A Semantic Approach to Urban Graffiti from Semiotics Viewpoint

Subject Areas : Urban Design

Siamak Panahi ¹ , Nazanin Bahrami Samani ² , Anosha Kia ³

1 - Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Abhar, Branch, Iran.
2 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Art and Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Branch, Iran.
3 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Art and Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Branch, Iran.

Received: 2015-09-27 Accepted : 2016-12-21 Published : 2016-02-01

Keywords: Graffiti, Street art, Semiology, Symbol, Vandalism,

Abstract :

City is the most complicated and tangible creature of man. There is a critical mutual communicationbetween human and city; and the effect of one’ living environment is beyond question. Graffiti is a new urbanphenomenon, which has drawn attention in light of its connection with protestation culture and street art. Thanks tosymbolism of graffiti, the artists have added mysterious aspects to their work and distinguished themselves from formalculture. Social protestation is the most notable feature of the graffiti found in Iranian cities. However, to the best of ourknowledge, there has been no notable research work in Iran on the relationship of human, society, and existence fromof graffiti symbolism viewpoint in particular. The present study is an attempt to survey and evaluate common symbolsused on urban graffiti through documentary research. Technique and content analysis in stratified semiology based onIranian-Islamic culture were taken into account.

References:

Abel K. (2008). Architecture and identity, translated by Habib F. 2008, Islamic Azad University, 1^st ed. Tehran.
Adibi, H. (1976). An introduction to urban sociology. Shabgir Publication, Tehran.
Alshirazi Sadredin Mohammad bin Ebrahim (1981) Asrar Alayat, Introduction and revision by Mohammad Khajavi, Philosophy and Wisdom Association, Tehran.
Art and Literature.(2015) A report on graffiti art and artists in Iran, graffiti; a street art or social anarchism?, No. 3148, Tehran
Barthes, R. (1997). Image-Music-Text. London: Fontana.
Chendler D. (2008), Foundations of semiology, translated by Parsa M. Soureh Mehr Publication, Tehran.
Eco, U. (1979). A Theory of Semiotics. Bloomington. Indiana Press.
Ghaeminia, A. (2010). Biology of text, semiology and interpretation of Quran, Islamic Thoughts, Culture, and Research Press, 1^st ed., Mashhad.
Jamalpour, B. (2005). Using semiology in urban planning. Fine Arts, No. 24, Tehran.
Javadi Amoli, A. (1996). Bonyan Marsous Imam Khomeini. Asrae Publication, Qom.
Karimian, H. (2010). Cultural signs in urban scenes, expression of meaning, sense of identity, and spiritual peace. Human Geography Research, No. 74, Tehran.
Kousari, M. (2010). Graffiti as an art of objection. Art and Literature Sociology, 2(1), Terhan.
Linch, K. (1992). Face of city, translated by Manouchehr Mazini, 1992, Uuniversity  of Tehran Publication, Tehran.
Majedi, H., & Zarabadi, Z. (2010). An introduction to urban semiology. Utopia, Tehran.
Mohseni Tabrizi, A. (2004) Vandalism, foundations of social psychology, sociology, and psychology of vandal behavior in pathology of social misbehavior. Aan Publication, 1^st ed., Tehran.
Noghrekar, A., Hamzenezhad, M, Ranjbar Kermani, A M. (2008). An introduction to Islamic identity in architecture and urban development. Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, 1^st ed., Tehran.
Pakzad, J. (2012). Theoretical foundation and process of urban planning. Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, Rey, 5^th ed., Tehran.
Rapaport A. (1968) Meaning of build environment, an approach to non-verbal connection translated by Habib F. 2005, Urban Programming and Processing, Tehran.
Rapoport, A. (1990). The Meaning of the Built Environment: A Nonverbal Communication Approach.
Sojodi, F. (2004). Applied semiology. Ghese Publication, 2^nd ed., Tehran.
Zamiran, M. (1993). An introduction to art semiotics. Gheseh publication, Tehran.