It seems that graffiti has been around since time immemorial - I stumbled across this Latin quote today, "Stultorum calami carbones moenia chartae ", which literally translated means "Chalk is the pen of fools, walls (is their) paper" - and unfortunately this is still applicable thousands of years on!Graffiti and graffito are from the Italian word graffiato (meaning "scratched"). "Graffiti" is applied in art history to works of art produced by scratching a design into a surface. This technique was primarily used by potters who would glaze their wares and then scratch a design into it. In ancient times, graffiti was carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes chalk (as the quote above indicates) or coal were also used.
I searched for a bit of history on graffiti and found this on Wikipaedia, "Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples going back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire and may range from simple scratch marks to elaborate wall paintings. In modern times, spray paint and markers have become the most commonly used materials".
According to anti-vandalism group "Graffiti Hurts", graffiti costs Australian taxpayers A$500 million each year - if you think that's a high cost - spare a thought for American tax payers who shell out a whopping $8 billion per year.
Defacing public or private property with graffiti lowers neighborhood appeal, lowers property values, drives away prospective home-buyers and can lead to other criminal activities.
With this in mind, please report graffiti in our neighbourhood to the Graffiti Hotline on 55817998 or e-mail the location of the scrawls to graffiti@goldcoast.qld.gov.au.
