On the face of it, a disappointing bit of graffiti. Nothing that interesting.
They appear to be simple tags. In the Wildstyle form of graffiti common in the US. I understand that tags can contain subtle and cryptic messages. Unfortunately, too subtle and cryptic for me. I do hope the recipient of these messages “gets it”.
My favourite bit of graffiti was on the side of some derelict warehouses. It was written roughly in paint with each letter being about 6 feet high:
There once was a land full of laughing trees…
As simple as that. I use to see it travelling by train to work in the 1980’s. Many people used to look up from their newspapers or books and wistfully smile at it. I think the artist now is a serious name in the international art scene.
This recent painting and decorating in the subway seem to have been completed by someone with a serious grudge against style.
Perhaps Banksy will visit us and leave a £500,000 mural!
Yes, I walked through the underpass this morning and noted the unwelcome but predictable addition (s). Ho-hum. A petty urban irritation, I suppose. But, sheesh, what a dull, bland, way of going about it. Call me a nihilist but I predict this will be the thin end of the wedge: more tags to follow. Maybe I'll blu-tack a set of felt tip pens to the wall so at least the tagging might be in a nice polychrome.
The previous graffiti at the WH Smith end, I believe, was commissioned or instigated by the local council. It first appeared sometime in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s. Maybe other SE23.com readers could confirm?
There were references to Connex (the train operating company at the time). I seem to remember a man’s image wearing a train porter/conductor’s hat with Connex and its swooping trademark.
As you exited the subway and ascended the stairs towards WH Smith, on the right hand side, I also seem to remember a runaway train (again in the old Connex insignia) careening down the stairs. That was quite stylish. But dull taggers simply started putting their non-commissioned marks on it and the original bit of art was corrupted rather than enhanced.
Here is a link to it on
Flickr.
Maybe some whiteboard markers should be supplied for people to do their own thing daily, and at the end of the day it can be wiped clean for the following days postings.
Each panel can have a topic, maybe even a for sale section. Bit like SE23.com, but a non internet based one :p
In these troubled times I am disappointed the the art of political / social commentary graffiti seems to have been lost - in the 70's and 80's you could always be assured of some....I always liked the pertinent 'Work, Buy, Consume, Die' which adorned a wall in Battersea at that time.
All we seem to get now are low grade territorial pissings....
I hope it can be clean off quickly.
Remember "George Davis is innocent"?
Wasn't it George Jackson ?
There used to be a G davies one on the bridge at the north entrance to the Rotherhithe Tunnel for many years - I don't recall if it still is.
Ha, fair enough shz1400 - I was thinking of George Jackson of Brookside "fame". Shurely you remember him ?
As wiki has it -
George, his wife Marie, and their twin sons Gary and Little George ...moved into number 10. The Jackson family's tenure on the close was short lived as George was wrongly convicted for a Warehouse Robbery. George was incarcerated and Marie began an appeal to get him out of prison.
However, George's appeal proved fruitless and he remained in prison, forcing Marie and the boys to leave the close in 1985. Billy Corkhill then bought the house and moved in with his family.
Cultural impact:
UK Music group Blazin' Saddles released a single "Free George Jackson" around Christmas 1983.
Admittedly the single hardly, ahem, set the world on fire.
Hi Michael,
I have listed the graffiti with a pitcure and hopefully they will act promptly..............
I walked through the subway earlier this morning and the graffiti has gone. The cladding is pristine white again (but for how long?). Reassuring to know that tagging can be removed so easily.
I'm all for the whiteboard idea.
Is it just me, or is anyone else wondering if the subway is "finished." Having made so much effort, I can't believe the contractors were meant to leave those gaps between the lights.
Small point perhaps, and it's a big improvement, but if a job's worth doing, surely it's worth doing well?
I've been wondering exactly the same thing. Are the spaces between the lights going to be clad?
I see the cladding has developed quite a lot of tagging over the weekend.
The council are very good at getting it removed very quickly (I think it basically wipes clean).
But if you see graffiti report it to
http://lovelewisham.org/Reports to ensure it is dealt with.
Removed by this morning - very efficient.
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