Graffiti, Art or Vandalism?

FairHamilton · #1 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 4:31 AM**

From Friday's Spec. What's your opinion is graffiti public art, or vandalism? Does it add to the cities fabric, or is it just an eyesore? Raging against the establishment, or just a bunch of punks? What do you think?

July 24, 2008
Daniel Duguay
The Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton
(Jul 24, 2008)

Spray-painting trains, tagging bus stops and defacing every available surface: It's all a part of a world that exists right underneath our noses. Hamilton's "graffiti writers" venture out day and night to spread their names, but why? Why do these individuals risk their lives to hang from buildings, climb billboards and break into train yards to draw a word that most Hamiltonians cannot read?

Is graffiti art or vandalism? Last I checked, vandalism was an intentionally targeted act of destruction to personal or public property. How can one believe that graffiti is vandalism when it's turning our bustling city into an open-exhibit art gallery? Society allows money-sucking corporations to post their ads, yet we punish individuals who bring colour to the walls of Hamilton?

Surfacing artwork is rarely accepted in its own time, and it is not usually until a more open-minded generation arrives that we appreciate the uniqueness and creativity of each piece and those who created them. Graffiti will not be stopped. It will never be found hanging from the walls of a museum. We as artists are expressing ourselves. The city of Hamilton is our canvas.

Hammer Native · #2 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 5:58 AM**

It's a disgrace where some of these punks have chosen to express their creativity. Historic structures such as the Gage Park fountain and the High Level Bridge have been defaced. Shows a lack of respect for our history and I think to those responsible for building our city.

matt602 · #3 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 11:58 AM**

Tagging: vandalism
Graffiti: art in most cases.

Unfortunately there is a lot more of the former than the latter.

I was disgusted to see that some puke had tagged the remembrance day memorial that was plastered onto a maintenance cupboard in gore park between Hughson/John. Words can't even comprehend.

Millstone · #4 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

Tagging: vandalism
Graffiti: art in most cases.

Unfortunately there is a lot more of the former than the latter.

I was disgusted to see that some puke had tagged the remembrance day memorial that was plastered onto a maintenance cupboard in gore park between Hughson/John. Words can't even comprehend.

Subhumans, obviously. The 'scribbly letters' sort of idiots anyway. There are a few murals on the surrounding buildings of the 73 Hughson N parking lot, permission was obviously given for those though.

Hamilton has a big graffiti problem though. The Linc's sound barriers are constantly tagged, even worse are the signs.

vid · #5 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 4:24 PM**

We should white wash everything and re-institute the death penalty for anyone using colour.

raisethehammer · #6 Posted **Jul 25, 2008, 9:28 PM**

I love murals, but yea all the tags are annoying.

BrianE · #7 Posted **Jul 26, 2008, 12:00 PM**

So far I havn't seen a single example of "Graphiti Art" in this City. There's no thought or artistic intent behind any of the tags that I've seen. This Daniel Duguay guy, is just not connected with reality if you ask me.

I assume we've all seen the recuring tags around town..

CHillenbelio
Beliox
Chillinbeliox
Free Albert
This little turtle smokes crack, this little turtle smokes pot, this little turtle does acid... (written on the Gage Park Fountain turtles in permanent marker)

Art my ass....

raisethehammer · #8 Posted **Jul 26, 2008, 1:11 PM**

check out the back walls of the Sonic Unyon building on Wilson.
And the back of Club 77 on King William.
there was another sweet one behind the FRW Cafe on King East, but the friggin city came by and painted over it with black paint (which is now full of tags).

Millstone · #9 Posted **Jul 26, 2008, 4:56 PM**

"Free Albert" and "Fight Colonization" and "Free Ali D." can be found along John and Hughson.

matt602 · #10 Posted **Jul 26, 2008, 5:02 PM**

What exactly do all of those mean? I've been wondering for awhile now.

markbarbera · #11 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 6:50 PM**

From today's online edition of thespec.com

Quote:

Police nab prolific graffiti artist

September 04, 2008
Fariba Sahraei
The Hamilton Spectator

It took a year, but Hamilton police have nabbed a graffiti artist who has been leaving his mark all over the city.

The self-styled artist has been leaving his tag across Hamilton.

Dubbed KEENUR, he has hit at least 63 locations from Stoney Creek, through the city and into Dundas.

Police caught the tagger after an appeal to neighbourhood associations for help in tracking him.

They identified where he struck and provided evidence of him vandalizing city property.

Investigators nabbed him at his home Sunday and found him with an armory of spray-paint cans, markers and other graffiti equipment.

The 18-year-old man is charged with eight counts of mischief under $5000 and one count of robbery related to a knife-point holdup

FairHamilton · #12 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 7:15 PM**

That is great news!!!!

Now they need to publish his name and those that incurred cost to have his 'handiwork' removed should take him to small claims court to recover the cost.

They better not let this guy walk with some lame punishment.

markbarbera · #13 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 7:24 PM**

Name will not be published as he is a young offender.

matt602 · #14 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 7:44 PM**

Good stuff. I doubt the charges will do anything though, he'll be back at it within a year.

go_leafs_go02 · #15 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 7:56 PM**

I'd rather look at a clean/blank wall than anything covered in graffiti. Legalized, sure i'm ok with it, but I hate any tags, any unauthorized artwork that shouldn't be there.

MsMe · #16 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 7:57 PM**

I thought age 18 was considered an adult?

FairHamilton · #17 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Name will not be published as he is a young offender.

18 is not young offender, or did he just turn 18 and the crimes were committed when he was 16, 17?

FairHamilton · #18 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 8:07 PM**

Take a look at the picture in the article, http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/429587.

This guy is responsible for more than just 63 Keenur's......

flar · #19 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 8:09 PM**

The young offenders act is no more, I don't know what the rules are now.

His punishment will likely be a fine and community service or something, so he'll be back at it again soon. Of course, as much as I dislike tagging, I really wouldn't want people thrown in jail for stuff like this anyway. I think he should have to pay restitution to those whose property he's damaged, or go around repainting (properly) the surfaces he's defaced.

SteelTown · #20 Posted **Sep 4, 2008, 8:10 PM**

Get him to pay for the paint and make him cover up the tags, each and everyone one of them.