Graffiti: Art or Vandalism

Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples going back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Graffiti can be anything from simple scratch marks on wall to elaborate wall paintings. In modern times, spray paint and markers have become the most commonly used materials. In most countries, defacing property with graffiti without the owner's permission is considered vandalism, which is against the law. Sometimes graffiti is used to communicate social and political messages. To some, it is an art form worthy of display in galleries and exhibitions, to others it is merely vandalism. There are many different types and styles of graffiti and it is a rapidly evolving art form. People I have discussed the issue of graffiti with are very divided on the topic and this is why I wish to discuss the various aspects of graffiti art and graffiti artists.
Some of the most common styles of graffiti have their own names. A tag is the most basic writing of an artist's name in either spray paint or marker. A graffiti writer's tag is his or her tailored signature. Tagging is often the example given when opponents of graffiti refer to vandalism, as they use it to label all acts of graffiti writing it is by far the most common form of graffiti. Tags can contain subtle and sometimes cryptic messages, and might incorporate the artist's initials or other letters. As well as the graffiti name, some artists include the year that they completed that tag next to the name. Another form is   known as a fill-in, which is normally painted very quickly with two or three colours, sacrificing the quality of the ‘tag’ for speed. A ‘piece’ is a more elaborate representation of the artist's name, incorporating more stylised block or bubble letters, using three or more colours. This of course is done at the expense of timeliness and increases the likelihood of the artist getting caught.