Graffiti has been around since the beginning of time, however in the past fifty years it has elevated itself to the level of a fine graphic art form. The act of marking public space with a name, tag, or design has many purposes. Ancient graffiti found on brick walls in Egypt has lead scientists to theorize that a common written language developed earlier than suspected and that litercy rates among the lower classes were much higher than expected. Today, we see most graffiti associated with gangs and territory. However, a rise in young, urban artists and hip hop musicians trying to highlight the positive nature of public art has shed a new light on the debate of graffiti as art or vandelism.
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