here in Cincinnati there is a large area referred to as “the channels,” where Cincinnati’s rainwater is collected into the river. It also serves the purpose of being a gallery of graffiti in the streets. The artist describes the channels as “a great place to get your work seen by other writers [artists] on a regular basis.”      Most who consider graffiti to be a crime say that it is in no way an art. When they see it, they think of vandalism. Over-the-Rhine is home to an organization called Elementz. One of the many things they do is provide classes on the art of graffiti. With the realization that graffiti is illegal, Elementz provides its students with large canvases where they can showcase their art and have them displayed in actual art galleries. “Graffiti is hard,” the graffiti artist concludes. “Everything about it seems to be against you. To stay passionate about it and become skilled show strong qualities about a person. So, when you see burners (artwork) in the streets that are so bright and colorful, it is nothing but art.”

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