the commodification of

the commodification of
graffiti alley
TEXT BY ISABELLE DOCTO
Taking large steps in his chunky black combat boots
Kit Weyman, a guide for Tour Guys, crosses the street.
“Follow me,“ he shouts to 20 tourists behind him.
It’s Saturday afternoon at the busy intersection of
Spadina Avenue and Queen Street West. The group weaves
through the foot traffic, avoiding American Apparel shopping
bags and children licking McDonald’s ice cream cones.
A bell clangs twice as the 510 Spadina street car rolls by.
Cars honk as last minute pedestrians rush across the street.
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THE COMMODIFICATION OF GRAFFITI ALLEY
THE COMMODIFICATION OF GRAFFITI ALLEY
ISABELLE DOCTO
ISABELLE DOCTO
“the alley has fostered and preserved
Toronto’s graffiti culture, it also represents the
culture’s commercialisation, and possibly its death”
Weyman turns into an alleyway behind the TD
This travelled to Toronto and influenced graffiti artists
Canada Trust building. Activity from the main street
like Skam. He stands in front of an old piece in the
drops to a hum. A teenage girl looks at her mom,
alleyway, arms crossed, and eyes hidden behind tor-
mouths the word “wow,“ and points down the alley
toise framed sunglasses. The piece spells “SKAM“
towards Portland Street where it ends. It’s quiet, but
in bright, 3D lettering.
the vibrant graffiti that line the alley walls give it life.
The Asian-Canadian graffiti artist painted his first of 20
A short brick barricade to the left is covered with neon
pieces in Graffiti Alley in 1995. At 19, he and his graffiti
graffiti names illegible to the untrained eye. Jolly yellow
birds sipping tea live on the buildings further down. crew, Dukes of Hazard (DOH), spent six to eight hours
Even rusty garbage cans wear paint and tags, blending painting every Saturday afternoon. It was one of the
only places they could paint without rushing because
into the colourful walls. “This is the start of Graffiti
the businesses that sandwiched the alley supported
Alley,“ Weyman says.
their work. Skam remembers the hustle it took to paint
Graffiti Alley has become a birthmark for Toronto.
under bridges and warehouses. But they did this out of
It helps the city thrive by bringing in tourists and giving
their passion for hip-hop. “Now kids are doing graffiti
advertisers a new art form to use. Although the alley
just because it’s trendy,“ he says, shaking his head.
has fostered and preserved Toronto’s graffiti culture,
it also represents the culture’s commercialisation,
and possibly its death.
adopted a by-law that eliminates graffiti vandalism
Nineteen years ago, the alley was a blank canvas
and graffiti culture was hidden. In New York City, generations of youth from the late ‘70s began writing
their street names on subway cars at night, out of
the law’s sight. Graffiti along with rapping and break
dancing shaped a new subculture called hip-hop.
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Over the past few years, graffiti has become more
accepted in mainstream culture. In July 2011, Toronto
harmful to properties and neighbourhoods, while
supporting graffiti art that adds colour to the streets.
This started StreetARToronto (StART) in 2012, a program that allots $350,000 per year to property own-
ers and non-profit groups to work with graffiti artists
on installations.
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THE COMMODIFICATION OF GRAFFITI ALLEY
THE COMMODIFICATION OF GRAFFITI ALLEY
ISABELLE DOCTO
ISABELLE DOCTO
“He himself has done graffiti ads for companies
like Google, Pizza Pizza and Louis Vuitton”
Kristina Hausmanis, project manager for
StART, explains how it supports both property
owners and artists. “They can approach property
owners, broker a deal, negotiate their own artist fee and
put on amazing street art.“
Graffiti’s underground roots are threatened, but Hausmanis
says that’s evolving, allowing artists to create on a bigger, more
legal platform.
With more walls being commissioned, Skam thinks Graffiti
Alley is a reminder of when artists used to paint purely for their
love of graffiti instead of the money.
A Tour Guys walking tour files in. Skam loses his train
of thought. The tour guide smiles slightly at Skam, who
returns a terse, “Hi.“ “I don’t like that guy,“ he lowers
his voice. “He makes money off of graffiti, but never gives
back to graffiti artists.“ He is referring to the $30 fee that
Steve Woodall and Jason Kucherawy, creators of Tour Guys
walking tours, charge per person for the graffiti tour.
Weyman, a guide, understands Skam, but says the tours also give
back to graffiti by encouraging discussion. Aileen Gonzales, a former Ryerson University fine arts student, took the tour and says
it made her aware of an underground art form she walks by
everyday.
But even graffiti artists themselves are blurring the line
between underground and mainstream. Skam admits that advertising helps immortalize graffiti art. He himself has done
graffiti ads for companies like Google, Pizza Pizza and Louis Vuitton.
He even opened Homebase in 2010, where he sells
high quality spray paint, apparel and designer toys.
Skam never thought he could make a living off of something he just does for fun.
And he continues to do it for fun, making time to do a personal
piece once a week somewhere in the city. “There’re some artists like me that are successful, but they don’t even do personal
pieces anymore on the streets with their own money and their
own time,“ he says.
It’s Thanksgiving Day. Instead of sweating over turkey
dinner, Skam opts to paint in Graffiti Alley. Rattling a purple
can, he sprays an outline spelling “GEM,“ another graffiti
name he goes by. With swift strokes he fills it in with
a light pink and seamlessly fades it into a darker pink.
He creates subtle red star and bubble designs within
the piece and adds dimension to the letters with
shades of green. He finishes it off spraying DOH
on the bottom left and 2014 on the bottom right.
Another piece calls Graffiti Alley its home.
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