Reclaiming Space, Creating Place, and Affirming Identity: Graffiti in the Downtown Eastside

Abstract

Initially planned out as a mapping exercise set to record points of “unsanctioned” publicly visible art in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) neighbourhood of Vancouver, this research has developed to become an anthropological examination of graffiti in the context of DTES. Through two days of data collection and the subsequent use of geospatial, statistical, and interpretative approaches, we sought to holistically study the phenomenon of graffiti not as a mere act of vandalism, but as a powerful tool which, through its ability to physically and symbolically affect the space, is able to create places of self-expression and affirm identities.