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Graffiti Battle Goes Hi-Tech
Painting graffiti on the sides of buildings, buses and other public places may be artwork to some. But it's also illegal. Now graffiti crime fighters are going hi-tech to keep buildings scribble free. Twenty US cities are using digital images, GPS systems, and databases to track the tags and pictures that appear in public places. A tag is a unique mark left by the painter - sort of like his signature.
A company called Graffiti Tracker logs and analyzes graffiti to help figure out who is doing the illegal deeds. Sometimes the marks are gang symbols that mark territory. Other graffiti can be colorful murals that some people think are works of art.
Police say that whether graffiti is art or not, it's not OK to paint on someone's building without their permission. Some graffiti artists, also called taggers, paint repeating symbols all over town. They are fined thousands of dollars to pay for the cleanup if they're caught.
Some cities have found ways to work with taggers. In Venice, California, graffiti artists can apply for a permit to paint on walls along the beach. The Venice Public Art Walls are covered with pictures, portraits, and letters. They've even become a tourist attraction.
I'm Isaac and that's what happened in arts and tech this week!
What do you think? Is graffiti art or not? Let me know in this week's Call Out!
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