Territories of Gentrification

A Case Study of Philadelphia Graffiti in Areas of Urban Development

Abstract

Along the territorial edges of urban development, graffiti visually dominates the space, even if extremely temporarily. New condominiums, fenced-in lots, and plastic traffic barriers are marked repeatedly by graffiti writers that take claim over their neighborhoods through their tags. Graffiti as a medium has been highly politicized and commonly associated with vandalism, crime, and lower property values by city governments, law enforcement, and traditional media. In contrast, gentrified areas are awarded city-funded, public murals that seek to inhibit the creation of graffiti and to protect the commercial value of those spaces through aesthetics. This case study examines how graffiti challenges spaces of gentrification in Philadelphia – the birthplace of modern graffiti. We identify three areas that are currently undergoing problematic developments: Northern Liberties, Fishtown/Kensington, and West Philadelphia. We argue that these territories represent a dialogue between the local community and developers, regarding property ownership, cultural/demographic shifts, and the commodification of space. Graffiti writers challenge the imposition of gentrifying forces through their everyday uses of public space in their community. Graffiti’s relationship with gentrification has been gaining more attention in recent years. Our research considers the ephemerality of graffiti as it relates to the materials used in the construction of these developments. The impermanence of the structures graffiti is created on makes this medium a useful tactic in opposing urban developers and speaking to their community. In these territories of mutually understood change, graffiti writers visually disrupt capital movement and investment. These spaces of urban development are representative of present and future private investment, and the complex relationship between graffiti writers, developers, and the larger community.