This story about my local city councillor’s back fence illustrates the problem. Is graffiti public art, free expression or vandalism?
The fence features some child art that looks like typical “fridge art” that parents like to display. It’s in an alley, so not many people have to look at it, even if it is an eyesore and and old, undecorated fence might have been more picturesque. Toronto graffiti cops say it has to go, or fines and clean-up costs may be imposed. Appeal is possible, but wouldn’t that just be more time and money wasted on trivia?
Personally, I find most graffiti to be a pain in the eye and when a kid tagged my fence, I quickly removed the marking, just as I remove dog poop left on my lawn. I have come to terms with graffiti by thinking of it as urban acne… an unsightly, mostly teenage blight, but just part of life. If a very bad outbreak occurs, sure, do what you can to clean it up. But I think that an institutionalized treatment plan costing a million tax dollars a year is overkill.
To me, child art on public walls and hoardings is comparable to scabs on skinned knees. I wouldn’t call it “beautification” and it would be nice if kids used rain-soluable poster paint or chalk, so nature could heal the wounds. Tagger kids remind me of dogs lifting their legs on trees and fire hydrants. Marking their territory, proclaiming their existence. If I recall, the teenage years include episodes of insanity, social awkwardness and arrogant stupidity. Just part of life.
On occasion, graffiti express messages of social protest. Sometimes I am amused by Trash Harper stencils on waste bins, sometimes Eat The Rich clichés strike me as lame. Still, we let paying interest groups splatter unasked-for messages all over our streetcars and sky lines. Should only the well-heeled be allowed to express themselves in the public space?
Maybe social pressure and individual initiative are ways to deal with graffiti. Rules, regulations, fines and expensive bureaucracies don’t work, anyway. A quick look around shows that.
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Full disclosure: Danica is usually the one to remove the dog poop. I usually just step in it while mowing the grass. As this is a mood-altering experience and Danica does not care for the mood, she averts the problem by spotting the poop before I get to it. Not that she likes getting rid of dog poop… it’s a lesser of two evils thing.
I like this post, especially the acne analogy. I have not seen this fence in person but from the pictures I can’t say it bothers me. If I lived near this alleyway I think it would make me smile. I can’t help comparing it’s childish charm to the very ugly (with a capital U) mural that is allowed to grace the NW corner of Gerrard and Main St.…a very bad case of acne. Wish I had a picture to share.
Glad to see you have an accurate grasp of the poop & scoop situation. I find this civic problem much more irritating than graffiti – where are the poop & scoop enforcers? There’s crap everywhere…..watch your step!
As a dog owner, I clean up after my dogs every time!
People who see me doing it honk and cheer.
Dog owners find it contagious and many owners now scoop
as well. Happy thoughts to those who clean (Danica).
I should add “lead by example” to my “social pressure” and “individual initiative” thought. That helps too, Joni, I agree.
It’s on her own fence and the content is not offensive so I say let it be. Different story if it’s a public space or commercial building.
Yes, many sweet people pick up, but a few owners ruin it for everyone. Can you imagine leaving a lump in the middle of the sidewalk? Then a shoe or baby buggy tracks through it…
And lately some self conscious soul is picking up but leaving the bag neatly tucked against the fence. At first I thought they would fetch it on their way back. No – just more baggies day after day all down the street. They love their dogs but not their neighbours!