Graffiti with a Conscience

Rick B. your story is not clear to people who can not see the area you are talking about. You first say it is rural, then you say it is part of the City. How can it be both. A rural area in our county is a place with barns, farm fields, and rows of trees along streams. If it is in the city how can it be rural. What definition are you using?

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Where I live, we refer to the entire region as the city of ------; which includes, both the rural and urban districts of the city. Years ago, it was called a municipality, before it gained city status.

BTW, I should have mentioned illegal dumping became problematic, in this area, too. Many times, we saw piles of landscape waste, construction debris, old furniture, garbage, a dead farm animal dumped on the side of the road... We even reported a guy dumping drywall, in broad daylight.

Yes, there was some graffiti, too.

One common denominator, found in this example, is the complete lack of respect, the total disregard, for property(private and public). Eventually, culminating in the lack of respect, for human life.

Rick

Well played sir.

A one-time friend created this "art car".

Yup..just keeps getting better....

However, these folks apparently decided to decorate their own property, not someone else's.

Rusty

Yep...good.  Let em'do it to their own stuff.

So on what grounds do you object to people painting on their own private property?  It's not vandalism in that case.  Do you just hate art and self expression?  Anything you wouldn't do yourself is wrong?  Heck, you should probably run for Congress.

So you would have no problem with that monstrosity of a house, right next door to YOUR house? Bet that would REALLY increase YOUR property values!

Can't say I'd enjoy it, but I do believe in liberty and a person's right to have something like that.  I'd rather live down the street from that and be allowed to have a basketball hoop and keep a project car in the side yard, and work on my own car in my driveway, than live in a picture perfect planned development with a Nazi HOA (some of them ban parking PICKUP TRUCKS!)  But for people who want picture-perfect, such places exist.  And that's what make's America great.

The big issue with most graffiti (and tagging) is that it shows a lack of respect for other peoples' property. Much of the graffiti is about "marking territory" and "in your face". Rarely does graffiti have artistic value that other people might appreciate.

If creative people want to do "artwork" on their own property it might be welcomed if it's done with talent and class. 

Ace photo on Sydney suburban train 2009

I can certainly agree with that.  But painting something with a wide brush is usually not the right answer.

Well first of all I never said that I objected to anyone doing anything to their own property, it's theirs..they bought it/ pay taxes on it, let them do what they wish with it.  I would not be doing cart wheels over it but as I said it's their property.  So I am not sure where you got that from. ( I posted earlier for them to put it on their own property...ya know when you posted the pics of the car and the home). 

     Do I hate art?...No.  I spend quite a bit of time at the Art Institute in Chicago every year, I paint, I draw as well as dabble in some photography. I go there and many other places with my 2 sons to show/teach them about creating,expression and about the various arts. They love to draw as well, and my oldest really enjoys painting. 

     I have done many things wrong in my life as I am not perfect, and I have learned from those things.  However I was taught to respect other peoples property and not to damage, destroy or deface it by means of vandalism or any other.  Simply stated this costs folks a lot of $$ every year and is a crime...yup I knew that...being a Police Officer for 10+ years and all...not to mention the time lost by the folks who have to clean or repaint that property.

      Now I will conclude with this, you don't know me or anything about me so don't assume/presume anything, do not put words in my mouth and do not insult me by trying, I certainly would not do that to you. 

Oh and FWIW, I have a basketball hoop and a pick up....just thought I would share that as well.

Just a tip, then.  The "  " smiley doesn't generally convey respect.

I see some more assuming on your part...and so it goes.

I spotted this bizarre artwork today. It might be suggesting that Golden West Service is as fast as a rocket ship. Dunno what to make of that elephant deity there, maybe it safeguards the cargo.

If more graffiti was like this it would be kinda interesting.

Ganesha is the Hindu god of prosperity.  There isn't a business in India that doesn't have a Ganesha somewhere on site.  He sees to it that business goes well.  

overland, I keep coming back to this post.  That's a powerful juxtaposition of images there, my friend.  I guess one could argue that the modern version of that Pullman saloon car is really something more like the interior of a Lear jet... but, still.   It's been a rough century for rail in this country.