Final answer:
Graffiti continues to battle for legitimacy as an art form. While artists like Banksy and Basquiat helped popularize it and use it for political expression, it conflicts with legal and societal norms and gang implications.
Step-by-step explanation:
While graffiti artists continue their efforts to legitimize their work, the fact remains that they face an ongoing struggle. Initially seen in Western cultures in the 1960s, graffiti is a form of expression that combines societal commentary with public visibility.
Artists like Banksy, with his subversive and politically charged art, and Basquiat, who began with the pseudonym SAMO, have brought significant attention to this art form, often blurring the lines between vandalism and art.
Despite its association with activism and resistance, graffiti faces legal and societal challenges. Some deem it visual pollution, while others see it as an essential medium to convey community and political messages.
Furthermore, graffiti holds historical value, likened by some to ancient cave paintings that provide insights into literacy and language development over time.
Some graffiti, however, can also denote gang territory, further complicating its role in urban landscapes.
The commercial success of graffiti, as evidenced by the thriving small galleries of the Lower East Side in the 80s and 90s, along with notable sales such as a self-destructing Banksy piece, highlight the paradox of graffiti's commodification versus its roots in rhetorical and political statements.