Experts: Modern graffiti opens a dialogue between residents and the environment

Graffiti has transformed from teenage hooliganism and protest into a bright and quite legal element of the urban environment.

Portal UrbanLook asked real estate market experts to tell about their attitude to this type of street art.

Graffiti used to be considered a kind of protest art. Do you think that has changed now?

Yulia Zubarik, founder of the architectural bureau Master's plan

Indeed, graffiti used to be considered something shameful, forbidden, a kind of protest art. Nowadays, graffiti is a new and fashionable kind of urban street art, often not inferior to the paintings of great artists.

Yury Lakeyev, Commercial Director of RDI

Yes, it has changed. But we would like to make a clear division between graffiti, which occurs spontaneously and without coordination, and graffiti legal, when a developer selects artists, creates a certain style and image of the area, coordinates drawings with city authorities and gets permission to place them. We will talk about graffiti as a modern style of street art, which is created by urbanists to create a comfortable environment in cities. Buildings painted in this technique become art objects and, as a consequence, points of attraction for residents - the picture becomes a kind of calling card of the district or city, it is actively photographed, distributed on the network, thanks to good graffiti, the city ceases to be faceless and becomes recognizable.

Maria Litinetskaya, managing partner of Metrium, a member of the CBRE partner network

Graffiti art originated in the U.S. almost a hundred years ago and originally was really one of the ways for young people to express themselves. However, over time, street art "infected" all areas of public life, becoming today one of the new art trends. Today, the works of artists can be found not only on the streets, but also in famous museums, for example, the Brooklyn Museum or the Museum of Modern Art in Chicago. Even in Russia, where for many years the authorities fought against street art, positive changes have been noted. Moreover, urban planners are even initiating the appearance of new objects on the streets of Moscow. For example, in 2014, the "Living History" project was launched, where portraits of state, scientific and cultural figures and war heroes appeared on the facades of Moscow buildings. For example, on Volkhonka Street there is a portrait of Field Marshal General Mikhail Kutuzov. And, as the authorities point out, the cost of one graffiti is about 300 thousand rubles. In my opinion, the support of the government is the best proof that graffiti has become an art recognized by society.

Do you think it's acceptable to use graffiti in residential projects?

Tatiana Podkydysheva, Director of Sales, NDV-Supermarket Real Estate

Admissible - because in this case, developers "take" from graffiti exactly the pictorial side. By engaging artists to create art concepts and drawings on facades, fences and landscaping elements, the developer creates a more interesting design and makes his project unique. Graffiti will bring the urban environment to life, make up for the lack of visual impressions, and convey important information to the public through aesthetic tools.

Maria Litinetskaya, managing partner of Metrium, a member of the CBRE partner network

The presence of graffiti in the design of residential projects, in my opinion, is inappropriate. The problem is the harsh weather conditions in our country, because of which the life of a street art object does not exceed 3-5 years. Therefore, in a relatively short period the artwork will fall into disrepair and will rather irritate the residents with its decrepitude. The development of modern technology allows developers to decorate the facades of residential complexes in more durable ways. For example, if desired, any pattern can be put on the fiber-cement panels, making a picture out of several elements. It's much more practical and durable.

Ekaterina Kogan, Head of Marketing, KASKAD Family

If the project is original, with its own special feature, graffiti can become this highlight, the more it is remembered and associated with this or that object. For us as a developer, it is important to produce a kind of WOW-effect during the creation of the complex. According to neuropsychology, this "wow-effect" enhances the first contact and subsequently affects the subconscious. The memory of the product evokes positive emotions - this, in turn, allows it to stand out among competitors and influences the implementation of the choice. Only when implementing such a "wow idea", it is important to remember that in addition to beautiful design, it should be harmonious and consonant with the project itself, reflect its essence, to emphasize individuality or to draw attention to details, features.

What sites do you think are best for graffiti?

Maria Kotova, director of residential real estate department, GORN Development

This is practically 90% of the buildings in Moscow. Without approval, of course, it is illegal and fraught. There are, of course, legal sites allocated by the city, where artists come and express themselves. The problem is that the number of free artists exceeds the total number of allowed sites. For example, there used to be a wall at VDNKh where layers of paint were several centimeters thick.

Roman Sychov, CEO of Tekta Group (developer of Mayakovsky Residential Complex)

I think street art is most appropriate in the design of adjacent areas. For example, children's or sports grounds, open-air recreation areas, co-working spaces, in general any public space can be supplemented with street art. But for me the common areas of a house seem a less suitable place for such works. The thing is that graffiti is a non-typical drawing, which incidentally has to appear in places nobody expects to see. If we draw street art in the elevator lobby of one of the sections of one of the buildings, then the residents of the entire complex will have a question: "Why is it there and not here? If we reproduce the work, it will automatically lose its effect and meaning.

Andrei Khokhlushin, head of the department for work with civic initiatives of the residential complex " Dream"

We consider technical buildings to be the best sites for graffiti. For example, transformer substations, warehouses, bunker sites - such elements of arrangement, which, unfortunately and in principle, cannot be excluded from life, but they usually have a boring, gray, unexpressive appearance. Graffiti is something that allows to enliven inexpressive objects and make them bright. These objects become a local landmark. If you take entrances, this is where residents are constantly passing through. Entrances are traditionally quite boring in Russia. And residents do not consider this place to be something interesting. It's a place that people run through. And we think it's the closest point where people can see some element of art.

How do you think graffiti affects the urban environment? Does it make it more comfortable or vice versa?

Ilya Meytys, head of the ARCHCON architectural bureau

Art makes our lives brighter and our cities and neighborhoods better. The main criterion here is appropriateness and the talent of the artist. It is a good and inexpensive method of environmental design. And, very importantly, unlike many other tools, it is easily interchangeable, can be current and fresh all the time. I'm all for graffiti!

Evgeniya Akimova, General Director of IKON Development (developer of Residential Complex "New Zelenograd")

Graffiti has become an integral part of modern cities. They enliven the streets, opening a dialogue between residents and the environment. Today, entire works of street art artists appear on the facades of once unremarkable houses. This transforms the city, makes it interesting and emotional, not gray and impersonal. But not all graffiti is visually pleasing. There is still marginal art, and aggressive, provocative, and screaming objects are created that make the environment uncomfortable and create a sense of insecurity.

Roman Sychov, CEO of Tekta Group (developer of Mayakovsky Residential Complex)

One should distinguish between art and vandalism, although, of course, today this distinction is becoming more and more arbitrary: the reactionary artists seek to break it, while numerous ill-mannered teenagers with paint come to meet them. Such "art" is hardly suitable for mass use. It is rather repulsive because most people prefer constructive rather than destructive ideas. If we are talking about real positive art, then of course it has a positive effect on the urban environment. If we think about Banksy's work, it almost always fits into the urban space, even though it's loaded with protest. Many of them are now protected by the state and have become landmarks. Such art only ennobles the urban environment.

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