Art or Vandalism, I'm not quite sure.
In specific places I'm sure it adds to the color of the city.
I've posted six photographs from my morning rides - the first three come from a recent ride in the Melbourne suburb of Balaclava. It's a predominent Jewish area with some wonderful pastry/bakery shops. I attend a weekly gym session here and enjoy a cup of the best coffee I've tasted anywhere before rushing off to work.
I'm not sure whether I should label these as graffiti or murals. The colors are intense and the graphics are very well executed. My initial thoughts are that these were probably comissioned.
What really gets up my nose though is the "tagging" on public property. I've seen tagging on someone's picket fence or brick wall. How does this property owner feel when they get up to go to work and there it is, some vandal's spray canned name across their private property.Two years ago we were in Provence and there on the Pont de Gard was someone's name carved into the stone (from the 1700s).
Rome was worse!!!!!!!
I must say though, I love the intensity of color in these first three "murals".
The following three come from again my early morning rides, but this time, during 2007 in the streets of Paris. What is significant about these shots are that they contain my name.
The tagging wasn't done by me (although Sue was suspicious, even after my denials) but I kept coming across "Leon" tagged in various steets on these rides.
I remember back in 1979 when I spent a summer in San Francisco, I noticed some grafitti that was AC/DC which I presumed was done by someone that admired our great Aussie band. Then again????
I'd be interested in the thoughts you might have on Graffiti.
I have mixed feelings about graffiti and tagging. On the one hand I regard it as a total dispect of other people's property, especially when public object like dusbins, bus shelters etc. are being tagged. On the other hand I find it a complete waste of money and talent. As you rightly pointed out, the first three photos can be regarded as artwork. Then why not apply them on canvas where they will last a lot longer than when being exposed to the elements.
ReplyDeleteBtw, Next time your Paris, don't tell anyone your name, or you may end up in prison for illegal tagging :).
Isn't that great Leon! You are now famous (lol). I will think of you if I run into a Leon graffiti. I agree with Martine. The better graffiti artworks remind me of "Anime".
ReplyDeleteWhat worried me was that I even saw a "sims" tagging (our surname)in Paris.
ReplyDeleteOups, that's really scary. As I said before, I'd better watch out the next time you're in Paris ;)
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to have found your blog. I lived in Melbourne (Brighton) from 1994-1997 and miss the city, culture and my dear friends very much. Thanks for sharing! Stacy
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