Paintings, drawings, writings, - they are all considered beautiful and all regarded as art. But, when they are placed upon buildings, walls and benches, we are extremely quick to agree with the government that it is unacceptable and should be washed off.

It makes sense that if you do not have the property owner’s consent, it is offensive, but compared to major real world issues, is it fair to label graffiti a true crime?

Many of you may have heard of Graffiti artist ‘Banksy’ – an anonymous individual known for displaying political and social messages within their work. Their anonymity is why they have not been prosecuted, however, thousands of people are influenced by Banksy’s work and are grateful for the messages that it gets across to society. Does this mean that all graffiti artists need to be anonymous in order for their work to be appreciated and not scorned?

If a piece of graffiti was seen in a high-end neighbourhood or on a famous monument, it is likely to cause a large offence amongst society due to the stupidity and ignorance. People would want the artist caught and punished for this ‘heinous’ crime. However, in the London Borough of Camden, numerous individuals are grateful for the amount of graffiti because it makes the place highly unique and different. Alongside the Amy Winehouse statue and its general vintage look, Camden has become a favourite amongst tourists because of the striking and quirky art that it has to offer.

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Many of the pictures below were taken in Camden.These are just a few, among many other pieces of graffiti that are photographed and appreciated by tourists and Londoners. Whether the artists behind them had permission or not, is it fair for graffiti to be named a crime? With so many other major issues occurring such as terror attacks, is it suitable for both of these to be labelled under crime when they are incredibly different in seriousness? Or, does the severity of the crime not matter?

CASE magazine is eager to find out your thoughts about whether graffiti is an art that is influential and commendable or an act that is offensive and perfectly justified to be labelled a crime.