Photo Essay: Graffiti

Graffiti: the dictionary definition states ‘a drawing or inscription made on a wall or other surface, usually so as to be seen by the public.’ I would say it has much more depth than that, something more akin to an inner spirit or personality. My definition would be, say, ‘a public art form, created in obscurity by an elite membership of craftsmen, characterized by bold color and intricate design patterns, often found on fences, derelict buildings, construction sites or other similar structures.’ I have yet to find a city without graffiti (despite promising intentions by city councils world wide), and honestly I have yet to find bad graffiti. All these are good points for me because my camera lens seems to have an unseemly obsession with these artful creations. I have never actually witnessed anyone creating these pieces, though, which leaves open the possibility that aliens are actually the source; we will leave that for a later discussion. Granted, sometimes locations are chosen inappropriately – nobody likes to have their garage door adorned with a mural – but for the most part, at least here in Europe, the unspoken boundary lines are respected.