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When most people see the word, “graffiti,” they think property defacement. It's been a common practice to scorn and write off street art as gang-related, delinquent behavior. Thing is, that's all changing.
Growing interest and awareness has transformed society's outlook and has created opportunities for new and experienced artists. Underground art events and galleries have fostered graffiti art and have turned into harbors where people can appreciate it.
Orlando Brewing held a Graffiti Bus Jam last Saturday, where six artists (Staz, Noskilz, Decoy, This, Cynic, and Sone) were to tag the living daylights out of a red school bus on the property. Beer, food and art were simultaneously enjoyed as live hip-hop act “Dope Sandwich,” performed for the crowd.
When Gene Lohri, co-owner of Orlando Brewing, was asked why he hosted the event, he smiled and shrugged as if the answer was as clear as day.
“We did this for local culture,” said Lohri, co-owner of Orlando Brewing. “We support local artists. We also have local bands come in and play their original music because this sort of thing is important to us.”
A couple of the artists at the event are from the northeast, but most are regional artists from Fort Lauderdale and Melbourne. A few commented on the difference in reactions to their art between those who live in the city and those who live in the suburbs, stating it’s still hard to convince the suburbanites that graffiti is indeed an art form.
Still, some are hopeful.
“They're comin' around,” says Noel “Noskilz” Villarubia. “More people are interested in what we have here. When people hear graffiti, they think violence and vandalism, but by doing these events, we're trying to change that.”
“Bombing,” the term for tagging or covering a wall with graffiti, is considered illegal. The heavy recurrence of this may pose a problem for artists who are trying to turn graffiti art into positive self- expression.
“I don't participate in bombing,” says Brian Demchak (tag name, Decoy), “but I know a whole lot of other cats that have gotten in trouble for that. They do it for brownie points and getting their names out, but the police have got a special division for graffiti bombers. I don't know how big the division is, but its there, and they're cracking down.”
If graffiti were given a place in society, it's possible that bombing would decrease, and it wouldn't pose such a problem. Still, there are people who still don't want to see it.
“I live in Melbourne and moved down from Virginia. Compared to here, it's a lot easier up north to get permission to start a mural on a wall because they'd rather see 'art' than a whole bunch of random tags,” says Ron “This” Rivera.
Graffiti isn't as simple as it seems. When asked what they focused on during painting, nearly all of the artists said one word: Cleanliness.
It is a challenge and a means of earning the respect of their peers to paint lettering as neatly as possible on any given surface. The lines must be straight and crisp while maintaining an animated appearance. This is a challenge because their medium is so unpredictable. The artists rely on the nozzle and the air pressure inside the spray paint can to get a smooth dispersal of color, but perfect execution is difficult and requires a great deal of practice — and a steady hand. When you see an artist who can execute “cleanly,” it means you've met someone who has put in a great deal of dedication to their work.
Now more than ever, the phrase, “urban artist,” is being used to describe those who choose graffiti as a method of expression, and it's a signal that acceptance and appreciation is growing. Looks like “the underground,” is steadily rising into the daylight. It's good news.
Where can you see more sensational urban art in Orlando? Try the Drunken Monkey. The place is practically baptized in graffiti.
You'll see work from some of the artists featured in this article (Staz and Noel “Noskilz” Villarubia). Also, Graffiti Junktion in Thornton Park is another good place to visit. The food is affordable (I had a huge hot dog and a hefty serving of fries for $4), not to mention delicious, and the bar is huge. They have kickin' graffiti parties too. Check it out:
Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar
444 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando
407-893-4994
Graffiti Junktion
900 E. Washington St., Orlando
407-426-9502
