Earlier this week, The Malta Independent carried a photograph on the front page featuring a life size sheep cut-out graffiti piece.

Since then, another one has been spotted in St Julian’s, this time with the addition of some ‘grass’ underneath. While these are simple and harmless (and even entertaining to a point), it points to the ‘vandal culture’.

There are many differing opinions on graffiti and whether or not it is art, or whether it is mess to be cleaned up.

For starters, let us look at scenes outside Malta. Anyone who has seen the graffiti murals on the ends of council estate houses in Northern Ireland, showing ‘the troubles’, can simply not deny them art status. These murals are part and parcel of the culture of the land and they are accepted as a form of art.

In the UK, roundabouts and subway areas are set aside for graffiti artists to practice their skills. They are then sometimes left for a while by the council authorities, then wiped clean and used again once they get a bit shabby.

We also refer to the artist Banksy on the back page story. Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist who injects satire and messages into his work – mostly related to politics and culture. His work has sold – on the street where they stand – for tens and thousands of pounds.

But then we have the ugly side. Unfinished and amateurish graffiti covering houses, walls, monuments, train carriages and many other ‘canvases’ in every European country.

Malta is no exception. You can see spray painted graffiti in many areas – Paceville, Msida, the University Roundabout/subway area are about the worst.

Damaging private property with spray paints (or with any other medium) should never be tolerated.

And perhaps, what is even worse and more damning to our culture, is the fact that we still have painted political graffiti on many walls. The saddest thing about it is that some of the slogans (which are over 20 years old in some cases) refer to politicians who have long since bowed out of the scene.

So where do we draw the line? What is acceptable and what is not? Is a sheep paper cut out and a bit of spray paint vandalism? Or is it something funny and quirky? Is a mural on a wall in the abandoned White Rocks Complex graffiti? Or is it excused because it is out of sight and out of mind?

One supposes that it is all subjective really. But what we believe is that people’s pastimes should never infringe on the property of another person, whether it is a wall, a car, a board or whatever. However, the authorities (and even local councils) should look into taking derelict properties (such as the White Rocks Complex) and designating them as graffiti areas. This should stop the bulk of graffiti appearing in our towns and villages and can also nurture artistic talent. There will still be the occasional adrenalin junkie who only gets a kick out of breaking the law (ie. doing it in public with the danger of being caught). But we are sure that if more places are turned over to these spray-can artists, it will reduce the proliferation of drawings on people’s houses and whatnot. Now, can anyone tell us where they know that sheep which is pictured on the back page. It looks familiar, but no one can put their finger on it.