Election Day Thoughts
9 hours ago
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Peace Valley Park, No. 3, Graffiti
I debated whether I wanted to post graffiti inflicted on nature. I don't support it. But I am also something of a social/cultural historian. I don't believe in hiding our negatives. Our negatives tell us something about ourselves. What do you think? What makes us (or some of us) want to leave our mark in nature?
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12 comments:
I agree with you Tim. I never understand why people are so keen for their names to be seen... Still, they make for interesting photos
LOL...I have to agree as well. I guess they all know that someday they will die, and that this tree will live a lot longer than they ever can. Maybe its yet another attempt at being immortal.
Tim, Vietnamese people do that heaps, but luckily that i didnt do that before :) Thank god.
i don't like the idea, i'll never do it myself.
I have never done it on a licing tree! But I did it on a park bank and here is why:
I was so in love and it was so overwhelming and beautiful that I wanted to live in that moment forever. I knew I could not, but I felt I could capture the moment with my makr in wood.
Whenever I walk through that park and look at the bench those prcious memories come flodding back.
It might als o be just territorial for some people. I claim thee in the name of Monika. Just to be sure you can proof that you have been there first!
My grandma used to say, "Fool's names, fool's faces, always seen in public places."
I really try and be as "environmentaly friendly" as possible and I certainly do not appreciate graffiti on trees.Nice pictures though Tim. :)
sometimes very interesting things are to be found written on them.
May be people try to negate their mortality in vain.
I want to thank everyone for their comments. I usually respond to each person's comments individually and most times I plan to continue to do that. But I think the situation calls for a combined response to all.
Like some of you, I don't think I'll ever fully understand why people do graffiti in public places or on living things. And that may be in part due to the way my parents raised and taught me.
But I think there is something to the comments that this may be an attempt to negate our mortality, to simply mark that we were there, and/or to note/capture a significant moment or event in our lives. And for some people, it may just be the way their creative tendencies find public expression.
I have seen some graffiti that exhibits real creative talent. Perhaps, every community should have designated places for graffiti. But would that take away the appeal of it to those who do graffiti?
A thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and personal experiences.
If trees are alive (which they are), I wonder how THEY feel. Wouldn't you love to know?! If the graffiti doesn't hurt/kill them, maybe it's not always bad. As you have said, some graffiti is art and does not desecrate. Maybe in the end we're talking more about what is "desecration" than if graffiti should/should not happen.
My brother, who is now 64, once carved his initials and his wife's (when they were dating) high up on a branch of a huge tree on our parsonage property. Years later the tree was cut down during church renovation and someone found the branch and gave it to him. Talk about a momento!
I love the photos. I actually think the trees are smiling :)
ginnie, I like how you rephrase my graffiti question. That's a good way of putting it. And the story you tell about your brother is neat.Thanks.
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