Graffiti reads like an essay with an internal narrative. It is part history of graffiti, part speculation on its forms, and the one main character halfway through the story represents the societal cross-sections with a person who participates in this subversive art. The story is broken up into six sections with sub-titles that identify topics or ideas. The font is meant to suggest a more creative take on writing on the page. Initially, we are introduced to different sorts of graffiti, on subways and fence posts, and each of these types is represented as an example of a type of social forum. Some types are given more weight than others.
In the section “Someone with something to say” we finally meet some character, and realize that the narrator is telling a story (as opposed to being more of a third-person omniscient presence). The character involved does not receive a name, but his history as a tagger is explored, including run-ins with the police. The narrator even meets and interacts with this person. The story ends on a declarative note, claiming that “you” cannot ignore “us” the taggers.
Interpreting this as an essay ignores the narrative structure of the piece, but at the same time the narrative is only meant to be an anecdote to bolster the main argument. This story might benefit as a work of fiction by blending these two elements, and relying yes on statements of opinion. By allowing the reader to draw conclusions through examples, more room will be freed up for descriptive imagery. For everything that is visual in graffiti culture, the story relies heavily on the abstract. Remember that what’s at the heart of this topic are vivid works of art that bend conventions, both legal and artistic. Work within that frame of reference. Spend more time with the art, and less time trying to explain public perception of the art. This could open up more channels for experimentation within the piece.
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