Someone had a dialogue with our construction trailer yesterday between 4pm and 6pm.
Someone in the know told us to report it to the police, so we have. While I understand this is normal protocol I think it may, in the end, fan the flames of "damning the man". I'd like to come up with something more meaningful, something more constructive. So far my ideas are:
- Offer the graffiti artist a job. Hey, while you're out painting things why not get paid for it! 10/hour to help us paint some of our buildings downtown.
- We repaint our trailer and ask for something nicer to be painted on it. Seriously, if you painted something REALLY cool on it we'd keep it there.
- Take them hiking or send them on an Outward Bound trip.
- Make them paint our new boat (1964 Flying Junior).
- Give them a scholarship to a design school.
- Give them a semi permanent tattoo of some webdings on their forehead.
Does anyone else have any ideas on what we could do if we actually come face to face with our "artist"?
Comments
Michael Gauthier - June 3, 2009 9:58 am
I vote for the webdings tattoo. The level of talent is so poor here I'd equate the action to throwing bricks through windows -- just vandalism.
Stephen - June 3, 2009 10:01 am
However, in this case, they only need an attention span of 30 seconds. What you're proposing takes effort and dedication.
Justin MacLeod - June 3, 2009 7:20 pm
I would go to extreme lengths to setup surveillance in an attempt to identify the perpetrator. You should have seen what I did when kids kept smashing my mailbox years ago, which was 300 yards at the end of our long lane. I rigged up an x-cam with low-light capabilities and purchased the requisite 300+ yards of extension cable, and carted them through the very thick woods terrain between our shed and our mailbox. I then climbed a tree and arranged a blinding spotlight with motion sensor to catch the little bandits on tape when they were "doing the deed". My system of which I was very proud, never did catch them but I was lucky enough to hear them doing it one evening while on the deck, and proceeded to engage in a high speed pursuit in my 1995 Hyundai of the time and tracked them down in the parking lot of the local rink. Suffice it to say they arrived at my door within 2 hours with $75 cash and scared looks on their faces.
What you do if you catch them I don't have any great ideas but you sure could have fun trying to catch them!!! =)
Julien - June 4, 2009 10:48 am
I agree with Mike.. If you are to encourage this kind of street art, make sure it's good street art.. This is among the worst of the tagging graffiti there is.
On the topic of graffiti/street art, check out a documentary about a street artist in Montreal named Roadsworth.
web: http://www.roadsworth.com/
film: http://www3.nfb.ca/webextension/roadsworth/
THIS is the kind of street art that truly begins the dialog about street art in public space, the public space it's in, and the how this style of art is done well.
Tom Hughes - June 16, 2009 11:33 am
How about painting the trailer in whiteboard paint and hanging a set of markers on it?
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=128
Dan James - June 16, 2009 1:49 pm
Tom,
That is a fantastic idea. Unfortunately the paint is for "indoor use only". I'll see if I can find an outdoor version.
Anita Relation - July 17, 2009 4:43 pm
I think you should call the police...your ideas are good and I like the way you're thinking, but the guy has no talent at all...