I coincidentally came across some guy’s flickr account documenting his tagging outings in our city. Being an “artistic creature” and risking to sound rather moronic, I find these expressions of public art visually offensive. Graffiti-artists with half a brain don’t repeat the same name, style, etc over and over. This person (or rather group of “artists”) is obviously very un-talented.
Someone before on the RiotACT used a Banksy quote in regards to tagging :
“All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn to draw?”
I hope this guy get busted and has to clean up all the horrendous crap he pollutes this city with… (or at least gets drawing lessons)
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/84278694@N02/
these guys are so cool that they also have a tumblr-blog http://falsiesmob.tumblr.com/
*sigh*
UPDATE 17/09/12 10:32: ED – I popped over to Braddon to record the “art” above.
I did, however, find The Angel of Lonsdale Street nearby which I rather liked:
UPDATE 17/09/12 14:27: Thanks to StonedWookie for pointing out there’s even video of their antics:
This facebook page has a large selection of pieces of work which are generally pleasant.
http://www.facebook.com/street.artcanberra
It seems a same to only focus on the more obnoxious stuff.
Truthiness said :
Imo the perfect canvas is your own wall, not someone elses.
Some of these are quite good, Abyss can obviously do great things when he has more than one colour to work with. Its a pity so many of these are just sketchy tags, the more complex works really liven up the bleak industrial wastelands they are juxtaposed with.
I hope this hive mind witch hunt doesn’t end up discouraging the artistic repurposing of public spaces. Don’t blame the artist for ruining a crappy canvas.
A source who cannot be named believes the Abyss607 featured in the Canberra Times last year is the “abyss” mentioned nearly subliminally in the opening credits of the video.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sVSnAqmbJu8FBflFYIKHMdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
I recall meeting a person who like myself spent a fair chunk of time at the the uni bar some15 years ago and he had a guvment contract to produce wonderful art in various drab bus shelters around the inner north.But of course the fu*ktards would get in on the act and ruin it with their brainless graffiti tags.
stonedwookie said :
Thanks! Added in now!
Chaz said :
True, but you can’t see his face at all in any of the pictures. Let me just say that if we’re gonna let Steve “Killier” off scot-free then I’ll be supremely pissed if these idiots get convicted on this evidence alone.
Sorry – what I meant was …
Truthiness said :
Someone has already put a paste-up on it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seakayem/7863693128/in/photostream/
Haven’t checked to see if it’s still there.
this video was on there tumblr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcNWxUz3V0M
Truthiness said :
Truthiness said :
Or maybe idiots just like to break the law and damage things that don’t belong to them.
Perhaps if our societies architecture were not so bleak and impersonal, people would not be so driven to personalise it. Then again, ancient Rome’s gorgeous buildings were “vandalised” by their original inhabitants, so were caves, maybe humans just can’t help personalising empty spaces.
Personally I prefer even the most clumsy attempt at art to the plain bricks and billboards we are subjected to by developers. Do these people actually think their concrete monoliths are beautiful? If I had a spray can for every public eyesore I wanted to paint over, we’d have a much prettier city.
Oh how I have been sorely tempted to paint the belconnen owl, I think it’d look lovely in a nice shade of penis.
Henry82 said :
Some people who wear red berets are the nicest, most trustworthy and truly talented people you could meet.
never trust anyone wearing a red beret.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/84278694@N02/7879323622/
DrKoresh said :
a quick look through their Tumblr shows them tagging a few things
http://falsiesmob.tumblr.com/page/5
“There’s a difference between graffiti artists and douchebag taggers. This falls into the latter category.”
Really? Is there? Like it or not, works produced by someone in the “latter” category is actually just as relevant as works in the “former”, even if it’s not something you personally find appealing.
I’m with DrKoresh on this one- you can’t prove who it was, there is actually very little that can be done about it as a whole. Sure, maybe you’ll get whoever does this or whatever, but you can’t stop the entire thing as a movement. Maybe I’m biased because I actually enjoy this somewhat instinctive, reactive approach to art (and I don’t care if you think it is or not) over pasting up a picture of Kony or some other Banksy knockoff, but this is a thing that happens in cities, in towns, in wherever.
I hear the police have been using social media to catch criminals like this. Won’t take long once it’s brought to their attention.
I object to the use of the word “artist” when describing this flog and his ilk.
There’s a difference between graffiti artists and douchebag taggers. This falls into the latter category.
A lot of these photos are very recent so the s*** tagging will still be there.
These ones are all on Alexander and Albermarle Buildings in Woden. All that plywood was only put up last week, so the photos are really new.
Anyone know if that means the development of the site (DA notices have been up for a year or two) is about to go ahead?