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Dec 17, 2008
Tag Talk
I'm holding out on some info from the mish because I want to find out something first - I want to know more about tagging.
If you tag, why?
Has anything stopped you, or would stop you from tagging?
If you're a piecer, what do you think of tagging?
Have you ever thought one way about tagging then changed your view?
Is there a right and wrong place for tagging?
Do you have a theory about it?
Do you have a solution for it?
Do you think the anti-tagging strategies are working?
Whatever side of the wall you're on - this isn't a trick question - I'm genuinely curious.
BTW: When you leave any comment, there is absolutely no record of where it comes from...
5 comments:
Theres some primal urge about writing on walls from early caveman days to now leaving your mark for ages to come to see that youve been there is in our nature.Some people excel in trying to get the name out there as a tag going everywhere to gain noteriety amongst there peers .For example: someone says 'I write (x)' and reply is'yeah ive seen that name (here) and (there)' and the more you go and put the name out there the more its seen and fame and somewhat noteriety is gained..There is something inherent in our nature to write and its only the tools that have changed instead of using sticks and charcol to write on a wall a spraycan is used instead.I can understand the developmental side of it about where people develop a handstyle and progress from just marker pens and stickers to bubble and throw ups to piecing most style is repeditated and refinded to your style.which leads me to respect.I find that someone who writes a marker tag over someones peice is either stupid or just asking for it.Youd be better to write close to or in the same area as someones piece you would gain a lot more respect from people than capping someone whos spent a long time perfecting or painting a piece.(some wont go down left bank for example because thier pieces would get destroyed within hours of completion.) So placement is a little important.If there were more areas for testing out different things id be practicing a lot more than i do already.In my experience there are a few places where people DO go illegally but is so built up you dont know whos is who.I myself only really go places where there is heaps already and wouldnt make much difference.I mean if you did a run down lambton it would pretty much get buffed straight away and youve wasted some paint to do it.I kind of find it funny that at the start of the school holidays theres a 100 new names written with marker pens or stickers that do the run from the train station to left bank and can pretty much follow the trail either down featherston or lambton.Most people i know of do more stickers than tags its easier to write up a few hundred sticks with your name and do a run slapping them places then getting caught writing it with a marker pen or paint.tags and sticks are pretty much the same in my eyes and not SO destructive and a little easier to remove than paint so id go sticks over tags anyday.IS THERE ANY POINT TO THIS RABBLE? Well yes and no.It seems that tagging is here to stay there will always be a new group of kids coming through producing new stuff and writing on walls,as i said its in our nature. the more that people write the more wary they become and develop an almost devious nature like hiding paint from parents and trying to avoid the cops and the punishment from the courts(and some writers are so hardened that their names not only grace the streets but the cells and court rooms of this land) and will never change, i think what is needed is guidience and a few more areas where people can practice and learn .It DOES sound Utopistic but practical dont you think?
In my eyes taggers (atleast here in our fine capital city) have lost all respect. I believe there's an unspoken code about wheres ok to get up and whats ok to go over.. yet this code has disapeared entirely. Ive seen taggers writing over peoples cars, and like sin said, dudes pieces are getting capped and drawn over within hours of being done. In my books, and im sure theres a crowd thats got my back on this, that shits not ok.
All taggers, posters, stickers, stencilers and graff heads are in the same boat and on the same team. Although we might have differnet drivers for getting up, we have the same passions about putting things in the public space. We have the same friends (markers and paint) and we all have the same enermies (security and police namely). We all sneak out late at night, hide paint from society and risk heafty fines.. or worse yet, risk our lives.
None-the-less some nobs go out of there way to ruin other peoples works. Learn some respect: dont ruin someones piece unless your going to do better. We dont need anymore crossing out or name calling.. if youve got issues with someone grow some balls and confront them in person rather than being a baby about it.
Dont be a dick. Learn some respect or else you will never gain any.
"im sure theres a crowd thats got my back on this, that shits not ok."
-There is and i seen fights and flack for just that.
"Dont be a dick. Learn some respect or else you will never gain any."
-totally!
I read in some book a quote from an LA writer who said that tagging is where it all started without it graffiti wouldn't have advanced like it has. Which I agree with but I also agree with the above comments. I'm a LB frequenter [I don't write anymore, just take photos] and I'm sick of seeing pieces from up artists that have obviously taken time to do with something like FTP tagged over the top. Or walking down LB and there's one section where I swear there isn't a single name that hasn't been capped for whatever reason an example I took last week it makes me want to shout at all the writers that we should be working together as "Dave's mate Steve" said we all have a common enemy.
Though at the same time I can't really talk as I've done some shiiiiiiiiiit as tags in the past I would never go over someone else's piece. But yeah tagging's a way tgo learn and improve, though a lot o people don't end up doing this.
I love to tag but i cant get hold of some fucking paint!!
all i can get is poscas.. But you gotta start some where
Paks~
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