03 Aug Graffiti and Grime
Art and the public way: how much is enough? As a fan of graffiti – not tagging, graffiti – I like the spirit of Chicago. The city government has not usually seemed mean or spiteful towards graffiti artists, and this allows for some great work to be done in Chicago.
Recently though, I notice 2 things. Taggers are vandalizing real work (yes I said it!) and fewer and fewer artists seem to be putting up work outside the main graffiti areas of Pilsen, the Near Northwest Side neighborhoods, and of course the West Loop. With so many blank walls, and a city government that really seems to be open towards this style of expression, I am not sure why so many vandals taggers feel the need to deface work that really enriches the city… but I hope that this is something temporary that we are passing through.
If you are new to Chicago, drop us a line and when we have time we will take you on a biking tour of some of the best areas for graffiti in Chicago! This is not any sort of official tour, just something we would occasionally do for others who love the rich landscapes that cover so many of our walls.
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- One of the many fantastic murals on Chicago’s B Line.
