As I was leaving a grocery store, I noticed a group of men and a female graffiti on a side of a store. I was going to keep walking but, for one, I wanted to know how the picture was going to turn out. In addition, I wanted to know were they being paid to do this. When they got done with the painting, I really liked how colorful it was however, I did not understand what the meaning of it was, or even what the picture was.
I walked up to this girl named Kate who told me she has been doing graffiti for 10 years and asked her, “Where they getting paid for this?” She simply said, “No, were not.” That confused me because if you not being paid to do it why waste your time using harmful can of paint with an unpleasant smell! She said, “Some do it for fun and because this is what they love to do. Others do it to express themselves and show their skills. And others like herself simply graffiti to get rid of pain that has happened in their childhood years by expressing it through their art.” That was not only interesting to me but also weird to me at the same time.
Discussion Questions
1. What are productive things you do to express yourself, or get rid of something?
2. Would you still do something if someone asked you to do something that you love to do even if you are not getting a reward for it?
3. Do you feel graffiti is a good way to express yourself and get a point across or is it just ignorance?
