there is a fine line between graffiti art and vandalism but these examples of graffiti are pretty cool painted on the walls of some inner city buildings [ melb]





when i opened these they were the right way up as soon as downloaded they fell over, mmm

IMO the first one is simply vandalism and has no artistic merit or social value...

The second one shows some artistic ability and cleverness and is OK... (Again - IMO only).

A local bike shop in Kalgoorlie got targeted by a christian tagger who almost finished a huge piece about jesus saving us all .
I think maybe jesus dobbed him in cos he never quite finished the wall., which is a pity as it was a really beautiful job

Firstly, I am not necessarily justifying graffiti art to the extent seen on trains etc there are some very bad situations and bad examples, but on the other hand there are some amazing tags, Melbourne has some that is now protected and some lane have become major tourist attractions, and there are many Councils increasing their annual anti graffiti budgets. there was a well known Melb photograher, Rennie Ellis [dec] who captured graffiti through the decades that have become a historical record of social issues.
Banksy has some work in Melb that are valued at excess of $400,000, ironically one piece was painted over by council workers, creating an uproar and was then restored back to original condition, artform takes on many directions that are not necessarily only on a canvas.
whatever or however the artform is, or seen, opinions are provoked and that in itself is what art may be about, just don't shoot me for writing this

landyacht said...

A local bike shop in Kalgoorlie got targeted by a christian tagger who almost finished a huge piece about jesus saving us all .
I think maybe jesus dobbed him in cos he never quite finished the wall., which is a pity as it was a really beautiful job

OMG he was whisked away on the 21st May !!?????

Torch said...

watch "exit through the gift shop" IMO it was the best movie/documentary or maybe mockumentry of 2010

www.banksyfilm.com

Really great flik.......

poor relative said...

I like graffitti.
Tagging is a bit lame then there are tags



and then there are tags



I'm all for it.
Its urban adds colour to an otherwise unintersting wall of grey.

I agree, the bottom one is just crap!

Banksy is fn awesome. Check out his book, the guy has a great idiology.





Graffiti is definitely art, and just like "normal art" there are some bad examples, but as you know, art is art.

Tagging is just fkn dumb.

I don't like the way things have gone with famous graffiti works becoming pop culture though, and feel they have sold out... but who wouldn't be tempted.

Look at the clothing line for Obey... they all got offered large cash and have taken it....

Name a famous artist (graffiti) who hasn't? I am not doubting, but wouldn't mind knowing if there was.

And has anyone tagged here? What rewards are there? I saw a guy at St Kilda tagging a tram in daylight, then walking up the street and tagging the street lights. Is it a territorial thing? So other subversive subculture intellectual animals know its your area?

doggie said...

K Dog said...

Banksy is fn awesome. Check out his book, the guy has a great idiology.





Graffiti is definitely art, and just like "normal art" there are some bad examples, but as you know, art is art.

Tagging is just fkn dumb.

I don't like the way things have gone with famous graffiti works becoming pop culture though, and feel they have sold out... but who wouldn't be tempted.

Look at the clothing line for Obey... they all got offered large cash and have taken it....

Name a famous artist (graffiti) who hasn't? I am not doubting, but wouldn't mind knowing if there was.

And has anyone tagged here? What rewards are there? I saw a guy at St Kilda tagging a tram in daylight, then walking up the street and tagging the street lights. Is it a territorial thing? So other subversive subculture intellectual animals know its your area?

I was on the train a few years ago and I overheard some young crew 15-18yo talking about their tags ect and one of them said "there, thats my tag" they all looked and commented on the position and style, generally acting like tools about it. Then one guy claimed one that another guy had done and his mate knew the guy and It nearly started a brawl on the train!!
I think they only do it so there mates can see where they have been. Its a total loss for the general public tho, looks crap and expensive to clean up

I wouldn't mind if they did awesome art - or attempted something.... There is a Melbourne dude who does owls... you'll see it around Collingwood and over at Balaclava and in the city as well... looks good, but simple.

Tagging - if they could just use facebook and check-in to places and then they can see anytime on their phones where there mates are. Problem solved

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K Dog said...
...

Graffiti is definitely art, and just like "normal art" there are some bad examples, but as you know, art is art.

....

Graffiti is not art. Art is art. Graffiti can be art. Most isn't.

Tagging is bad and most people agree about that.

Big, air-brushed lettering and logos can be skilfull and kind of pretty. But most of it is variations on the same theme that everybody else does. It's really sign writing.

Graffiti on somebody else's wall without permission is vandalism, even if the image is a work of art. If a private citizen or small business owns that wall then they have every right to keep it the way they want it.

You can make a case that some corporate walls and sign boards are fair game for graffiti as a political act. Mega corporations imposing their images and brands on us is just as bad as tagging.

I personally hate graffiti on public infrastructure (bridges and railways and signs and stuff.) We all own that stuff and it is there to serve a purpose. It feels threatening that criminals are running around damaging and destroying it.

poor relative said...

mineral1 said...

Please don't use graffiti and art in same context. There is no way graffiti has any slight resemblance to art no matter how its viewed.

First you need to define 'art'

Public or Private buildings are not canvases, for tossers. Art, doesnt degrade other peoples properties.

A famous piece of Melbourne graffiti " disarm now datarm later "

Tagging = vandalism! Our town is currently undertaking a foreshore development to 'beautify' our foreshore, including updating amenity blocks, new stairs to the beach etc. The basins in the amenities were smashed on the 2nd day of reopening and the walls all tagged, and the timber stairs & stone wall have been tagged before completion.

I don't see graffiti as art, but there are definitely artists amongst them, unfortunately there are more taggers than artists and those guys/girls are just wannabes that don't have the same skills, therefore they vandalise property because they think they have the right to.

kyteryder said...

Public or Private buildings are not canvases, for tossers. Art, doesnt degrade other peoples properties.

I was thinking about this today as i was cycling around.
Made me look at my environment a bit differently

Really noticed the cluttered together signs advertising shops just off the street, billboards advertising shops and their wares signs telling me where i can and cannot park and what i cannot do the list goes on
All on public open space, space i as a rate payer pay to keep maintained.

Then i thought what would i prefer signs billboards advertising or good commissioned graffiti.

I reckon its art at its purest : )