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Graffiti Tour In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Is it art or is it vandalism? Whatever you call it, a new Philadelphia tour examines the styles and effects of graffiti.

Gabe Schoenberg calls graffiti urban art that began in Philadelphia with the "Cornbread" tags of the 1970s. Now, he's launching a tour here that views graffiti as vandalism and as graphic creation.

"The point is to show local art with local experts to help describe a phenomenon that's happening in front of peoples' eyes that they don't necessarily understand," Schoenberg says the $20, 90-minute tours examine the graffiti styles in various neighborhoods.

"Graffiti is very local. So if you come from North Philly, your graffiti is much different than if you come from South Philly or West Philly."

Schoenberg says half of the tour looks at illegal vandalism and the other half consists of murals, tile work and wheatpaste art.

Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio

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