SUNK

Tagging the top of a grain elevator.

Bold.

Took me a bit to figure out what the "fancy"

calligraphy said.

SUNK.

Then I saw the smaller, simpler version

on the side of the building below,

like a legend or a footnote.

At the Pool

At an abandoned indoor swimming pool:

Old School

A desolate training room

in an abandoned building.

Who knows

how many young people

spent time learning new things

in this room

before it was relegated

to its new age of artistic expression?

Taken 7 October 2011.

Street Art #11: Monterey

No idea who "dweeb" is (or was)

but whoever it was

at one time found it important

(or otherwise appealing or compelling)

to advertise themselves

on the side of this abandoned building.

This looks like relatively old work

because it is faded

and because it appears to have been

applied before the growth of the

scraggly weeds almost

obscuring the tag.

I know many would agrue

that this should in no way

be glorified as "art."

It is straight up vandalism

and not particularly aesthetically attractive.

My interest is not so much in the artistic value of this obscure "piece."

(and we can have the conversation about what constitutes "art" some other time and place)

I am interested in the social statement(s),

about which we admittedly can only speculate.

What is the story behind "dweeb"?

What does this form of expression

say about our society in general?

Here are a few more pics of the abandoned area

around this grafitti to provide context.

These broken windows are directly above "dweeb."

Standing in the same place, but turning to the right.

These pics (above and below)

are from a similar building across the courtyard.

These pictures were taken early on the morning of 8 October 2010.

Street Art #10: Washington, DC

I was just walking to the Safeway (grocery store) from my hotel.

In fact, I got lost because I was looking for a big ol' parking lot;

most Safeways I have experienced over the past forty years or so

have LARGE signage and parking lots that take up more space

than the store itself.

This Safeway did not even have it's own parking lot at all,

and it had a rather unassuming entrance

at the corner of a high-rise apartment building.

I finally found it, though, and snagged some snackage.

BUT

this photo is not of the Safeway store (really?)

This art installation grabbed my attention.

It is done in grafitto style,

but it is sheet metal

cut, layered, and painted.

Street Art #9: Colorado Springs

This is the last of my pictures of Street Art from the Depot Arts District in Colorado Springs,

so I have included the "whole building" picture below

as punctuation.

I'm kind of amazed at the way the tin roof is painted.

Now I'll be posting "Street Art" from other locations...!

All of the Colorado Springs Street Art pictures were taken on 18 July 2010.

Street Art #7: Colorado Springs

The colors and the shapes are vibrant and exciting, but the real surprises are in the details.

I would have loved to watch this being created,

to see how the layers appeared from bottom to top.

Taken in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the Depot Art District.

18 July 2010.

Street Art #7: Colorado Springs

Another ponderous selection from the Depot Art District in Colorado Springs, CO.

Taken 18 July 2010.

Street Art #6: Colorado Springs

This is from the same western warehouse wall in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the first five Street Art posts - in the Depot Art District.

This is probably a self-portrait of the artist, but it also may be a tribute to a local hero or a memorial to a fallen friend.  In any case, it is a stunning demonstration of this painter's artistry.  This "bust" is probably at least 12 feet high.  The light-and-shadow technique used to create the features of the image are truly excellent.

This time around, for reference, I include a picture of most of the entire wall:

Taken in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 18 July 2010.

Team of one: Canon PowerShot A590

Street Art 1, Colorado Springs

Part of a stunning series painted on the side of this warehouse in the "Depot Art District." This wall faces Interstate 25 in downtown Colorado Springs. Taken 18 July 2010 just before a spectacular thunderstorm arrived.

None other than the ever faithful Canon PowerShot A590.