Sorry about your fence

Graffiti. Blight on the landscape or purest form of self-expression? Love it or hate it?

I know it‘s not popular, I know it’s not politically correct, I guess it’s probably not even socially responsible – but I am, and always have been, fascinated by graffiti. Okay, so I’m not a huge fan of tagging – you know, the scrawl that adorns traffic signs and underpasses – but even in it’s rawest, least artistic form, graffiti holds significance. It speaks to the culture of a group I could never belong to or fully understand. It stands for something, and I respect that.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone it and if it were my own property, I would be rightly ticked off. Hypocritical, I guess, but you can have an appreciation or fascination for something without actively encouraging it can’t you? And lets be honest, some graffiti is pure unadulterated talent or witty, thought-provoking social commentary. It can’t all be bad then, right?

Even my local neighbourhood is sprinkled with tags and the like. In fact, the provocation for this particular blog, was the most recent addition. Scrawled across a neighbour’s fence were the words “Sorry about your fence”.  I was really hoping to have had a photo here, but alas, as is the fate of the unappreciated scrawl, it was painted over before I had the chance to grab the camera. However, the irony was not lost on me and I can honestly say I was sorry to see it go. Peculiar invidual, aren’t I?

At the very least, it has re-ignited my interest in graffiti, so I’ve spent more time noticing the pieces around my neighbourhood. While none of these are particularly thought provoking, they each present a certain aesthetic quality which attracts me.

So I’ll keep scouting in the hope of stumbling upon the kind of powerful social commentary that the likes of world-famous graffer, Banksy, might create – like this one, below.

I know it’s not always pretty. I know it’s defacing someone’s property. But, I love graffiti. Sorry about your fence.