Victoria Atkinson

1. On July 3, 1976, a patriotic mural was meticulously applied to train cars in hopes of the art pieces being seen during fourth of July celebrations the next day. However, the writers' plan ended in failure when the train car did not run through the subway. The city was encouraged to use the public transportation system that day, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority refused to allow passengers to board a train they considered to have been vandalized. Do you think this act of covering up the flaws of the city is justifiable, or can it be seen unpatriotic? What would you do if placed in the circumstance

2. Since the idea of graffiti emerged in American culture, it has been a topic of high debate. "Writing" as the artists themselves like to call it is a way of expressing themselves and letting the public know who they are, even if it is just a simple name followed by a series of numbers. However, "bombing" the walls of public spaces with more elaborate masterpieces takes graffiti to another level. SUPER KOOL 223 stated, "We've made the biggest art movement ever to hit New York City." Is this writer correct in their assumption? The biggest question is if graffiti should be considered art. There are so many realms in the world of art that it seems close-minded to, without thought, write it off as destructive. Is it fair to deny these children and teens the right to an expression of their own creative abilities? What do you think constitutes something as art?

3. Rather than attempting to understand the reason behind the compulsion to write on subway car walls, the government found it more necessary to wage in "war" against the issue at hand. Because the art of graffiti was seen as an illegal new movement, the public sphere focused on the punishment of the perpetrators as well as undoing the pieces that had already been done. Is it economically efficient to pour millions of dollars into an idea that erases a young person's work that has time and emotions invested in it, or could the money be invested in a more important cause? If you were head of the city's government, in what ways would you attempt to end this outbreak of geometric lettering filled with vibrant colors? Do you think "writing" should be illegal or does it give a city character?