Understanding Graffiti Writers

If you've had personal experience with graffiti...you may be puzzled about what is going on. Why are people doing this? What are they getting out of this? How can they be stopped? What can you do?

These are complex questions. But the start of any learning process is to be able to understand divergent perspectives...in the hope of encouraging dialogue.

So we'd like to present a couple brief promo videos for a recently released documentary on graffiti called Bomb It, that sheds light on the perspective of Graffiti Writers. Please be aware that these videos contain harsh and frank language.

BOMB IT - Trailer One


BOMB IT - Trailer Two


In the spirit of understanding and dialogue, it is always important to be able to appreciate the reality of those that have differing view points, perspectives, and experience. This is essential to entering into a meaningful and informed dialogue so that we can all build and foster community...in its many forms...and to be able to understand that which is foreign and strange, though we may not agree or like it.

HoP Festival - Sunday June 15th, 2008

Over the last few years the local Ottawa hip hop community has been organizing and celebrating its culture with the HoP Festival, which include demonstrations of breakdancing, DJing, MCing, and graffiti.

The HoP Festival is named after the "House of Paint", a legal graffiti wall under the Dunbar Bridge between Brewer Park and the Carleton University Dunbar Bridge (where Bronson Ave crosses the Rideau River) where graffiti writers are allowed and have the time to put up complex pieces. The House of Paint is also the location for the HoP Festival.

This year the HoP Festival will take place on Sunday June 15th, from 1 to 9pm.

1:30-2:00 - Hip Hop History
2:00-2:30 - Bboy Basics
2:30-3:00 - Graf Writing
3:00-3:30 - Rhyme Spitting (Rapping/MCing)
3:30-4:00 - DJ/Mixing Basics Schedule is subject to change

Over 30 local graffiti writers have registered for this event, including:

• Adept


• Alveno


• Anode


• Aspyre


• Barfo


• Cabin


• Cayr


• Cens


• Cer


• Daser


• Dem


• Egor


• Elicsr


• Fone


• Gero


• Globe


• Homesick


• Jerk


• Liza


• Mai


• Media


• Mopes


• Motel


• Nemo


• Net


• Notime


• Peru


• Pes


• Prank


• Sberk


• Sectr


• Sewer


• Size


• Vivid


• Wire


• Worth

Some of the graffiti writers scheduled to participate at the HoP Festival have transitioned from vandalizing property to focusing their creativity and energy into art and legal walls/commissions. Others are still active in the more illegal graffiti culture and regularily deface businesses and private/city property.

If you are interested in learning more about hip hop culture, or the graffiti writers in your neighbourhood, the HoP Festival is a great opportunity for local community members to interact with the graffiti community... and even to talk to graffiti writers that are active in your neighbourhood and for whom you have had to clean up after.