This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Chmielewska, E. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Framing [Con]text

Graffiti and Place

University of Edinburgh

Suggesting that the form of signature graffiti presents a number of vital insights into the complex relationship between place and practices of writing, this paper centers on the visual space of two cities, Montréal and Warsaw. By recovering some neglected and pointing to little-known theoretical references, the essay proposes a framework for studying graffiti, a method of examining urban surface manifestations that supports a close reading of inscriptions in situ. This close reading engages with the iconographic, spatio-temporal and linguistic dimensions of wall writing in its specific locale—within the urban context as well as the discursive and graphic space of writing on graffiti. By foregrounding the place of graffiti in these varied contexts, the essay also aims to reconcile the often separate treatments afforded to images and text, representational and discursive forms.

Key Words: writing and place • signature graffiti • Warsaw • Montréal

Space and Culture, Vol. 10, No. 2, 145-169 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1206331206298545


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?