Graffiti an inspiration for many BUT A NUISANCE IN SL
The term graffiti derives from the Italian word “graffiato” which refers to inscriptions. Certain countries in the west have their own tradition of graffiti. In South America, especially in Brazil, this is considered as the current centre of inspiration for many graffiti artistes around the world. Nowadays the culture of graffiti is spread in the Southeast Asian Countries. For instance countries like Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur it has become a street art.
But however in Sri Lanka it is not considered an art rather as an offence. Persons who are caught for painting graffiti will be charged under the offence of nuisance.
According to sources at the Colombo Municipal Council spends a considerable amount of money every year to paint walls in Colombo due to graffiti painted by youngsters. Graffiti is common especially during the big match period.
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner, Badrani Jayawardena said: “The council has to spend a lot of money in repainting the walls in Colombo. We have limited funds and it is not at all enough to repaint. But it is impossible to leave walls like that as it affects the beauty of the city”.
“It is not practical for the council to white wash the walls whenever there is graffiti. There is a procedure we follow when it comes to posters. Graffiti affects the cleanliness and the entire atmosphere of the city. However who is charged for painting graffiti will be charged under the offence of nuisance” he said.
K. Shanmuganandan, Principal of Vipulananda Tamil Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo commenting on the graffiti culture said that a lot of youngsters write on the walls unlike before. “Even grownups are engaged in this. We find it difficult to have the walls clean due to the fact that we granted a limited amount of money for painting and other renovation projects from the Provincial Council. This is not at all adequate. So we have to leave the graffiti as we cannot afford to repaint,” he said.
“The famous schools around Colombo can afford to paint their walls as they have enough funds. But for schools like ours we have to manage with the money we get from the council,” the Principal said.
Commenting on graffiti in Colombo and suburbs Prof. Lal Balasuriya, former Dean of Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa and the Head of the City School of Architecture stated that graffiti maybe an art, yet we cannot accept vandalism. These youngsters paint on other people’s walls which mean they are damaging someone’s property. Every city has its own identity depending on the buildings and its own structure. There is a character which has to be maintained in the city.
When Daily Mirror spoke to some of the shop owners around Colombo whose walls were affected by graffiti, they said that they are unable to paint walls every time there is graffiti. Although the walls are built in a way which is impossible to write graffiti too has not been able to stop this niusance permanently.
Pic by Nisal Baduge