Abstract

ABSTRACT
Creating Urban Art in a School Setting
Identity Development and Community Practice Through Graffiti
Melissa Proietti

Graffiti, recognized as both a subculture as well as a prevalent part of current youth and popular culture, has developed through its evolution as an art form in its ability to reach those who create it in a positive manner. The research conducted in this study details a case study of the creation of a mural which was stylistically linked to graffiti and referred to as an urban art project by students at an elementary school, aged 10-12 (grades five and six). The project was led by a well-known graffiti artist who has developed a curriculum in which graffiti is used as a tool to open up a dialogue within the group of students regarding issues of identity, responsibility and awareness. In offering these students a unique experience using a modern and relevant tool (graffiti) it is shown that upon completion the students felt a sense of pride and accomplishment through the process of creation. Also they felt the final product represented them and their school as they grew in their understandings of graffiti and urban art as a method of communication and positive expression.
Historically, graffiti has been shown to give writers a voice and identity within a shared space as well as empowering them with a sense of belonging, purpose and pride. By introducing these aspects of this subculture into an academic context in the form of a graffiti mural the students were given the opportunity to develop as individuals at school as well as developing a sense of respect and ownership over that which they created.