Based Graffiti

The history of graffiti spans thousands of years, with the earliest forms appearing in prehistoric cave paintings, such as those found in Lascaux, France, which date back approximately 30,000 years and often depicted hunting scenes or were used in ceremonial contexts. Ancient civilizations, including the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, also left inscriptions and drawings on walls, with examples found in Pompeii, Ephesus, and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, where names, declarations of love, political slogans, and warnings were carved or painted. The term "graffiti" itself is derived from the Italian word graffio, meaning "scratch," and from the Latin scariphare, referring to the act of incising with a stylus. Modern graffiti as a distinct cultural movement began in the late 1960s, primarily in Philadelphia and New York City. Darryl McCray, known as "Cornbread," is widely regarded as a pioneer of modern graffiti after he began tagging his name across Philadelphia in 1965 to gain the attention of a girl named Cynthia Custuss, marking one of the first instances of ego-driven name writing. This practice quickly spread to New York City, where Julio 204 and later TAKI 183 gained notoriety for tagging their names across all five boroughs, with TAKI 183 becoming a media sensation after a 1971 New York Times article titled "Taki 183 Spawns Pen Pals". The term "graffiti" was popularized by The New York Times and novelist Norman Mailer, while early practitioners referred to their work as "writing". By the 1970s, graffiti had evolved into a vibrant urban art form, particularly in New York City, where it became deeply intertwined with hip-hop culture and street subcultures. Writers, often part of gangs or crews, used spray paint to create elaborate "tags," "throw-ups," and large-scale "pieces" on subway trains, which were often completely covered, making it difficult to see through windows. The movement gained momentum through the efforts of artists like Super Kool 223, who painted the first "masterpiece" on a subway train, and the formation of the first graffiti crew, WC188, in 1971. The artistic potential of graffiti began to be recognized, with the first graffiti exhibition held at City College in 1972 and the United Graffiti Artists collective exhibiting at the Razor Gallery in SoHo in 1973, attracting art critics and marking graffiti’s entry into the high art world. Despite this growing recognition, graffiti faced strong opposition. In 1972, New York City passed an "Anti-Graffiti Bill" making it illegal to carry aerosol cans into public facilities, and in 1989, the "Clean Train Movement" began, aiming to remove all graffiti from subway cars, forcing many artists to shift their work to rooftops, walls, and canvases. The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism continues, with figures like New York City Councilman Peter Vallone arguing that graffiti with permission can be art, but unauthorized work is criminal. Over time, graffiti has gained international acclaim, with artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Blek le Rat, and Banksy achieving global fame, and exhibitions held at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum and the STRAAT Museum. Today, graffiti remains a dynamic and evolving form of urban expression, blending political commentary, personal identity, and artistic innovation.