From Prison to Museum: Technology-based Graffiti Since the 1970s

Author
Stefan Poser

Journal
ICON, Volume 30, Issue 1 (2025), pp. 9–37

DOI
https://doi.org/10.11590/icon.2025.1.01

Abstract
Spraying graffiti began as a way of making political statements; it soon became a risky game, building reputation and offering sport and thrills. Graffiti created by spraying date back to the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Over the last thirty years, spray-painted graffiti have become increasingly visible in urban landscapes, while the writing has developed into a global activity.

As a technology-based activity, spraying should be examined in terms of the use and trimming of technology, and in terms of playful approaches to technology. While spraying has been seen as a criminal activity by many members of the public for decades, the perception is now at a turning point: new perspectives on the artistic qualities of these pieces have emerged, museums have been founded, commercialisation has gained influence, and spraying is beginning to be normalised as a leisure activity.

Although unexpected, the practices of repair and maintenance have contributed to this development. The article, therefore, analyses their role and discusses how spraying has developed into a contribution to culture.

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