By Nimra Haroon
Graffiti. This disruptive, colorful, and self-boasting style of popular art has permeated walls for centuries, including in Houston. Modern graffiti has been around since the 1960s when gangs or “crews” created social order with preservation of writing and began spray painting names and messages on walls, as expressions of protest, violence, or leisure. Undoubtedly graffiti has become a more mainstream and accepted artistic style through its appearance on clothing, advertisements, music covers, computer font styles, public art murals, and more. Much of Houston’s graffiti scene corresponds with the rise of the hip hop scene, as rappers like Bun B, Slim Thug, and others have spotlighted local graffiti artists and represented their artwork in music videos and album covers.
Houston has a shorter, less documented graffiti history than cities like Philadelphia and New York City that pioneered the movement. Nevertheless, Houston maintains a unique collection of events that have paved the way of graffiti’s success. In 1979 Edie Scott and Scott Prescott formed a group known as the Urban Animals that was notorious for its graffiti art, bar-hopping, crosstown skating, parking garage surfing, and roller hockey. Art Car Parade photographer George Hixson remembered the first time he saw them, when, from around a corner, they suddenly appeared on roller skates, a “wild and fascinating collection of artists and other art-inclined people.” The group reached its high point in the late 1980s with several hundred members. The group consisted of lawyers, electricians, dancers, bartenders, filmmakers, artists, and a Harris County deputy. Although famous for its rebellious behavior, the Urban Animals group was unique for its charitable efforts in the community.
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- Daniel Anguilu paints the front steps to the Art League Houston in March 2014. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Daniel Anguilu paints the front steps to the Art League Houston in March 2014. Photo courtesy of author.
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- This art piece is part of Kelyne Reis’ series, titled “Digital Embrace”. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Kelyne Reis shows how she alters images digitally, and then paints those abstract visuals on canvasses. This series is titled “Digital Embrace”. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Kelyne Reis showcases the variety of art she has painted. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Kelyne Reis often paints juxtaposed art pieces, with the images and words corresponding on alternate canvasses. The piece on the left shows a young person with the word “old”, while the piece on the right shows an old person with the word “young”. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Standing on West Alabama and looking at traffic on Highway 59 headed northbound, this graffiti is seen. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of GONZO247.
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- Graffiti has long been associated with spraying train cars. GONZO247 is seen here painting a car in Houston, Texas, in 1991. Photo courtesy of GONZO247.
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- A piece is seen on an abandoned car wash along West Alabama Street in the Third Ward. Photo courtesy of author.
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- Photo courtesy of author.
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- Aerosol Warfare houses its spray paints. Photo courtesy of author.
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- The collection of boom boxes and stereos is a reminder of hip hop’s four elements: rap music, break-dancing, turn-tabling, and graffiti. Photo courtesy of author.
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- “Space,” a mural by NME, OMEN, MONK and GONZO247 was painted in Houston, Texas in 1996. Photo courtesy of Aerosol Warfare.
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- “EVIL UPC,” a mural by GONZO247 and MERGE360, was done in Houston, Texas in 1993. Photo courtesy of Aerosol Warfare,
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- After collecting his spray can tips since 1990, GONZO247’s “My Life Around My Neck” (© 1990) necklace series is representative of his aerosol journey. He has created these necklaces as his personal diary, which documents the various tips he has used. Each necklace is handmade and unique, with no tip being the same as another. Photo courtesy of author.
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- After collecting his spray can tips since 1990, GONZO247’s “My Life Around My Neck” (© 1990) necklace series is representative of his aerosol journey. He has created these necklaces as his personal diary, which documents the various tips he has used. Each necklace is handmade and unique, with no tip being the same as another. Photo courtesy of author.
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