Graffiti vs. Street Art: A debate I don’t understand

Sometimes when I’m making these Wild Style Wednesday posts, I have a difficult time deciding whether I can include a piece because I can’t distinguish if it is “graffiti” or really just “street art”. For some reason, that matters. I ask myself questions like “Does the work have arrows?” “Is there reference to a 3-letter-name graffiti crew?” “Was this done with a legitimate risk of arrest?”

Instead of WSW this week, I’ve decided to compile some photos that didn’t make it into a previous WSW post, and assign them to more fitting ‘subcategories’ of graffiti/street art.

A mural of graffiti.
By MataOne in Renaix. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Ghetto product placement
Satyr, Goser, 4Gets and Mr. Ef in East Bay. Photo by FunkandJazz.
Pop-contemporary egoism
Adek and MQ in San Francisco. Photo by FunkandJazz
Slap-stick vandalism 
By Lush in Australia. Photo by Merciful Fate.
Caricature of a “graffiti artist” painted illegally.
By Graphis in Brazil.
Noncommissioned neo-cubist mural
BemsGF in France. Photo by GhettoFarceur.
Graffiti disguised as street art.
Ed Mun in Brazil.
Art school vandalism
Snek, Graphis and Terone. Photo by Graphis.
Childstyle graffiti.
Alissa in Brazil. Photo by Graphis.
Unwarranted expressionism
Bims and Rems. Photo by GhettoFarceur.

Let’s play a game.

VIEWERS DECIDE FIVE: Street art? Graffiti? Subcategory?

1.

Cranio in Brazil.

2.

L’Arabe-Stré in France. Photo by GhettoFarceur.

3.

Feustay, Sway and Kalouf in Niort. Photo by Startape Photographe.

4.

Mr. Wany and Coze. Photo by Heavy Artillery.

5.

A tag by Amour in Paris. Photo by Morac19.

 Photos by CranioEd MunFunkandJazzGhettoFarceurGraphis1Heavy Artillery, Merciful FateNardstar and Startape Photographe

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Dely and Spazm in Toulouse. Photo by Startape Photographe.

It’s that time of the week.

Shane and Dashe in Paris. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Kloz. Photo by GhettoFarceur.
Dos1
Rota, Opium, Pencil, Aryz, Sague and Zeus40 in Mainz, Germany. Photo by Startape Photographe.
“No Fun At All” by Pref in London. Photo by John19701970.
Amson and Sabcat in Hong Kong. Photo by FuckSabcat – HongKong.
Serak, Hack and Ajay in Montreal. Photo by Photofil.

Photos by DosLCF, FuckSabcat – HongKong, GhettoFarceurJohn19701970Photofil and Startape Photographe

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Graphis in São Paulo.

Art for money’s sake. Graffiti for ego’s sake.

Lepos and Pro in Toronto
Tiger in Sydney. Photo by Baddogwhiskas.
Rikarer in France. Photo by GhettoFarceur.
Maska, Fend and Seps in San Francisco. Photo by FunkandJazz
Resh in Paris. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Leiga, Nick and Nem in Sao Paolo. Photo by ‘N’.
Meyer and Osmoz in Nantes. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Nihao in Shanghai. Photo by Dezio One.

Photo by BaddogwhiskasDezio OneFunkandJazzGhettoFarceur, Graphis, Gris OneLepos‘N’ and Startape Photographe

Wild Style Wednesday!

Nikson and Foret in Montreal. Photo by Photofil.

I must have subconsciously went for cool colors. It’s a paint-under-a-bridge kind of day.

“Zeus” by Mr. Wany  and “Wany” by Zeus in Toulouse. Photo by Heavy Artillery.
Resh and MCT by Neoar in Paris. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Spyro, MonkE and Astro in Montreal. (Part 1) Photo by Photofil.
Otek and Astro in Montreal. (Part 2) Photo by Photofil.
MataOne and Aien7 in Hamont, Belgium. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Myt and Red. Photo by Startape Photographe.
“Bridge the Gap” by Vibes in Waterloo. Photo by John19701970.
Blomtrog in Sydney. Photo by Baddogwhiskas.

Photos by BaddogwhiskasFunkandJazzHeavy ArtilleryJohn19701970Photofil and Startape Photographe

Wild Style Wednesday!

Stare in Montreal. Photo by Photofil.

Shake well.

Dek, Ras, Graphis, Snek and Leon in Sao Paulo. Photo by Graphis.
Kav in Bogota. Photo by Zomb7.
Sheuda in Paris. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Chaos and Nekst in Detroit. Photo by ExcuseMySarcasm.
MiesOne, Mynok and UrokOne in Potsdam. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Snek and Shock. Photo by P. Matheus Lacerda.
Olson in France. Photo by Olson – ONOFF.
HVA Crew in France. Photo by Saner HVA KGB.
Tizer and Solo One in Stockwell. Photo by John19701970.
Steel in Detroit. Photo by ExcuseMySarcasm.

Photos by ExcuseMySarcasmGraphis, John19701970Olson-ONOFFPhotofilSaner HVA KGBStartape Photographe and Zomb7.

Wild Style Wednesday!

Can2, Akut, Case, Tasso and Atom. Photo by Startape Photographe.

Out-America the neighbors.

Stinkfish, Zas, Saks and Yurika. Photo by MDC Grupograffiti.
Hare in Brazil. Photo by Ed_Mun.
Swampy and Swornes in East Bay. Photo by FunkandJazz.
Outline for a piece by Bio. Photo by Tatscruinc.
“Blast” by Zeh Palito in Zambia
Desr in San Francisco. Photo by FunkandJazz.
Soker and Mr. Jago in Bristol. Photo by Sok’em One.
Preys in Montreal.
Nuse in England. Photo by HowAboutNo!

Photos by BadDogWhiskas, FunkandJazz, HowAboutNo!MDC GrupograffitiPreysStartape PhotographeTatscruinc, and Zéh Palito

Wild Style Wednesday!

Yong and Guga. Photo by P. Matheus Lacerda.

You only YOLO once.

2Mest. Photo by FromAroundtheWizzle.
Amuse in Sydney. Photo by Baddogwhiskas.
Days in Sydney. Photo by Baddogwhiskas.
Musty by TheSaltr
Den, Peko, Next and Nick Alive in Sao Paulo. Photo by ‘N’.
Myt. Photo by Startape Photographe.
Teaz in Sydney. Photo by Baddogwhiskas.
Erber in Paris. Photo by VitoStreet.

Photos by BadDogWhiskasFromAroundtheWizzle, ‘N’, P. Matheus LacerdaStartape Photographe and VitoStreet.

Wild Style Wednesday!

Amour. Photo by Morac19.

Half the can I used to be. And a day late, but that’s RJ’s fault.

Piece and photo by Sokem
Tag by Sniper. Photo by Herbalizer.
Shane. Photo by Morac19.
Ponk and 3Dom. Photo by Heavy Artillery
Size in London. Photo by HowAboutNo!
Jeroo. Photo by From Around The Wizzle.
NDSM. Photo by Wojofoto.
Getup by HowAboutNo!
WORDsmiths by Takt. Photo by Spam Crew.
Dscreet. Photo by HowAboutNo!

Photos by From Around The WizzleHeavy ArtilleryHerbalizerHowAboutNo!Morac19Sokem, Spam Crew, and Wojofoto