A Brief History of Graffiti

Dr Richard Clay goes in search of what it is that has made us scribble and scratch mementoes of our lives for more than 30,000 years. From the prehistoric cave paintings of Burgundy in France, through gladiatorial fan worship in Roman Lyons to the messages left on the walls of Germany's Reichstag in 1945 by triumphant Soviet troops, time and again we have wanted to leave a permanent record of our existence for our descendants. And it may be that this is where what today we call art comes from - the humble scratch, graffiti.

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Canvascity

Canvascity

2016

Bomb It

Bomb It

2007

Area 08 Vol. 2: The Journey Continues

Area 08 Vol. 2: The Journey Continues

2003

Faces Places

Faces Places

2017

Art as a Weapon

2014

Blind - What If?

Blind - What If?

2005

Keith Haring: The Message

Keith Haring: The Message

2013

Carnalismo

Carnalismo

2024

Beautiful Losers

Beautiful Losers

2008

Basquiat, Une Vie

Basquiat, Une Vie

2010

Style Wars

Style Wars

1984

Banksy Does New York

Banksy Does New York

2014

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2010

VANDAL GRAFFITI, INVISIBLE APPROACHES

VANDAL GRAFFITI, INVISIBLE APPROACHES

2023

Basquiat: Rage to Riches

Basquiat: Rage to Riches

2017

David Choe: High Risk

David Choe: High Risk

2015

Who Killed Michael Stewart?

Who Killed Michael Stewart?

1986

Berlin Kidz: Fuck The System

Berlin Kidz: Fuck The System

2017

Spray Paint Beijing

Spray Paint Beijing

2012

Banksy and the Stolen Girl

Banksy and the Stolen Girl

2023