Themes: graffiti
Summer-autumn 2004
Summer-autumn 2004
There's been an anti-graffiti campaign locally inviting residents to 'turn in a tagger'. This is obviously a controversial issue - it costs a lot to clean up graffiti, and much of it is an ugly mess. But some of it is colourful or witty and is found in locations that would otherwise be colourless and grim. Indeed some of it may have been officially sanctioned, I don't know. I think the best examples are worth photographing, so here's a small selection.
Under a grim bit of covered area near the Foss, on the walkway between Foss Islands Road and Rowntree Wharf. It seems like an original painting has been embellished by rather less skilful artists.
On the same area of tunnel as above. Both photographed on 24 October 2004.
And a couple of thought-provoking ones. This one in chalk, so I guess it washes away. 'Adventure is dead.' On a wall opposite the Assembly Rooms, 22 August 2004.
The track known as Cinder Lane, between Leeman Road and Wilton Rise, seemed to have been visited by a somewhat spiritually motivated graffiti-ist. 'Arise' - photographed on 5 September 2004. Another message, on the tarmac, read 'Embrace heavenly virtue'.
The cycle track between Rowntrees (as I can't help calling it - though it's now of course Nestle) and Layerthorpe is covered in graffiti, to a rather depressing extent. If it was just on these walls under the bridges it might enhance the rather dull brickwork, but it seems to have spread to cover every available surface.
This is a detail from the image above, and it's because I noticed it that I took the photo. 'Keep the love' - written far more artistically than I think I ever could. (If I wrote it you wouldn't be able to make out what it said.) And a fine message don't you think? One that we could all do well to remember.
Other examples of graffiti are dotted around this site, but mainly grouped on the page in York Walks /3 - Graffiti. There have been some particularly impressive examples of graffiti art on the walls by Clifton bingo - for the most recent, see Changes: Clifton graffiti art.