According to one paper in the collection, “Graffiti is a type of folklore. [It is] the product of folk. They afford an insight into folk attitude…Some of the keenest, most satirical and wittiest writing being done today is not necessarily in books, magazines or newspapers but on fences and walls.” Graffiti is a good example of folklore because it is usually anonymous, creative and explanative of an individual’s view. Because of the anonymity and secrecy, it is a shared action which bonds graffiti artists together. Much of the graffiti available in the SWOFC depicts taboo or derogatory topics and most of those samples were collected as restroom wall writing.
Contemporary graffiti or street art, expands beyond just bathroom stalls. The folklore and bond of graffiti artists today lies more so in the act of performing graffiti. Writing of ones name or tag outdoors or in public places where the writer could get caught and reprimanded is part of what garners a graffitist credibility and community with others in the group.
