Cleveland Graffiti
by Mr. Noneofyourbusiness

Cleveland Graffiti Master...
Hi! My name is Mr. Noneofyourbusiness. I was asked to provide some information on the art of graffiti from its technical standpoint and give a little insight for those who want to know a tad more AND to debunk some of the common miscues often given off by some bad apples.

This is just an attempt to set things straight. Other Cleveland graffiti artists (writers) out there feel free to correct or add information accordingly with the moderator of this site. I want to have this short as possible as it’s completely off the top and is my take on the subject.

Cleveland graffiti is a continuing evolutionary / revolutionary visual art form. Associated closely with hip hop, it is one of the 4 elements of the culture. Often stereotyped, graffiti is one of those things that its beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It can be constrained to a small canvas to appearing all over the side of Mt. Everest. It’s a widespread art form that has its roots in communication, politics, and just plain ol’ “damn, did you see that?”.

With that being said, we’ll explain some of the terms used by artists and show how things can be misconstrued and others defined further.

Let’s start by defining a few clichés often mashed in with graffiti. These definitions are taken from the American Heritage Dictionary via internet. They are not complete but several definitions are seen and will be highlighted for contrasting purposes.

GANG

• 1. A group of criminals or hoodlums who band together for mutual protection and profit.


• 2. A group of adolescents who band together, especially a group of delinquents.
• 3. Informal A group of people who associate regularly on a social basis: The whole gang from the office went to a clambake.


• 4. A group of laborers organized together on one job or under one foreperson: a railroad gang.


• 5. A matched or coordinated set, as of tools: a gang of chisels.

VANDALISM

• Willful or malicious destruction of public or private property.

Many people assume that if they see graffiti. It’s a bad thing. Granted someone did scrawl something that may or may not be to appealing. However it’s unfair to blanket the activity as totally negative.

A message to Sherwin Williams:

• 1) Graffiti HEALS


• 2) on changing the nozzle on Krylon..cute... SO WHAT. that’s where innovation comes into play


• 3) On the class action lead case. you guys SHOULD pay up even though you won. Companies have a social responsibility to uphold.

In Cleveland, there are loads of walls that can be graced with the art by the people and for the people. The main problem is with all the red tape you have to cut in order to get a legal wall up.

We have to try harder to present ourselves as artists and professionals to get the job done. This art form helps some of us eat. Its a living. We have to get the people that aren’t aware, aware that graff is more than a tag, throwies, and mediocre pieces. But at the same time accept it for what it is and that everyone rockin’ isn’t necessarily trying to fuck up the city “just because”.

Contact galleries to feature Graffiti art by GRAFFITI artists like The Graffiti Museum

Support your local artists

Support REAL underground HIP HOP

Leave the Cleveland Graffiti Page
and Learn The Laws