Absurdly, as with most independent cinema, the new documentary Bomb It was only around for one week. Fortunately, I was able to see the film this past weekend at Facets. As with most documentaries involving a culture that is often misunderstood most of the film dealt with identifying the motives and perceptions of those who live and breath the culture. Coming from a background that has always embraced this often “urbanized” art form, I wasn’t there to be convinced of it’s relevancy or importance to society. Graffiti in this film is captured all over the globe, in it’s varying forms, degrees of simplicity and difficulty, it’s varying agendas and most importantly, it’s value as “art.”

The film is heroic in it’s broad scope of artists interviewed, and it’s strategic editing is foolproof. I am totally reassured in my love affair with Graffiti yet I’m also at a loss with the functionality of the film as a cohesive document. Instead, the film feels a little too stealthy and a little too “prolific” in it’s scope. Rather than focus it’s attentions to one or three cities, the film moves all over the world, conversing city after city, that after awhile I was sad to move on; wanting instead a more in depth conversation.

In the end it’s really a branding issue. How do we discuss Graffiti to those in the culture and those outside the culture? How must we move forward with implementing a deeper understanding between the opponents of such art?

I believe that films like Bomb It are much too important to be relegated to a small demographic that attends art houses for films. I understand the business of independent film, how a small film depends on the scope and girth of it’s distribution company, much like independent publishing.
Either way, the movie provokes discussion about the issue of public space, art and what it means to be political, or socially engaged in creation – issues worth discussion in my opinion.

BTW: the soundtrack is rather funky, loud and no pun intended: bombastic. Check this one out on DVD for sure, and for those who need a refresher course on Graff check out: Style Wars