Graffiti art starting to get proper recognition in Cape Town suburb

People may have happened to see wonderfully crafted graffiti on the walls along the street. Not everyone is okay with it, though, especially for those who had their walls covered with graffiti without them knowing. It seems impossible for the public to appreciate the beauty of graffiti or street art when the general perception towards it is negative. Still, there are places where graffiti is getting renowned.

While graffiti art is often unfairly linked to rowdy behavior, residents of Cape Town, South Africa think otherwise. In fact, graffiti on the walls is now being properly recognized as a form of art. SABC News reports that graffiti artists do not have to work in stealth on their art. They can proudly make their art with permission from the rightful authority, as their audience watches them in amusement.

Among the fast-rising graphic artists in the Cape Town suburb of Woodstock is Wayne Beukes, also known as Conform. Interestingly, Conform has been hired by owners of different establishments in Woodstock to grace their walls with marvelous graffiti art.

As quoted by SABC, Conform is glad that the stigma attached to graffiti is slowly fading. Now, graffiti artists are being invited in the open, exhibiting their love for the arts. More importantly, artists like him do not have to hide anymore to create their artwork.

"People definitely need to understand that gangsterism and graffiti are two different things. Some graffiti artists stick to just vandalizing properties, other graffiti artists study art and study design and do websites so it all depends on the individual," Conform said.

Cape Town is starting to embrace graffiti and welcome the form to the mainstream art, as South Africa is about to hold its first International Public Art Festival or IPAF this February. The NGO behind this project, Baz Art, aims to transform graffiti or street art into something more positive and beneficial to people's lives.

Aside from the open street art exhibitions in selected communities, Baz Art will launch different projects to teach street art to anyone interested. These programs will introduce children to the world of street art, teaching them how to improve their communities with well-crafted and properly maintained graffiti.

TagsGraffiti, Graffiti Art, Graffiti Art news, Graffiti Art Cape Town, Baz Art, Woodstock, Woodstock art, South Africa, Street Art