Comments on: Before Blogs, There Was Graffiti

By: Jojobe

Jojobe — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:48:58 +0000

Only just stumbled across this blog and wow! First of all totally agree with the concept and while yes it is unfortunate that graffiti has the ‘rep’ of bein almost agressive it isn’t always the case.I have seen some amazing works done(granted on business walls at times) along my travels and while I understand proprietors being irked their building is defaced(not my word) would it not then give rise to promoting an actual outlet and space for the art to be displayed..best of both worlds no?! The was a display interactive kinda event on in Limerick(‘Writing’s on the wall’) little while back where walls were set up and diff artists came and took part…brilliant.Anyway just saying great blog hopefully things will be more pc in the future eh!

By: PiterKokoniz

PiterKokoniz — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:01:11 +0000

Hi ! ^_^
My name is Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that your posts are really interesting
And want to ask you: what was the reasson for you to start this blog?
Sorry for my bad english:)
Thank you!
Your Piter

By: RaiulBaztepo

RaiulBaztepo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:02:18 +0000

Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo

By: Shaping Youth

Shaping Youth — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:33:40 +0000

Okay…Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnne more…Currently being used as a Virgin Mobile promo/publicity hook…clever indeed: http://rightmusicwrongs.org

By: Shaping Youth

Shaping Youth — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:53:39 +0000

One more link for you…on a documentary about same:
http://wza.be/bomb-it

By: Sandra Foyt

Sandra Foyt — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:28:13 +0000

Amy – Thanks again for adding so much to the discussion! This is exactly what I’m arguing. Your examples demonstrate that it’s possible to make room for Graffiti, without making blanket dismissals based on fears of urban blight. I’m not saying it’s easy, especially if you’re living in an urban area where you’re on the front lines of sharing space.

As a suburban mom, however, I’m just exposing my kids to the idea that we can appreciate a wide variety of artistic expression. Just ’cause we can’t find Graffiti Art in the museum, doesn’t mean it isn’t art.

By: Shaping Youth

Shaping Youth — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:06:02 +0000

As one who has literally been on both sides of this wall, (as neighborhood watch captain, hand-scrubbing the blight on the landscape of our neighborhood playground and fresh cement walls of the tidelands recreation lagoon, and swearing under my breath at the miscreant gang taggers and machismo turf wars that literally make the community cringe as if there’s ‘encroachment’ and a threat/fear-driven rather than just developmental teen risk taking and ’show-off’ style…) I can say that I’m torn on the conceptualization of ‘art.’

As poetic as it may sound to have an artistic presence that lingers on in ‘daring’ bravado…it’s not so sexy when it equates to the young kids asking inquisitively, ‘mommy, is this playground still safe?’ or ‘what does F*** mean?’ ya know?

That said, I DO concur that there are levels of artistic expression here…and self-expression in the form of graffiti art when it’s in a ‘controlled’ environment (as in ‘have at it—there’s a blank wall on 6th and Mission, go to town, kids’ vs. having it show up on your local public works shed) seems embraceable…

Example? Dave, at Street Styles uses an after-school arts workshop in S.F. to teach middle/high schoolers how to develop their artistic abilities/visual thinking via street art and graffiti techniques, styles, and history as an inspiration and instructional tool.
http://www.woostercollective.com/2007/02/daves_street_styles.html

And here’s a video of his work via SF Chronicle’s coverage:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/culture/detail?blogid=3&entry_id=17453

Meanwhile, I wrote last year about the Sprite/MSN graffiti wall via interactive computer tagging, (which looks like it’s down) but the legacy and branding concepts appear left behind, as you can see in some of these Sprite-themed graffiti murals: http://www.ghava.com/Projects/SpriteMurals

So my point is this…it’s a fine line between celebrating art and self-expression and boundaries of personal/private and public property…Urban youth particularly can REALLY contribute a lot to the conversation (look at Youth Speaks, etc.) in a DIY forum of content/contests etc. vs. random mischief. There’s a big difference in the ethics of anarchy and overwhelm (because someone has to pay to clean up the mess when it’s random tagging) vs. artistic mural creations exemplifying the human condition. Ya know?

I dunno…tough boundary. Just sayin’…I see, hear, and live all sides of this debate, daily.

By: Janine

Janine — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:43:03 +0000

Great idea to introduce kids to it as an art. I’ve always looked at graffiti and wondered just how they do that. I know there have been some community events that make it a point to include graffiti artists.

By: Alisa Bowman

Alisa Bowman — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:39:23 +0000

I think the view of it as changing, just given even the name of it. It used to be “graffiti” and now it’s “graffiti art.” Plus there’s that guy who used to be a graffiti artist who is now was of the most well paid (and still alive) regular artists. Can’t remember his name at the moment. Cool that you are introducing your kids to art in a cool, interesting way.

By: Julie Roads

Julie Roads — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:15:10 +0000

Wow – what a cool post – isn’t that just like a blog to make me think of something I’ve never thought of before -brilliant. I’d say you surely have a ‘piece’ here!