Try as they might, they could not get permission to paint anywhere from any building owners in California, so they crossed the border Into Tijuana, Mexico. The voyage of these emissaries of aerosol was sponsored by German social worker, Herbert Benz, who works with graffiti artists in Germany, where graffiti art is a more highly respected art form. Whether the style of graffiti art appeals to you or not, the style is present just about everywhere these days, even in product endorsements and ads. Style, however, is not the main issue. The heart of this art form is its rebellious nature, which confronts the viewer with plain, honest truth.
Graffiti art is a direct contrast to the destructive nature of tagging.
Tagging and vandalism are problems in urban society today, and there is no stopping them. A typical tag takes less than 30 seconds, and you have to catch the offender in the act for the stricter laws to become effective. The people paying for these crimes are the graffiti artists who spend hours on their paintings but are assumed to be the taggers by police. Perhaps, if given a legal outlet, many taggers could be influenced to do more than write their name and run.