The History of Graffiti Art: Origins, Pioneers, and Evolution of Techniques, Content, and Styles

Graffiti art has evolved over time into a globally recognised art form. Originally starting as a form of street art, graffiti art began in the 1970s in the American metropolises of New York City and Philadelphia. The origin is often attributed to African and Latin American immigrants who expressed their culture through graffiti art. Since then, graffiti art has evolved in many different directions and has been continually redefined by influential figures in the street art scene.

Today, graffiti is considered a living art form that creates unique artistic expressions. Graffiti art has evolved into a global movement that connects people from all over the world and has gained significant influence on popular culture and the art world at large.

Street art

Creatives of all stripes experiment with colors and different graffiti styles to create their own unique art. Graffiti art is also present in the media and is often used as a means to convey political messages. The spray can has become a symbol of freedom and creativity and a way to harness people's artistic potential.

Reflections on political and social issues are often at the forefront of street art. This ranges from sprayed tags to stencils, stickers, and knitted fibres wrapping around telephone poles, to monumental painted murals covering entire buildings. Street art is closely related to graffiti art to some extent and includes it.

Key data at a glance:

• Epoch: approx. 1960s - today
• Key regions: Originating in the metropolises of the United States, especially New York City and Philadelphia, now spread worldwide.
• Key terms : graffiti, subway art, guerrilla art, urban art, street art, public art, urban art, large -format wall paintings, mural art, wall art, spray art, tape art
• Key artists: Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat, Cornbread, Banksy , Shepard Fairey, Lady Pink, Blu, TAKI 183, Tracy 168, Dondi White, Phase 2, Futura 2000, Lee Quinones, Zephyr
• Main features : created in public spaces, with a strong political or social message

The history of graffiti art

Beginnings and early days

Since prehistoric times, when handprints and paintings of hunting scenes were placed on cave walls to highlight the prosperity and unity of small human communities, people have been using natural surfaces to draw and paint on.

The roots of graffiti date back to antiquity, with examples in ancient Egypt, Greece, and the well-preserved political and personal messages found in Pompeii. These early markings served as a means of communication and expression.

One of the oldest known graffiti was found around 500 BC on the Greek island of Astypalaia . Public markings of this period often included personal messages, political statements, and commentary on social life; they were a legitimate form of communication and not to be considered vandalism. Pompeii preserved, enveloped in volcanic dust, thousands of graffiti inscriptions that provide insights into the everyday life of the Romans, whether through political slogans or personal declarations of love.

The cultural origins of graffiti are inextricably linked to more significant social movements that demanded resistance and human expression. Egyptian workers left their marks on the pyramid construction sites, Roman soldiers carved their names into the walls of fortresses, and mediaeval pilgrims etched prayers onto church walls.

The graffiti pioneers established it as a universal human behaviour that exists across cultural and temporal boundaries. However, the modern graffiti art form began to develop in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily in Philadelphia and New York City, due to the availability of aerosol spray paint.

1920s and 1930s

What we call street art today is inherently different from the aforementioned wall writing and dates back to modern times. Its roots go back to the war between the notorious gangs in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s . At that time, name-based tags and primitive graffiti began appearing on street walls to mark gang-controlled territories.

A similar urban climate contributed to the fact that art murals made their way into the cityscapes of the Southern Californian metropolises around the same time. Well-documented origins of street art come from Philadelphia and especially from New York City, facilitated by the increasing availability of aerosol spray paint.

The sixties

In the 1960s , New York City was going through difficult times and was on the verge of bankruptcy. The vast expanses of boarded-up buildings, vacant lots, abandoned factories, and construction sites became the canvas for a group of creative children, who first began in Spanish Harlem and led to the development of an entire art form. Starting with simple signatures, the path of street art led to complex murals covering entire subway cars.

In the poorer quarter of New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s, artists such as Taki 183 and Tracy 168 spray paint used their names in public areas. Most of them were young people who wanted to mark their presence in society in this way.

From this point on, we can speak of a modern movement "tagging ." These were simply stylized signatures in which artists, known as "writers," such as TAKI 183 in New York and Cornbread (Darryl McCray)  in Philadelphia, competed to "up" (most visible) on city walls and, crucially, on subway trains. These moving canvases made it possible to see tags throughout the city, amplifying the artists' presence.

The New York City subway system became a traveling gallery, providing a showcase for tagging artists like Phase 2 and Futura 2000 , pushing creative boundaries. These pioneers developed colorful, complex artworks that transformed train cars into rolling canvases.

The New York Golden Age

Her graffiti art inspired other artists who began to spray their names and drawings on buildings in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Bronx. These artists formed the first urban art style, which became known as graffiti art.

In the mid-1970s, various distinctive styles emerged, as many pioneering street artists of the time wrote their nicknames and pseudonyms in unique ways with original designs, struggling to stand out. Few artists have captured the creative process and early dynamics of street art communities, with photographer Martha Cooper being one of the most respected names in this field.

1970s, she began the New York Street Art scene and street artist, and also contributed significantly to the development of the entire movement by spreading her book entitled Subway Art , which was published in the early 1980s. Coopers narrow paperback edition quickly became a nursing thread for train writers and graffiti artists, not only in the United States, but also in Europe.

Growing institutional resistance

This decade saw the wildstyle typefaces—composed of complex, interwoven letters with detailed graphic elements that required great skill to create and decipher. As their techniques became increasingly sophisticated, artists like Dondi , Lee Quinones , and Zephyr the potential of graffiti as a serious art medium.

 

In the 1980s, subway graffiti culture reached its peak, while at the same time institutional resistance to it began.

Authorities in the US responded with the Clean Car Program and other anti-graffiti initiatives that systematically removed artwork and made painting in subway tunnels increasingly difficult and risky.

The transition from the street to gallery spaces

This strict ostracism drove many artists to find new spaces and approaches. This led to the emergence of legally commissioned murals and gallery-based street art and enabled artists like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat to transition from subway tunnels to respected art spaces.

By lending credibility to the transformation movement, these graffiti pioneers brought their works from the streets to the world of fine art. Thus, street and graffiti art found their way into art galleries and museums .

Basquiat's works are among the most sought-after art objects of the 20th century. How did they come about, and how did graffiti become a hot art style in the 1980s? A portrait of the young artist during a short but intense life:

Since then, the art form has secured its position in the art world and has been confirmed as a cultural phenomenon, although such practices are considered illegal in many cities around the world.

Graffiti documentation through photography and film also emerged during this era; it preserved works that were often destroyed just days after they were created.

Today

Nowadays, graffiti art is a well-known phenomenon worldwide and is practiced by many artists all over the world. There are many different techniques and styles that are used to create graffiti art, and there are also many different topics and motifs that are integrated into the works of art. Graffiti art is an art form that develops quickly and is constantly changing.

TRACY 168 – A pioneer accompanies through the development of graffiti art

Different forms of graffiti art: techniques and styles

Cities are home to numerous graffiti artworks. For example, graffiti has a long tradition in Berlin and is an important part of the city. Every city has its own culture, which is reflected in the style of graffiti art mirrors From small tags on buildings to imposing murals in the streets, including both complex and simple designs, there are many different types of graffiti art.

One of the oldest forms of graffiti art is to write tags . Tags are short, simple graffiti pictures that usually contain a name or logo. Tags can usually be found on walls, trains or other public places. Tags are one of the most common forms of graffiti art that can be found in cities.

Technology	Execution	Defining elements/characteristics
Tagging	The artist's signature, usually quickly drawn with a marker or spray can. The foundation of graffiti.	Handstyle (stylized fonts)
Throw-Up	A quickly executed, simple piece, usually using speech bubble or block capitals, filled with one color and a contrasting outline.	High output, low detail
Piece (Masterpiece)	An elaborate, complex work that typically includes multiple colors, ornate lettering, and three-dimensional effects.	Wildstyle (highly extravagant, interwoven and abstract lettering), Blockbuster (large, thick block letters), Bubble Style (round, bloated letters),
Outlining and fill-ins	Use different spray can caps to control line width. Thick caps for thick outlines/fills, thin caps for details.	Depth (creating a 3D effect), drop shadows , highlights (light reflections, highlights) and fill-ins (the main color within the contour).
Stenciling	Cut a design into material (such as cardboard or acetate) and use it as a stencil to quickly apply paint.	Used by artists like Banksy and Blek le Rat to create detailed and repeatable images. Wheatpasting (sticking paper posters to walls).

Street art mosaics are beautiful combinations of small fragments that together create a unique work of art. These graffiti artworks are typically found on sidewalks or other public spaces and can be a significant addition to any urban landscape.

Spray paint is one of the most common and fastest ways to make a work public, while markers and innovations like filling fire extinguishers with paint are also widespread. However, street art isn't limited to paint and markers, as artists use absolutely all available materials and media, such as stencils, stickers, posters, textiles, LED lights, mosaics, or video projections.

Yarnbombing , the act of throwing colorful knitted or crocheted yarns or fibers into the street, is one of the new phenomena in the world of street art.

There are many different types of graffiti art found in cities. From simple tags to complex murals and street art mosaics, this art form gives cities a distinctive look and mirrors their culture and charm.

Important street art and graffiti pioneers

Finally, let's take a look at some of the most famous street artists of the past and the most influential of the present.

 

Artists	Contribution / Influence	Era / Period	Signature element / style
TAKI 183	Pioneer of tagging and the "get up" mentality in the NYC subways, which sparked the competitive movement. Provided the blueprint for modern, fame-driven tagging.	1970s	Simple, ubiquitous, fast execution.
Cornbread	Recognized as one of the very first modern graffiti artists.	late 1960s to 1970s	Simple, persistent tagging for fame.
Phase 2	A major innovator in fonts.	1970s to 1980s	He created complex letter forms and is considered a pioneer of wild style .
Dondi White	Raised the technical standard for subway art.	1970s to 1980s	Elegant, clean, colorful, complete pieces .
Jean-Michel Basquiat	Started with cryptic graffiti slogans, then moved to galleries, combining the rawness of street art with neo-expressionism and social commentary.	late 1970s	The use of bright colors, bold lines, and thick textures allowed him to convey the energy and emotion of his subjects in a powerful way.
Lady pink	One of the few prominent writers in the male-dominated early scene.	late 1970s to present	Large, vibrant murals and entire subway cars; often focusing on female empowerment.
Keith Haring	United pop art, activism and graffiti.	1980s	The artwork features bold lines, cartoonish styles, and highly kinetic figures such as Radiant Baby and a barking dog.
Banksy	World-renowned for his stencil graffiti, which combines black humor, political satire, and provocative social criticism, often using public space for maximum effect.	1990s to present	Highly detailed, politically charged stencils .

Banksy

Despite his international fame, the identity of stencil artist Banksy remains shrouded in mystery. Banksy, himself an enigma , rose to prominence in the 1990s by spray-painting trains and walls in his hometown of Bristol.

Since then, the artist has become a global phenomenon, bringing subversive and controversial messages to streets worldwide. He also performed one of the most original auction stunts in art history when his 2006 painting "Girl with Balloon" unexpectedly self-destructed after selling for more than a million dollars Sotheby's

Keith Haring

Keith Haring played a significant role in the rise of New York's street art scene in the 1980s. He created graffiti-inspired paintings and drawings that broke down the barriers between street culture and high art.

Haring found a unique way to participate in the city's creative boom by using his own visual language and symbols to comment on themes such as drug addiction, sexuality, war, and power. He first gained notoriety in the early 1980s with his cartoon-like subway drawings, temporary works he created with a piece of chalk, using empty advertising panels at subway stops as his canvas.

Jean-Michel Basquiat

As the son of a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian immigrant father, Jean-Michel Basquiat, like many of his contemporaries, began his work on the streets of New York City. At the age of 20, he began working on paper and canvas in the so-called consolidated manner, alongside studying art history.

He made friends with his idol Andy Warhol , who not only did a lot for his rise and recognition, but also worked with Basquiat. For years, Basquiat fought the sudden fame and pressure in an escalation that led to an overdose heroin at the age of 27.

After his early death, his fame skyrocketed, and today Jean-Michel Basquiat is considered one of the first and greatest representatives of visual art in the history of African American art through his paintings and graffiti.

Cornbread

CornBread, also known as Darryl McCray, is widely regarded as the world's first graffiti writer and artist. He lives and works in Philadelphia and began with graffiti in the 1960s, helping to place graffiti art in a contemporary context. He is a graffiti icon who appears both as a public speaker and as a representative of a young generation.

Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey is a contemporary American street artist who founded the well-known Obey , which emerged from the skateboard scene.

In addition to stencil work, Fairey creates murals as well as graphic illustrations and designs. He is the creator of the successful campaign logo and the "Hope" poster by former US President Barack Obama from 2008.

Lady pink

The Ecuadorian-American painter, wall painter and graffiti author Lady Pink became a cult figure in the hip-hop and graffiti scene of the 1980s and became known for the first time in the late 1970s by her subway paintings.

Throughout her career, she used graffiti as an act of strengthening women and matured as an artist, created monumental works across New York and held Wall Art Workshops for local communities.

Blu

Blu from Bologna, Italy, represents a younger generation of street artists. He is known for his ambitious projects and his politically charged wall paintings on an epic scale. His best-known project is Muto , a mix of street art and stop-motion animation.

In 2016, he systematically deleted and destroyed wall paintings from 20 years, which he had created on the streets of Bologna, as a form of protest against the oppression of the youth culture in the city.

The importance of graffiti art in society

Graffiti art is an art form that is widespread in many parts of the world. It can be used as a means to convey a message or statement. Graffiti art has a very important role in society.

It's a way to give voice to an issue that affects many people. Graffiti art can be used as a medium to convey political messages, to denounce social injustice, or to create a sense of community. But it can also be used to express creativity and uniqueness and to make a statement.

It is a way of expressing yourself without saying a word. Many graffiti artists use their art to express their opinions and feelings.

Graffiti art can also be used as a form of protest . It can be a way to draw attention to injustices present in society and is used to express rebellion against authority.

In many cases, graffiti art can also be used as a visual element to maintain the culture of a certain community. It can be a way to preserve the traditions and values ​​of a certain group.