I don’t quite adhere to the philosophy that graffiti in a neighborhood is a sign that residents don’t care about where they live. Graffiti is art to me. Yes, sometimes graffiti is destructive. Many times, though, graffiti enhances a neighborhood’s look, adds meaning to a tourist’s visit.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini
What I see in this graffiti in Little Italy in Manhattan is the importance of family, of elders, of stories of the past handed down through generations. To me, this is a sign that people in the neighborhood care about their place.
—Lori Tripoli