Do the French love graffiti? Are they artists or are they just vandals in disguise? As we sped along the autoroute on our way home from Switzerland, I started to notice that nearly every wall, agricultural building or abandoned farmhouse was covered with graffiti... There didn't seem to be a message or great artistic value to the work... but rather a feeling that a blank wall must be filled. Quelle horreur to let the countryside slumber in peace... It was as if we were on the outskirts of Paris not in the languid reaches of Provence. Don't misunderstand... I love a well executed wall of graffiti and admire it as much as any work of art but gratuitous graffiti... I just don't get it. Graffiti, according to Wikipedia, is writings or drawings painted, scratched or drawn illicitly on a wall. It has been around since ancient times and there are examples dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans... Now I understand... As Provence has Greek and Roman beginnings... it must be genetic!
The trompe l'oeil, the first image, is one of several painted illusions on a wall near to the Palais des Papes in Avignon... I do like this because the image is clever and matches the atmosphere of it's location. Would it be classified as graffiti?...If it were painted without authorisation, then I guess it would be...
The 'dancing girl' lives on a garage door in Arles opposite the Roman amphitheatre... I like her... The contrast between the old world and our modern world is never more obvious...
And the third image... 'Sorry for your wall'... is our little house in the historic centre of St Remy de Provence. Mr FF found this little jewel box last year and we have great plans for it... More about that when we have the alterations approved by the local council... but fingers crossed, our renovations can commence early this year. Am I upset that someone has taken a spray gun to our walls... Not as yet, because work hasn't started and the walls will have to be re-painted in any case. I like to think that the 'artist' has some empathy and understood that the house is in transition... I may be less generous with my thoughts if it happens on a regular basis. At least they apologised...
If you have a taste for graffiti then you must check out this and for wonderful examples of trompe l'oeil I recommend this... and for how to... this... (European readers can find these books here and here )
Art, always a matter of opinion... Do you love a splash of graffiti? xv
Sorry for your walls is such a clever line - pun intended I assume? I adore graffiti - although it has to be in context or it is simply vandalism. And there is the fine line...how to define...I think if it is just "x was here" or "x loves y" or just a signature, then it is vandalism. But if it is colourful, with a a meaning (of beauty or satire), and is located somewhere that other graffiti has already appeared, then it does stray into art in my view. One of the things I love most about Melbourne are the fabulous laneways of street art. Ever changing, and always drawing admiring glances. Virginia x
ReplyDeleteGreat graffiti posting and a what a coincidence that also today I just posted examples of graffiti on Brussels' tram stops on This is Belgium. Nothing remotely related to "art" in those examples...
ReplyDeleteanni
Gosh, the only time I have loved graffitti was on the old subway cars in NYC at the end of the 80s, especially the "E" line where every inch was covered with paint, even the seats. It was a moving symbol (literally) of the state of the city at the time. But aside from the Misstic drawings here in Arles (and even those have gotten a tad tiresome), graffitti on these historic buildings makes me sad. And yes, I agree it is in the genes--in the cloister of St. Trophime there are scrawlings from the 1700's!
ReplyDeleteI cannot WAIT to hear what you have planned for your little bijou... :)
The first image is amazing Vicki. Now graffiti for the sake of scribbling on someones property is vandalism and an eyesore. I remember the last time I was in Italy there was a lot of graffiti in Rome. It really bothered me to see it on ancient buildings!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I like artistic graffitti i.e. paintings that look good, grab your attention and start a conversation. Like the fist images above. They can add interest to an empty ruin of abuilding and make the area more attractive. However, I hate it when people srpay their names and silly little messages everywhere. I really don't care that Lucy loves Luke! That is vandalism!
ReplyDeleteI feel most graffiti is, like whistling, self indulgent. Having said that I have been amused by grafitti on bathroom doors, one which made me laugh out loud recently was: "beware of limbo dancers" It was written just above the large gap at the bottom of the door. Fun
ReplyDeleteHelen xx
Nothing so grand in meaning here in the States. Graffiti is the hallmark of gangs. Each leaving their gang symbols to prove their power. Sigh
ReplyDeleteSorry for your walls. Now that should be the motto of every graffiti artist in my opinion. I hate how they can deface a beautiful building. But then again, in certain contexts - alleyways, backs of buildings exposed to commuter rail tracks - graffiti can add some much needed colour. But not in beautiful, historic France. Noooooo!
ReplyDeleteProbably the first image is not a graffiti. You've got a great definition 'painted illusions' on a wall. It's more of a mural depicting Jean Vilar and Daniel Sorano in Don Juan almost 60 years ago. It were the most glorious days of Avignon theatre festival when Gerard Philipe rose to fame, and Avignon has quite a few of those theatrical illusions gracing the best buildings of the town.
ReplyDeleteAnd me too can't wait to see the pics of your little bijou.
PS. I forgot to mention that I laughed that they used the formal "vous" and not "tu"--a bunch of educated hooligans. Only in St. Remy! ;)
ReplyDeleteVicki,
ReplyDeleteEven French graffiti makes me sad. I realize some of the "art work" is a persons expression, but I just don't like it on unsuspecting buildings and fences. And I agree, with Jacqui (above) maybe its the knowledge that most graffiti in America is the handy work of gangs.
Karen
Like you, Vicki and some of your readers, I have very mixed feelings about graffiti.
ReplyDeleteI loathe the ugly and unimaginative scrawl and "tags" of gangs found all over the world and have been known to be most upset at the wanton vandalism of the desecration of war memorials and public buildings, parks, etc.
On the other hand, when out walking with my camera at the ready this past summer in Paris I found myself photographing some of the more eye catching efforts of street "art" to be found dotted around the city.
When we lived in Sydney I always smiled as I drove past a particular wall mural near Edgecliff in the Eastern suburbs. It was of a slender woman in red and was actually quite stylish - as the years went by it became more garish - and amateurish.It was as if the original artist had moved on and others were attempting to keep this little bit of whimsy going.
A bit like the Sydney street artist who painted Eternity on footpaths all over the city. This went on to be chosen as the iconic word all lit up on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the Millennium celebrations.
The first graffiti I ever saw was in the Earl's Court tube station when I was working at the Australian Tourist Organisation in Old Bond Street, London in 1969.
It read
"My Mother made me a homosexual"
- someone had written underneath this
"If I buy her the wool, will she make me one..."
Yes, it is perplexing - sometimes graffiti makes me furious and other times it makes me smile ...
Joanna Brazier
Perth
Western Australia
I really love the first image, Vicki. Would love to have a painting identical to this.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Monday, and thank you for sharing.
Teresa
xoxo
I think it is easier to consider graffiti as an art form, as it has been very often around the world, when it is done on other people's property. I understand your concern, Vicki and hope the [educated] "artist" will leave your wall alone in the future. Around Paris, where I lived for many years, graffiti is often the work of gangs. I heard a long time ago that when the culprits were arrested, they had to clean the walls themselves (and this grueling work) as part of their community service hours. Yesterday, as I rode the Amtrak train from Portland to Seattle, I saw a long wall covered in graffiti before we reached King Street station. I can't say it was particularly enjoyable to look at but a little girl on the train was delighted and kept asking her parents questions about the "artist." Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of "decorative" graffitti in Houston too. My favorite was a pair of penguins someone painted so that they looked like they were waiting to cross the street. Unfortunately,the city painted over them. Dommage.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe French are lovers of art. I cannot tell you how many times I have had a French teaching intern over the last nine years that COULD DRAW! Every single one of them had a sense of art!
Love your post and thank you for featuring me again on your daily click!!! BONNE JOURNÉE!
Anita
Here in Carmel-by-the-Sea...there is none. Clint Eastwood was our (terrific) mayor and his, 'Make my day, punk' attitude prevailed. In San Francisco where I previously lived--when it was genuine expression and fit the context, it was appreciated. When it's disrespectful of personal property or nothing witty about it--just pure vandalism: see Clint Eastwood.
ReplyDeleteAnother photograph of the Avignon graffiti!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.etsy.com/listing/10619147/street-in-avignon-france-2006
I share the mixed feelings - sometimes even when graffiti is "well-excuted" or "artistic" it can seem to violate a beautiful building. Although, in Madrid and Barcelona I saw some graffiti that was photo-worthy, made me smile and seemed to make the buildings that were adorned even more interesting. But the like of the "sorry for your wall," in my opinion is just rude. And vandalism certainly.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what becomes of the "little bijoux" and hope it is spared any further expression!
vicki dear -
ReplyDeleteIt seems that street art / graffiti is like any other form of art ... . our reactions vary according to our personal tastes and since there is a wide variety of street art out there, we react not only to the art, but our perception of the artists' intention.
Certainly most of the gang related tags are meant to offend .. . and they do.
I do find your note that many rural areas seem to be blighted with graffiti to be confounding and sad.
Though I haven't been to Paris in many years, I've recently been introduced to a couple of remarkable artists whose work can be found all over Paris. Since we met through flickr, we've also done some collaborations ... . where I incorporate images of their work in my collages. They utilize vintage portraits which are placed so gently and poetically that I can't imagine anyone finding them offensive . Especially since they appear to be in rather crumbling areas. Do take a peek at their work here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leoandpipo/sets/72157608569970107/with/5591927632/
I'll post several of my collaborative pieces on my blog, so you can take a look at them later today.
Loved sharing your skiing adventures -
judith
Vicki,
ReplyDeleteWalls littered with graffiti were my first impression of Paris 10 years ago(the RER from the CDG airport), and I remember being a little anxious that my "vision" of Paris had been idealistic...However, upon entering within the périphérique, Paris was beautiful as I had imagined. I do think that graffiti can be quite distracting and ugly and it's an atrocity when people graffiti antique buildings/cathedrals. Imagine a cathedral in Paris withstanding destruction during the Occupation only to be maimed by a moron with a concealed spray paint can on peaceful autumn evening! Graffiti has also ruined so many beautiful buildings throughout Rome (There I thought it was worse.)
On the contrary, I recently watched a film called Exit Through the Gift Shop, which is an intriguing documentary about the new trend in graffiti and some world-reknowned street artists and their work. Through the eyes of this film graffiti is the new wave of art, and it is truly fascinating.
Mandy
Dear Vicki, your blog is amazing... :) Some graffiti are art pieces, but unfortunately many of them are just vandalism.
ReplyDeleteHello Vicki,
ReplyDeleteOkay, I’ll bite. I hate graffiti. As we live in the inner-city we are surrounded by it and I find not only the smell from the so called ‘artists’ working on it really toxic but also so intrusive when they paint over walls and people’s fences continually. I think it all looks so squalid and junky and I don’t see it as art in any shape or form. I continually watch stressed out neighbours having to invest more money and energy into paint and time to wipe out the artwork on their own property that they didn’t ask for.
We live near a graffiti wall that is often used for model shoots or television filming and there’s a brothel very near. The brothel (to my amusement) are just as anti the graffiti ‘artists’ as I am. I’ve just returned from MONA in Tasmania which is an incredible venue for contempary art and a must-see next time you are in Tasmania. Here you are subjected to a vagina wall, a poo machine and loads of other provoking and interesting displays. Not all to my taste but very well believe out and stimulating.
I don’t think it’s that I believe that art either high or low has to be in context in a gallery but what I really loathe the most is the graffiti artist’s bad manners and despoiling of private property. For anyone that loves it I suggest they live in an area where their house is under constant attack from the artists. But I admit to loving the Eternity graffiti that was written throughout the Sydney Streets as there's quite a poignant story attached to it. I think that’s my rant over for this morning! xx
Hi Vicki, I hope this little 'jewel box' will be a holiday rental! Cant wait to hear more.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Jill
Qld
Yes, agree, very mixed feelings. Tags and scrawls and defacing historic buildings is sheer vandalism. Some images on backs of nondescript buildings or hoardings can be interesting, sometimes even qualifying as street art as you've shown, though even there I am conflicted. As you've noted some graffiti can be historic. Some years ago I was taken into a church in a village not far from Cambridge and shown the "inscriptions" on an inside wall. People fleeing the London plague had taken refuge in the church centuries ago and had written on the walls about their lives and fears.
ReplyDeleteAlso sometimes graffiti can be quite amusing. Years ago there was a poster in an English town advertising a local air show. The graffiti wit had written underneath" "If wet, in town hall". University loos sometimes have exchanges on the backs of doors that rise above the usual Mary loves Fred. I don't recall exact details but there was one series of entries (clearly graffiti-ed by a range of different people) about notalgia for the 60s. the last entry read: "Gee you must be old, girls". This stopped the interchange.
Good luck with your house in St Remy - should be great - and hope you avoid the graffiti when renovated.
I remember when I lived in Paris, I would take the tran and we would pass an area covered in graffiti it always made me smile..
ReplyDeleteXx
Callie
In 2011 we rented an apartment in Paris in Rue de Verneuil, right opposite the house of Serge Gainsbourg and its wonderful graffiti-covered wall. Every night a man with a piano accordion would set up opposite the house and squeeze out the old French favourites. Tourists would come along, listen to the music and take photos of the wall. Corny - but lovely - to open our windows and hear the music! Lots of photos on Google of the wall.
ReplyDeleteI love that trompe l'oeil. It makes me feel as though I could climb through that window into another time & place...
ReplyDelete~ Clare x
I hate, hate, hate, hate graffiti. Really hate it. Do you get the sense I hate it? I really do - in every shape and form.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new project. You have amazing energy!!!