Is graffiti art or vandalism?

[Nepenthe]

Here's an interesting photo I took at the temple of Philae in Southern Egypt.

I've seen a graffiti by one of the most influential researchers of ancient Egypt who is known to have deciphered the Egyptian hieroglyphs.

That's amazing!
I'm reminded of one of the most famous works of graffiti art, the Alexamenos graffito in Rome:

 

[Revoltingest]

Personally I think it can be both, at the same time and independantly.

I used to commute by train to work and I remember one mural being constructed on my way for about a week, which was amazing and cheered me up,at 6am of a morning

Eventually it was cleaned up which seemed more like an act of vandalism then decorating the inside of a grey tunnel, to me anyway. What do you think about it, or do you think about it

It all depends upon whether the viewer owns the surface that needs to be cleaned.
As a landlord, I find that the cost of removing it negates any 'artistic value'.

 

[Yerda]

I like it. If that makes it art then art it is.

 

[Azakel]

Legally it is vandalism,

which makes it one of the most exhilarating art forms out there.

I agree.