The thought recently occurred to me that I should take stock of some of the themes in this blog. That's a project that I'm not going to take on right now, but I have a feeling that when I get around to it, graffiti is going to be an important element.
In theory I like the idea of increasing a user's investment in the space by allowing them to personalize it. And to transcend the boundaries of this private space by leaving messages for others. And I also find the doodle art aesthetic appealing. It seems to me that often when users are allowed to (or defacto allowed in that they are not prevented from) deface the walls, they usually end up writing vaguely asinine and sentimental statements. One such example, brought to you from Williamsburg, New York:
Or another vaguely mystical attempt at wit, perhaps?
Well the meta-analytic sentiment is sort of deep, if you're given to intellectualizing things. As I am. And then with the sheep pun... that's just great. Then again, if the scribbles enhance the general aesthetic of the space, then it shouldn't really matter what they says since they sort of just operate as ornamentation.
I was recently in a bathroom in Burlington, Vermont and the painted walls had this delightful hand-drawn style. I feell like this is placed nicely in dialogue with graffiti because it could be said to have a similar naive--day I say, doodled?--aesthetic, without insinuating that it's unsanctioned in any way.
Perhaps there could be a middle ground? A toilet where there's paint buckets and aprons lining the walls and you get a chance to doodle a bit? Without having a fine tipped sharpie at your disposal, perhaps the outcome will not be inane commentary about love and drug use. Maybe it'll be more insightful, surprising, entertaining? This seems like a job for the Doodlers Anonymous.
Ok guys, want to team up? I'll meet you in the bathroom.
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