OMCE!
In the centre of Amsterdam, near the end of the Singel, close to the crossing with the Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal, there is a graffiti tag. Tags are letters words and or numbers that an artist uses to (illegally) mark public or private physical spaces (Phillips, 1999). It is a kind of marker. A little note left behind, saying: “I was here.”
I will write a little big history on this topic. Little big histories are studies that connect a specific subject to aspects of all major stages of big history. For example the history of stars and planets, the development of life and state formation throughout the world (Quaedackers, 2011, 1). My interest in this piece was sparked while I was waiting behind a garbage truck, waiting for it to move so I could continue cycling. As I was standing still, my eyes were looking at this piece. All the other pieces are smaller and are painted with color. This one is darker and bigger. OMCE! is written. Is it a name? An abbreviation? How long has this piece been here? How long will it stay here? How did it get here? All these questions were left unanswered in my head. This little big history aims to provide greater clarity on these questions.
Black Pigment
The paint used for this piece is black paint from a spray bottle, or in other words an aerosol can. To break down this colour, it is necessary to examine the pigment. Pigment is, among other important elements, one of the ingredients of an aerosol can. Pigments can be divided in two categories; organic and inorganic. Organic pigments are usually carbon-based fusions. Inorganic pigments frequently contain metal compounds. Black pigment is an inorganic pigment and can be made of iron (Fe) and oxygen (O). Together: iron oxide black (Fe2O3). It is plausible that the artist used iron oxide black as this is the most weather resistant type of the colour black and therefore often used in graffiti art.
Lets go back 13.8 billion years.
After the Big Bang, temperatures fell to a point where protons and neutrons could form atomic nuclei, the beginning of molecules. The first elements that were made, were hydrogen and helium (Christian 2018, 31). These elements were the fundaments of more complex structures like iron and oxygen, and eventually iron oxide black. In the very first moment of the first second after the Big Bang, energy split into four different kinds (Christian 2018, 19). The focus here is on nuclear force. There are strong and weak nuclear forces. They work on a very, very, very small scale. We humans cannot feel or notice them directly, but they decide everything, because they determine what happens inside of atoms, inside of the particles we and everything around us is made of. These nuclear forces especially play a big role in the hearts or cores of stars. Inside the stars, nuclear fusion creates elements like carbon and iron. These molecular substances can form a more complex structure like iron oxide black, the colour of this wall painting. So, initially, black pigment origins from the reaction inside of stars. Nowadays we can chemically create this colour of course, but if these reaction in stars would never have happened, we would not have the colour black and this tag would not have been there.
First human art
How did we discover art? In the book ‘Origin Story: A Big History of Everything’ David Christian describes, among other things, the origin of art. Around 42,000 years ago a period of climate change may have caused the first cave art. This theory has not convinced many specialists, but it has recently been argued that this is how art came to be (Frankopan 2023, 49). This period, called the Laschamps Excursion or Adam's event, brought about significant changes in weather and a weakening of the Earth's magnetic field, along with intense solar flares. These changes caused glaciers to expand in some regions, while other areas, like Australia, became drier, leading to the extinction of many large animals. Colder conditions and dramatic electrical storms may have driven humans into caves for shelter, where they possibly engaged in more creative activities, including art.
Professor Dosseto (University of Wollongong, Australia) also researched the correlation between the event and cave art. At the very time the earth's magnetic field changed, cave art became more common (Long, 2021).
One theory proposed by Christian suggests that the chaotic conditions of the Adam's Event, with its dramatic electrical storms, increased environmental stress, and disruption of everyday life, might have driven early humans to engage more deeply in abstract thinking and creativity. This speculation aligns with how many graffiti artists operate today, creating art in resistance of social norms and environmental pressures, using their work to comment on the world around them. For "OMCE", spraying a tag all over a city is more than just leaving a name behind; it's about creating a form of identity in a constantly changing urban landscape. The comparison between cave art and graffiti becomes even more compelling when we consider the purposes both forms of art serve. Early cave paintings were not merely decorative; they likely had cultural or ritual significance, perhaps used to communicate vital information, tell stories, or even solidify group identity (Christian 2018, 153). In much the same way, graffiti serves as a form of communication in modern society. It can reflect social, political, and personal messages — capturing the voices of individuals who are often overlooked by the mainstream, much like how cave paintings documented the experiences of ordinary early humans.
The early writings on walls are the original inspirations for art and especially for graffiti. Ancient cave art and modern graffiti share similarities as both are forms of symbolic expression, using abstract shapes to convey messages (Historicalhoney, 2013). While the content differs, the method is the same. If cave art provides insights into early human development, today’s graffiti may similarly be studied in the future. Like ancient art, graffiti, though controversial and new, is a cultural artifact. It reflects social and political commentary, capturing the voices of everyday people often missed in historical records, making it especially significant in saving modern history.
Alphabet
For graffiti artists letters are important. The biggest part of their art is the alphabet. But how did letters develop? How did humans develop a language with a writing system? In the book ‘the earth transformed: an untold story’ Peter Frankopan, tells us about the development of this process.
Due to demographic expansion and more interaction between different regions and therefore rising levels of production, a bureaucracy emerged. This required institutions and tools to measure and monitor the production and the labour. An example is the standardisation of weights and measures, but also the development of writing systems (Frankopan 2023, 76). At first clay tokens were used for units of goods, as a kind of accounting. These clay tokens were replaced by cylinder seals, and these were replaced by pictographic signs. Over a few centuries these two dimensional signs slowly developed into a writing system of phonetic signs that started with the names of the individuals (Frankopan 2023, 76). These are the stages that led to the creation of the alphabet as we know it now.
Graffiti, as an art form, relies heavily on written language, and the alphabet provides artists with a powerful tool for expression. In this art scene the alphabet is still developing. Artists make their own alphabet by creating more abstract letters and alphabets in different styles. These styles can also be seen as writing systems. A system to paint, in their own creativity, their messages across the cities.
The birth of modern graffiti can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s in New York City, where artists began using letters and typography to mark their territory and express their ideas. Alphabetic characters played a key role in graffiti's evolution, allowing artists to develop distinctive and recognizable styles. Additionally, the alphabet's universal nature allows graffiti to transcend language barriers, making it a global art form. Whether it's a name, a social or political message, or purely decorative letters, the alphabet has given graffiti artists a foundation to build upon and innovate with, transforming public spaces into platforms for artistic and cultural expression.
In conclusion, the first development of villages, where more people came to live together, created the need for measurements and better communication. First clay tokens, then cylinder seals and eventually letters were used, and these letters are the start of contemporary graffiti art.
Then to now
All of the processes mentioned above happened a long ago. At first impression we might not link these processes to small things around us. Little big histories do. I might not have answered all of my initial questions, but I did gain more clarity on why my topic is the way it is today. And I think that is what a little big history is about.
sources:
- Christian, David. Origin Story: A Big History of Everything. Little, Brown and Company, 2018.
- Frankopan, Peter. The Earth Transformed: An Untold Story. Knopf, 2023.
- Phillips, Susan A. Wallbangin': Graffiti and Gangs in L.A. 1st ed., University of Chicago Press, 1999.
- Quaedackers, E. "A Little Big History of Tiananmen." Evolution: A Big History Perspective, edited by L. E. Grinin, A. V. Korotayev, and B. H. Rodrigue, Vol. 4, 2011.
- University of Wollongong. “Ancient New Zealand Tree Reveals a Turning Point in Earth’s History 42,000 Years Ago.” University of Wollongong, 15 Dec. 2021, www.uow.edu.au/media/2021/ancient-new-zealand-tree-reveals-a-turning-point-in-earths-history-42000-years-ago.php.
- Wagner, Samantha. “Symbolic Behaviour: Cave Art to Graffiti.” Historical Honey, 27 Apr. 2021, https://historicalhoney.com/symbolic-behaviour-cave-art-graffiti/.