A Brief History of Graffiti

To many, graffiti may seem like a modern form of petty vandalism. A Brief History of Graffiti, however, goes on to explain why that descriptor is wrong on all accounts. Art historian Dr Richard Clay explores the scribbles humans have carved, drawn or painted into their surroundings all over the world and all across the span of time, from French cave paintings to Russian messages found in the Reichstag building in Berlin in 1945 to modern street art.

Through this exploration of history, Dr Clay makes the case that cave paintings are an early form of graffiti, that graffiti is a form of expression for people who have no other ways to express themselves, and that there is an important difference between vandalism and street art.