Journal #4

In the essay, "(Meta)Physical Graffiti: 'Getting Up' As Affective Writing Model", the idea of Graffiti being a form or everyday art and writing is presented and expounded upon.  The entire piece mostly presents reasons and examples of how street art can be presented as appropriate or inappropriate in different scenes, places, contexts, and times.  In terms of place and scene, graffiti can be considered a form of everyday writing because graffiti is done by 'everyday' people who have not been  taught by an institution.  In addition, Graffiti is often spotted in everyday place, such as by a subway, on a building's wall, in a bathroom, on an advertisement board, etc.  More specifically, I believe that place and scene Graffiti is created can form whether or not it is societally acceptable or whether or not it will resonate with an observer.  For example, in the essay the tragedy of 9/11 in mentioned and the creation of a memorial wall was made in response by some students.  This form of street art held much meaning to the students, which made it highly inappropriate form the random to write largely "ZEPPELIN ROCKS' across this wall of tears.  In addition, as Joey mentioned, the type or writing found on the street should be specialized.  If one found what looked like an excerpt of a novel on street walls, it would have much less effect than if it were written on paper.  Graffiti should be specialized to be powerful.

In terms of circulating ideas, place and scene play a major role.  At one part in the essay, Kilgallen is quoted when he says that creating Graffiti can be like networking, especially when it is created on a moving surface such as a train.  When people look at the words these artist chose to share it can cause them to ponder the words said.  Although, the location and person who views this Graffiti play a major role in whether or not ideas can be circulated positively.  If a more conservative person came across a profane message in a bathroom stall it may not resonate with them as much as if a young writer viewed profound words upon a city wall.  Graffiti has the power to effect people and circulate ideas.  There are countless examples of how shared words have created our history.  "Keep Calm and Carry On" was written by the British to keep their society's heads and hopes up before World War II.  The taboo thought of freedom created our nation, only thanks to the idea being circulated among the people.  Similarly, Graffiti can have the power to crate messages and ideas, although they will have a much harder time being considered if they are created at the wrong place and scene.