Graffiti and Vandalism

[Victor Vectis]

1 hour ago, Proper Charlie said:

The bridge at the bottom of the Watford flight now bears graffiti which I think is totally at odds with the rural location. The lockies have asked CaRT to remove it but without success, so far.

But according to some comments this brightens up a dull and/or boring location.

(Do I have to say I disagree?)

 

The graffiti that is tolerated in urban locations, ie the locks in Leicester, spreads out as the pillocks who daub it find fresh walls to vandalise.

[Athy]

I'm not familiar with Watford locks. What is the nature of these graffiti?

[Proper Charlie]

52 minutes ago, Athy said:

I'm not familiar with Watford locks. What is the nature of these graffiti?

Can’t recall what it said. Just some crudely drawn letters on what is a beautiful bridge as you approach the bottom lock. The lockies do a good job at keeping the flight looking neat and attractive. The graffiti must have really angered and upset them.

[Athy]

11 minutes ago, Proper Charlie said:

Can’t recall what it said. Just some crudely drawn letters on what is a beautiful bridge as you approach the bottom lock. The lockies do a good job at keeping the flight looking neat and attractive. The graffiti must have really angered and upset them.

Ah, so this wasn't something done or sanctioned by CART, like the hideous carve-ups on the Hillmorton flight?

[Proper Charlie]

1 minute ago, Athy said:

Ah, so this wasn't something done or sanctioned by CART, like the hideous carve-ups on the Hillmorton flight?

Absolutely not. I do find some graffiti clever and pleasing. This is neither of those things.

[Higgs]

20 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

I agree up to a point but some is very clever and artistic.

 

But my personal favourite is the temporary stuff done in chalk  which washes away in the first rain storm.

 

Some of the stuff done by this chap using chalk and charcoal is just brilliant.

 

https://mymodernmet.com/david-zinn-street-art/

 

 

 

We have a Banksy (allegedly) on a beach near us.

 

It's not particularly impressive IMHO.

 

 

 

I enjoy seeing this type of work around. It is harmless and usually done in chalks. It is inoffensive. It is well done.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by Higgs

[matty40s]

7 hours ago, Proper Charlie said:

Can’t recall what it said. Just some crudely drawn letters on what is a beautiful bridge as you approach the bottom lock. The lockies do a good job at keeping the flight looking neat and attractive. The graffiti must have really angered and upset them.

 

[frangar]

54 minutes ago, matty40s said:

 

I bet some here consider that “art” and applaud the freedom of expression.....

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

34 minutes ago, frangar said:

I bet some here consider that “art” and applaud the freedom of expression.....

No, it’s horrible. 

[Victor Vectis]

40 minutes ago, frangar said:

I bet some here consider that “art” and applaud the freedom of expression.....

Quite.

[dmr]

Its a really difficult moral problem. Some good graffiti is good, most Banksy stuff is good (and very valuable) or at least thought provoking, but "tagging" is obviously just vandalism. Its particularly sad when a good bit of graffiti "art" gets wrecked by tagging. But if we are going to accept and preserve Banksy type stuff but criminalise tagging then we are criminalising people either because they have no artistic ability, or just have no taste.

 

Grafitti is bad, it gives an area a bad lawless and criminal feel which stops people visiting and putting money into the local economy, either consciously or unconsciously I will use graffiti (and its quality) as a big factor in deciding if I moor up for the night in a new location.

 

...............Dave

[Ronaldo47]

Here's (part of) one that used to be on the wall of the towpath of the Channelsea River,  formerly well-known to those using the railway between West Ham and Bromley (later Bromley-by-Bow) in East London.  Taken from a moving District Line train in the mid-1960's. Created in the pre-aerosol era, and originally just "IS SAITCH A DADDY?, it progressively grew with time, adding "WHO DAPHNE?" and I forget the rest. It was the title of a football fan's blog for several years, but under the misremembered title "Is Saitch yer daddy?".  I don't know when it was removed, and I haven't come across any other photos of it. 

Edited August 13, 2020 by Ronaldo47
Typo

[restlessnomad]

On 12/08/2020 at 18:52, Graham Davis said:

Better not go down the W & B through Worcester then, where CaRT and the City Council organised scenes to be painted on several bridges. 
My daughter was one of those paid to do it.

 

if she was paid for it, its not vandalism, regardless of the artistic quality of the graffiti. 

In my opinion, vandalism is about ownership, grafiti is a specific type of urban art, if you take permission(or even better: paid for it), more power to you and may your types prosper.

 

what is art depends on the viewer, some might find hideous tags 'art'... I cant really argue against it.

 

[Proper Charlie]

12 hours ago, matty40s said:

 

We passed each other in the pound above last week. In fact my wife helped you through the bottom lock. I would have said hello, but didn’t realise it was you until later.

[Sir Nibble]

On 12/08/2020 at 10:33, Heartland said:

A walk along the BCN main line near Matchbox City (Port Loop) has its interesting moments. Dodging the cyclists requires a honed skill and now the electric scooters are also racing along the towpath, the hazards factor has doubled. Most cyclists now use bells to warn of their approach, there is no warning from a fast moving scooter.

 

This was an area noted for industrial heritage, but every wall and structure is covered by graffiti and if anything stands still long enough that gets the same treatment. I used to think those responsible for graffiti did their work under the cover of darkness, but yesterday I noticed two young men with their paint cans actively spraying paint at the bridge where Monument Lane crosses. This was at 6 00 pm. The smell of the awful solvent wafted across the canal to the other side where I was walking. One boater who asked them what they were doing apparently received abuse as an answer.

 

Whilst the paint now covers paint on this section of towpath and the tribal inscription of these modern troglodytes is a mixture of fresh and faded colours. It is not art, it is simply vandalism, which requires time, effort and money to remove. It is also vandalism as the heritage iron bridges are often covered by it, until CRT, or volunteers, remove it. There is also a powerful message that accompanies this act and that is this is a lawless area, please stay away. The fact that these "people" do it in broad daylight is of particular concern and it is difficult to see what is in their selfish minds as to the reason why it should be done. Yet it appears they believe themselves immune, and perhaps is a facet of their youth. However something must be done to rid the towpath of this menace.

     

 

 

 

This could have been a teachable moment. Had you been able to take a black spray of your own and cover their fresh paint before their eyes to vandalise their work it would have been a powerful statement of your self expression.

[Ferd]

On 12/08/2020 at 14:28, doratheexplorer said:

Blessed be his diminutive dwarfiness!

 

p.s.  Astle is the King!

This keeps cropping up !

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/football-graffiti.1306/#post-20946

sotv

[Bewildered]

Whatever happened to that Kilroy bloke who waz ere all through the seventies?

 

 

In the 70’s graffiti books were on sale showing the wittiest of the wall art. My personal favourite was,

“Guy Fawkes where are you now that we need you?”
Sorry should I have posted that in the political section?

[matty40s]

3 hours ago, Bewildered said:

 

 

In the 70’s graffiti books were on sale showing the wittiest of the wall art...

You mean...

[Bewildered]

1 hour ago, matty40s said:

You mean...

I also remember one that said “Gravity is a myth, the world sucks”

 

Strange what useless information hangs around in your head for 40 years

[Ronaldo47]

In the 1970's and '80's I worked in State House in London's Holborn, a truly hideous 1960's office block whose only redeeming features were its height and its extensive underground car park. If you ignored the "No Entry" sign on the roof staircase door, you were rewarded with magnificent panoramic views over London and a close-up view of the Met Office's meteorological  instruments. It really was an office block of the type  mentioned in an episode of "Yes Minister" (the economy drive?) where Jim Hacker asks Humphrey why they don't rent out some of their unoccupied offices that have been standing empty for years, only to be told that, because they did not comply with building regulations, only Civil Servants could legally occupy them. Absolutely based on fact - we only had emergency lighting installed after crown immunity from building regs was abolished.

 

To get to the point, I regret not having photographed the grafito on its foundation stone. After the stuff about "This building was designed and erected by Joe Bloggs & Co." (I forget the names of the culprits),  someone had neatly  added "and they should be ashamed of themselves."

[WotEver]

4 hours ago, Bewildered said:

I also remember one that said “Gravity is a myth, the world sucks”

My missus told me about one she saw in a loo...

”My mum made me a lesbian!”

and underneath...

”If I buy her the wool will she make me one?”