Graffiti

I love graffiti, although I admit that it can get out of hand. People living in apartment buildings may not love having someone else’s artistic expression on their front door, and that does happen. But on walls that would otherwise be empty, such as the outside of this factory, graffiti adds value.

This image was under a bridge, so unless you’re in a boat, you won’t see it. That particular city fought graffiti artists for many years, always painting over everything they put out, until they finally changed their policy. This resulted in a terrific art scene that made the city a lot more vibrant.

There are political statements like this one, and others devoted to victims of violence, support for politicians, or deceased public figures. Some are homages to other artists, but many are simply artistic expressions. I am sure that there are many hidden meanings that I will never know.

I love the mutual respect here–each has a certain amount of space, and no one disrespects their neighbors. Side-by-side, these images make for an art piece of their own, made up of ideas that couldn’t be more different. Eventually, these are painted over to make room for new art. Then photos may be all that’s left to remember these pieces by.

There are some places where public art is not allowed, and I have seen messages on many bridges–ideas that try to inspire, or notes designed to prevent people to jump off and take their own lives. These are generally painted over very quickly. I love seeing them, but often they are gone before I have a chance to take pictures of them.

I definitely prefer graffiti over gray concrete walls.