Graffiti has gone through a lot of changes since the days of Pompeii, through its use in the 1960s as a vector of political and cultural protest, and since its emergence as an urban art form during the 1980s. Originally a totally illicit mode of expression not recognized as having any artistic value by the establishment cognoscenti, graffiti has undergone a process of legitimization.
Still, a dialogue continues about how it can be an engine of protest while gaining enough acceptance to hang on gallery walls.
Mestizo, dedicated to providing a space and voice for a diverse spectrum of cultures in our city, is the perfect place to see this play out locally. The local artists in this show provide a wide variety of takes on the form and teach us how to read the writing on the wall.
136 Krew Graffiti Art Exhibit: Silenced No More @ Mestizo Institute of Culture and Arts, 631 W. North Temple, 801-596-0500, through July 19. Accessart.org
