In an industrial park near Singapore's harbor, a group of people spray paint a wall with the bright colors and rebellious swirls of graffiti.

Under any other circumstances, their actions would likely lead to prompt arrest. But these "taggers" are artists, taking part in a performance highlighting the urban art form.

Graffiti is still seriously frowned upon in order-obsessed Singapore. Last year, a Swiss man was jailed and caned for vandalism after he was caught spray-painting a subway train.

But the perception in the city-state that graffiti is nothing more than vandalism by wayward youth is slowly changing, thanks in part to art festivals like the one at the industrial park, part of the Voilah! French Festival Singapore.

"There is still a sense of graffiti as anti-social behaviour but when people see it in a gallery, it becomes an artistic endeavor," said Howard Rutkowski who helped organize the event and exhibited 72 pieces of graffiti art on canvas at a gallery in the estate.

Even among aficionados, though, the purpose of the art form is open to debate.

Two years ago, a group of graffiti artists found themselves barred from the island's only government-sanctioned arena where spray painting is allowed, a youth park in a shopping district.

The reason given was that they wanted to spray paint messages in support of children victimized by the Palestine-Israel conflict.

"Graffiti is not political, it is a form of expression, something to be explored in the city," said Yann Lazou, one of the Frenchmen painting the wall in the industrial park.

Graffiti art is starting to prove popular.

One piece sold for 7,500 euros at the exhibition - it was snapped up by a European collector. Two pieces by Dubai-based graffiti artists Sya and Bow went for about S$2,000 each at a separate event.

But even as graffiti gains face among collectors, its acceptance appears to be qualified. For many, it is about whether its location is considered appropriate or whether the art itself has been "sanctioned."

"Graffiti on a cardboard or canvas as a form of painting is a piece of art. But graffiti-painting cars or walls is irresponsible," said Singaporean art collector Elson Ng.

Ironically, the push to make graffiti something which is valued artistically as much as sculptures or oil painting has led to a process of anti-ghettoization: removing it from the environs of its origins and transplanting it to more sanitized, safer spaces - where it can have less meaning, context or authenticity.

But Singapore graffiti artist Shah Rizzal, who also took part in the event, hopes his country will someday grow to view his work favorably and embrace it on a larger scale and more openly.

"Perhaps graffiti will one day grow beyond the gallery and infiltrate the institutional space," he said.

That may take some more time: Even for the event, the artists didn't paint on a real wall but on a special, temporary one erected for the performance.