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

Beautiful Losers

Beautiful Losers

2008

Art as a Weapon

2014

Basquiat, Une Vie

Basquiat, Une Vie

2010

B movie

B movie

2009

Faces Places

Faces Places

2017

Area 08 Vol. 2: The Journey Continues

Area 08 Vol. 2: The Journey Continues

2003

Jisoe

Jisoe

2005

Bomb It

Bomb It

2007

Blind - What If?

Blind - What If?

2005

Carnalismo

Carnalismo

2024

Keith Haring: The Message

Keith Haring: The Message

2013

Working Class

Working Class

2011

Style Wars

Style Wars

1984

Burning Man: Voyage in Utopia

Burning Man: Voyage in Utopia

2007

Spray Paint Beijing

Spray Paint Beijing

2012

Banksy Does New York

Banksy Does New York

2014

The Pitch

The Pitch

2017

Banksy and the Stolen Girl

Banksy and the Stolen Girl

2023

Rappin' With The Rickster

Rappin' With The Rickster

2010