I was shocked to find Anarchist graffiti

[The Incorruptible]

I was involved in graffiti writing when I was 13. I was not any good but I hung out with one of the top ten taggers of my city. And ever since then I never seen any anarchist graffiti. I've always been observing the new way the taggers write their graffiti so I'm always alert to the graffiti sub-culture. I'm starting to see the anarchist graffiti now. Must be that the consciousness has penetrated the city finally to the level of active dissidence/rebellion. Hopefully this is only the start of a new thing.

[Black Dagger]

Cool, maybe you could take some pictures and post them in the graphics forum? :)

[The Incorruptible]

Well don't misundestand me. It isn't art; just that some people are drawing the anarchist sign all over the place.

[Enragé]

:) lets just hope they're not just people who like punkrock :P

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 1 2006, 01:59 AM
Well don't misundestand me. It isn't art; just that some people are drawing the anarchist sign all over the place.
Awww.

When you said: " Must be that the consciousness has penetrated the city finally to the level of active dissidence/rebellion. "

I assumed it was explicitly political stuff.

I mean, yeah anarchists do write circle A's around the place, but a lot of time it's people who have no idea what 'anarchism' is, and just think the circle A looks cool (which it does!).

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

I noticed a bit of anarchist grafiti the other week in Norwich...

there was a billboard for some BT hub or something which is like phone/internet etc in one... someone had just spraypainted "data gathering for the state" and the anarchy symbol in the corner...

instead of a circle, they used a square though... what's up with that?

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2006, 02:14 AM
instead of a circle, they used a square though... what's up with that?
It's easier to draw?

They're n00bs? :P

[Cult of Reason]

I noticed an (A) where I live recently (fucking Winchester! Tory heartland!), and I have yet to decide whether or not to write down a reply in marker pen. It was quite shocking as I thought I was isolated (though it might have been as visitor).

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 31 2006, 03:50 PM
Must be that the consciousness has penetrated the city finally to the level of active dissidence/rebellion
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry

[norwegian commie]

I support loads of teenage uprisings or rebelions if you will...
But graffitti, i cant se the revolutionary side of it.
It is nothing but destructive behaviur. That i consider directly unrevolutionary.
I am not a supporter of anarchism and mabye that is the reason i cant see the revolutionary side of it. I fear building a society on destructive un-constructive behavior vill have som bad consequences on its development.

An anarchist "gang" i know, bases itselvf on the Idea of: i dont giva shit! I tag, and i am anarchist or something. That does to me not sound like an development of consciousness.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by norwegian commie+--> (norwegian commie)But graffitti, i cant se the revolutionary side of it.[/b]

Than you're not looking hard enough!

Of course, graffiti is not a 'revolutionary act', but nevertheless it can be used to express revolutionary sentiment, it's an affront to private property, and a way to reclaim and decorate so-called 'public' space.


Originally posted by norwegian commie+--> (norwegian commie)
It is nothing but destructive behaviur. That i consider directly unrevolutionary.[/b]

How is graf 'destructive' or 'unrevolutionary'? That's just silly.

'Destructive' is something a local cop might say, why? Because they're the defenders of private property.

What is 'destructive' or 'unrevolutionary' about defacing private property?


norwegian [email protected]

I am not a supporter of anarchism and mabye that is the reason i cant see the revolutionary side of it.

Anarchism and graffitti are separate concepts.


norwegian commie

I fear building a society on destructive un-constructive behavior vill have som bad consequences on its development.

Um, no anarchists argue that society should be built on 'destructive un-constructive' behaviour.

But do you think we should respect private property?

[bcbm]

"Anti-social" behavior is a reasonable reaction to a dehumanizing and alienating society.


I fear building a society on destructive un-constructive behavior vill have som bad consequences on its development.

What, you think revolution is going to be a dinner party?

[Ze]

I see ads placed in public spaces. Where's my fucking rent money! Fuck that, they want to advertise Fox news or some dumb tv show, I can tag it up and write a witty retort all over it. Viva la revolucion!

[bloody_capitalist_sham]

If i ever buy a house. im gonna get one with one outside wall totally open to the street and invite loads of taggers to do Hammer & sickle stuff or whatever on it.

[The Grey Blur]

:o "Wow a big A with a circle round it...Let's have a revolution!"

[which doctor]

Most graffitti is really shit.

But some is truly guerilla art.

[emma_goldman]

There's anarchy signs on Nike shoes though. :(

[emma_goldman]

Originally posted by Permanent [email protected] 31 2006, 08:33 PM
:o "Wow a big A with a circle round it...Let's have a revolution!"
Wow. How simplistic. It's a symbol. ;)

[emma_goldman]

Originally posted by norwegian [email protected] 31 2006, 05:55 PM
I support loads of teenage uprisings or rebelions if you will...
But graffitti, i cant se the revolutionary side of it.
It is nothing but destructive behaviur. That i consider directly unrevolutionary.
I am not a supporter of anarchism and mabye that is the reason i cant see the revolutionary side of it. I fear building a society on destructive un-constructive behavior vill have som bad consequences on its development.

An anarchist "gang" i know, bases itselvf on the Idea of: i dont giva shit! I tag, and i am anarchist or something. That does to me not sound like an development of consciousness.
There are some so callled anarchists who are like that but yeah, they're lifestylists (sp?) not revolutionaries. :)

[The Incorruptible]

That's a thought----- having sneakers with an anarchist symbol on it and have the factories here in the U.S. with the workers sharing the profits and directing the work themselves. Now who's got the millions to give away for this project?

[Global_Justice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2006, 05:45 PM
I noticed an (A) where I live recently (fucking Winchester! Tory heartland!), and I have yet to decide whether or not to write down a reply in marker pen. It was quite shocking as I thought I was isolated (though it might have been as visitor).
your in winchester? cool, i'm in basingstoke just down the road! :D

[Comrade-Z]

I was pleasantly surprised to find a red and black circle-A in my neighborhood some time ago. What's nice is, the location gets a lot of exposure to this one particular street, but not too much exposure for it to be reported. Just visible enough to be spotted by daydreaming kids looking out of the window while riding with their moms, but not visible enough to be spotted by many drivers.

Another good graffiti idea I recently saw was a Miracle Whip semi truck with graffiti on it changing the slogans and generally criticizing the business. "Miracle Whip is (NOT) tasty," and "Made with ----t-h-e-f-i-n-e-s-t-i-n-g-r-e-d-i-e-n-t-s-----[crossed out] PROLETARIAN WAGE-SLAVE LABOR." This stuff was right on the side of the semi truck, and the semi truck was driving right through the middle of the town on a very busy street. I thought the subversion of their own marketing strategies was brilliant.

[homeo_apathy]

i know a few guys who graffiti (A)'s all over the place....because it's all they can draw. They have no idea about anarchy ideoligies. Although i guess the A symbol is better than some lame ghetto tag..

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2006, 09:20 PM
There's anarchy signs on Nike shoes though. :(
Really? On a simialer subject, I read somewhere that in budapest, some guy reinvented a hungarian communist sneaker brand called tisza.

[bcbm]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 31 2006, 03:32 PM
That's a thought----- having sneakers with an anarchist symbol on it and have the factories here in the U.S. with the workers sharing the profits and directing the work themselves. Now who's got the millions to give away for this project?
I suppose I could dip in to my trust fund... :lol:

[norwegian commie]

Revolution is no tea party. I am aware, dont use the mao quote on me.

I see the difference between mindless destroying of other peoples property and a revolution. Yes i did say other peoples property, how would you like it if someone trashed your house. I live in a house with some people, I just painted it. If someone wreced it id be pisst.
When did wrecking peoples property create a revolution?

I sympatise with the unerground graffiti groups, making amazing graffiti in the name of the poor. Making revolutionary graffiti, rapping revolutionary songs. But bunches of middleclass dirtbags who dont care much about anything, that makes their time pass by destroying. if you tag down the places of the capitalists, the state. I couldnt care less. But the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty, that is not right.

[Janus]

Moved.

[citizen_snips]

Easiest answer - graffiti adverts! Nobody can object to that! (Except obviously capitalists)

I've spotted some anarchist graffiti around Stirling, I quizzed the two most likely suspects, but it wasn't them. It was written in marker pen and spelled words like "corporate" wrong, but its still better to see than the usual "Kelly 4 Jim" or "RFC" rubbish that you get most places. (And I say that as a non-anarchist!) Anyway, whoever it was, they defaced a billboard of Terry Wogan one time, which earns them instant respect!

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

Both Lenin and Trotsky wrote about the futility of fighting against bourgeois culture. The proletariat has a lot more in common with bourgeois culture than with the wanton destruction of it.

[Postteen]

in the squat - old hospital of my town anarchists have graffitied all the walls and it's fantastic!Concerning anarchist ideas, all around the center of the town there are on the walls messages such as "Go to your work, consume and then to your beds"..."Consume with no fear, we are watching you"..."Violence to the violence of the authority" and stuff like that which take the town look cOOl!

[The Grey Blur]

Both Lenin and Trotsky wrote about the futility of fighting against bourgeois culture. The proletariat has a lot more in common with bourgeois culture than with the wanton destruction of it.
Yet Gramsci wrote about how the beurgeois cultural hegemony must be resisted

[which doctor]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2006, 05:23 PM
Both Lenin and Trotsky wrote about the futility of fighting against bourgeois culture. The proletariat has a lot more in common with bourgeois culture than with the wanton destruction of it.
Well, we've come along ways since Leon and Vladmir's time.

Bourgeois culture doesn't really exist in the same capacity it used to. High and low culture have for the most part dissappeard. Now it's all about mass-marketing and what I like to call "no-culture", something that should surely be destroyed!

[bcbm]

Originally posted by norwegian [email protected] 1 2006, 03:31 PM
Revolution is no tea party. I am aware, dont use the mao quote on me.

I see the difference between mindless destroying of other peoples property and a revolution. Yes i did say other peoples property, how would you like it if someone trashed your house. I live in a house with some people, I just painted it. If someone wreced it id be pisst.
When did wrecking peoples property create a revolution?

I sympatise with the unerground graffiti groups, making amazing graffiti in the name of the poor. Making revolutionary graffiti, rapping revolutionary songs. But bunches of middleclass dirtbags who dont care much about anything, that makes their time pass by destroying. if you tag down the places of the capitalists, the state. I couldnt care less. But the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty, that is not right.
Alienation produces destructive tendencies. Don't bash them, harness them.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by Permanent Revolution+Sep 2 2006, 08:27 AM--> (Permanent Revolution @ Sep 2 2006, 08:27 AM)
Both Lenin and Trotsky wrote about the futility of fighting against bourgeois culture. The proletariat has a lot more in common with bourgeois culture than with the wanton destruction of it.
Yet Gramsci wrote about how the beurgeois cultural hegemony must be resisted [/b]
Exactly.

We have to create counter-hegemonic centres of culture, cultures of resistance not only in the form of industrial and social organisation, but in ideas, and all aspects of culture.

That many proles identify with bourgeois culture is an obstacle to the development of revolutionary class consciousness, bourgeois culture, the culture of the ruling class is the anti-thesis of this consciousness.


Norwegian commie
But the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty, that is not right.


Why do you have be so moralistic about it?

It's nothing to do with 'right' or 'wrong'.

That's because those places are filled with poor, alienated youth. There's nothing to do at home, so you hang out in the street with your mates, you tag or whatever.

You don't wonder why there's heaps of tagging in poor areas and very little in the rich part of town?

[razboz]

But the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty, that is not right.


You don't wonder why there's heaps of tagging in poor areas and very little in the rich part of town?

I figured something out the other day by doing a simple experiment. I went to two open places and umm "looked at" some graffitti. One was in a busy comercial street in a rich neighbourhood of my town. The other was in one of the poorest and most mrginalised areas of the same town. A week or so later one was gone while the pother had already been covered by more and bigger graffitti. To me this is evidence that graffitti is not so much painted onto poor neighbourhoods, but that graffitti gets cleaned off fastter in richer neighbourhoods, to hide the fact that there even is graffitti to healthy, rich taxpayers adn potential investors from abroad seeing as graffitti is directly linked to crime.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by Razboz+--> (Razboz) To me this is evidence that graffitti is not so much painted onto poor neighbourhoods, but that graffitti gets cleaned off fastter in richer neighbourhoods [/b]

Whilst it's true that graf is cleaned up faster in rich areas, that doesnt change the fact that it's more common in poorer ones.


raz boz

to hide the fact that there even is graffitti to healthy, rich taxpayers adn potential investors from abroad seeing as graffitti is directly linked to crime.

What is the direct link between graf and crime? (beyond the fact that graf is illegal).

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by norwegian [email protected] 1 2006, 03:31 PM
I sympatise with the unerground graffiti groups, making amazing graffiti in the name of the poor. Making revolutionary graffiti, rapping revolutionary songs. But bunches of middleclass dirtbags who dont care much about anything, that makes their time pass by destroying. if you tag down the places of the capitalists, the state. I couldnt care less. But the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty, that is not right.
Excuse me, but i suppose it is time for you to be called out. what are you doing to help the poor? sitting on your computer typing how this and that is un revolutionary? maybe 'shitty' graffiti helps spark the ideas of thousands of people a day... but would you know? God no you wouldnt, your to busy patting yourself on the back for being so revolutionary. "bunches of middleclass dirtbags" what kind of computer do you own? how new is it. what kind of car does your ma drive? answer these questions and we will see how proletariat you are.

"the places that gets tagged is the places there are high consentration of poverty" what kind of neighborhood do you live in? because i live on the south side of chicago, and i know that most people in my community would rather see graffiti then the billboard of some corprate scum. dont talk like you know. thank you.

[Ander]

Originally posted by black banner black [email protected] 31 2006, 03:08 PM
What, you think revolution is going to be a dinner party?
Best quote EVER.

[bcbm]

Originally posted by Jello+Sep 3 2006, 11:44 AM--> (Jello @ Sep 3 2006, 11:44 AM)
black banner black [email protected] 31 2006, 03:08 PM
What, you think revolution is going to be a dinner party?
Best quote EVER. [/b]
It's Mao:

“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”

[Comeback Kid]

That's a thought----- having sneakers with an anarchist symbol on it and have the factories here in the U.S. with the workers sharing the profits and directing the work themselves. Now who's got the millions to give away for this project?

The kiddies over at Adbusters are already doing that.
http://www.adbusters.org/home/

http://adbusters.org/metas/corpo/blackspotshoes/