Graffiti on the wall and electrical post as seen here in along Pacific Avenue, Chinatown district, San Francisco, California on 04 July 2014.
"In most countries including my homeland of the Republic of Singapore, the marking or painting of property without the property owner's permission is considered defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime".
Student Learning Objective 3
Utilize the basic concepts used in the geographic study of human patterns including: diffusion, cultural landscapes, cultural ecology, and cultural regions to formulate geographic research questions and propose solutions to complex real world cultural geography problems.
Student Performance Outcomes
Student Performance Outcomes
- Formulate geographic research questions and hypotheses about cultural geography patterns and processes.
- Evaluate and apply solutions to cultural geography problems including religious and ethnic conflict, discrimination, food and agriculture problems, urbanization challenges and resource depletion.
Artifacts
Taken from Quizlet and Exam 2.
https://quizlet.com/125348242/graffiti-flash-cards/
Reflection
- Define your course Learning Outcome 3 (SLO 3). HINT: You may have to look this up in your course syllabus. The course learning outcome is to utilize the basic concepts used in the geographic study of human patterns including: diffusion, cultural landscapes, cultural ecology, and cultural regions to formulate geographic research questions and propose solutions to complex real world cultural geography problems. I choose to feature graffiti.
- Why did you choose your artifact (exam question/assignment/project) and why is your artifact the best evidence you have of SLO 3? I chose to feature this topic as graffiti is a real world cultural geography problem in urbanized communities in Los Angeles and San Francisco today. Most of us living in America have seen graffiti on public property such as on walls, trains, bridges, and electrical posts. The study of human geography tells us that we can analyze trends on gang related activity and crime rates of certain cities or regions. When one sees the frequent markings such as the letter K, the number 187, and 3 dots are seen, we would want to avoid these areas because it signifies gang activity. Moreover, remaining in these areas can also cause us to be victims or witnesses of crime.
- What specific skills and knowledge from SLO 3 did you utilize by creating or completing your artifact? Through this assignment, I learnt the knowledge that 187 is the California penal code for murder, black book is a graffiti artist's notebook, K is the letter that is often scribbled besides someone's name which indicates "killing" them, territorial gang graffiti displays a specific gang and list of monikers, and threatening gang graffiti refers to the communication of a threatening message to either an individual or an entity, graffiti is a stylized signature that is normally done in one color, crossed Out means that the opposing gang is the enemy, #13 refers to a Southern California Chicano gang, the Surrenos and that the works are usually done in the color blue, sympathetic gang graffiti Identifies and memorializes a fallen gang member or members, publicity gang graffiti pomotes a specific gang without communicating monikers, threats, territory, or sympathy. Having said this, these terms on graffiti and gang graffiti are unique to Los Angeles as they are not being used elsewhere. Had I not attended this cultural geography class, I would never have known that these colorful vocabulary terms exist!
- My knowledge on this topic has grown with time as I work to understand why people draw on property without permission. Thankfully, only one percent of graffiti is gang related, and that graffiti is viewed as a form of artistic expression, and has connotations to the study of cultural geography in the form of legals today all over the world. A legal is a graffiti piece or production that is made with the explicit permission of the local authorities and property owners. Therefore, these artists normally have to have gained prior experience prior to the production of works.
- Every country has its laws. Certain behaviors such is acceptable here in America may be forbidden in other societies. Therefore, it is important to note that graffiti other than legals from artists are strictly outlawed in the Republic of Singapore, and any acts of vandalism on public or private property are punished with caning and jail time. Nobody who offends is spared or offered clemency. Even the former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, could not help his fellow citizen, Michael Fay, then aged 18, of Dayton, Ohio, escape punishment for spraying graffiti with spray paint on 18 cars in the city state in 1994. Michael Fay's case created shockwaves, and was reported worldwide, including in the Los Angeles Times on April 1,1994 as seen here at: http://articles.latimes.com/1994-04-01/news/mn-41031_1_michael-fay (Links to an external site.). His punishment for his offenses has been an effective deterrent to tell everyone not to mess around with the country's tough laws ever since.
- I remember this vividly, even though I was only 6 at that time. Thus, I brought this up as we are talking about graffiti in this reflection and that people who deface property here in America would most probably not be traced down and arrested, much less being canned.
Here is a gallery of my photos of legals taken in the cities of Taipei, Taiwan, Pasadena, California, USA, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, and Alhambra, California, USA.
