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Writing on the wall for a cause

Graffiti is an art form that has enraptured the imagination of the creative and the scorn of authorities.

An art form that began on city walls and subways as a form of social protest is often seen as an act of vandalism and malice. Loud colours and keywords that, according to students in the UAE: “Expresses the emotions of an artist without the viewer having to put much thought into it.”

While the Dubai Municipality launched an anti-graffiti drive in several schools and public spaces, one school in Dubai decided to lend its walls to students to create images that portray social issues.

Thirteen teams from seven schools partook in Delhi Private School Dubai’s inter-school Graffiti Competition, Graffitithon. Students painted their messages on social reform on the walls of the school in a unique and paperless way to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5.

Organised for the second time, the competition witnessed an innovative blend of the written word and visual art.

The participants were asked to select inspirational books on social reform and represent the messages in the book through graffiti.

The Millennium School, Dubai, won the overall championship. Each school was given a space of about 7X8 feet to express the message of their chosen book and the winning students’ chosen book was The Help by American author Kathryn Stockett, which details lives of racial discrimination and related issues.

“I think racial discrimination is still relevant in today’s society. Graffiti art is a brilliant way to spread the message. It’s easier for the viewer to understand the message, especially because (we used) keywords which makes it easier for the viewer to understand,” said 16-year-old student Aditya Bharadwaj.

The winning students were Anais Cherian (16), Yash Kapoor (15), Sanjana Chand (16), Sheffrin Ummer (15), and Bharadwaj. “Graffiti art is very attractive. The use of so many colours makes it look really appealing to any appreciator of art,” said Anais.

The students picked up books across genres such as the Booker prize winner The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga to I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

Delhi Private School Dubai principal Rashmi Nandkolyar said: “Children sometimes write and paint on walls as a form of protest. The school encourages children to instead depict beautiful pictorial messages through graffiti.”

The second place was taken out by Delhi Private School, Dubai.