My blog friend Jen has been posting on Wednesdays about graffiti that she finds in and around Oklahoma City. She has spent a considerable amount of time learning all about the subject. She has become quite passionate about the subject and I love reading about her trespassing and running down trains in order to document good examples of graffiti.
When she started posting about graffiti I was a little apprehensive. To me a lot of it is vandalism with paint as opposed to an art form. Although I have to admit many of the practitioners have talent and I wonder why they haven’t been more productive with their talent.
(This isn’t graffiti, it’s a commissioned mural.)
With Jen one gets insight, summaries of research, access to deep thinking, insights, and great photography. Me, you just get snapshots, and a link to Jen!
Above is the worst possible graffiti. On a rock face on my beloved Turkey Mountain in Tulsa. Ughh.
I ventured to the Elm Creek Tunnel discharge into the Arkansas River. I had two purposes. One was to check out the graffiti, the other was to find a geocache hidden there. I find some graffiti, I have yet to find the geocache.
Lets just say that the most of the talent of the graffiti artists here is still rather undeveloped.
They are pretty good sloganeers though. I bet you didn’t know sloganeers was a word. Try it on Words With Friends if you get a chance. Let me know how it works for you.
I’ll have to do some more research to find the vivid examples that my friend Jen finds.
I like this sentiment, but the art needs a little work.
Tulsa’s storm drain system also fascinates me apparently we have a very extensive drainage system that attracts urban explorers from all over. Below is a video of a party that was thrown about a half mile into the tunnel in 2010. Personally, I think those attending the party are nuts. Attending the party in ankle deep water in the dark?
So, I’ll be on the lookout for a lot better examples of graffiti. My dream of unifying graffiti blogging and geocaching is getting off to a rough start.
but its going to get you out and about and gets us more ‘snapshots’ (your photos are much more than snapshots!)
Hi Yogi!
Graffiti has been around as long as man learne dhe could make marks with a object…consider the prehistoric cave drawings in France or that graffiti was found on the walls of builings in ancient Pompeii. But, I agree with you that a lot of it is detructive to private property and that it is ugly.
The Tulsa storm drain system looks interesting! I just went on an extensive tour of a wastewater management plant in Brooklyn that I will blog about in the future. It was fascinating!
We have some pretty “artsy” graffiti here in Seattle, but there’s plenty of the other kind as well — like on many of the buildings near my complex. There is a homeless shelter nearby and I’m glad for those who truly need a place to stay, but so many of the people there are drunks and drug addicts and they do lots of “decorating” to many places in the shopping center. Great post for the day!
sylvia
Somehow, the graffiti art on buildings, tunnels, trains and such–as long as it’s not offense–I find attractive. But keep off the rocks and trees. A rather interesting passion to throw in with city geocaching.
There’s graffiti and there’s murals and art. I think there’s a big difference.
Graffiti: a world-wide plague… (sigh)
Well – lots of that graffiti looks like defacing property to me, though I’ve seen some really artistic, beautiful examples, too. Stick to geocaching, Yogi!
I think I’ll stick to Wednesday doors.
We have a well known graffiti artist called Banksy over here and his wall art is considered “collectable” and has become listed so that one cannot remove his “art”. However, cleverly, no one knows who he is or what he looks like!!!
Prepare for the bug to bite you. If it hasn’t happened already, you’re going to start seeing it everywhere – overpasses, bridges, utility boxes. Check out StreetArtOK or OKStreetArt on FB. It doesn’t have a big following yet, but it might grow. Street art is becoming so popular. I think Tulsa is hip for it! I love what Norman has done w/ their skate park. Thanks for giving it a whirl, Yogi. Did Tulsa ever clean up the graffiti by the Hightower? It was on an art deco building I think. I have a photo…I’ll post to FB. Thanks so much!
Great stuff, and a great topic.
We have some seasoned writers around here who are very defensive about others’ photographing and posting images of their art, which they see as private property despite their claiming of private property in public spaces! It’s a hoot. And it’s always a good conversation.
You definitely need to stay out of that storm drain! I’ve been noticing some really nice graffiti around town myself. Some of them are very talented, others not so much.
I just came back to have another look at this post. I did love it!