Monday, August 17, 2009

CONTROVERSY MONDAY: FUCK YOUR GRAFFITI

"These things might as well be enormous banner ads," a character in a Leisure Town comic I read once* mused aloud as he looked at the graffiti he and his pals had been spraying around town. "Nobody cares."

He's right.

Note that I'm not talking about stuff like the sidewalk sprays, or whatever's on the wall on Valencia between 23rd and 24th, or the murals all over the city that incorporate graffiti-style lettering or themes. I just mean the incomprehensible bullshit tags. Who gives even half a shit about those? Nobody can read them. They all look the same. Who else is even paying attention -- other graffiti dudes? Congratulations: there are probably five of you, all talking to each other in a moronic code that gets in the way of my enjoyment of the urban landscape. And don't give me shit about this being some kind of art form! I would rather that there be art there, not your tenth-grade "drawin' on my backpack during history class" bullshit. It's not a "logo" or a "brand," either, not if I can't fucking identify it. Or rather, it might be, but you know what? It's a shitty logo/brand. Fuck that, and fuck you. Find something else to do with your time and talent.

This Controversy Monday brought to you by this, I guess

* "Down by the Freeway," if you're curious