25.3.04
The town I live in has always been a place for odd graffiti.
There was the time 'Crackbaby' stenciled grass along the bottom of a twenty foot wall, then stenciled a cow head at the far end saying, "They're coming..."
There was the time an anonymous disgruntled feminist wrote the ten tenants of her feminist charter in black marker (from head height down to the floor) on the side wall of GameStation.
There was the anti-smoking paving stones. Progressively, every fifty foot, in wobbly yellow spray paint, they said, "Fight the system." "Smoking sucks." "They [scribbled out] and they [scribbled out] away with it." "Fags killed him." "I miss my dad."
The latest graffiti trend is wonderful graffiti. It's like the happy poster project for the marginally criminal.
I first noticed it on one of those electrical boxes across the road from a bus stop. "Be happy," it said. "You're beautiful."
Now, in the out-of-the-way underpasses and alleys, there are messages for the depressed.
"You're perfect," they say.
"Happiness is for life, and not just for Christmas."
"Smile. Relax. Breathe."
"If you feel like the pain in the world is cutting you open, remember you're also opening yourself up to the love in it."
"Stand apart, stand tall
Use your brain as a tool
Fuck cool
I love you all."
I think this sort of graffiti should be encouraged. I think we should tell each other we are perfect more often.
There was the time 'Crackbaby' stenciled grass along the bottom of a twenty foot wall, then stenciled a cow head at the far end saying, "They're coming..."
There was the time an anonymous disgruntled feminist wrote the ten tenants of her feminist charter in black marker (from head height down to the floor) on the side wall of GameStation.
There was the anti-smoking paving stones. Progressively, every fifty foot, in wobbly yellow spray paint, they said, "Fight the system." "Smoking sucks." "They [scribbled out] and they [scribbled out] away with it." "Fags killed him." "I miss my dad."
The latest graffiti trend is wonderful graffiti. It's like the happy poster project for the marginally criminal.
I first noticed it on one of those electrical boxes across the road from a bus stop. "Be happy," it said. "You're beautiful."
Now, in the out-of-the-way underpasses and alleys, there are messages for the depressed.
"You're perfect," they say.
"Happiness is for life, and not just for Christmas."
"Smile. Relax. Breathe."
"If you feel like the pain in the world is cutting you open, remember you're also opening yourself up to the love in it."
"Stand apart, stand tall
Use your brain as a tool
Fuck cool
I love you all."
I think this sort of graffiti should be encouraged. I think we should tell each other we are perfect more often.
