Love that street art

I reckon I’ve seen “F_ck the police” spelled with darn near every vowel in the English language, in one country or another. On the one hand, it’s nice to see something bringing us all together, but on the other, isn’t there something a tad more creative we could be doing with our walls?

I’m glad you asked.

When I hear the word “graffiti” I think of all the useless little vandals writing their names on things in a desperate attempt to stave off mortality. And that dreadful woman in Yosemite.

When I hear the phrase “street art” my mind takes a stutter-step towards judging the pretension of it, but then takes the kinder path, and jumps to Granada, Spain.

Or Penang, Malaysia (gallery below, mostly the work of Ernest Zacharevic)

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Or the innumerable alleys and train tunnels where dead functional structures have become space for something more, some place to add another form of beauty, after all the trees have been cut down.

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(I take it as a given that Nature is the primary source of beauty for the human mind and spirit, with a secondary face that’s a bit more controversial, but we can talk about that some other time. Today I have to get out of my building before they spray the hallway for bed bugs. Joy!)

If museum-art somehow became the property of the wealthy, assuming it was not before, then I am deeply glad to see any artist who takes their gifts back to the people, no ticket required, no exclusion possible.

And if all else fails….  Feck the police?