When Jean-Paul Thout arrived for work at in Vic West earlier this fall, he was greeted with a freshly spray painted tag bearing the name B次元官网网址淏lank.B次元官网网址� He figured it was probably just the handiwork of some bored teenager who probably needed a more constructive place to practice their art.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 love for that person to come back and paint over it,B次元官网网址� he says, but he doesnB次元官网网址檛 own the building. B次元官网网址淚 do believe real art of some kind does elevate the community.B次元官网网址�
ThoutB次元官网网址檚 reaction is the type local artist appreciates. Davis, a sometime graffiti artist, has been advocating for more of what he calls legal walls B次元官网网址� a place for the graffiti community to paint at will, without being tagged as vandals.
B次元官网网址淭his is the problem,B次元官网网址� he says sitting inside ChinatownB次元官网网址檚 , where he often displays his work. B次元官网网址淲hen people hear the word graffiti, they get nervous, they get scared, but graffiti covers a wide range.B次元官网网址�
Graffiti, the manipulation of letters, has steadily gained popularity since the B次元官网网址�80s, Davis says. So much so that itB次元官网网址檚 now become a staple in marketing campaigns, but tagging is just vandalism, he says.
B次元官网网址淭o get a legal wall, all we really need is to have someone that owns the property just say: B次元官网网址榟ey you know what, IB次元官网网址檇 like some artwork on here. IB次元官网网址檓 okay with you painting here.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址�
What has prohibited other local business owners from offering up a B次元官网网址渃anvasB次元官网网址� is a mystery to Davis, though he recognizes it could be the risk of what kind of content might end up there. There is a respect and a hierarchy of sorts in the graffiti community, which is filled with artists of all ages, he says. What one artist paints will eventually be painted over by another, but never tagged, and offensive material doesnB次元官网网址檛 last long with older artists mentoring younger ones.
ItB次元官网网址檚 what owner Erika Heyrman calls B次元官网网址渁n uncurated art gallery.B次元官网网址� The side of her business on Quadra and Mason streets is a burst of colour for the eye for anyone heading south toward downtown. ItB次元官网网址檚 one of only two legal walls in the city, the Vancouver Island School of Art is the second.
B次元官网网址淭he way weB次元官网网址檝e always looked at it is B次元官网网址� we moved into it,B次元官网网址� she says, having owned and operated in that building since 2000. Heyrman says sheB次元官网网址檚 developed a relationship with the artists and a mutual respect keeps the wall active, without offending anyone.
But she laughs, knowing this type of deal is rare. B次元官网网址淭his idea that itB次元官网网址檚 just an B次元官网网址渁nything goesB次元官网网址�, free-reign sort of idea, is radical for people in Victoria.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 something Davis hopes a new generation B次元官网网址� one who grew up with graffiti B次元官网网址� will help progress as they take on leadership roles, in the community and in business. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e the ones that can slowly start making some change,B次元官网网址� he says citing the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria as an example; Davis is the first graffiti artist whose work the gallery has carried and sold.
HeB次元官网网址檚 also taught drop-in classes for kids through Esquimalt Parks and Recreation teaching kids about graffiti art, and hopes to maybe employ the example set in Portugal recently, where a class for seniors introduced them to the art form.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not gangs, itB次元官网网址檚 not thugs, thatB次元官网网址檚 your stereotype,B次元官网网址� Davis says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 art, and spray paint is just a medium.B次元官网网址�
