Graffiti Malaysia

Graffiti is a form of visual communication with writing or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, painted or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface and generally in a public place. Graffiti can be simple words, statements or graphics but sometimes can take the form of intricate and elaborate murals or wall paintings. We think of graffiti as a modern phenomenon but it has existed for a long time and we can see examples of this in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.



Today spray paint is the most commonly used graffiti material and has become an increasing problem particularly in urban areas. Graffiti started in modern popularity in the New York City subway system in the 1970‘s but has spread rapidly worldwide and is commonly seen in all major cities. 



“Graffiti” (singular “graffito”) derives from the Italian word graffiato (“scratched”). “Graffiti” is applied in art history to works of art produced by scratching a design into a surface. A related term is “sgraffito”, which involves scratching through one layer of pigment to reveal another beneath it. This technique was primarily used by potters who would glaze their wares and then scratch a design into it. In ancient times graffiti were carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes chalk or coal were used. The word originates from Greek γράφειν — graphein — meaning “to write.”



The common image of graffiti is a stylistic symbol or phrase spray-painted on a wall by a member of a street gang but some graffiti is not gang-related. Graffiti can be seen as antisocial behaviour, performed in order to gain attention or as a form of thrill seeking, but it also can be seen as a form of expressive art.



Controversies that surround graffiti continue to create disagreement amongst city officials, law enforcement, and writers who wish to display and appreciate work in public locations. Most jurisdictions have laws prohibiting graffiti as vandalism, and in some countries punishment is quite severe.



This book highlights some graffiti in various areas in Malaysia and primarily in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya (PJ) and Shah Alam. As always graffiti is continually changing as new ones appear and the older ones disappear so this is somewhat of a transient look at this interesting and ever changing art form. In some cases I specifically went out to photograph a particular piece of graffiti and it had already gone; painted over or sprayed over with new graffiti and in some cases the building or wall where the art was painted had been demolished.



The book showcases the large variety of colourful and artistic Malaysian graffiti and is organised into specific locations with maps and some background information