Graffiti

[monkey_goose]

Recently where I live (Lismore, Australia) there has been a fair bit of vegan graffiti. To be clear, I personally don't have anything to do with it, though I wish I knew who did. Vegans are here and I want to know them. lol.

This one is one Keen St (opposite Goanna Bakery and Cafe)

Comments

[owlsie]

the way i see it, public property is for public use. that means writing a message on it is a-okaie. PRIVATE property, on the other hand, such as people's houses and places of business, is not okay without the expressed permission of the owner.

anyway, thanks for sharing, i also love your icon. i never thought of toilet paper that way, lol.

[monkey_goose]

Thanks. I can't take credit for it as I didn't make it, but I can't remember who did. lol.

[starile]

I think it's one of comedian Demitri Martin's sketches isn't it?

[sleep_monger]

well, i love this

[surlygrrrly]

Love it, legal or not.

I have been writing messages like this on all my outgoing mail. Sometimes I even stick a veg flier in with my bill payments.

[monkey_goose]

Lol. That's ingenious.

[bitspike]

"Sometimes I even stick a veg flier in with my bill payments. "

That's awesome =)

Now I'm tempted to do away with the convenience of electronic payments and go back to mail. . .

[exairetemechane]

And all blanket statements are awesome.

[jacques_strappe]

I think I agree... in these particular instances of graffiti, if the phrase "go vegan" had been omitted, then statements such as "speciesism sucks" or "animals have feelings too" would actually make people stop and think. The moment someone is commanded to do something, such as "go vegan", they are offended and lose interest.

[monkey_goose]

While I think it's true that omitting the phrase 'go vegan' could also make people stop and think, we live in an era where the answer to animals having feelings is often met with ideas marketed to the public such as "free-range", "happy-meat" and "organic". I think these ideas have so permeated the brains of people that going vegan doesn't often seem viable or necessary when they can just buy something else which is sold to them as an equally valid response.

'go vegan' could be both taken as a command or a suggestion.

[jacques_strappe]

I like the idea behind this but to me graffiti is a very complex issue. I am certainly not a fan of it on lovely buildings (which happens all too often where I'm from), as I hate to see beautiful architecture defaced, even if the message is valid. But on crappy buildings, alleys, and the like, it's okay by me

[monkey_goose]

That piece sounds interesting. I'm not vegan for environmental reasons, but I certainly don't think it can hurt to have that extra reasoning for the cause.

I agree that graffiti is best when there is planning and artistic merit involved. But I also think language is extremely powerful. For me, and possibly for other vegans in the area, this graffiti gave me a sense of community.

[jacques_strappe]

>gave me a sense of community

Oh man, I know exactly what you mean, and I agree. It's funny and peculiar how something left by a complete stranger can make you feel accepted and wanted, or can make you smile. It's the power of art, and graffiti... it's nice.

[bitspike]

". . . graffiti gave me a sense of community."

I wrote an essay on exactly this last year. I focused on the Newtown area in Sydney. Have you ever been there?