For the majority of us, graffiti is quite a provocative notion. Although it is a form of expression that has been around since ancient Egyptian times (in the shape of elaborate wall paintings or little scribbles in public places), today’s society generally seem to disapprove of the contemporary but in principle similar displays of creativity.

Rooted in the hip-hop culture of the 1970’s, the modern take on graffiti has evolved into what liberal and somewhat forgiving attitudes now sometimes refer to as “art”.

In recent years, graffiti showed its ugly face in Sweden when art school student Magnus Gustafsson – a.k.a. NUG – received his master of arts degree at Konstfack, thanks in part to an art project in which he sprayed graffiti all over the inside of a Stockholm subway car and made a short film about it.

The copious amounts of public attention caused uproar, dividing people between those who claim graffiti to be an art form and those who firmly maintain that it is nothing but costly vandalism costing tax payer’s money.

Ollio, or Jonathan Josefsson, displays his abilities as a graffiti artist in a less controversial way. He was recently commissioned by high-end wool rug manufacturer Kasthall to create a new and elaborate design rug called Graffiti.

Ollio’s design manner, containing expressive, colorful and organic shapes is easily translated from spray cans to the pneumatic wool tufting tool that has been used to create the Graffiti rug, and clearly echoes Ollio’s as well as Kasthall’s desire to bring artistic, cutting-edge pieces to the market.

IS GRAFFITI ART?

While Kasthall’s and Ollio’s Graffiti rug is showcased in the Kasthall flagship store in Stockholm, the debate around whether graffiti is an art form or just plain vandalism continues. What happens if you take street art and graffiti out of the street and into a gallery? Is that all it takes to legitimatize it as art?

These were question posed by art historian Jacob Kimvall and a number of gallery owners during recent talks at Bonniers Konsthall earlier this year.

As for Kasthall’s Graffiti being art or not, we’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourself. Let’s just agree on calling it a rug for now…