Graffiti Emerges as an Art Form

Graffiti art has ancient roots but the modern form began in the '60s in the Northeastern United States. By the early '70s in New York, young people were writing their names and street numbers across the city. Particularly famous is the TAKI 183 tag. While not the first to appear (TAKI began around 1969), it was one of the first to gain widespread attention due to a 1971 New York Times article. Graffiti art plays an important role in the story of digital generative art. First, they share much of the same genealogy. Both have roots in the origins of digital art such as the increased focus on audience participation in the '50s and '60s. Kinetic artists in the '50s such as Yaacov Agam, Pol Bury and Jesús Rafael Soto began creating 3D, geometric and interactive sculptures. The ’60s saw New Tendencies, happenings and conceptualism push to bring art out of the realm of museums. They sought to bring art on to the streets and further involve the audience. Graffiti is a direct result of this growing impulse. Graffiti also continued these traditions. As a form of urban-scale environmental art, it espouses art’s social accessibility and increased interactivity. It was thus a step toward the digital art we know today. Finally, graffiti art has strong ties to web3 art culture. The similarities include: -a strong community ethos -pseudonymous artists -digital avatars -the artist as community leader -challenging the social order