Post on 14-Mar-2023
Brigid Allan
Contemporary Theory Assignment 2
23rd August, 2013
What is the importance of Graffiti and Tagging in an
urban environment that has experienced a natural
disaster and looking to regenerate?
1
‘arborescent structures, which resemble a ‘tree’, are only atemporary crystallization of an ongoing rhizomatic process…Indeed,the rhizome moves; it is fast but it can also slow down, evenbecoming static, acquiring ‘roots’ and resembling tree-likestructures. Yet, it is its desire to move that makes the rhizomeconstantly unsettled, unpredictable and heterogeneous. So therhizome is not the opposite of the tree; it exists alongside it andsometimes because of it.’ (Daskalaki and Mould, 2013, p.7)
On 22nd February 2011, Christchurch and its’ people experienced a
devastating earthquake, causing damage both psychologically and
2
economically, the structural shift from previously worn paths
culturally engrained in Christchurch’s identity, was to one of
disorientation and devastation.
Now as the city tries to regenerate amidst the rubble, creative
industries appear to be leading the way. Here I ask, what is the
importance of graffiti and tagging in an urban environment that has
experienced a natural disaster and is looking to grow? For the
scope of this research essay the focus will be on Deleuze and
Guattari’s ontological theories of the rhizome. Via more tangible
means my intention is to better understand the interactive
relationship between rhizomic and arborescent systems, aiming to use
the current production and movement of graffiti and art, post-
earthquake, in Christchurch’s central business district (CBD) as a
working example.
Where past academic writing on graffiti has been based on the
illicit nature of this form of expression, potential criminal
undercurrents or as Halsey (2006) states the ‘ matters of desire,
pleasure and vision in the act of illicit writing’ (p.276), I intend
3
to place my focus foremost on the connections, movement and flow of
graffiti as rhizome.
In order to observe graffiti as a living example of the rhizome the
scene will need to be set. Firstly, I will briefly define Deleuze
and Guatarri’s(1987) ‘approximate characteristics’ (p.7) of
rhizomic and arboresent systems. Secondly, superimposing these
ontological theories onto pre-earthquake and post-earthquake
graffiti/art in Christchurch (maintaining an open approach, as these
working examples may shift).While using current examples of art with
in Christchurch’s CBD, the key intention is to highlight any
possible shifts, a cross-pollination between graffiti art and
established contemporary artists, observing these through a change
in the defining characteristics of graffiti as rhizome. Furthermore,
looking for Daskalaki and Mould’s(2013) ‘temporary crystallization’
(p.7) between rhizomatic processes and arborescent structures, I aim
to distinguish whether graffiti, in current Christchurch, still
possesses the characteristics of the rhizome or rather, is it
tagging, as graffiti obtains global presence from the margin?
4
Finally, observing the impact this has on the art world of
Christchurch, questioning if there is a change in the way it is both
viewed and interacted with (commodification of subculture,
arborizing of graffiti).
Rhizome
In 1963 Carl G. Jung highlighted the rhizome as an ontological
concept. Biologically, the rhizome is an underground stem with
horizontal growth; it is neither root, nor radicle, the rhizome’s
structure is one of bulbs and tubers (Deleuze, Guattari, 1987, p.
6).
‘Life has always seemed to me like a plant that lives on its
rhizome. Its true life is invisible, hidden in the rhizome. The
part that appears above the ground lasts only a single
summer...What we see is blossom, which passes. The rhizome
remains.’
(as cited in Daskalaki and Mould, 2012.p.7)
Further developed by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s in A
Thousand Plateau’s, 1987, the workings and form of the rhizome play an
integral role in the building of strata and assemblages of
5
experience and life, made up of ‘complexes of lines’ (p. 505) they
propose three ‘states’; arboresecent, rhizomic and lines of flight.
The arborescent line is homogeneous, defined as a root-tree system;
it is a characterised as a singular line that proceeds in one
direction, ‘the line is subordinated to the point’ (Deleuze and
Guattari, 1987. p.505), this centralised system takes root in
identity, order and hierarchy. The ‘arborescent system pre-exists
the individual who is integrated into it at an allotted space’
(Deleuze and Guatarri, p.16, 1987), this system promotes increase of
value (significance) and singularity (subjectification). The
arborescent system, Halsey and Young (2006) state is marked by
‘striated spaces-whose archetype is a city’ (p.295), with cities we
encounter order, boundaries and established codes of behaviour
predetermined by governing bodies.
Acentered, the rhizome occupies smooth space, with ‘multiple entry
ways’ (Deleuze and Guattari, (1987), p.12) the rhizome has neither a
beginning nor ending, in a continual state of ‘becoming’, Deleuze
and Guattari (1987) state, it remains in the ‘middle of which it
6
grows’ (p.21). Resisting any organisational structure the rhizome
occupies all dimensions, heterogeneous and anomalous it is neither
divisible by one or the multiple (ibid). Deleuze and Guattari (1987)
states the rhizome is, ‘A map and not a tracing’, ‘open and
connectable on all dimensions’(p.12).
Christchurch CBD as Arborescent
In February 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake impacted the New Zealand
city of Christchurch and in its wake 181 official fatalities
(Vervaeck, Daniell, 2011). Followed by thousands of strong tremors,
aftershocks and earthquakes, the people of Christchurch and their
city were in disarray. Summarized by CERA (2013), ‘Out of the more
than 1100 buildings damaged by the earthquakes within the four
avenues of the Christchurch CBD, there are now only 67 remaining, or
just six per cent, that require full or partial demolition’
(para.6). Closed until further notice, the CBD took with it the Arts
Centre, The Christchurch City Gallery, The Centre of Contemporary
Art (COCA), The Cathedral Square, the Court Theatre and a number of
leading Contemporary Art Galleries.
7
Fig.1
Cathedral of blessed Sacrament, Christchurch (Christchurch Basilica)
Prior to the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, the CBD contained many
‘points’ of significance (Fig.1). The Cathedral square (Fig.2), Wood
(2013) states is a ‘symbolically highly charged place, a focal
point’ (para. 2), the well-worn paths between these points and the
points themselves, were key contributors to the identity of
Christchurch. Orientating yourself around the CBD and its’
attractions,
Fig.2
Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch
8
you are either behind or in front of each point of significance,
Halsey and Young (2006) describe this singular line as, ‘being on
the path, being on the molar line of the tourist walk, reduced the
value of the experience to a single point’ (p.5).
Experiencing the Rhizome (post-earthquake)
Deleuze and Guattari (1987) explain that, ‘the first aspect of the
haptic, smooth space of close vision is that its orientations,
landmarks, and linkages are in continuous variation; it operates
step by step’ (p. 493). As iconic structures are demolished, the
previously known CBD becomes difficult to re-trace. The rupture in
architecture and proliferation of vacant space disorients you; the
pedestrian’s relationship with the CBD is now exploratory. Cupples
(2011) states, ‘we are forced to interact with our familiar
environment in unfamiliar ways’ (p.337), the previously striated
space defined by icons no longer exists, anomalous, exploratory and
open, all characteristics of the smooth space of the rhizome.
Sounding like an industrial work site the entire CBD takes on a
feeling of temporality. Graffiti; tagging (a), throw-ups (b), paste-
ups (c), stencils, pieces (d), murals (e), stay-ups (f) and gap
9
filler projects (g), all can be seen throughout the CBD and by no
means confined to the streets and alley ways.
a b
c
d
10
f
g
‘To be sure, many - indeed the majority – may not like the
various aspects of the possible world literally drawn and
inhabited by illicit writers. But such a dislike does not negate
the fact that this other has the potential to point to
alternative ways of engaging urban surfaces, moving through
particular spaces, drawing particular issues to our attention.’
(Halsey, Wollan and Woodcock, 2006, p.299)
12
Irrespective of whether you like or dislike the proliferation of
marks on the city, you are challenged on some level to acknowledge
the surface that has been painted, transforming the city into an
interactive space. Observing the marks, you engage with the surface
recognising them as something other than the wall, here these small
haeccities offer a continual transformation of these surfaces. ‘It
is a space of affects, more than one of properties’ (as cited in
Halsey, 2007. p.5). Engaging the in between spaces, graffiti
encourages these otherwise vacant spaces to be seen and experienced.
Halsey (2007) states smooth space ‘is a space characterised by
experimentation and limitless movement or journeys’ (p.5). Spray
paint litters the walls, this constant communication is not just
graffiti or tagging, these marks come from road workers, builders
and engineers marking unsafe
buildings, directions and even
instructions (Fig.3).
Fig.3
13
With this proliferation of empty spaces and walls it becomes
difficult to decipher the difference between art and earthquake,
graffiti and commissioned art, roadwork signs and tagging,
demolition sites begin to look creative and artistic. These
heterogeneous connections promote deterritorialization, where
Deleuze and Guattari state, it’s function ‘is the operation of the
line of flight’ (p.508).
14
Fig.4 I seem to have temporarily Fig. 5 Unknown artist,graffiti/piece
misplaced my sense of humour (2012), Wayne Youle
15
Fig.6 Unknown, Graffiti/tag Fig.7 Unknown artist,
graffiti/ tagging
When looking closely and experiencing the streets,
it is not the overarching umbrella of graffiti that sits between the
gaps interconnecting, experimenting and becoming. It is the
unfettered, illicit, heterogeneous, unbound act of tagging that
propagates the smooth space of the rhizome. Walking through the
streets of inner city Christchurch, similarities are seen between
the production of tagging and Munday’s (2012) description of the
rhizome; likened to grass with its’ ‘peculiar resistance to
destruction’ the rhizome growth pattern is described as a
‘gapfiller’, taking flight at the outside edges, ‘It may be
obliterated in one place but simply grows up again elsewhere’ (p.
51).
Demanding observation, graffiti pieces require time, skill and a
good surface to execute the image on, where tagging in comparison is
more ephemeral, openly connecting with whatever is available.
Drawing attention on the spatial context of Christchurch, post-
16
earthquake, graffiti sends its’ messages of regeneration loud and
clear from this historically colonial setting.
A Captive Audience
Blundell (2013) highlights that in Christchurch, ‘Today, works by
established artists such as Richard Killeen, Mark Braunias, Wayne
Youle (Fig.4, e) and Ash Keating (fig.9) share street space with a
proliferation of graffiti art, paste-ups and stencils.’(p.24).
Here arborescent structures take a line of flight back to the
rhizome, the focus has shifted.
Fig.9 Concrete Propositions, Ash Keating 2011
Fig.10 Contacts, Dick Frizell, 2012, Fig.11 Here are the people and there is the Steeple,
17
(Christchurch Art Gallery)Kay Rosen, 2012 (Christchurch Art Gallery)
Capitalising on previous models of creative innovations for urban
regeneration (Syben, 2011, p33), Christchurch Art Gallery begins to
inhabit vacant lots around the city (Fig.4) (Fig.9) (Fig.10)
(Fig.11).
Cashel Street Mall
18
As you walk through the new Cashel Street Mall there is an exciting
upbeat feel of creativity, graffiti murals (Fig.12) (Fig.13) (Fig.
14) painted on the sides for freight containers and nestled in
amongst the shops, all aiding its’ haphazard, edgy appearance that
invites exploration.
Fig. 12 Graffiti/mural, Unknown artist, 2012, Cashel street mall
19
Fig.13 Wongi, 2012 , Cashel street mall Graffiti/piece
Fig.14 Rachael Delwhirst, 2012, Resene art in the streets SCAPE, Christchurch
Cashel street mall mural
‘Translating the map into an image’ ( Deleuze and Guattari, 1987,
p. 13)
20
The advocating and publication of graffiti with in Christchurch’s
CBD during this time of transformation, alongside Graffiti’s
historical presence of edgy creativity and Urban growth during
adversity, is an ideal ‘model’ for Turner’s(2000) ‘producing the
self for export’ (p.218). Here graffiti, despite its apparent
existence on the periphery of the ‘marketplace’ as a rhizome, has an
established ‘virtual’ presence in the global marketplace (Turner,
2000 p. 219). Broadly speaking, graffiti as a representation, has
become a model behaviour for this type of urban regeneration
project, this experimental creativity Syben (2011) shows, has
‘social and economic benefits’ (p.35). Furthermore, Daskalaki and
Mould (2013) state that homogeneous city/urban structures of control
marginalise the likes of graffiti by identifying them as
subcultures, in turn capitalising on identities for profitable gain
(p.14.).
‘We must remind ourselves that the two spaces in fact exist only in
mixture: smooth space is constantly being translated, transversed
into a striated space; striated space is constantly being reversed,
returned into a smooth space.’(Deleuze and Guattari, 1987, p.474)
21
Graffiti/ Tagging Graffiti/Pieces
Murals/Gapfillers/OuterSpaces
Surface:
open, heterogeneous,
tagging makes nodistinctions
between surfaces
Surface:
generally needslarge/med
size surface
Surface:
specific siterequired
‘subordinated to thepoint’
Approach:
anomalous, illegal
generally improvised
Approach:
some preplanned
Illegal and legal,
small numbercommissioned
Approach:
preplanned andfunded,
or commissioned
legal
Space:
periphery gap filler
smooth
Space:
both periphery andcentral
Smooth and striated
Space:
significant centralposition
striated
no skill required generally self-taught
educated in art orprofessional
Table 1 Characteristics Table
Despite established artists using graffiti as a model for their art,
the structure of Christchurch as abor has not changed too much,
within the spatial context of the CBD’s building zone, it may appear
exploratory, however disguised, these organised art projects still
22
remain relatively molar, in their approach and appearance, affirming
this Munday (2012) states, ‘that a rhizome’s movements cannot be
pinned down and controlled by discursive power structures’ (p.52).
As the large commissioned murals appear to be bridging closer to
graffiti as rhizome there are several key aspects which help them
maintain their arborescent structure (table 1). Likewise, graffiti
pieces give the appearance of the rhizome, however when you look
closer (table.1), you can see it too possesses likeness to
arborescence and this is possibly where they meet.
‘Massumi writes that affect is akin to the ‘the ways in which the
body can connect with itself and with the world.’(as cited in Halsey
and Young, 2006, p.277). The key is in the experience, here, the
arborescent movement of graffiti, murals and gapfillers, would not
be the same without the more ephemeral effect of tagging as rhizome.
Pushing through on all dimensions, tagging remains in the middle,
making connections between all manners of art it leads you on a
journey, engaging in the surfaces you become immersed ‘in the
middle’ of all these potentials, experiencing the rhizome. However,
23
it does not stop there, so too is it a matter of perspective, multi-
dimensional, this system as a whole may also take on ontological
structure of arborescence thus, suggesting rhizome and arbor feed
into each other simultaneously. Firstly, Christchurch’s loss of
striated space could be viewed by the rhizome as an opening,
therefore becoming flooded by the rhizome. Secondly, this engagement
of space (negative or positive) could be viewed as an opening to the
aborescent city, in order to regain its structure it needs activity,
(as roots do not come from nothing) rather than fighting, it uses
the ‘becoming’ of the rhizome to aid it. The other option would be
detrimental on a number of levels, socially, politically, creatively
and psychologically. Rather, the rhizome through its lines of flight
engages as much as it is able, activating the vacant spaces. And
here Deleuze and Guattari (1987) write, ‘There are knots of
arborescence in rhizomes and rhizomatic offshoots in roots’ (p.12)
And so to conclude, superimposing rhizomic and arborescent systems
on to the growth and movement of graffiti/tagging successfully
highlights the importance of experimental graffiti/tagging in the
24
spatial context of post-earthquake, Christchurch. Firstly, with a
loss of arborescent structure with in the city, the rhizomatic
characteristics of the more formal graffiti pieces aids established
artists to use graffiti as a model for growth. Secondly, tagging’s
ability to engage and activate vacant space, encourages connections
as rhizome, promoting growth and regeneration. Furthermore, the
shift from striated to smooth space disorientates, resulting in
feelings of the unfamiliar in previously known areas. The role of
art here is one of affect, exploration. Finally the impact of this
creative urban regeneration (legal or illegal) on the art world in
Christchurch appears to be one of growth and experimentation,
pushing past old boundaries.
References
Blundell, S.,(2013, Winter). Movers and Shakers Heritage. Past,Present and Future Magazine. Issue 129, 24-30.Historic Trust, New Zealand.
CERA retrieved from
http://cera.govt.nz/news/2013/christchurch-cbd-construction-ramps-up-23-may-2013
Cupples, J., (2012). Boundary crossing and new striations: when disaster hits a neoliberalising campus. Transactions of the Institute of
25
British Geographers, 37(3), 337-341. doi:10.1111/j.1475-5661.2011.00481.x
Daskalaki, M., & Mould, O. (2013). Beyond Urban Subcultures: Urban Subversion as Rhizomatic Social Formations. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research.37(1), 1-18.
Doi:10.1111/j.1468-2427.2012.01198.x
Deleuze, G. & Guattari, F. (1987). A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. University of Minnesota Press, Minnesota, MN.
Dovey, K., Wollan, S., & Woodcock, I., (2009). Graffiti and Urban Character, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Australia: Retrieved from http://soac.fbe.unsw.edu.au/2009/PDF/Dovey%20Kim_Wollan%20Simon_Woodcock%20Ian.pdf
Halsey, M.,(2007).Deleuze/Guattari and the Ada Tree.
Retrieved from http://rhizomes.net/issue15/halsey/index.html
Halsey, M. & Young, A. (2006).Our Desires are Ungovernable: Writinggraffiti in Urban Space, Theoretical Criminology. 275-306. Retrieved from
http://tcr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/10/3/275
Munday,I. (2012). Roots and Rhizomes-Some Reflections onContemporary Pedagogy, .Journal of Philosophy of Education. 46(1), 42-59:Blackwell Publishing, Great Britain.
Doi: 10.1111/j.1467.9757.2012.00842.x
Syben, W. (2012). Making use of Vacant urban space: A study ofChristchurch after the earthquakes of 2010/11, University ofCanterbury, New Zealand. Retrieved from
26
http://www.geog.canterbury.ac.nz/postgrad/420papers/2012/W_Syben_Geography_420_Research_Dissertation[1].pdf
Turner, S. (2000).Colonialism Continued: producing the self for export, p218-228, Race, Colour and Identity in Australia and New Zealand, Ed. John Docker, Gerhard Fischer, UNSW Press, 2000
Vervaeck, A., & Daniell, J. (2011, May 09). Christchurch Earthquake:List of deceased Persons.
Retrieved from http://earthquake-report.com/2011/03/08/christchurch-earthquake-list-of-the-deceaced-persons/
Wood, A., (2013, July 07). Heaphy and Hughes in Christchurch. Retrieved from http://eyecontactsite.com/2013/07/hughes-and-heaphy-in-christchurch
27