Hidden but not Hidden: Graffiti Art
I was putting away my Target receipt in my wallet when it caught my eye. Casually taking a quick glance through the one-story high window, I noticed the repetition of Ji.’ over and over again on the sides of the buildings across the street. I had always made quick runs to Target for groceries, but I had never noticed this white and light blue graffiti scattered all over.
From the slightly faded look it seemed to have, I can suspect that this graffiti has been there for quite some time. Exposure to harsh weather and the sun must’ve dulled the vibrancy of its colors. But, since it was spray painted on at such a relatively high altitude from the ground, it has avoided defacement by the public. Most graffiti or other “vandalism,” in my perspective, is created with the purpose of letting the world know of one’s presence while still remaining anonymous. Similar to the “Obey, Andre the Giant” signs that Shepard Fairey puts up—but not remotely as successful or ubiquitous, this graffiti seems to indicate a sense of rebelliousness and recklessness. After attempting to count the number of “Ji.’ “s in vain, I’ve settled on estimating that around 12-13 of these initials are spread out on four different building sides.
What I found really interesting is that from the ground level, it’s almost impossible to see this graffiti. This makes me question the purpose of this anonymous artist. If he or she had REALLY wanted to make his presence known, he or she would’ve spray painted his or her art in a more overt setting. This decision in location insinuates that the artist had a dual-purpose of being known but still being unknown. Because its visibility is also dependent on the time of day, this graffiti stays even more under the radar. However, its large size and repetition in a small area are obvious enough to allow everyday Target shoppers like me to pause a bit and observe.
Even though this graffiti may not be popular as others of the same category, art is always meant to be appreciated, and sometimes it’s the little, unnoticeable ones that give us the “artistic fix” we need for the day.
Your commentary on the hidden/not hidden aspects of grafitti is very astute!