Walking in Chicago’s rapidly gentrifying Whicker Park neighborhood this weekend I noticed something new. We have all seen the work of taggers. Hastily scrawled symbols, names, and highly stylized words are common. The usual tags are done in paint, shoe-polish, markers, wax, and even soap. It
was rainy so I was ducking under awnings where I found myself up close and
personal with some recent tags. I had assumed the white smear of a name was
maybe from a large paint marker or something. As it turned out the window had
been permanently defaced by an etching compound.
One likely product is called Armor Etch. It is not all that commonly
known but is available in most hobby stores. Usually it is used to make
permanent decorative etching on glass. It is very easy to apply with brushes or
anything else a person could dab or smear with. Apparently someone has found a
new use for it. This may have been going on for a while without notice since in
passing it looks like a less permanent tag. One shop worker said the tag on her
store “had been there at least six months or so.” That might put that tag in last summer’s
crop. She thought most of the ones like it had shown up about the same time.
From the looks of them these tags came from number of individuals who at least
knew each other or used similar styles and techniques. Many of them looked like
plane old vandalism without art, message or form. Maybe this was an
experimental run. It is hard to tell due to the permanence of the etching.
The impact could be huge. These tags cannot be scrubbed, scraped or in any way removed. Since it is the glass of the storefront the options are just leaving it or replacing the glass. Not happy options for the likes of trendy shoe stores, upscale salons and anyone relying on window displays to draw customers. This is far more serious than the already expensive to fix forms of graffiti which can often simply, if annoyingly, be painted over or scrubbed off.
I spoke with Dina King of Art + Science, a
hip salon on North Milwaukee. I asked her how she felt
about the tag on her shop window. She was surprisingly ok with it. Not that she
preferred or condoned it but in a way felt it added, “a little character because
of the neighborhood.” She said they are everywhere and that the tags on their
windows were fairly small compared to others. She also said that she was afraid
if they somehow removed them it would just happen again. She said they might
think differently if it had been worse or there was a cheap way to remove the
tags. She also said that if it had been in another location it would have been
much more upsetting. It was a pretty progressive outlook. Others in the
neighborhood, some who had been harder hit, were less understanding. One
developer, who wanted to remain anonymous, was very worried that the irreparable tagging would lead to vacant and less valuable properties.
Taggers and other street artists have a hard time convincing people that graffiti is an art form. If this new form becomes more common it could make even harder to tolerate. Love it or hate it, efforts of civil authorities to stop graffiti vandals and the severity of punishments related to graffiti are both sure to increase if things like this continue.
**Appendum as of 11:45pm 2/27/05: Through feedback there are a couple things that I have been encouraged to address. First, an expert source that whished to remain private informed me that to some extent glass could be buffed to remove the etching. The source said they had seen etching removed from windows. I have not been able to confirm this and other sources regarding glass I talked to say that option is problematic and costly. They would not recommend it but it is possible to some degree with highly skilled glass technicians possessing the right equipment.
Second, more than one respondent has pointed out the extremely caustic nature of the etching compound and expressed concern for the safety of anyone using or coming into contact with it in this manner. It would also appear that the etching has been going on for quite some time and is not really news in the graffiti world. Public or common knowledge of it remains limited at best.
Written and contributed by JT Barnhart, PSFK Joinee.
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Very interesting piece. I moved to New York City about a year ago from ‘Middle America.’ I had no prior knowledge of the art, science, and language of graffiti artists. I have always pondered how the ‘taggers’ scraped their mark into the subway glass without getting caught. I can’t believe it is as easy as smearing a product on and walking away. Is this a form of communication that has yet to really be explored? Where do taggers come from and how did their culture develop? What is the impact of this on ‘buzz’ marketing? Especially considering “The Apprentice” just did a show on graffiti advertising last night. This was a very insightful piece and I would love to hear more about what J.T. has to say on this matter.
~HS
February 25th, 2005 at 11:43 am
This is very interesting, what I want to know is who came up with the idea. Armour etch is an interesting turn for taggers. Who came up with this, and what will happen when they get caught. This is not just graffiti, this is defacing of property and as a shop manager, with a storefront of glass, I could see this becoming a real monetary problem.
156
February 25th, 2005 at 11:58 am
Just to add to this, I’ve heard that the “hoodlums” have been using “etching cream” in shoe polish bottles for several years now …NYC has windows a decade old with old dripped etches on it where businesses refuse to replace the entire window.
February 25th, 2005 at 1:31 pm
I have been getting some e-mails about this and it would seem a lot of people have been just like me and have walked past these for ages not realizing they were etched. I assumed they were wax or something and thought the shop owners were being slow about cleanup. It would seem unless someone has done it or has had to deal with it they don’t know about the etching.
There is a lot to the “language” of graffiti. I think it is a fairly straight forward applied anthropology subject. There are researchers looking at this medium but it isn’t too high profile. Police and other civil authorities use the research for everything from gang busting to neighborhood improvement.
Haha If someone shoots me a grant or something I’ll be glad to research it. Heck, I’ll make a documnetary if you want.
Incidentally, when I was taking the photos I got really chewed out by passers by. I had to do some fast talking to explain. They said I should be careful because taggers often return after the fact to take pictures for their “portfolios”.
February 25th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
Like many other people, I was unaware that the markings were permanent. My question is, who is going to pay for these hoodlums to keep vandalizing property? You and I will as prices are raised to account for the cost of vandalism. As a small business owner, I don’t know how I would pay to fix a vandalized window. It is not like I run a huge corporation. What are these people trying to prove? What if it weren’t cool to tag anymore? Perhaps there is a way to flip it and make it uncool to leave your mark. Perhaps stiffer penalties would work. Or a mandatory 5 years of community service, cleaning up graffiti.
February 25th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
Creative minds with degenerate tastes; A bad combination for such permanent and invasive “art”. I can stomach some graffiti some of the time, but these guys are certainly breeding intolerance to the modern folk art.
I suppose that the victims could at least use the etch chemical to stencil over this garbage…I’m curious to why they haven’t already.
February 25th, 2005 at 4:59 pm
An interesting article highlighting a problem occuring in larger metropolitan cities. I live in a small midwestern city and the trend has yet to make it here. I was unaware of the new “tagging” form.
I can imagine that a small business owner would find it difficult to replace windowfronts. It also blocks the view of goods within the storefronts and can cost the owner more than money.
A thanks to psfk.com for posting this article and bringing to light this form of “tagging” to the general public at large.
February 25th, 2005 at 8:11 pm
Very interesting article. I was in that area of Chicago recently and noticed one of these “etchings.” I didnt know what it was at the time or how they did it, now I do. Too bad tagging is such a banal use of creativity…if only we could harness that power for good…or at least sorta-good. Either way, mystery solved. Thanks.
February 25th, 2005 at 9:26 pm
Ok, so I have just been informed by, no really, a confidential source that there is a way to remove a lot of the etching. It would seem that there is some sort of glass buffer that can take out much of it. This is really interesting. I talked to a few glass people and they never mentioned it. I am guessing this was because they would rather sell a plate glass window than fix the graffiti.
I’m getting a small flood of information coming from a number of directions. It is all much appreciated.
Thanks to everyone for taking an interest.
February 26th, 2005 at 12:17 am
In his book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell comments on the “Broken Windows” theory of crime that was first popularized in 1982 by sociologists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. Gladwell describes as follows: “If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge. Soon more windows will be broken, and the sense of anarchy will spread from the building to the street it faces, sending a signal that anything goes. In a city, relatively minor problems like graffiti, public disorder, and panhandlig are all the equivalent of broken windows, invitations to more serious crimes.”
As a property owner myself, this can be a constant battle. I feel a great level of frustration that I am sure the Store owners in the Article share. They are attempting to run a business. I am not familiar with Chicago, and wouldn’t know what areas are “safer” than others. I do know that if I stepped out of a cab in an unfamiliar area and saw what I could describe as Gang Symbols on every window, I might easily get back in the cab. I certainly would if my Wife was with me.
The cost of replacing large plate glass windows would certainly be prohibitive. In the shoes of one of those Owners, I would most likely replace the window and install a solid metal roll down gate over the front of the store. That might not be a financial option for every store owner.
This isn’t Art, it’s vandalism.
February 26th, 2005 at 8:26 pm
Great information. While you can admire grafiti as art, most of these “artist” have no respect for other people’s property or their neighborhood. If they want to embelish their own buildings and property great, but doing this to the property of others is vandalism. Understanding the purpose of tagging makes it even more distasteful. The neighborhoods belong to everyone and the gangs have no claim to them. For those who aren’t in gangs, the same could be said. It’s not your property, leave it alone.
When I was growing up we were taught to be respectful of other people’s property. You didn’t carve your name in the trees in the park, you didn’t take things that didn’t belong to you, even if someone left them laying out.
Some of the grafiti I have seen is very good and the idea of etching glass is very creative. If the artist is truly striving for recognition then why not do what other artists have done to become successful. If this is a form of communication then find a method that doesn’t impose a financial burden on those who weren’t even asked if they wanted to participate. I agree with Mike.
February 27th, 2005 at 9:32 am
The art community has been waiting for a new movement in art for the past 30 years. Historians will remember this form of “gorilla art” as being the movement of the 80’s to present. To bad it is not more thought out and beautiful. Art has always cost money, and this is the same, except the recipiant does not have a choice in what they are essentially purchasing. Who knows, with this glass etching tagging it has opened a whole new media to the grafitti artist. I am not condoneing this in any way, but would it really be art if it were not a little controvercial?
February 28th, 2005 at 8:28 am
As a person with some art ability, I hope I have an eye for what is classy and what is crap. While permanently placing markings of any kind is disrespectful to someone else’s property, I don’t think I can deny that many of the grafitti symbols I see have been quite masterfully created and are art in, dare I say, craftsmanship if you ignore for a moment that they don’t lawfully belong on the surfaces they’re on. Some of the “best” grafitti I see was created in more hidden areas such as under bridges or in a freight yard. As I sit waiting for a train to pass, I wonder if I could even recreate some of the “work” I see on its cars. Markings in more public places (therefore the grafitti we see the most often), where one has less private time to scribble, would naturally sport messier, more unattractive grafitti. Not to say that I would prefer skillfully executed grafitti on any of my property; no one wants to buy something they don’t ask for. Personally, I’ve seen some rotten commissioned art permanently on display in many public places. But that’s another issue…
February 28th, 2005 at 10:19 am
When looking at the graffiti scene one must first make the distinction between taggers and graffiti artists. A graffiti artist does pieces(murals) and has an artists mind. Taggers, however reproduce a signature over and over with little or no deviation. Taggers compete to see who in their group can get the most and/or challenging tags. The argument for tagging being art is not well supported. Tagging is however a form of warfare. The taggers like in entire where nothing is owned by people they know. They may view all these store fronts as wealthy corporations that own everything that they see. I propose that tagging may be a way that they claim their environment, similar to animal behavior of marking their territory. In which case,not justifying, tagging is most likely a symptom of strife in social, class, and culture status. The taggers strike in a instant gratification of claiming their environment.
On a side note, spraypaint is illegal to sell in Chicago, and has been for well over a decade. I’m sure this has caused the taggers to adapt.
February 28th, 2005 at 12:07 pm
At the risk of sounding unpopular, perhaps the old adage “if you can’t beat them, join them” may have some application here. Considering the disposition of the perpetrator who’s motive most certainly involves some degree of “rebellion”, what if the business owner were to incorporate some of their own etching and cleverly integrate it into the perps work? I would even go so far as to speculate that in many cases the average patron would just naturally assume that it must be “some sort of new marketing strategy”. In addition to saving on the cost of expensive (and possibly frequent) repairs and/or replacements, perhaps it might even diminish much of the intended “shock value” of the tag (?) Who knows, the business owner may actually come to enjoy having a creative outlet to work with while having the satisfaction of pissing off the vandal who later finds out that his tag was turned into something positive(?). Good idea?…or did I smoke too much crack?
February 28th, 2005 at 12:09 pm
Perhaps shop owners could establish a symbiotic relationship with local street artists: dedicate storefront space to some reputable graf artists in return for their policing their own turf — they may have the best means to protect their own canvas, so to speak.
February 28th, 2005 at 1:16 pm
re:working with shop ownwere
The problem is that most reputable graf artists aren’t taggers. it is a different group. just because they all use spray cans doesn’t make them the same. Most Graf artists veiw taggering as childish.
February 28th, 2005 at 5:03 pm
owners ^
damn type errors
February 28th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
I would again like to thank everyone for their input. It is exciting to read what you all have to say. In case anyone is reading just the comments please check out the appendum at the end of the article. I wanted to make note of new information attained after the article came out and be as fair as possible to everyone who has been kind enough to share their thoughts on the matter.
Thanks,
J
February 28th, 2005 at 7:04 pm
Yes, taggers are a seperate group, but fellow graf artists may have similar connections in the streeet art social network with the (malicious) taggers that shop owners do not. In the ‘broken windows’ theory of crime, it seems to me there is no ownership of the contested surface; the graf artist takes it back as a canvas, the tagger mars it as territory. My thought was the shop owners could ally with the graf artists, getting a place to do ther work in return for defending against the taggers. If the street finds its own uses, let (respectable elements of) the street acquire the surface in exchange for regulation. I know it may be tangential, but when people see a conflict, I look for a networking opportunity.
March 1st, 2005 at 8:35 am
As an aficionado of graffiti art, I was saddened to read this article about the defacement of business fronts via armor etch. One of the consequences of this form of defacement is the deprecation of graffiti as an art form.
This form of graffiti does a disservice to graffiti artists commissioned for outside sites, as well as, exhibiting in galleries.
I hope that these graffiti outlaws realize that they devalue the very art that they create, when they choose to participate in destroying private property.
March 1st, 2005 at 8:56 pm
there have been explosion’ in the use of etch in paris and new york over the years, but many people, especially transport companies have found away to combate the use of etch.
its appeal to the writers is the permanent nature of the etch, and its difficulty to get.
March 4th, 2005 at 6:43 am
The coating on UV blocking glass prevents the etch but it is fragile to scratching. I saw scriber marks on windows in the same neighborhood by the way but they were not even worthy of being called tags.
I am currently in Orlando, Florida. I have not seen any etching here. Graffiti in general is actually kind of scarce around here for that matter.
That is really too bad about Paris. It a city that is very dear to me. The thought of some of the “ancient” shop windows being marked with tags is almost disturbing.
March 4th, 2005 at 3:52 pm
The really sad thing is that these immature hoodlums will eventually get older, gain their own footing in the world (i.e. own stuff that could be vandalized) and recognize the senselessnes of their ways. They may also lose the need to feed their vanity through scribbling their nick all over the place.
Sadly it hasn’t happened for the taggers in Austin, yet. I was just stopping by a local submarine shop and noticed a glass etching on a boot repair store. This is a locally owned-and-operated shop that has fixed shoes and boots there for over 70 years. It’s an essential part of the infrastructure that keeps people buying American made footware. Some tagger just etched a huge tag across the front window where they have their sign hand-painted, which looks to be several decades old. I have no idea how many pairs of shoes these people will have to fix to purchase a new window.
Seth
June 10th, 2005 at 3:56 pm
Fuck u seth….i live in australia and what ur sayin brings shivers to the spines of those with brains…u got nooo clue…graffiti is art…face it…u prob dont like it either but u kno what fuckyu we will graffiti on ur house u will neva catch us…
August 15th, 2005 at 6:03 am
please where is possible buy in new york this etching cream???thank you. good pages…
September 23rd, 2005 at 9:29 am
please where is possible buy in new york this etching cream???thank you. good pages…
September 23rd, 2005 at 9:36 am
It’s a very disturbing view for tourists who ride the subway trains in nyc…
November 14th, 2005 at 10:06 pm
etching cream can be bought on art and craft stores… i really think graffiti went to another level with this so called “etch” and i would really like it if the council of each state made every graffiti vandal who are using etch to deface someone else’s property to pay for the damage($500) i think it’s just fare for both
November 21st, 2005 at 4:24 pm
i live in nj, and buy my armour etch from michaels craft store. ny banned armour etch because of the vandalism caused by it. Order it off the internet if your from ny. Then get a shoe polish bottle with the sponge applicator and pour in the armour etch. thats how i do it. if you know of a better way be my guest. then at night, hit the streets son!
November 30th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
I do believe that grafitti is art, although it is vandalism and i strongly disagree with those who say that the graf artists should spread their word other ways. think about it, do you ever listen to the man preaching on the corner when you pass him by, do you ever take the flyers that have someones “message” on them and not throw them away at the next trash can. These artists, revolutionarys if you will, are trying to spread a message that people won’t just disregard and are moving the younger crowd more than any school program, or educational presentation could ever do.
People don’t listen to the preachers, but they listen to whats not supposed to be said.
Every revolution starts with a message.
March 3rd, 2006 at 1:35 am
Im updating my last post. (just for seth)^_^
That is just wrong. That is fucked up if what your saying is true. There is a code amoungst graf writers (well respectful ones any way) that ussullay consists of these rules.
1. You don’t hit churches.
2. You don’t hit elementary schools.
3. You don’t hit places that are helping the community through voulenteer work.
4. You ESPECIALLY don’t hit the local Mom and Pop shops around town.
If what your saying is true than that is, i can say honestly as a writer myself,
Filth.
March 3rd, 2006 at 1:44 am
graffiti will never die
March 17th, 2006 at 4:24 am
i’m happy to see that this still has relevance. The piece seems to be haunting me in a good way as I am again getting into a lot of conversations about graffiti. This is becoming a big issue as the genre gets more defined, accepted and reviled. There are a lot of questions and points being brought up on both sides. Maybe even enough for a follow up piece. I hesitate to take a side in the debate but off the cuff I think, as usual both extremes are… well, extreme. Wanting to put graffiti anywhere and everywhere is too much and no better than painting everything beige. It’s also pretty arguable uncool to decorate someone elses stuff without asking. At the same time trying to deny that graffiti is art is pretty sad. People work hard to develop skills and an artistic voice to do what they do. So, I’ll stick to my neutral position on the subject while I take notes and more photos.
May 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 am
fuck the haters i love etch!etch is the best on trains and yall tryin to stop us but u cant, we gon keep doin it, its all bout fame!
acm squad
creep ones
queens ,nyc!
July 21st, 2006 at 11:10 am
i love it! it’s great because your name runs forever since it costs so much to remove! small business excluded, giant corporate facades can get what they deserve – we didn’t ask for these ads and billboards in our face – if McDonalds can have their space, so will we.
August 29th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
We can effectively REMOVE Deep Glass Graffiti and Acid Graffiti FLAWLESSLY!
September 24th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Pics of Acid Graffiti we removed too! Its not as permanent as people think. And the glass DOESNT have to be removed…
September 24th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
graffiti is art as well as vandalism. we all know this. there is no clear cut reason why each writer does it but most decent writers hold a code of ethics of where and where not to put up a tag, piece, throwup, etc.. small businesses are always a no no. as a writer, i’m in favor of using any medium possible as long as the outcome isn’t directly hurting the little people. i’m fairly positive that most other writers agree with me there. one thing to keep in mind though, we believe that what we do is right and there is no changing that. we are out to change our environment and let the rest of the world see our existance. no fine or sentence will stop the minds of individuals. i’m sorry for this long of a post and i’m sorry for the inconvenience, but graf will never stop. you can ignore our voices but our colors will always shine
September 25th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Kill them. Simple as that. Wait for the “tagger” to do his thing and kill him. Who would notice ?
October 12th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
niggas just hatin graffiti is my way of life and no cop punk bitch is gun catch me pimpin
October 24th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
shit graff is something we do to get recognized and not be stopped by 5-0 theres only one way to put ur name up and thats illegally if u a writer u gotta have some balls and bust out anywhere not just where its lone ly
CFE crew
Vandal Skuad
and AIR
CREW2
November 2nd, 2006 at 9:32 am
shit graff is something we do to get recognized and not be stopped by 5-0 theres only one way to put ur name up and thats illegally if u a writer u gotta have some balls and bust out anywhere not just where its lone ly
CFE crew
Vandal Skuad
and AIR
CREW2
November 2nd, 2006 at 9:32 am
Man, sad to see adults as ignorant as the dumb writers, Don’t attempt to define the graf world. The only division in it are the artists and everyone else. The rest can go by individual morals. Who are you to judge beauty in graf if you don’t know it’s parameters?
Go write a report or interview someone, you guys fail society more than an underprivileged kid etching some glass.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:58 am
yo man fuk all you people who dont like graff first of all graffiti artists are not called “taggers” or “hoodlems” were called writers second graffiti is everywhere from paris to washington dc to chicago were just advestising our selves and crews do you guys think our gear is cheap we cant rack up everything we use so remmember theses words “fuck da buff’ and fuk daley and punk ass 5/0 remmember many people have died for graffiti so give us a break (rip kIsEr)
TonE1 KmCaB 312 chicago and boston
November 13th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
The etching problem is easily solved, contact Jay Beswick at patches@as.net
Deputy Director of nograf
at http://www.nograffiti.com
March 10th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Vandal Shield has a patented process that works, its a real business opportunity for those who want to rid their neighborhoods of this visual blight. http://www.vandalshield.com will train applicators, they are one in the same with supplying mylar films to transit agencies.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
graffiti writers that do pieces or murals are also taggers. they view tagging as the origin of graffiti, and developing a good tag is seen as essential if one is going to be taken seriously by the graffiti community.
i don’t even know where to start in my criticism of the posts here. the “journalists”, the squares, the graffiti writers . . . almost everybody sounds as if their brains are malfunctioning. it makes me want to shoot myself. vera, the “aficionado”, makes me want to shoot everybody else.
November 30th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Shine Glass Renewal is one of the only companies that can effectively remove Acid Graffiti with No Distortion check us out on the web at http://www.shineglassrenewal.com
February 1st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Graffiti, to me, has always been a means of escape. Escape from the totalitarian state in which we live, the totalitarian house-hold in which I live, and the totalitarian state-of-mind in which I have trapped myself. No true graffiti writer can deny that he or she is committing a crime, but I do take a bit of pride in the fact that my crime is beautiful, at least to me, a beholder and a writer. Everybody has a vice. You are no different than me. Some kids do drugs, some rob banks, and others write their names on walls. Graff is just further down the spectrum than less venial vices. Every artist has to suffer for his or her art a bit to truly appreciate what they’re doing. Van Gogh cut off his own ear. I’m prepared to do jail time to suffer for my art. It’ll all be worth it someday.
Graffiti is here to stay and it’s for the better. If I have etched or will etch your windows in the future, I sincerely apologize but I’m going to keep doing what sustains me.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I can remove the acid etching window graffit to see pictures just go to my web site http://www.chicagopowerclean.com i also work with a company that can put on a 3-m anti graffiti film
April 10th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
in nyc, etch is everywhere…. just DONT GET THAT SHIT ON YOU!
January 24th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
you want a little light graf has had etch forever, if you get caught its a predicate only they dont mess around, why is it down mostly cause thats part of graf destruction and its just a tool against this world and society, the streets evolves and mutates it will never die as long as corporate bull5h1t still exists, peace and wreck everything
March 26th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
to all you graffiti haters: keep moaning and bitching and whining.. you only motivate me even more to go out in the streets and destroy shit.. if you really want to stop us, go around town and start buffing our shit!! TALK IS CHEAP
and i’d like to conclude by saying that yall cant stop graffiti because there will always be a dissensus and a consensus to the system.. neither side will truly win.. this struggle is meant to last forever.. and thats exactly what keeps the world turning and gives people meaning to their lives… PEACE
May 19th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
all of you people need to stop bitching about us writers.
were not gonna stop, and you cant stop us!
ive been arrested, fined, been put on probation and have done hundreds of hours of community service, and guess what?
i still havent stopped, and i never will.
people want to know why we write graff?
its because its our own escape..
its a way to relieve stress and have fun.
graffiti has been around for thousands of yearss!
and nothing is gonna stop us writers.
no matter what were still gonna fuck shit up and make a name for ourselves
and guess what??
3-m anti graffiti film wont stop us!
were smarter then that.
that shits as soft as butter.
we can peel that shit off your mirror, and scribe on the real glass.
so keep in mind, writers are people
not just “hoodlems” as you rich snobs say
graffiti tells its own story
it shows whos been where. and when they were there..
i have 5 year old scribes on countless mirrors. and tables and tolilet seats
and there not going anywhere
ive been writing since i was 9 years old.
thats half of my life fucking shit up
and nothings changing!
if you still dont understand the fun and beauty of the graff world, then watch this video
this is the first of ten videos
its called infamy.
and it will explain everything
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:59 am
all of you people need to stop bitching about us writers.
were not gonna stop, and you cant stop us!
ive been arrested, fined, been put on probation and have done hundreds of hours of community service, and guess what?
i still havent stopped, and i never will.
people want to know why we write graff?
its because its our own escape..
its a way to relieve stress and have fun.
graffiti has been around for thousands of yearss!
and nothing is gonna stop us writers.
no matter what were still gonna fuck shit up and make a name for ourselves
and guess what??
3-m anti graffiti film wont stop us!
were smarter then that.
that shits as soft as butter.
we can peel that shit off your mirror, and scribe on the real glass.
so keep in mind, writers are people
not just “hoodlems” as you rich snobs say
graffiti tells its own story
it shows whos been where. and when they were there..
i have 5 year old scribes on countless mirrors. and tables and tolilet seats
and there not going anywhere
ive been writing since i was 9 years old.
thats half of my life fucking shit up
and nothings changing!
if you still dont understand the fun and beauty of the graff world, then watch this video
this is the first of ten videos
its called infamy.
and it will explain everything
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUB7QveDdYM
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:00 am