Jan T.and D'Love, Nearly Famous Around Here--

Now mind you, I understand this tagging or graffiti is vandalism, a crime. However, I am interested in it as a way that some express identity and hostility--or if not hostility, how they extend their space in the world.

I think taggs are similar to Queen Elizabeth's elaborate panniered skirts, soaring cathedrals, and election signs--extended "space-taking" through "decoration".  They can be critiqued, therefore, and analyzed. The stakes in this activity are different for different people; you can kind of tell what the stakes by the actual tags that you see. I use a kind of amateur handwriting analysis coupled with number of tags, and amount of effort expended to reclaim space and fill it in.

A guy like Che needs to have a venue. He's developed some techniques. I'd like to see a large canvas from him--what he could do on the legitimate side.

I had this one figured out except for the J. Fortunately, Janti provided a helpful key.

On painted cinderblocks, along an alley. This is a pawn shop wall. As you will see through this post, he's still trying for the perfect signature. Don't ask me why I think he's a he. Never met him.

A space with poor graffiti remediation ALWAYS gets more graffiti.

Now my next question is: if you look at Che above, there are initials associated. Is this his fans--they don't disturb his work--or is it a message of some sort from Che himself, or a tribute to a sponsor?  Then D'Love here has somebody R--k below them. Did R--k come first, then D'Love established supremacy, and then both of them were crossed out by someone else?

Here is D'Love not crossed out. This is a girl. I think so, anyway--after the jump.

She's got good control. Of the can, anyway. 

Janti has been busy. We have a non-strategic defense on the part of this business. All they did was give him a glowing white field to play with. Art criticism: he didn't extend himself much to his canvas. Still it's a public intersection. But I conclude he is more interested in claiming space than developing his talents. And I could go way out on a limb and say that's a problem with his personal security. Threat interferes with training.

If you look closely, Mars painted here before in black. The owner painted it out with a slightly different white. Now when Mars paints himself in again, his name has texture. Art criticism: Mars hasn't exploited the surface enough, or the possibilities of the can of paint. Also I've seen his tags nowhere else. This is the only place. If it's so important that you come back, why not dress your tag up a little? The impulse is met once the name is in. It's not art. It's territory.

Nineteen days later. Totally different neighborhood. It would be quite a walk. Not impossible though.

His name is starting to look like Jan Tsi. Still it's the same angular J. I think it's the same dude. If not, could this be the kind of thing that starts a tagger blast? I'll never know unless I look.

Two more. Two different names. I think this surface has been treated. You'll notice all the paint disperses on the brick, which means I think that it's going to wash off.

I think this next one reads differently between urban residential and suburban/rural residential. If this was on a house, it would seem like a personal insult to an inhabitant, or an invasion of privacy. (Or at least where I grew up.) But since it's in a highly gay neighborhood, very high rise, it seems more like an affirmation or call to arms, or just, territorial. More that "I'm here to stay" than "I want you to leave." It's political.

Kweer!

Here is (Amen?) MOA with Cuzo on top. This does look hostile to me. Can't explain it, exactly, it just does.
But I remain fascinated. I will look for these names elsewhere. See if I can confirm this impression.

The MOA is also one of the initials in the Che picture. I think it stands for something, but not Member of the Academy. Now racking my brain. If anyone knows, Please Write In.

And may it interest you, even if it doesn't thrill you--

Have a great day, everybody!

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