What is your personal view on ‘street art’?

Some people feel that graffiti or ‘street art’ is a valid form of artistic expression. They believe that ‘street art’ merits the same respect as traditional forms of art such as sculpture, canvas painting, or drawing. On the other hand, others feel that graffiti or ‘street art’ is a form of vandalism and defaces a community. They feel that those who paint graffiti should be arrested and forced to pay for the damage.

It depends on the scenario. If it is simply somebody's name or something stupid painted crudely on a wall or meant to indicate gang territory, then no it is not good. There are some, however, that are a form of artistic expression, where the proper permits have been acquired and the artist(s) put a lot of time into creating a beautiful, meaningful masterpiece. I like seeing that art on the street; good graffiti can really brighten up a bad neighborhood :)

If you paint property you own, that's great. If you paint another person's property without their permission, that's an entirely different thing. It isn't a question of aesthetics, it's that we all have to live on this planet together and a prime tenet to a civil life is to respect others and their property.