Graffiti a major problem in Atlanta? (Boston, Reynolds: store, warehouses, rail)

[gold15]

Originally Posted by youngMichaelJackson

That wall in front of Capitol Gateway isn't gang grafitti, it was just someone's lame attempt to imitate more well known artists like HenseSever and Chaos

I pass that green barrier/wall almost every day heading to work downtown. The authorities paint over the graffiti quite often, and the graffiti is fully redone (has reappeared) within a week. This has been over a course of YEARS.

I've always wondered why they don't plant some kind of ivy/kudzu or those bushes that have sticky leaves to grow over the wall.

I also think, because of the length of the wall and how quickly the offenders re-spray the whole thing... it woudn't take much of a plan to catch some of them during a stake-out.

[gold15]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

I can assure you that it's far from the worst in the world, but at this point your opinions on Atlanta are entirely predictable.
Looking out my window now; no graffiti.

LOL. Mine either, and I hardly see it *most* of the time or in *most* areas.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I do like the upside down gator on Mitchell St. But generally, I think they are more visual clutter than good art. They are just so dominatingly big! Sorry. I know I'm a party pooper about some things...

I see it more as visual interest than clutter. A lot of it is exceptionally well done. Go to Memmorial and Chester in Reynoldstown and tell me the three artists who worked on the condos on that corner are not gifted artists. I could say the same for numerous locations around town.

A friend of mine some years ago devised an idea (this was during one of the hissy-fits over graffiti that boils up in this city every few years) that all the taggers and street artists should go out and cover up every inch of graffiti, street art, and murals in the city. Paint it all grey or beige. The idea was to demonstrate that, even though a lot of it sucks, taking away all the street art would make this city look like a Soviet wasteland.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by JPD

... taking away all the street art would make this city look like a Soviet wasteland.

Now, that is a bit of hyperbole.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Now, that is a bit of hyperbole.

Fair enough. I should have said "make some parts of the city look like a Soviet wasteland."

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by JPD

I see it more as visual interest than clutter. A lot of it is exceptionally well done.

It is more than just clutter if you are the owner of the building vandalized or the owner of the business that is defaced. It is a real pain to have to repaint the side of a warehouse over and over again. It is illegal for a reason. Imagine if it was the side of your house? And you paid to repaint it. And it happened again. Repeat cycle. It wouldn't look like visual interest anymore.

We become like a Soviet wasteland when we lose sight of personal property rights.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

It is more than just clutter if you are the owner of the building vandalized or the owner of the business that is defaced. It is a real pain to have to repaint the side of a warehouse over and over again. It is illegal for a reason. Imagine if it was the side of your house? And you paid to repaint it. And it happened again. Repeat cycle. It wouldn't look like visual interest anymore.

We become like a Soviet wasteland when we lose sight of personal property rights.

The comment you are reasponding to was made in the context of Living Walls murals, all of which are permitted through the city and the property owner.

[halseyspartan2]

I actually really like graffiti. I feel that it adds soul and personality to a city. It's like there's a sense of actual people living there, with individual ambitions and actions, rather than just a collection of skyscrapers and concrete.

[tikigod311]

Tagging sucks.

Graffiti can be great additon to a city.

Seems like the idiot taggers out there are the ones that give graffiti / street art a bad name. From my experience, the taggers are the ones that do not respect the concept of leaving 'active" surfaces alone. Not to mention almost all tags look terrible.

The artists out there either get permission or paint abandoned buildings.

[builder24car]

Originally Posted by Jackalope

For the most part, graffiti in Atlanta provides little, if any, artistry. What you see in Atlanta is more of the gang marker variety.

I rarely see any "gang marker" stuff. Sure a piece here and a piece there but most of the graffiti is not done by gangs. Anyone that follows and appreciates graffiti knows this. I'm one of the few people that love it and can appreciate the work that goes into it. So much so that I drive down to Atlanta a few times a year to photograph it. It's everywhere down there and if you knew where to look you would be blown away by what some people can do with a spraycan....