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Graffiti Art Makes Its Mark 涂鸦艺术大行其道

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Walk around almost any city and you’ll probably see graffiti decorating, or defacing walls, bus stops, and subway stations. Though it’s often considered a modern urban problem, graffiti has existed for thousands of years. Ancient Romans carved it on their walls and monuments. Later, the Vikings scratched it on buildings in countries they invaded. But there’s one important difference between these ancient cultures and our own: they never turned this outlaw form of expression into a worldwide art phenomenon.

走在几乎任何一个城市，你可能会看到涂鸦装饰着—或者说是涂污更贴切一些—墙壁、巴士站及地铁车站。虽然涂鸦被视为一个现代都市问题，但它已存在好几千年了。古罗马人将涂鸦刻在他们的墙上及纪念碑上，后来，维京人将涂鸦潦草地划在他们入侵国家的建筑物上。但是这些古文化与我们现代文化之间有一项重大的差异:他们从未将此种非法的表现方式转化为全球性的艺术现象。

After World War II, graffiti began to appear more and more in the expanding urban areas of the West. This was partly due to the rise of streets gangs, who used graffiti to mark their territory. In the 1960s, however, skillful street artists began taking things to a new level. Using bold colors, pop images, and calligraphic writing styles, they created genuine works of art.

二次世界大战后，涂鸦在西方世界扩展的都会地区中便开始愈来愈多见了，这现象部份是由于街头帮派的崛起，这些帮派用涂鸦来标示势力范围。然而在1960年代，技巧纯熟的街头艺术家却开始将涂鸦带向新的层次。他们用大胆的色彩、流行的影像及漂亮的艺术字体，创造出真正的艺术品。

The public took notice of this new style, and in the early 1980s, individual graffiti artists started to become famous. Keith Haring, for example, went from using the New York subway as his canvas to display his works in upscale art galleries. When he died in 1990, public perception toward graffiti had done a one-eighty. What had been a rebel act became an avant-garde art form.

社会大众注意到这种新的风格，而在1980年代初期，个人涂鸦艺术家已开始闯出名号了。例如，凯斯哈林从把纽约地铁当作他的画布，进展到高级美术馆展示他的作品。当他在1990年去世时，社会大众对涂鸦的观感已有了180度的转变。曾经是一种叛逆行为的涂鸦却变成了前卫的艺术形式。

Vocabulary

单词发音

urban [ˋɝbən] adj. 城市的

monument [ˋmɑnjəmənt] n. 纪念碑，纪念塔

invade [ɪnˋved] v. 侵入，侵略

phenomenon [fəˋnɑmə͵nɑn] n. 现象

genuine [ˋdʒɛnjʊɪn] adj. 真正的

perception [pɚˋsɛpʃən] n. 看法; 感知

rebel [ˋrɛb!] n. 造反者；反抗者；反叛者

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单词发音

graffiti [grə`fitɪ] n. 乱涂乱抹﹐涂鸦

deface [dɪˋfes] v. 毁坏……的外貌

scratch [skrætʃ] v. 潦草地涂写；乱划

outlaw [ˋaʊt͵lɔ] n. 歹徒，罪犯

calligraphic [͵kælɪˋgræfɪk] adj. 书法的

take notice of  注意到.... to notice the presence or existence of someone or something

canvas [ˋkænvəs] n. 油画布

do a one-eighty 一百八十度的转变; 彻底改观 to radically reverse a decision or opinion

avant-garde [ɑvɑŋˋgɑrd] adj. 前卫的

课文讲解

Graffiti art, once despised by many people, is now popular worldwide. You can see its influences in mainstream art, fashion, advertising, and even architecture! In addition, many now recognize graffiti as a constructive way to publicly display opinions about society and politics. In Taiwan, Taipei City has established parks where graffiti artists are allowed to do a “throwup,” “tag,” or “burner.” Other cities have commissioned graffiti artists to create works for display in public places.

一度被许多人鄙视的涂鸦艺术，现在却流行全球，你可以在主流艺术、时尚、广告，甚至是建筑界看到它的影响。此外，现在许多人认为涂鸦是一种公开对社会与政治表达意见的建设性方式。在台湾，台北市设立了一些公园，可以让涂鸦艺术家在那里大肆涂鸦，其他城市则是委请涂鸦艺术家创作一些作品，在公共场所展览。

However, this doesn’t mean anyone can scratch a rude note on a restroom wall or on the side of a bus. Do so, and you may find yourself in big trouble. Unauthorized graffiti is still vandalism, no matter how many people appreciate it.

然而，这并不表示任何人都可以在厕所墙壁或是公交车车体上留下不雅的留言，假如你这样做，你会给自己惹上大麻烦。未经许可的涂鸦不管有多少人欣赏，仍然是一种故意的损毁行为。

Despite being recognized as legitimate art, graffiti will probably always have an underground edge. Street gangs still use the artwork to mark their territory. In some cities, teenagers have to register their names to buy spray paint. Graffiti is still illegal in most public areas in cities, and anti-graffiti clean-up efforts are quite common.

尽管被认为是正当艺术，涂鸦可能会永远带有强烈的地下色彩。街头帮派仍然使用这项艺术活动来标示地盘。在某些城市哩，青少年买喷漆时必须登记名字。在大部份的城市公共场所里涂鸦仍是非法的，而反涂鸦的清扫活动十分常见。

Although graffiti has proven to be one of the most dynamic art forms of the 20^th century, debate over its value continues. To some people, graffiti is a welcome new addition to the world, adding color and excitement to life. But to others, it will always be “art crime.”

虽然涂鸦已经证明是二十世纪最动感的艺术形式之一，有关其价值的争论仍持续着。对某些人来说，涂鸦是我们世界颇受欢迎的新鲜玩意/事物，为生活增添了色彩及刺激，但是对另一些人来说，涂鸦将永远是「艺术犯罪」。

－by David Pendery & Robert Kelly

Vocabulary

单词发音

despise [dɪˋspaɪz] v. 鄙视；看不起

mainstream [ˋmen͵strim] n. & adj. 主流(的)

constructive [kənˋstrʌktɪv] adj. 建设性的

register [ˋrɛdʒɪstɚ] v. 登记，注册

dynamic [daɪˋnæmɪk] adj. 有活力的

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单词发音

recognize [ˋrɛkəg͵naɪz] v. 认可，认定[（+as）]

throwup 只钩边，不上色的简单涂鸦，或者上单色调，如白色。或叫T-UP，更简单些

tag [tæg] n. 作者的昵称，签名 a stylized signature, normally done in one color

burner [ˋbɝnɚ] n. 指那些超劲的作品，一般是WILD STYLE的。

note [not] n. 笔记；记录

unauthorized [͵ʌnˋɔθə͵raɪzd] adj. 未被授权的

vandalism [ˋvændlɪzəm] n. 故意破坏公物（或文化、艺术）的行为

legitimate [lɪˋdʒɪtəmɪt] adj. 合法的

have a.... edge 带有浓厚的.....色彩

debate [dɪˋbet] v. & n. 争论

Reading Questions

1.  What is the main idea of these two articles?

A.  Graffiti has been around since ancient times.

B.  Graffiti is an art form to some, but a crime to others.

C.  Graffiti has influenced every aspect of art.

D.  Graffiti is unacceptable if it is unauthorized.

2.  What does the phrase “a one-eighty” in day one’s article mean?

A.  A change to the opposite.

B.  An increase in power.

C.  A lack of effect.

D.  A complete failure.

3.  Which of the following sentences is NOT true about graffiti?

A.  It is seen by many as a way to express opinions about society.

B.  Some cities have hired graffiti artists to create works of art for the public.

C.  In some parks in Taipei, graffiti is allowed.

D.  Words scratched on restroom walls are considered art by many.

4.  How did graffiti change in the 1960s?

A.  Artists began to be considered criminals and were arrested

B.  Artists had to register their name to buy paint, so there was less of it.

C.  Graffiti art became more colorful and beautiful looking.

D.  Graffiti art began to appear in famous museums.

Reference

Graffiti Throw Up In Action

Graffiti, Tags, & Throw-Ups

 Answer