Tagbuster's gone
That guy who was cleaning up graffiti in Portland and posting about it on his blog has taken my advice (and heeded the request of the city) and pulled the blog.
I still say three cheers for the man. I hope he'll continue to get out there with his paint and cover up the mess left in our public places by mentally ill people who think they're artists. Maybe he can do it by the city's rules, and maybe he has to take matters into his own hands sometime, but he's doing us all a service, and long may he keep it up.
Just don't engage the cockroaches in a discussion. They'll come by and see their handiwork gone, and that's message enough.
And keep taking the "before" photos, and send them to the city's graffiti abatement officer, Marcia Dennis. When they bust one of these people (and they do from time to time), a record of their "portfolio" will do wonders for their prosecution.
| Posted at 11:38 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (18)
well said.
the trick is to make tagging BORING. this guy was doing the community a service in the short run. but at the same time, he was making it more FUN for the kids ("lets piss off old man beige squares").
Posted by george | October 12, 2006 1:40 PM
Hey not well said - retract your comment about "mess left in our public places by mentally ill people who think they're artists."
Not true, not witty, not okay. Not for people with mental illness and not for artists.
Posted by Jason Renaud | October 12, 2006 2:31 PM
Not well said - retract your comment about "mess left in our public places by mentally ill people who think they're artists."
Not true, not witty, not okay. Not for people with mental illness and not for artists.
Posted by Jason Renaud | October 12, 2006 2:32 PM
I've got to side with Mr. Renaud on that phrasing.
Posted by ellie | October 12, 2006 2:40 PM
No. Graffiti tagging is a mental illness.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 12, 2006 2:56 PM
yea, actually, i meant just part of it is well said.
the vast majority of tagging in portland right now is freakin dumb. but graffiti is a pretty important form of art from a historical perspective.
its one of the foundations of hip hop culture, and is a powerful expression of inner city life in the 70's and 80's.
i dare anyone to watch Style Wars (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177262/) and not come away with respect for those kids.
Posted by george | October 12, 2006 5:05 PM
I have none. Get a life.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 12, 2006 5:36 PM
having respect for the artists in that movie would involve you appreciating an art form invented after 1975. i know not to ask for that much out of life!
Posted by george | October 12, 2006 8:00 PM
OK, grafitti/tagging may be an art or dumb or whatever, but only acceptable if it is done on the 'artists' own property. They have no right to deface (decorate?) on property that does not belong to them. That act makes them criminals. When they buy their own homes, warehouses, garages or whatever, they can have at it. In the meantime, they have no more right than I have to steal someone elses's property.
Have an art show, but knock it off on someone else's property!
Posted by Portland Is Crazy | October 12, 2006 8:57 PM
No kidding. I would support setting up some kind of system wherein some of these people could paint their murals legally. We ought to try to tap the energy and talent of the best of them. But most of the handiwork is empty vandalism, and it's all illegal. Jail or treatment is what these folks need.
And George, gee whiz, I think blogging qualifies as an art form, and it's a 21st Century thing. But taggers are mentally ill.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 12, 2006 10:21 PM
Story this AM that the police are looking for this guy.
It is SO nice to know that ALL other crime in the city has been solved and put down that our cops have NOTHING better to do then look for this guy!
Guess that means it will also be standing room only at the local donut shops....given the cops have nothing else to do.....
Bad Cop | No Donut
Posted by thaddeus | October 13, 2006 9:38 AM
blogging as an art form is pushing it a bit, but yea, i agree it qualifies.
however, looking to the column on the right there you gotta admit, it looks like someone enjoyed music in their youth and just FROZE.
and really- Style Wars is a great documentary. everyone should check it out.
Posted by george | October 13, 2006 9:43 AM
Persistent comments about me, my age and my musical taste?
It's been fun having you here, but you are gone.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 13, 2006 9:54 AM
How is graffiti tagging a mental illness?
Posted by ellie | October 13, 2006 10:44 AM
Calling tagging a mental illness is ridiculous. It certainly shows either a lack of respect or an active disrespect for other people's property rights, but that is not a mental illness. It may show lack of talent, in some cases, but that is not a mental illness either.
Perhaps it is the (admittedly rare) cases where the works are beautiful murals, and they show a bit of genius with a spray can that tagging could be considered a mental illness.
Posted by Kevin | October 13, 2006 4:22 PM
Sorry, but I've got to side with those who don't agree with the "mental illness" comments you've made. Really uncalled for, however much you despise vandalism.
Posted by Silver Fox | October 13, 2006 4:37 PM
If you need to creep around in the middle of the night spray painting on other people's property, you are mentally ill.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 13, 2006 6:17 PM
If I may be devil's advocate for a second, as I have no strong opinion favoring either side of the issue:
If it's not your property that's been vandalized, but you paint over it anyway without the owner's knowledge or permission, aren't you also a vandal? For all you know, the owner prefers the graffiti to an unsolicited, perhaps imperfect cover up job.
Unlike the PC police on this thread, I agree the taggers are mentally ill. I simply submit the whimsical musing that perhaps the unsolicited tagbuster suffers from a similar illness.
Have a great weekend!
Posted by Sam | October 13, 2006 11:16 PM