Done wrong, graffiti is a crime. But done right, and in a designated area, graffiti is an art.
The Graffiti Gallery hosted a battle of the elements graffiti competition today.
Winnipeg’s talented graffiti artists competed for a cash prize.
The youth art centre offers its space to kids and teens to spray paint and tag openly.
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The graffiti battle Sunday focused on the outside of the building and giving it a fresh coat of paint.
Pat Lazo is one of the organizers of the event and says it’s a way for them to express themselves creatively.
“There’s a lot of other things they could be doing,” he said. “And painting on a sunny day on a building with permission is pretty cool thing for them to be a part of. They can see that their work is appreciated at this venue.”
Almost anywhere else, graffiti is a neighbourhood scourge and crime that police are cracking down on. A 19-year-old man arrested in St. Vital last week faces 140 counts of mischief; in a similar case last month another 19 year old is facing more than 80 counts for graffiti in the St. Boniface area.
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