Mara Purnhagen was kind enough to offer a signed copy of her debut book - Tagged. I really loved it so I'm happy to be able to help spread the word and give someone else a chance to read it!
You can read my review for Tagged here.
Tagged is about 4ft life like graffiti gorillas showing up on the walls in school and then around town.......a debate ensues as to whether the graffiti is art or vandalism. I changed my own opinion several times during the book so the question for this contest is: Do you think graffiti is a form of art and expression or vandalism? (or maybe a little of both).
Here's the defintion for graffiti from wikipedia:
Graffiti (singular: graffito; the plural is used as a mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire[1]. In modern times, spray paint, normal paint and markers have become the most commonly used materials. In most countries, defacing property with graffiti without the property owner's consent is considered vandalism, which is punishable by law. Sometimes graffiti is employed 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. Graffiti has since evolved into a pop culture existence often related to underground hip hop music and b-boying creating a lifestyle that remains hidden from the general public.[2] Graffiti is used as a gang signal to mark territory or to serve as an indicator or "tag" for gang-related activity. The controversies that surround graffiti continue to create disagreement amongst city officials/ law enforcement and graffitists looking to display their work in public locations. There are many different types and styles of graffiti and it is a rapidly developing artform whose value is highly contested, being reviled by many authorities while also subject to protection, sometimes within the same jurisdiction.
We had a graffiti problem in FL near the college campus, so they decided to let the artists do their work under the bridges as long as they stuck with a native Floridian theme. It changes all the time and it's fun to to see each artist's interpretation. I googled graffiti for this post and I had no idea that there were so many styles and what a large community it was!
OK - so here are the rules!
•You must be 16 years or older to enter
•Open to everyone - international OK
•All entries must be received by Sunday 4/4//2010 11:59 pm EST
•Tell me: Do you think graffiti is art or vanadlism in the comment section
•Winner will be posted on this blog Monday 4/5/2010 - it is your responsibility to check back to see if you won.
•The winner has 7 days to email me with their address or I will pick another winner.
*Extra entries:
+ 2 if your a follower of my blog
+ 2 if you follow me on Twitter (@teamsheltie)
+2 if you post a link on your blog or tweet about contest (include links for me to check)
I just wanted to add that Mara is part of the Class of 2K10 - a group of mid-grade and YA authors releasing books this year. My goal is to read and review all of them & I've really enjoyed all the books so far - so check them out to see who's next! CLASS OF 2K10
And check back this week for a guest post form Mara!
Good Luck!
Karen
+2 i am a follower
ReplyDeleteI think graffiti can be both vandalism and art. Art if it is well, artful, not just gang sign or names scribbled across a wall, but a definitive image such as animals or scenery or images of people (non-offenseive material)
Vandalism if it is said names/signs of gangs or random kids.. I <3 Jeremy is NOT art! nor is offensive, racist, or generally malicious sayings/images.
I've been wanting to check this out. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDelete+2 Following blog
+2 Following on Twitter (@Lena1xoxo)
+2 Tweeted : http://twitter.com/Lena1xoxo/status/11259244254
I think graffiti can be both vandalism and art. When it's just a gang name posted on the side of a building or bridge, that's vandalism. When it's a mural of some sort, it's art. It has to mean more than just "I'm writing my name just to write it." You can tell when there's meaning behind a painting or a photograph. Graffiti is the same way.
-Lena
longhorn08fan(at)gmail(dot)com
It is vandalism, but if done well can be also be art. I've seen some trains go by that I'd love to find the painter and have them paint
ReplyDeletesomething on our barn & garage. Others just need to be covered up so they can try again.
I think that as long as the grafitti is not from a specific gang or crude/racist/sexist than it is definitely a form of art. I wish I could grafitti:)
ReplyDelete+2: Follower of blog!
+2: Follower on Twitter! @Danidlion
I think graffiti can be either depending on where it is done. If it is somewhere that it is permitted it can be really cool. If not I think it can make an area look trashy.
ReplyDelete+2 I follow your blog
+2 I follow you on twitter @bangersis
+2 I tweeted http://twitter.com/bangersis/status/11280551177
email bangersis(at)msn(dot)com
I think graffiti can be both art and vandalism , it just depends on the message being transmitted by the graffiti as well as the location of the graffiti.
ReplyDelete+2 follower of your blog
+2 follow you on twitter(@TasciaD)
+2 tweet about contest- http://twitter.com/TasciaD/status/11287195217
Graffiti can be an art. So many murals have demonstrated that. It can also be vandalism. Like when there's a tag with nothing else on someone's private property.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti can be both... it depends on the context (where, when and by who)
ReplyDelete+2 i'm a follower
+2 follower on twitter (@alannah7)
Alannah
It really depends. Some are done by gangs or kids wanting to tag a place but there are graffiti thats done and its art. Like when a community comes together to create a mural for beautifying the community.
ReplyDelete+2 Follower
+2 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/Jullysay/statuses/11407735660
jen4777[at]hotmail.com
I'd say Graffiti is art, although it really does depend on whether the person is in fact trying to get a message across, or simply wanting to deface property or whatever, in which case it would be vandalism. This is most certainly something that you can't decide out of context, rather on a case-by-case basis.
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower of your blog and your twitter, and I've tweeted: http://twitter.com/izibellz/status/11484382677
6 entries (",) ... bella-on-toast@hotmail.com
I read your review and this book really sounds lovely!
I think it's both. If it's on someone's property and you don't have permission to paint on it, it's vandalism. Also, if it's offensive, it's vandalism.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if it's done somewhere with permission and is a mural type of painting, I think it's definitely art. I've seen a lot of amazing artwork. It boggles my mind how they can be so precise.
I follow. +2
Thanks!
librarygrinch at gmail dot com
I think it depends on where it's done and what they painted. I remember that one year a student from my high school died and his friends did this huge beautiful graffiti in a wall nearby the school to remember him by. After all this time, it's still there.
ReplyDelete+2 Blog follower
+2 Twitter follower (@Sparima)
+2 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/11615159204
spav05(at)gmail(dot)com