Graffiti is no longer considered to be vandalism and destruction
of public property, with fashion labels and major corporations
using it in their advertising campaigns. There are three terms
commonly used to describe this kind of art – street art,
graffiti and vandalism.
Street art is an umbrella term for most public art (legal and
illegal), and includes commissioned murals, graffiti and public art
displays.
Graffiti is merely illicit public art, generally spray-painted
murals, writings or drawings, which does not have the prior
permission of the property owner, whereas vandalism is any wilful
destruction of property, which is how many people perceive
graffiti.
Overall, these art forms have now become a marketable commodity,
although their legal status as art has not been established. Can
graffiti be protected by copyright? And what about the commercial
use of the artists' work?
