~Fokul

It started out poorly, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised by the end of it...

Reading the newspaper over breakfast this morning, I came across what seemed to be the latest in a string of relevant articles; "GRAFFITI: Is It Art, Or Is It Crime?"

Within the last week or so, my city has set up a new squad that works out of a van to clean up graffiti within city limits. Okay...That's fine with me, they can step up measures to remove graff. In fact, at times, I support it...There's a lot of kids scrambling their eggs on stuff they shouldn't, and the majority of it isn't eyecatching or pleasant. That's not what I'm irked about.

What really got under my skin today was the fact that Todd Babiak, a well-known editor for the Edmonton Journal, had the audacity to follow suit. By writing a poorly-researched article on something that NOBODY ASKED HIM ABOUT, he's doing the same thing as the average graffiti-writer he's denouncing. He went and plastered his own highly biased opinion in the local section of the newspaper; much akin, in my opinion, to a kid tagging the side of the neighbourhood corner-store...just to get his voice heard/seen. Not only that, it was a terrible article!

According to Babiak, "Graffiti, if it is art, exists for those who want or need to express themselves outside the boundaries of legitimate cultural commodities."

So, you mean to say that graffiti is not legitimate? That it is a form of pseudo-expressionism? That it has no culture; no history; no legacy?

He then goes on to discuss Banksy, using him as an example of fairly positive graffiti. At this point, I couldn't contain my groans of displeasure...Lemme get this straight, before I get a million-and-a-half flames and hatemails for what I'm about to say. I respect Banksy...he's done a lot for public awareness, and has pulled some truly fascinating and excellent stunts...But get off it. Banksy, himself, has declared that he is not a graffiti-writer. He may be a street-artist, yes, but he is a political-activist first and foremost. I like Banksy...but I by no means consider him a member of my culture.

Babiak then goes on to quote another person that I'd love to have words with; Sharon Chapman, manager of the Wipe-Out Graffiti van. According to Chapman, "The point is to keep Edmonton clean, safe and a place people want to visit."

Umm, Sharon...When was the last time a layer of spray-paint on a wall hurt a member of the general public? I understand clean...and to an extent the claim that less graffiti will make Edmonton a more desirable place to visit...but what is up with bringing safety into this? You're cleaning up the aftermath...just the paint off the walls. You're not going after writers or gangs...So why don't you just stick to your job and talk about what we tax-payers are employing you for? Thanks.

Returning to Babiak...he continues his tirade: "There is very little that is pleasing and clever about graffiti, almost nothing. But they are out there, those "pieces" that feel iconic and even comfortable, like a musty sweater vest with holes in it that you know you shouldn't love, yet you love anyway." Y'know what? Just because you don't like graffiti, doesn't mean you have to force your uninformed opinion on the rest of the readers of the paper, you arrogant prick.

Todd Janes, mentioned in the article as the executive director of an arts-group in the city, is quoted as following: "I dont' know if graffiti has been an appreciated art form in the city. But on a personal level, I hate [graffiti] murals. Its the lowest common denominator in terms of public art. And what is graffiti? It stems from people who are powerless or without social value claiming territorial rights. It's anti-establishment by nature."

Oh really? So I guess I'M the scumbag here, because apparently I have no power or social value. Heaven forbid that a teenager like me, who wouldn't be listened to anyways, should desire his say in anything...

It goes on..."Janes doesn't think anti-graffiti initiatives work that well. From the confused, homeless youth stealing and selling mountain-bikes to buy spraypaint...to the bored suburban kid sneaking into the city in her parents' SUV to tag, graffiti is a complex social phenomenon."

Damn rights they don't work...especially not when you go around writing articles like this that do NOTHING but raise hackles and act as a call-to-arms for writers and respecters. Oh, and way to categorize us writers...I'll give you an ounce of credit for acknowledging that it's not just inner-city kids, and that there are a decent number of female writers...but God Damnit, I hate being labeled. I don't fit into either of those categories, thank you very much.


I really don't know what the purpose of this rant was...But I feel ever-so-slightly better now that I've written it. In other news, I'm rewatching bits and pieces of Evangelion for the 7th time. Still can't get over how amazing it is...I catch something new each and every time.