Into The Graffiti Groove

I've always loved Graffiti and admired it as an art form. I suppose I have Madonna to thank for that. In the 80's Madonna just made everything cool and she certainly made Graffiti look fabulous while dancing against it in her Borderline video . . . and for that, Graffiti is just soooo fabulous, so 1980's. I remember the first time I ventured out of the suburbs and into the downtown core and came across my first brick wall blasted with a neon message. How Madonna I thought! Now, much older and further aware of this art form I think of Graffiti as urban art that represents and reflects the youth culture of the time. It's less about how it looked in Madonna's Borderline video and more about it's artistic appeal. How it brightens up the most derelict of inner city spaces. How it makes me smile.

I walk or cycle to my gym most days and take a route through Birmingham that takes me past the most spectacular patch of colorful Graffiti. I've attached some pictures I took the other day while on route. I always have to stop and take in the colors and detail. Ok! So these works are no Monet or Picasso, or any other recognized artisan for that matter. But they sure do capture my imagination and make me hum Borderline for the rest of the day.