page_title: Graffiti in Toronto
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Graffiti in Toronto / History
caption_attribution_description: Um beco tipico daqui...
context_page_description: Graffiti in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a cause of much disagreement among its residents. Graffiti is seen by some as an art form adding to the Toronto culture; however, others see graffiti as form of vandalism, viewing it as ugly, or as a form of property damage.
context_section_description: It is believed that the Toronto graffiti movement started in the late 1980s. Certainly by the mid-1990s, many graffiti pieces and tags were observable in various alleyways and other outdoor areas around the city, with a book collection of some of those works (the book also viewable digitally in PDF from the “Tags & Pieces” footnote link below) appearing in 1997.  One blogger remarked that pieces on Toronto buildings, walls and overpasses embrace the culture of New York City and what it contributed to Toronto's graffiti scene; however, there are some who believe that Toronto graffiti has a unique flavor to its work because it often represents various cultures. 
  There are several reasons why Toronto has such a rich history of graffiti: the city has a lot of controversy over graffiti, the city has many visible spots for artists to show their work (such as graffiti alley), as well as willing artists that challenge the city. The schism created by these artists is the reason why many believe Toronto's graffiti scene is so dynamic and influential in its circles. In earlier years, many works were original and told an important story from the artists’ point of view. Many still hold themes of love and family, tell stories of their lives, or use graffiti to share with the city the artists' never-happening dream.
  In September 2019, graffiti art on 26 garage doors near Ossington Street and Queen Street West were accidentally painted over black by a contractor to the not-for-profit Laneway Project. Weeks later, graffiti artists were invited to restore the street art.
caption: Graffiti in a Toronto alley from 2005.
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