So today’s update is a stenciled tag- reduced to a buffmarkesque shape, rendered in a classic “buff mark gray” colour.

It’s kind of an experiment.

I usually won’t paint or post on walls that are frequently buffed. I mean- if a wall is frequently buffed then that shows, clearly, that the owner/caretaker of that wall wants it to be a certain colour. (or, really, more accurately, doesn’t want any graffiti on it.)


Besides, it also means that your work won’t last as long.

So, I don’t typically get up on walls that are often buffed, and this wall always has stuff buffed.


I did it to see if they’ll buff out what is essentially a buff mark.
It is certainly no less esthetically pleasing than your average gray blobby shape. I think the placement on the wall is nice too. It fits in well with the rest of the “composition”.

I don’t think they will buff it, but following conventional buffing logic- they should. Buffing is not so much about what looks good, but about sending a message that unauthorized marks will not be tolerated- no matter what they are. (This will be interesting to watch, because there is a “BOOKS” tag right beside it. We will be able to compare the fates of the two markings.)

Speaking of what “looks good”, I don’t suppose many people think that a heavily buffed wall “looks good”. Not many people will “want” their wall to be a patchwork of gray blobs.

Never the less, that is the preferred aesthetic to a layering of graffiti- and, in spite of the process itself- sometimes the layering shades of paint can look quite good!

The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal is a film that follows this idea to it’s natural conclusion. It argues, tongue firmly in cheek, that graffiti buffers are actually subconsciously creating modernist art masterpieces.

Color Field painting, if achromatic, can look an awful lot like buffing. Here’s a Mark Rothko from the Tate:

At least, I think it’s tongue in cheek. I haven’t had the chance to see the film.

Either way, I think it’s a great premise. It’s a valid idea. I remember in art school taking this one ridiculous course that emphasized (Among other things, like writing little notes that said “YES” and putting them around your living space.) allowing your unconscious mind to take over and thus allow inspiration from the divine.

I not entirely against the idea. I think all artists have had moments when their mind is quiet and they get ideas that surprise themselves. Making art can be quite meditative. Like chanting a koan or something, the “work” of making art is just enough to distract you sufficiently that your mind is settled and free to wander or be still as it pleases.

But that course was Ridiculous. It was based off of a ridiculous book. The author was purporting to teach us the strange, mystic ways of artisthood- but when I checked her out to see her own artistic accomplishments, it turned out, unsurprisingly, that completing this “How To” book was among her greatest.

Here’s a general rule for all y’all. All artists would prefer to be doing their own thing and making art. Those who can, Do. Those who can’t, Teach. (Or, more often than not, do something else entirely.) Art education is something of a pyramid scheme. It works like this. You enter art school, hopefully without any grand illusions, and eventually graduate with a BA. You then find, not to your shock, that the world still doesn’t care for your degree or your art. Your options are:

A) Work outside your field.

B) Try and get your MFA (or increasingly now-a-days, PHD) so you can teach other poor saps BA’s,

C) Go it alone, forgoing financial stability and the potential of wives, kids, and three door garages until you “make it” or the money runs out and you have to return to options A or B.

Personally, I’ve tried all three. No school wanted to give me an MFA in 2005 or 2006 so I stopped asking.

Anyway, This is getting off topic, and there is something I wanted to talk about today.

I got an email from one Nick Green, entitled: “lament of a small town grafitti artist.”

Here’s what it said, and since I’m tired of typing, the rest of our correspondence will follow:

I read your video blog now and again because I think your artwork is
ridiculously awesome, and I think your views about grafitti and such are
pretty on the level. I also lived in TO last semster and got a kick each
time I saw some of your art work.
I thougth I’d give you my breif story, hoping you’ll find it interesting.

Dude,

That’s raw,

I’m about to post my update for today, would you mind if I put your
email up on the site with a link to the news article?

No worries if not, and if you’d like I can remove your name.

What is the outcome of this? Community service? Fines? A criminal
record? Court dates?

I totally know what you mean: “just because I’m breaking the law,
doens’t mean I don’t have morals”

illegal does equal immoral necessarily.

Let me know if i can share your story!

And thanks for sharing it with me!

-Post

Actually, I got todays update done, So If I can post your story, I’ll
do it tomorrow!

Thanks

-Post

Of course no problems with posting it, I’d be honoured! And no worries
about my name or anything, it’s not like I have anything to hide anymore.

Nick.

Awesome,

Thanks man, I’ll mention it tomorrow.

Yeah, it was nice to see an article so in favour of street art,

The record article said:
“Marg Gingerich, manager of Forwell Super Variety, said she’s in a
constant battle against graffiti. Much of it is gang-related, she
said, and police need to step up patrols at night.”

It really gets my goat how people are always saying “It’s gang
related”. They always try and make that connection, and it’s just not
there 99% of the time.
Is Marg Gingerich, manager of Forwell Super Variety, skilled at
idenitfying gang scrawls and separating them other graff? Does she
think Mega Man is a gang sign? I think your uni paper should of tried
to interview her as well in their opinion piece.
Does waterloo even have much gang activity? Is there an active graff community?

I found this article:

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/08/06/news/metro/67f135f3b70b8c0c862571c200043610.txt

Well, good luck!

Let me know how things go!

_post

There most definitly ISN’T large amounts of gang activity around here,
unless frats or sororities count as gangs…. the whole city is mostly
university based (both waterloo and laurier universities are right next to
each other) and as a result most of the 18-25 demographic is students, which
are rarely ever the gang type. Most of the graf I’ve seen (which is very
very little, and is probably the reason my case made such a big deal) seems
mostly done by kids just looking to be creative.
I’m planning on going in tomorrow to the paper to see if they’ll follow
anything up, and I’ll most def. keep you posted if anything comes of it.

So there it is. I have to say, I am loving being a street artist in Toronto. Such a great, active community here. I lived in small towns most of my life too, so I can sympathize with the “lament of a small town artist”. I’ll let you know how thing play out for Nick.