Taggers and Graffiti
By Tom Whitehead-Clarke
I thought I would look at taggers, and how exactly they can get fun from what they do. So, why do some people find it necessary to write their names on walls? Well I guess it is their way of gaining a bit of fame around their area. I suppose they think that this is the only way of them getting their 15 minutes without actually having any talent. What I like to call the "Peter Andre effect"... It's insania.
Tags are rubbish
As for what they actually write, I’ve seen such brilliant tags such as: “NET” and “PROTO” which leave me wanting to buy electrical goods, but also make me wonder if half the word has been scrubbed out. Other great ones include “Top Blunk”, probably David Blunkett out there spray painting walls for cheap thrills under the cover of darkness.
However, my favourite has got to be one found on the Internet saying “sucker”… sheer brilliance! You have to love the fact that this person had the opportunity to be known as any name in the world that they wanted, and they chose “sucker”. Please if you find any other great tags such as “dunce” or “div cheese” contact me so we can all have a good laugh!
Graffiti done properly takes amazing skill and talent
I’m not talking about big proper 3D dub writing on walls, but rather just people with no talent wanting to mark their territory. The problem is, that the actually GOOD graffiti artists get (please excuse the pun) tarred with the same brush as those who simply write their names on walls.
There has been a lot of talk about legal graffiti areas in the borough and if they would be possible. Myself and others believe that this is a definite possibility, but only if we sort out the problem of taggers. If there was a definite chance of walls being saved just for respectful good graffiti artists, there would be a chance.
The problem is that everyone and their uncle think that they are clever if they can write things like “YOGE” on the side of a bus shelter. I don’t actually understand why people do it… Reputation…? Respect...? Some sort of cults?
The fact is, I personally believe that graffiti done properly takes amazing skill and talent. Far more than any of nowadays “modern artists”… who just seem to sign toilets and proclaim that they have created a new genre. The only problem with graffiti being treated as a major art form is its reputation for spoiling urban landscapes around the country.
I would just say to all those people out there who “tag”, that if they want more respect for graffiti artists, (stick to a pen and some paper) and let the true artists get the credit they deserve!
Cheers.
*Originally published in Youth Unlimited magazine, issue 2a.