Full House Graffiti

Full House Graffiti

Historically speaking, the movement was born out of and has always been about class war. Graffiti provided an outlet for the young, angry and poor to express their lamentations with society and make their presence known in their communities without costing them a dime. The movement grew in leaps and bounds, and pretty soon cities all over the world were suddenly awash with words and bright colors-like everyone on the planet was picking up a can and getting up. Marx himself would easily categorize the "graffiti vandal" as a member of the lumpenproletariat, a derivative of the working class drawn to or forced into criminal activity as means to either a.) survive within the current class structure by their own terms or b.) to provoke the state towards social reform. Depending on what Marxist you're talking to, the lumpenproletariat can be counter-revolutionary or pro.

Full House Graffiti

Graffiti is the art form of the proletariat. The bourgeoisie can't sell off the walls of their factories so whatever the workers write on them is finally there's to keep. It's an art that cannot be exploited by those who own the means of production, because graffiti exploits them first. The proletariat artist is using the property of the bourgeoisie as a canvas-essentially redistributing the use of property to the people. In that sense graffiti writing becomes the last truly free artistic vehicle; it cannot be taxed and doesn't have to be taught. Anyone can participate, regardless of class, race, religious preference or sexual orientation. Graffiti doesn't even require consumption of any materials if the artist doesn't wish to purchase them. According to old school ethics, paint should be stolen from supply stores as an act of liberation from bourgeoisie's financial death-traps-but really, all you need is a rock and a hard surface to scratch on to make your mark.