When the world-famous street artist, Banksy, tagged a wall in Salt Lake City back in 2010, the city power washed it off within 48 hours. This led me to ask a series of questions:
-What happens when graffiti is removed from a wall?
-Is it an improvement?
-Why do people remove marks left by others?
-What happens when graffiti is removed from a wall?
-Is it an improvement?
-Why do people remove marks left by others?
I've observed, in many instances, the cover-up marks can be uglier or more beautiful than the original graffiti. This ongoing exploration, part of my Markmaking series, photographed in several western cities so far, is my examination of the aesthetics of graffiti removal.
Note on print sizes: I have not printed all of these images. When I have, I noted in the caption the size I printed it. Some of these images have also been used in my Construct series.
Detag No. 648, 85003; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 183, 84115; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 186, 84115; Pigment print, 20 x 30 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 197, 84115; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 265, 84115; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 265, 84115; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 280, 84115; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 295, 84107; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 309, 84106; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 326, 84106; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 341, 84106; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 349, 84106; Pigment print; 14 x 21 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 423, 85701; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 428, 85701; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 572, 85004; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 594, 85003; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 617, 85201; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 625, 85201; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 633, 85201; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 666, 85007; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2010
Detag No. 681, 85007; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 693, 85007; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 695, 85007; Digital photograph; © 2010
Detag No. 703, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 726, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 768, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 773, 84111; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2011
Detag No. 785, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 788, 84111; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2011
Detag No. 792, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 800, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 809, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 813, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2011
Detag No. 890, 84115; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2011
Detag No. 962, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 969, 84401; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2012
Detag No. 977, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1004, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1013, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Pigment print, 20 x 30 inches; © 2012
Detag No. 1035, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1040, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1045, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1056, 84401; Pigment print; 9.9 x 14.8 inches; © 2012
Detag No. 1058, 84401; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1107, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1159, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1165, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1169, 84111; Digital photograph; © 2012
Detag No. 1226, 99201; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2015
Detag No. 1230, 99201; Pigment print, 20 x 30 inches; © 2015
Detag No. 1240, 99201; Digital photograph; © 2015
Detag No. 1250, 99201; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2015
Detag No. 1269, 99201; Digital photograph; © 2015
Detag No. 1289, 99201; Digital photograph; © 2015
Detag No. 1310, 99201; Pigment print; 20 x 30 inches; © 2015
