Althouse: "I noticed that graffiti painted within the red area was 'buffed' with red paint. However, graffiti outside of the red area would be removed via pressure washing."

July 2, 2015

"I noticed that graffiti painted within the red area was 'buffed' with red paint. However, graffiti outside of the red area would be removed via pressure washing."

"This prompted the start of an experiment. Unlike other works, I was very uncertain as to what results it would yield. Below is what transpired over the course of a year."

18 comments:

Etienne said...: The only thing that is worser than looking at graffiti, is reading about graffiti.; 7/2/15, 9:28 AM
Known Unknown said...: Two things:

1- How much did his art cost the city (and the taxpayers of the locality?)

2- The city eventually got around to a better solution. Their initial 'fixes' were no better than the graffiti itself, aesthetically.; 7/2/15, 9:29 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Looks much improved at the end.; 7/2/15, 9:34 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Except that he painted on it again.; 7/2/15, 9:35 AM
Ann Althouse said...: It's painful to think of all the money the artist extracted from the authorities, but it is a fascinating progression of photographs as an individual successfully trains the authorities to behave according to his plan.; 7/2/15, 9:35 AM
Wilbur said...: The only thing worse than looking at or reading about graffiti is describing the creators as "artists".; 7/2/15, 10:20 AM
Henry said...: Interesting. The city I used to live in tended to use different grays for overpainting. I actually liked the block-painting results.; 7/2/15, 11:02 AM
Balfegor said...: It's painful to think of all the money the artist extracted from the authorities, but it is a fascinating progression of photographs as an individual successfully trains the authorities to behave according to his plan.

Aka some poor municipal sanitation employee whom he's terrorising here. What an ass.; 7/2/15, 11:35 AM
Etienne said...: Red is the most expensive paint, as it has a lot of iron in it. I always specify red paint if the public is paying for it.; 7/2/15, 11:55 AM
Curious George said...: "Coupe said...
Red is the most expensive paint, as it has a lot of iron in it. I always specify red paint if the public is paying for it."

I always thought it was the cheapest...the reason barns are painted red.; 7/2/15, 12:19 PM
Alexander said...: You know what else would be interesting? If the poor bastard who has to go out every day and paint over the word 'red' got together with the tax payers who were paying for multiple pressure washers of the same building went and beat the shit out of the guy.

You know, as an experiment to see if it changed his behavior.; 7/2/15, 1:25 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: It looked terrible at the beginning. At least at the end it looks nice and neat. He shouldn't have painted on it again.; 7/2/15, 2:07 PM
daskol said...: I don't think he trained them. He teased out the behavior of a seemingly random system and demonstrated that it had a certain logic. In fact, he showed that the system could learn.; 7/2/15, 2:51 PM
Etienne said...: I always thought it was the cheapest...the reason barns are painted red.

The story goes that linseed oil was too orange, so the farmers started putting ferrous oxide (from the fertilizer) in, and got a brighter red.

I think those days are gone now, and ferrous oxide is more expensive. Sad day when rust costs money :-)

I use the stuff to etch brass and while not horribly expensive, I try not to waste it.; 7/2/15, 2:54 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: It's painful to think of all the money the artist extracted from the authorities....

The "authorities" extract plenty of money from me, most of which is utterly wasted. Nice to see some of it used in a way I at least get a laugh out of.; 7/2/15, 3:34 PM
Skyler said...: About the first time I disagree with Freeman Hunt.

Aesthetics aside, I prefer the brick, it is not the vandal's job to determine the look of the building.

Watch out vandal, someday the goths may get you. And I hope they do.; 7/2/15, 4:02 PM
LTMG said...: British humour at its best!; 7/2/15, 9:26 PM
ken in tx said...: In the Cambridge/Boston area, they had a contractor whose job was to remove or paint over graffiti. He was caught painting graffiti that he would latter be paid to remove.; 7/4/15, 12:43 PM