MY JOURNEYS IN DENMARK: GRAFFITI

                                                                   

Many people world over subscribe to the assertion that: “rules are made to be broken” and such is the story of Danish youths who have a strong craving for practising what one would term creative art work. Bright colours and font are creatively mixed with together to produce very attractive pictures, but these pictures are a practice of illegal art called graffiti. Graffiti is a common practice world over but it is usually in the high density areas. It is an informal medium of expressing welfare dissatisfaction form the government and at times as a means of making a statement about desire to be respected and to express ones pride by inscribing a signature (or tagging in the Danish context)

 

What is striking is the beauty of the artwork and one can hardly pass by without taking a glimpse on the street walls, bridges, shops, cars, trees, and numerous buildings. Ironically this form of visual art work is illegal and lucrative at the same time and to a certain extent explains the desire by the Danes to have light laws that allow them to express their feelings in diverse means as the county is ranked first as far as laws are concerned. A notable difference is that graffiti in Zimbabwe and Africa at large is like a street lingo mainly practised by radical youths from the ghetto but here in Denmark it’s even witnessed in the Central Business District. Graffiti is like a culture that expresses creativity.

Having come from Zimbabwe I certainly wonder why besides the hefty salaries and good welfare system the local people have chosen to communicate through graffiti. This some how reflects that the welfare system has created a people that are surrounded by so many laws and  probably feel better when  expressing  their political views  informally through graffiti. A lot of tags are visible on the walls and they carry a symbol, of a strong desire for recognition by various social groups, there fore it is paramount to note that the illegal paintings are not only just a creative genius concept but are a means of communication .it is true that the painted walls have added more beauty to the beautiful city of Copenhagen but more needs to be done in understanding the calibre of people who are practising it and their reasons for doing so.
Unlike in Zimbabwe were you can see single colours mainly black and white, the graffiti here has more usage of colourful painting and is less harsh in nature. Back home graffiti tends to depict hatred, dissatisfaction mainly on political leadership and a desire for economic emancipation. Hence it carries less beauty as compared to Denmark but carries a message for emancipation and a desire to participate in national policy formulation.In many ways the practice of graffiti tends to reflect on the grievances of people towards their leadership and so are many froms of art,be it poetry,dance and music.Art has become the most effective form of societal change as many revolutions have been inspired by artists.There is power in every piece of artwork!!