khuniv1200-blog

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Jocelyn!

Great post! I completely agree with what you suggested, that graffiti artists caught by authorities should be dealt with in a different manner that is more contributive to the community. Since many business owners and other property owners do not have the kind of money to have unwanted art removed from their buildings, it should be the vandal's job to remove it, as well as pay for the removal. With the money coming out of their pockets, this may teach them more of a lesson to not vandalize other people's properties than it would if they had ended up in jail.

As for your suggestion that the government should make some areas legal and some areas illegal: Do you think that graffiti in the legal areas will get out of hand? And, since this rebellious act is alright in certain areas, will this also increase other illegal activities? Although it's not a bad idea, there is a lot consider. What about people living in a community where graffiti is made legal activity? There would be nothing stopping the artists from vandalizing homes. As a teenager in today's society, I love the idea of public art being legal and everyone having the right to express themselves, but to some extent.

I can't believe that this semester is almost finished! I hope you've enjoyed this course as much as I have!

Cheers,

Kaitlyn

Blog 7: Monitoring Graffiti in the Community

Many people express their artistic ability by painting their visions on the side of buildings, under bridges, on mailboxes, etc. Some are very talented artists while others just want to tag to get themselves known in the community. Although I am very for graffiti, I do understand why it can be considered an issue and needs to be addressed in certain situations. I believe that graffiti should not be an illegal act, but one that has regulations attached to it. For example, if graffiti was legal on certain buildings or in certain areas, then graffiti artists wouldn’t constantly fear getting caught by the authorities. This would also increase the amount of areas that are graffiti free, because most people wouldn’t paint an area that isn’t legal if they have other options.

If this were the case, then I believe the authorities should have the power to say or do something if someone if someone was caught. I don’t think sending them to jail or even prison would do any good, so starting them off with a warning should be sufficient, and if not charging them and making them partake in community service would be a great way to stop them from painting in non designated areas. They could remove their graffiti as part of their community service, as well as help clean up other illegal graffiti (in this scenario) and help clean up roads of trash. If graffiti artists removed their own graffiti in an illegal area, that would reduce the costs for authorities and different groups that always help clean up the city, which would inevitably help the authorities use their extra money for other areas such as gun control, etc, and help clean up groups spend more money in other areas as well.

As for the graffiti that is currently up around the city, I believe the authorities could team up with different organizations that help clean as well as people doing community service and paint over some walls and bridges that are covered. This way, it wouldn’t cost as much for either group and it would get done a lot faster. Then, the authorities could designate areas where people are allowed to put up their art and tags.

I believe this would be a great idea as the city would become cleaner for those people who are against graffiti and business owners who don’t want graffiti on their buildings. This would also give graffiti artists safe spaces to work and wouldn’t live in fear of being caught. Although this plan could have some flaws, I think it would be a good idea in the long run. From the graffiti I’ve seen around the downtown area and around the city, I believe Guelph has many aspiring artists and graffiti artists who want their artwork to be known by everyone. Below are some images of graffiti around the city, and various groups cleaning up graffiti.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4290848/guelph-graffiti/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Community Involvement: Graffiti Management

Throughout the past few months of this course, we have learned about the different types of graffiti, from tagging to sculptures to huge artistic murals. Although murals and sculptures are often pleasing to the eye and many people appreciate them as an art form, the more traditional form of 'tagging' may be offensive and considered vandalism of public and private property. Unwanted graffiti is becoming a huge problem in society and there needs to be more discussion as to how to balance appreciation as an art form and strategies to minimize its negative impact on businesses and local communities.

In larger urban centres such a Chicago, they are implementing 'Graffiti Cameras' - much like Red Light Traffic cameras, but they track vandalism of property and 'nuisance crimes'. Although costly, these motion detecting, solar-powered camera units are installed in 'high-traffic' graffiti areas to track license plates and other identifiers so that 'criminals' can be held accountable. There has even been discussion in some cities of having convicted vandals pay for and/or be involved in community service to clean up works of graffiti, rather than get a 'slap-on-the-wrist' from local authorities. It has been suggested, "When taking pride in your community and having respect for other people's property isn't enough of a deterrent, sometimes you just have to get tough. In graffiti vandalism cases, it's time to hit these perpetrators where it hurts the most... in their wallets."

Guelph takes pride in its community and it is clear from discussions in this course that graffiti has both positive and negative effects on the local landscape and effected businesses. I believe that it would be a great idea to form a small committee in Guelph to monitor graffiti, discuss its merits vs. negative effects in addition to discussing and organizing the removal of unwanted graffiti. It would be ideal for the committee to have representation from the police department, city council, business owners, as well as from the local community and from the artistic community.

Business owners are affected by graffiti being unwantedly tagged to their storefronts and for the most part cannot afford to remove it. Graffiti can cost up to $10,000 to clean up and taking into account that some areas are repeatedly vandalized this can be cost-constraining for any small business. Vandals doing community service, or even high school students getting volunteer hours removing graffiti would be a great strategy.

An artist on the committee may be able to contribute ideas on how to incorporate other artistic forms of art, or provide ideas on how to occupy what graffiti artists would call an "ideal canvas" with plants or commissioned murals.

A city council member will be able to organize the removal costs and help businesses all over town get rid of unwanted graffiti. Organizing community events like a Graffiti Walk or an Annual Graffiti Removal day such as the "Around Town Washdown" event would be an easy way to encourage community involvement in cleaning up the streets of Guelph.  

A community member on the committee would voice their opinions on graffiti and how its presence affects the everyday lives of Guelph locals.

Each of these representatives would volunteer their time and work together to find solutions for  funding and strategies to minimize unwanted graffiti.

Sources:

https://www.northumberlandnews.com/opinion-story/3781105-convicted-graffiti-vandals-should-pay-clean-up-costs/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/graffiti-removal-business-is-booming/article4247947/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/city-using-surveillance-cameras-in-war-on-graffiti-and-illegal-dumping/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Extra Post

Hello friends!

This is just a little "Extra" post about a music/art festival that I went to in the beautiful Grand Cayman island over reading week. This 2-day festival is called KAABOO Cayman and was so incredibly fun! KAABOO is way more than just the "typical festival" you may be thinking of. They held several events in the following categories: musical entertainment, comedian shows, cooking classes and artist booths.

The music performances were from popular music artists such as Flo Rida, The Chainsmokers, Sean Paul, Zedd, Duran Duran, Bryan Adams, Blondie, Jason Derulo and many more!

There were at least 20 different artists, most local to the island, showcasing and selling their pieces. They were all beautifully done, each artist with their own style and talked passionately about the meaning behind their work. I really connected with this one artist - Paola Delfin (Instagram: paola_delfin if you want to check out her work:)). Her art connects humans with nature, using various mediums. The pictures below are of the piece she created at the festival, from start to finish.  

The other two graffiti artists at the festival were Amandalynn (Instagram: alynnpaint, she's featured in the picture below - to the right) and Elle (Instagram: ellestreetart, she's on the left). Amandalynn and Elle worked together on the first piece and Elle did the second piece alone.

^^ a closer look at the detailing of Elle's piece.

That's it for now! Cheers!

-   Kaitlyn

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Megan!

I am really glad that you chose this topic to discuss. This issue is not talked about or recognized enough. There have probably been several cases of sexual harassment on the UofG campus and although the pinwheel installation is an eye-opener to the issue, what is this solving? Sexual harassment comes in play with the issue of mental health. As I mentioned last week in my response to another student's post, the university does not provide enough mental health support. With one psychiatrist and a very long waiting list, no wonder sexually harassed victims keep their demons to themselves.

The pinwheel installation is a very good representation of the problem, however. Thanks for sharing! If UofG were to take this issue one step further - maybe considering an installation that would stay up year-round?

As for celebrities, it is sad to think about how some may sexually harass others and think it's okay BECAUSE they're famous. Fame is never an excuse to do something as inhumane and disgusting as taking advantage of someone else. I admire you for turning your back against your (ex)favourite artist, for what he did was dishonourable.

Writing Freely: Blog prompt #6

In response to current events in the news, where many women, as well as men, are reporting their personal experiences with sexual assault, the University of Guelph has once again put up an installation to address these issues. Last year,  a similar installation was put in front of the large board during sexual assault free environment week which also incorporated the use of pinwheels.

 The people responsible for this installation chose to represent students potentially affected by some form of sexual assault at the University of Guelph through the use of pinwheels. pinwheels are quite bright and shiny in colour which allows for the installation to be very eye-catching and provoking for students, faculty members of the university, and people who are simply just visiting the university throughout the week. 

I remember in class, last week, we were discussing potential ways we could address an issue that seems to be overlooked by the university for our fifth blog post. I believe Amanda, our professor, brought up that last year some students joined together to create this installation to catch people’s eyes in a harmless way. Instead of yelling at people to change their ways, they chose to peacefully address this issue on campus; the installation has 3 signs that basically explain what the pinwheels represent and why it is important to not ignore what is going on. 

The reason why I felt like talking about this issue is because very recently, I was on youtube looking for interesting things to watch when I came across these two men, known as DKTKTV, talking about certain news in South Korea pertaining to a few famous singers that had been exposed for being involved in a sexual assault scandal. These specific singers that are involved in these acts of assault and harassment, are well known and highly valued amongst many people from Korea and around the world. These men were accused of creating multiple group chats that lasted for several years. On the group chats, the members would post photos and videos of women (their potential/actual victims), rating the appearances of prostitutes they were looking to purchase, as well as discuss how they raped women whilst laughing about it amongst one another. 

I am quite interested in Korean music, specifically, Kpop so to hear about this recent news had gotten me quite shocked. I was actually into one of the artist’s music that was suspected to be involved in these scandals. However, I will definitely not listen to his music anymore because what he did is absolutely unforgivable and I cannot support someone who has partaken in such horrific acts.

I felt that this recent report in the news connects well with the installation currently present on the University of Guelph’s campus and what we have previously talked about in class because it addresses how even though so many women and men are harassed, they tend to be afraid to speak out since the people who are in the position of being able to harass are highly valued in society and thus, the victims are not often trusted. 

Here is the video that I watched about the current scandal in the Korean entertainment world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_4m4EI9FA 

As well, here is an article to further your knowledge on these recent events: https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/entertainment/jung-filming-sex-kpop-scandal-intl/index.html

[khuniv1200-blog]

‘Free Write’:  Eco-Friendly Graffiti

As I have been exploring and learning about graffiti throughout this semester, I have begun to recognize it everywhere and find it hard not to notice it. As we know, graffiti comes in many different forms, from tagging, to decorative sculptures, to murals. Though forms of graffiti may greatly differ from one another, they all have one thing in common. Graffiti is expressive.

Expressiveness is what every artist and designer strive to accomplish, with the goal of inspiring others with their original works. As a landscape architecture student, I took this course hoping to discover ways to tie the use of informal art into landscape/urban design. I think that a great example of this potential is found in the works of artist Anna Garforth of the UK, who specializes in what she calls "Moss Graffiti". Talk about original!

Using an earthy element like moss and using it to express a message or a mural definitely catches the eyes of onlookers! Garforth uses moss to create anything from small-scale typography on brick walls to massive geometric designs and patterns with this living material. Below are examples of Garforth's work in Moss Graffiti.

This work is also called "Green Graffiti" or "Eco-Graffiti" and has clear environmental benefits. Using living moss as a palette eliminates the use of spray paint, paint markers or any other paints with toxic chemicals. Moss Graffiti is eco-friendly and can easily be taken off by spraying natural lime juice onto the design, which reportedly kills moss spores. Also, using moss as a form of public art may help with air pollution. Moss absorbs the "fine particulate matter of air pollution", reducing the Urban Heat Island effect (when urban areas are hotter than surrounding rural areas).

In addition, using Moss Graffiti on urban brick and concrete walls (the ideal canvas for graffiti artists) may stop unwanted tagging, as moss art is simply too beautiful to distort. Below are some other examples of Moss Graffiti designs from all over the world.

Locally, Julie Forand, former graduate of OCAD University in Toronto was the founder of "Sprout Guerrila", selling Moss Graffiti kits to encourage people to create art out of moss. She hoped that her product will influence the public to refrain from the toxic paints and chemicals and to bring a new form of graffiti to Toronto in her “I heart my city” campaign. Her kits are $24 each and provide thorough, simple instructions on how to make moss, how to maintain it, and also information on the best places for its growth. Forand says that she doesn't  want to "encourage illegal activity, but street art is amazing, and why not get people involved in making a statement and greening the city".

With this new-found environmental and eco-friendly form of art, graffiti just got a whole lot Greener.

Sources:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/gardening/graffiti-in-canada-is-alive-and-well-and-we-do-mean-alive/article14629494/

https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/how-grow-your-own-moss-graffiti

https://www.stencilrevolution.com/blogs/tutorials/moss-graffiti

https://laud8.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/moss-graffiti-art/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Claire!

As always,  your blog posts are incredibly well-written and I am very inspired by the passion and emotion that is portrayed with the wording you use.

For this particular post, I am very happy that you chose the topic of mental health for this blog prompt. This is indeed a very serious issue that affects a tremendously large portion of people worldwide.

Before starting school in the fall, I remember reading an article online about UofG's mental health services (or, should I say, lack there of), and about the struggles of mental health in students. After the publishing of this article, also stating that an average of 5 suicides are committed each year at the school, you would think that the university would make some changes. Sure, the school made a change in residence rules, making balconies of residences "prohibited" to access, but a locked door doesn't stop a determined suicidal student from finding another way out.

Before reading this post, I had no idea that there is only one psychiatrist available to students. This disgusts me, as UofG is clearly aware of student's mental health. With the university most likely claiming millions of dollars per year from student's tuitions, it is ridiculous that they do not have more trained psychiatrists for students in need with session fees being included in tuition.

As for your installation, I believe that this is an amazing idea to bring the UofG community together to help raise awareness for mental health, share experiences and to remind students that they are not alone in their struggles. I would definitely take part in this if this idea came to life.

The thing about mental health... (Blog #5)

The thing about living with mental illness is that individual experience can be extremely difficult to articulate to anyone who’s not experienced the condition. There is a sense of isolation that accompanies a diagnosis, a fear of remaining in whatever mental state is causing you distress. Alongside this is the voice that taunts you, telling you that if you express your innermost feelings you will never be able to take them back. Your illness will begin to define you in the eyes of others, and soon you will become your darkness. Although I’m speaking from personal experience, as well as to the experiences of some close people in my life, it is undeniable that a stigma exists surrounding mental health, despite the impact varying from person to person. This is the just one reason why many people don’t reach out to claim the assistance they need in order to begin their healing process. The barriers, whether mental, social, financial etc. that impede on one getting help are difficult to maneuver, and students at the University of Guelph are seeming to have a particularly disadvantageous experience with the services offered on campus.

Being a University student is a time of growth; an experience to help one identify a sense of self, a drive, a passion. It is a time to create new connections and live each day with a sense of purpose and hope. However, there is also an immense amount of pressure that looms above all of this positivity. Exams, assignments, financial distress, physical and mental health complications, and personal issues are faced daily in the lives of many University students. In these stressful periods, it is so important for campuses to have spaces and resources available in order to alleviate some of these anxieties. At Guelph, however, many students are less than happy with the mental health assistance provided. Two months ago, an article was released by online news site Narcity outlining the reasons students distress and concern on this issue, with students even going so far as to claim that the school has “the worst mental health support of all the universities in Ontario”. I will attach the link to the full article below, but essentially the main point of concern was the fact that the school only has ONE psychiatrist, subjecting students to MONTHS of wait-time to get an actual appointment. For students who are unable to afford help from outside sources, this time unassisted could be detrimental to their wellbeing. There are 17 registered therapists, however, they are not certified to diagnose or give out prescriptions as psychiatrists are. The therapy services on campus also have an extremely long waitlist, and I actually just had my first appointment today after waiting over a month. My next appointment will not take place until the very end of March. In addition, a concern was brought up about the lack of a fall reading week. This prohibits many students from refilling necessary prescriptions with doctors located in their hometowns, and doesn’t allow for a short and necessary mental break during the stressful time that is exams. The following are screen grabs of some tweets from current students, clearly upset and disturbed by the circumstances.

I believe the most important thing students at the University of Guelph need to realize is that they are not alone in their struggles. Each and every person deals with pain in a unique way, it may just be hard to see at times. And I believe the most important thing the University of Guelph student health department needs to realize is that their system is currently failing students and a solution needs to be found. I have therefore come up with an idea for a collaborate installation, which will serve the purpose of communicating and advocating for mental health awareness on campus. This installation will be made out of string, weaving and intertwining around each other, attached to four wooden poles for stability. Here are some examples that are similar to the vision I’m describing:

Beside the main installation will be desks set up with pieces of paper, pens, and clothespins. Students and faculty alike will be asked to fill out a piece of paper and attach it to the web wherever they please. In their piece of writing could be words of encouragement, their own personal experiences with mental health, information on helpful resources, advice, etc. They may keep their note anonymous or sign their name, whatever suits their comfort. Passersby will then be able to take notes off of the installation and read them, putting it back on the web where they found it when they’re done. It will be a fairly large piece, placed in the main space in the UC where a majority of students and faculty flow throughout the day. This installation will serve as a reminder that you don’t have to be alone in your fight. Each note written and read will create a sense of connectivity and support with those around us; all human beings simply trying their best in this life.

So now I ask you, have you guys had/heard about a similar experience with Guelphs mental health services? Or have your experiences been completely opposite to those described? I would love to hear your thoughts…

Until next time,

Claire

Link to Full Article: https://www.narcity.com/ca/on/toronto/news/students-are-exposing-the-university-of-guelph-for-abandoning-students-dealing-with-mental-health-issues

[khuniv1200-blog]

Plastic Pollution: Is it too late to make a difference?

The University of Guelph in Ontario is known for their 'green' programs and environmentally sustainable practices. Although this may be true, walking around campus it is difficult to see any recycling bins and this is not acceptable.  We can do more to reduce, reuse and recycle and to raise awareness about one of the world's biggest environmental issues:  plastic pollution.

Did you know that Ontario and Manitoba are the only two provinces left in Canada without a deposit-return program for plastic bottles? Did you know that Ontarians only recycle one HALF of their single-use plastics, the other half ending up in landfills and waterways? According to a Global News Canada article, our oceans are expected to be populated with more plastic than fish by the year 2050. The fact is that 8 MILLION TONNES of plastic end up in our oceans every year, which is equivalent to one garbage truck load being dumped every minute. This number is expected to double every decade.  

A photographer by the name of Benjamin Von Wong became inspired to plan, create and photograph some powerful images of mermaids being tangled in an "ocean" of 10,000 plastic bottles, which is displayed below. “Fish eat plastic. Humans eat fish. Plastic is not good for anyone and there is no solution in sight", he claimed.  His goal for the #MermaidsHatePlastic campaign was to encourage people all over the world to use reusable bottles and, in the long-run, use less plastic in their lives.

In Ripley's Aquarium in Downtown Toronto, a sculpture of 12,000 plastic bottles overflowing in a canoe is displayed, with a similar message to onlookers. This sculpture was made to represent the astonishing fact that 12,000 plastic bottles get thrown into Ontario's environment every 4 MINUTES.  This adds up to a whooping BILLION+ bottles per year for Ontario alone. This powerful installation hangs in the main lobby, where every visitor to the aquarium is bound to see it. Plastic pollution is a major threat to marine life and their ecosystems, which is why Environmental Defence Canada commissioned a woman by the name of Rebecca Jane Houston to create it. The artist says, "I hope that they see the canoe being overwhelmed by the plastic, and recognize the sheer volume of the challenge. And that every bottle we buy contributes to that challenge".  This installation was first introduced to the public at the Pride parade in 2018 and then moved to Ripley's to be displayed permanently.

I propose an art installation, similar to the ones displayed above, on the University of Guelph campus to further educate and raise awareness of this issue. A huge mural of plastic bottles is proposed for the University Centre, at the heart of campus. I think that the sheer number of plastic bottles used for these art installations really catch the public's eye. It is one thing to hear about 12,000 plastic bottles, and another thing to actually see the sheer number displayed as a mural of environmental consciousness. Creating an installation similar to Benjamin Von Wong's photograph, using a marine animal instead of a mermaid, and displaying it on a huge wall for all to see is my proposal.

The students of the University of Guelph are environmentally conscious, educated about issues of global importance and will advocate for change. It is important for our generation to be aware of the impact plastic bottles have on the environment. As this issue is only getting worse by the day, the quicker that students - not only at the University of Guelph, but all over Ontario - become aware of this crisis, the more motivation Ontarians will have to use less plastic in their lives.

Sources:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ripleys-aquarium-plastic-bottle-pollution-art-1.4877416

https://environmentaldefence.ca/2018/07/04/pride-sustainability-sea-plastic-bottles/

https://globalnews.ca/news/3124362/canadian-artist-creates-mermaid-from-10000-plastic-bottles-to-raise-pollution-awareness/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Extra Blog Post

Hello everyone!

I just got back from my trip to Grand Cayman, which is an island located in the Caribbean. While exploring the island, I came across shoe trees on various occasions! I asked one of the locals why there were so many, and she had said that “tourists as well as locals use the trees and their shoes as a way to leave their mark.” She also joked that shoes are the #1 item most left behind by tourists and that the shoes left behind are added to the nearest tree. As shoe trees are a form of informal art and relate to this course, I thought I would share a few pictures :)

I hope everyone has had a fun (and productive) reading week!

Cheers!

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Megan!

I really love the story that you chose for this assignment. I have heard this story before and found it very heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. I cannot even imagine being that dog, waiting in the same spot for years for the one he loves most to come home to him. When I heard this story last, apparently there were many people passing by Hachiko that wanted to adopt him, but he would not budge or even acknowledge them. That dog had so much loyalty and determination, making this an inspiring story to many. Have you ever been to Tokyo to see the statue in person/would you like to?

My family has unfortunately never owned a dog, but we have 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 2 fish and a snake. My one cat, Ivy, is very attached to me and follows me around my house when I am home. My mother says that ever since I moved to university, Ivy waits and meows outside my bedroom door at night, waiting for me to let her in. Although I love my cats (the other animals are my brothers), I hope to someday adopt a rescue dog and experience that special bond that I hear dogs and their owners have.

A Provocative Piece: Blog Post 4

When reflecting back on a piece of informal art that sparks my interest in a heart-warming way, I am reminded of a sculpture of a dog named Hachiko. It is located in Tokyo’s Shibuya Train Station in Japan. Originally, before the sculpture was created, there was a man who bought a dog and named it Hachiko. The man and the dog became inseparable; as the man went off to work Hachiko would follow the man to the train station and wait for him until he returned after his shift. One day at work, Hachiko’s owner unexpectedly suffered a hemorrhage in his brain and died. Since the dog’s owner was unable to return to the train station where his pet would wait, the dog would patiently wait at the train station for hours every day continuously for his ten-year-long life. This became such an inspirational and heart-warming story for the people of Japan due to the dog’s willingness to never give up and remain loyal to his owner that had unfortunately passed away at work. 

The following picture above was taken by a local Japanese newspaper of Hachiko. This picture was published in the newspaper to commemorate the loyal dog. 

The movie was created in order to recognize this dog and bring awareness to a different culture’s story that they find important. I find that our society often portrays stories on the news that pertain particularly to. 

This story has resonated with me since I was young. At an early age, my parents rented a DVD at BlockBuster called Hachiko. When I first watched it, the movie brought tears to my eyes because I was reminded of my own dog and how whenever I used to come back on the bus from my high school, he would wait at the front doors of our house for me to return home, similar to Hachiko. When I would return, he would jump up and down and wag his tail in excitement when he saw me. Unfortunately, since I have moved away to university, I no longer am able to see my dog after a long day at school. My mother still tells me that every day at 2:30, the time when I used to return from high school, he sits at the door and looks out the window waiting for me to come.

I think that people who own an animal, more specifically a dog who waits for them at the door when they are away at school or work will be affected the most by this story. 

[khuniv1200-blog]

Provocative Informal Art: Art in the Eye of the Beholder

Mental Health and Wellness has been a topic of interest to me for several years. With over a fifth of Canadians suffering from some form of mental illness, there has been increased focus and discussion about the importance of mental health and well-being. For me, hearing about other's stories and their journeys to self-love, happiness and wellness are inspiring. Of course, many of these stories do not have happy endings. Often those who suffer from mental health issues find it hard to  believe that there will ever be an end to their pain, with unfortunately some making the final decision to put an end to their lives.

I came across an article a few days ago from the Edmonton Journal in August 2016 ("Woman survives jump from High Level Bridge same day mysterious figures appear climbing suicide barrier") regarding a provocative art installation on the High Level Bridge in Edmonton, Alberta. This bridge is a hotspot for suicide attempts. In 2014, after 41 suicide-related calls in two years, the city of Edmonton built a suicide prevention barrier along both sides of the bridge to prevent jumpers. These barriers sparked controversy, with many pedestrians and cyclists alarmed with the reduced width of the walkway as a result.

One morning a mysterious art installation of five life-sized human figures made from clear packing tape appeared in various poses climbing the barrier. Considered by city officials as 'vandalism', these figures were removed the same day.  

The 'artist', as well as the motive for this display on the bridge was unknown, but their presence sparked widespread reactions to the intended message.   The 'art' was thought by some to be to raise attention to the controversial installation of the barriers. Some believed that it was meant as a memorial to those that had lost their lives on the bridge, or an artistic statement to raise awareness of the struggles of mental health and addiction. A man by the name of Jon Hoffman claimed it to be inspiring "short-term art". He appreciated the figures before him, stating that they will remind people of the importance of life and that "It will open (people's) eyes to how this is a real possibility for a certain number of people in our community and I would hope they'd take steps to reach out to those people". However, for families like Dan Klemke, who advocated for the suicide barriers after losing his wife to suicide at the bridge, the pop-up art was a "sick joke".

Unfortunately, on the same day in 2016 that these human-shaped figures appeared climbing the suicide barriers, a woman jumped off the High Level Bridge. This left many asking whether the mysterious figures provoked her suicidal attempt. Fortunately, she survived with no injuries.  

I believe that these pieces of informal art are very controversial and resonate with anyone that has experience either themselves or through family members with mental health and suicidal thoughts. These human-like figures are a good example of how informal art can be provocative and sometimes have positive effects (i.e., awareness and gets people talking about mental health) and possibly negative effects (e.g., encouraging those with suicidal tendencies to act). It is also a reminder that 'art is in the eye of he beholder', with interpretation of the art piece and reactions to its appearance varied.  

Officials from the Canadian Mental Health Association agreed that these provocative pieces of art were a great way to bring up discussions about mental health and wellness and raise awareness of the importance of this issue.

Sources:

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/art-or-protest-dummies-posed-scaling-the-high-level-bridge-suicide-barrier-found-sunday-morning

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/08/09/mysterious-art-on-edmonton-bridges-suicide-barrier-sparks-debate.html

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Claire!

I really love reading your blog posts, as your passion for art really stands out in your writing and I find it quite inspiring.  I agree that Paul Deacon's 'Around Town Wash Down' initiative, in which volunteers work to remove hate-graffiti and other tagging creates a more of a positive image in the City of Guelph, and sends a message that the city and businesses do not welcome and will not tolerate vandalism. It is clear that events like Street Art Walks and Graffiti fest, on the side of the Guelph Mercury building, will help the public view graffiti in a more positive way and appreciate its art form. Events like this are eye-openers and bring heightened awareness to the public on appreciating the difference between vandalism and graffiti art.

As for your suggestion about creating a University mural to promote graffiti as a form of art, I love the idea but agree that it may be difficult to implement.  Even the 'Aggie' news-board, previously located at the front of the UC, was forced to re-locate given complaints that it was sending "unprofessional" messages (e.g., Pub announcements).  As you stated, there is  a large population of those who view graffiti as a "distasteful eyesore".  Do you think the same thing would happen to a graffiti mural? Who would govern what was appropriate vs. inappropriate graffiti for the mural to ensure that it is non-offensive to all?

Graffiti in Guelph: Celebrated or Detested? (Blog #3)

The argument over whether or not graffiti should be an integrated aspect of a communities’ landscape and culture is widespread and varied from city to city. There will always be community members who view graffiti as a distasteful eyesore; vandalism that is destroying the beauty and integrity of their home. In contrast, are those who believe graffiti to be a beautiful and necessary form of artistic expression that brings excitement and vitality to a community. As a whole, the latter seems to speak more to the city of Guelph’s stance, as there is a sense of open-mindedness with the matter, rather than strict policy or banning of graffiti altogether. However, after doing some digging, I found evidence that not everyone in the city holds this same opinion.

In 2018, an article was posted on guelphtoday.com detailing the second annual “Around Town Wash Down” of graffiti and tags in the area. When Paul Deacon, who I’m assuming was a key figure in the wash down operation, called a local businesswoman to inform her they would be removing the graffiti from her building for free, her gratitude nearly brought her to tears. According to the article, “She had owned the business 15 years and she was very upset at what had happened to the building, but couldn’t afford to fix it”(Armstrong, 2018). With this in mind, I think it’s safe to say that a majority of those who oppose graffiti in Guelph, are the owners of private property. Subject to defacement, these property/business owners find their buildings being targeted, and consequently their property/ businesses being harmed in the process.

Decon, however, goes on to say that he believes “graffiti” tends to have a negative connotation, and he is actually a fan himself of the more artistic pieces. “Our job is to get rid of the bits and pieces people don’t want and that they can’t afford to get rid of,” he said. “I have approached people and some have said they are not bothered (by the tagging). If someone has identified they are upset by it, we do something.” I believe this is a fair and just way of dealing with those who are unhappy with the tags on their property. It is, after all, private property and they have a right to cover up whatever graffiti they find unpleasant. But it is also made clear by Deacon that not everybody is against graffiti, even tagging.

Continuing on in my research, I found plenty of articles and initiatives working to cultivate and spread appreciation for graffiti and public art in Guelph. For example, in 2015 the “Mural of Hope” project was executed, calling together a group of local mural and graffiti artists to cover up a wall of hate-filled messages and images. They did so by creating a collaborative and beautiful piece, with the motive of expressing what Guelph actually represents, that is, positivity and compassion for one another. Additionally, in 2018 Guelph held a “Street Art Walk” lead by local graffiti artist Arthur Kerry, allowing locals to experience an interactive walking tour of the vibrant public art found downtown, as well as become educated on urban, street, and found arts. There’s even a current call for mural artists on the City of Guelph’s website, “inviting artists and artist collectives with exterior mural experience to submit their credentials, examples of prior experience and a preliminary vision for the development and execution of one of four site-specific, outdoor murals along Wilson Street” (City of Guelph, 2019).

Clearly, Guelph does an amazing job at raising awareness for the cultivation and appreciation for street art; an appreciation that is seemingly growing each year. If I were to propose an initiative to increase the visibility/awareness of public art in Guelph, I would begin with the University. Guelph is a university city, and therefore the university itself could possibly be the greatest platform for getting the message out. I would organize an event in which students, as well as locals, could get involved in creating a grand, collaborative mural that borders the university, or at least a portion of the university. Although ambitious (perhaps too ambitious), I think that this would be not only an amazing bonding experience for those living in Guelph but also a beautiful statement of pride, bringing together the creative minds and artistic visions of Guelph locals. Those who participate would be able to experience first hand the freedom and enjoyment involved in producing a creative piece of work for others to admire and cherish.

From the 2018 “Around Town Wash Down”. Source: https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/volunteers-with-paint-brushes-and-rollers-will-cover-up-some-of-the-graffiti-and-tags-this-friday-961587

From the Guelph Street Art Walk. Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/guelphstreetartwalk/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2128368990511983

CURRENT CALL FOR MURAL ARTISTS: https://guelph.ca/living/arts-and-culture/special-projects/main-street-mural-project/

Mural of Hope: https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/5699375-guelph-graffiti-wall-to-be-transformed-into-a-mural-of-hope/

[khuniv1200-blog]

The City of Guelph: Is Graffiti Art or a Crime?

After researching, it is certain that the City of Guelph finds graffiti problematic. This is partly due to offensive graffiti but also because of the cost to remove it. Hate-graffiti specifically is frowned upon, which includes graffiti that is offensive to race, religion, gender etc. The Guelph police are very serious on this issue, viewing it more as an act of vandalism rather than art. The city, school board and businesses have no choice but to spend money to remove the graffiti when that money could have been better spent elsewhere. A website was made by the City of Guelph specifically for residents to report any acts of vandalism on public property.

Most businesspeople cannot afford to remove tagging and other forms of graffiti from their buildings, so it ends up staying there. A new resident by the name of Paul Deacon put together an organization made up of volunteers that will remove graffiti for free annually. This organization is supported by Dulux Paints' Colourful Communities program, who gives them paint and rollers for free. The team focuses on removing only tagging and profanity with the permission from businessowners and other residents. The team only removes the unwanted graffiti. If the graffiti does not bother certain businessowners/residents, it gets left alone.

As for suggestions for the City of Guelph, I believe that annual Street Art festivals would help change people's opinions on graffiti and make them consider it more as art than a crime. There is an annual Jazz Festival in downtown Guelph that has a "Street Art Walk" that is free for anyone to walk through. Street Art festivals focus on creative graffiti rather than hate-graffiti. I believe that the volunteer clean-up event previously described and a Street Art event on the same day would promote both getting rid of negativity, yet at the same time educating people on graffiti as a more positive art form.  A couple of years ago, I attended a Street Art Festival in Cambridge. Seeing the artists hard at work as well as seeing their finished products brought a whole new appreciation for graffiti into my life. If more events like this happen in communities, people's views on graffiti may change from negative to positive. Below are some examples of  street art from the event I attended in Cambridge. 

The article below outlines the importance of street art, as it creates a positive impact on communities. The writer of this article talks about the street art that are admired in downtown Guelph, such as the art on The Red Brick Café and on The Joint Café. 

https://guelpharts.ca/about-us/news/171-street-art-is-not-graffiti-a-look-at-the-bigger-picture

The City of Guelph has decided to start discussing a new policy that allows graffiti and street art to take place on city streets and in other designated areas around the city. This new policy is still in the making but should be expected to be fully developed by the summer. The support of local artwork is essential in maintaining the City of Guelph's character and culture. By promoting events such as The Street Art Walk, we are allowing residents of Guelph to view graffiti in a new way  -  as creativeness rather than vandalism.

Sources:

https://guelph.ca/how-can-we-help-you/graffiti/

https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/volunteers-with-paint-brushes-and-rollers-will-cover-up-some-of-the-graffiti-and-tags-this-friday-961587

https://guelph.ca/living/arts-and-culture/public-art/

https://guelpharts.ca/about-us/news/171-street-art-is-not-graffiti-a-look-at-the-bigger-picture

https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/2790628-city-to-brainstorm-on-how-to-legalize-graffiti-art-street-art-in-guelph/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hey Olivia!  I believe that we have similar ideas as to who the informal art installers are. Younger adults or teenagers would be the population more likely to use graffiti as a way to either rebel against authorities or to express their creative minds publicly.  

There are a couple of businesses in a small town called Campbellville, about 10 minutes from my house, that use graffiti to their advantage. The owner brings in graffiti artists and lets them paint all over their building! This reminds me of the Red Brick Café and how the owner hires artists to do the same to her exterior walls. I believe that since informal art is more accepted and admired nowadays, businesspeople use this idea to draw in customers.  What are your opinions on informal art on buildings of business?  If you were the owner, would you want or even consider the same?

The photos of the graffiti found in your hometown are amazing. I especially appreciate the masterpiece on the power box in the second photo. That must have take a while to finish!

Graffiti in my Neighbourhood

My hometown is North York. While I have some idea of the demographics in my neighbourhood that could be responsible for graffiti, it’s hard to say for sure. I’m unsure because the culture of graffiti is very secretive at times due to its often illegal nature.

As a result of this I don’t think I will ever be completely sure of the artists. However, I do also know the rough age and different demographics of people living near me so my guess is probably pretty decent. My neighbourhood has a lot of old people. While there are some young people living there such as myself, there aren’t a lot. As a result I don’t think that most of the graffiti in my neighbourhood comes from people living within the area. Instead, I believe a lot of the graffiti comes from the fact that I live within walking distance of the subway. The pattern of the graffiti in my neighbourhood seems to align with this as well. Most of it is close to the subway and the further that you get from it the less often you see graffiti.

Obviously there are some exceptions to this, as well as some people within my neighbourhood that probably create graffiti. Power boxes and hydro towers are particularly popular things to tag, as is a school near my house. The graffiti created in these places is usually quickly covered up so you have to be in the area frequently to see it. I think that the demographic within my neighbourhood that creates graffiti is mostly young people. This is because most tags and styles seem to come and go with time which likely means it was a hobby for them that they grew out of. There are a couple though that have been there for most of my life, the one I see most often is called “Mousey”.

The informal public art installers in my neighbourhood may be the same people as the graffiti artists, but it probably depends on the piece. Some of the art seen such as murals is difficult to tell whether it is legal or not and looks very similar to the graffiti produced. In these cases it may be the same people as the graffiti artists. However, some of the more clearly commissioned pieces in my neighbourhood such as the pictures I have below and other sculptural work is done by different people than the graffiti artists. I think this is the case because the commissioned pieces are usually created to prevent graffiti artists from tagging and defacing a public area. This is a fairly effective strategy because most graffiti artists seem to respect areas already covered with art. I don’t actually know what the demographic for the informal public artists is. I’m sure since they were hired to do lots of the work that I could actually learn who they are unlike with graffiti artists. My guess would be that they are fairly young adults who have some more formal art education.

https://www.toronto.com/news-story/6196731-threatened-north-york-mural-saved-by-outpouring-of-community-support/ 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjIipG1u_rfAhUP84MKHVYRCQIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FStreetArtPorn%2Fcomments%2F854w7z%2Ffound_in_north_york_toronto%2F&psig=AOvVaw0znpVeVXcgBUAiEPYa38k9&ust=1548008368754200 

[khuniv1200-blog]

Informal Art in my Hometown

I have lived in a small village by the name of Brookville for the past 10 years,  a rural village between Milton and Guelph. There are limited shops and buildings in this area besides an elementary school, a convenience store, a gas station, a butcher shop and a veterinarian clinic. The population in this town is mainly made up of either families with young children or older couples who are usually retired.  In my many years living in this area, I have not been exposed to graffiti.

In a more populated town like Milton, where I went to high school, graffiti is commonplace.  I must admit that I never really noticed the significant amount of graffiti found in Milton until I was actually looking for it.  At my high school, Milton District, graffiti is found on the sidewalks, on the portables, on the soccer field posts and even on the exterior walls of the school. Students have recently been afforded the freedom to cover the interior walls of the school in art with the permission of head staff. Being surrounded in this environment for 4 years, I have never considered this form of art to be ‘graffiti’.  It gives the school character and I have always had an appreciation for it. Having created a mural for the school, one may say that I am in fact a graffiti artist!

The piece of Wall Art above is found in the Outdoor Education wing in my school.

Mill Pond, in downtown Milton, is a graffiti ‘hotspot’.  I understand that the abandoned train tracks, the iron bridges and the pathways must be a very intriguing creative space for graffiti artists to paint without being caught by authorities.  I believe that these informal art installers are teenagers or young adults, either looking at graffiti as a way to rebel against the law or to express themselves by making their creations in a public area.

Below are pictures that I took of some graffiti found at Mill Pond park.  

In addition to the young teenagers and adults using graffiti as a means of creative expression, there are residents in surrounding areas using this art form to promote awareness toward issues close to their heart.  On my way to high school each morning, I often passed this ‘bicycle tree’ on 15th Side road at Trafalgar Road.  

Source:  https://www.theifp.ca/news-story/5373439-pedaling-against-poverty-to-raise-funds-for-impoverished-women/.  (link to article if interested).

This willow tree is a statement for "Pedalling Against Poverty”,  a charity that raises funds for impoverished women in Nicaragua and was used to promote a bicycle charity event taking place in November 2018. The resident established this fundraiser in 2003. The property that the tree is located on is on a bend in the road and people often pull over to take pictures and admire this art form. There are even people who decide to donate their old bicycles to be a part of this magnificent creation!

Our perception of what is considered ‘graffiti’ is evolving, with the younger generation encouraged to express themselves creatively.  Graffiti artists like Banksy are appreciated and glorified and with this change in perception there may be an increased use of graffiti in a range of demographics (i.e., from young to old, from rich to poor)  to market products and businesses. One could say that the graffiti artist is in all of us!

[khuniv1200-blog]

Hi Sara! I really enjoyed reading your post and I can completely relate to your views on graffiti and informal public art. As a child, I too had negative opinions on it, however this was mainly because of my parent’s attitudes towards the concept. Similar to what you said, as I matured I realized the beauty behind most of the artwork and I started to appreciate these sorts of surroundings.

I used to visit Etobicoke regularly for swim competitions years ago and I still remember the area being taken over by graffiti. Even the athletics building I spent so much time at had markings on the sides of the walls. At the time I was irritated by them but now when I look at graffiti I am overwhelmed by the emotion and messages that most of them show. I am happy that we share the same views on this and I cannot wait to learn more about this topic throughout the semester!

Blog Introduction

 Hello everyone!

I would like to begin this blog with a brief introduction of myself, as well as my initial encounters with graffiti as a child. To begin with, my name is Sara Macaro and I am currently enrolled in the Biological and Pharmaceutical Chemistry program at the University of Guelph. Although I am presently taking mainly science-based courses, I have always had an interest in multiple forms of art, including visual art, music, and poetry, and I am extremely excited to gain insight on graffiti as an art form and obtain a new perspective on it.

Due to the fact that graffiti is so prevalent within populated areas, especially within Etobicoke, which is where I spent my childhood, I am unable to remember my very first encounter with graffiti. With that said, my initial experiences with graffiti occurred throughout the early years of my life, and reflecting on it presently allows me to recognize that it was an extremely prominent aspect of my surroundings.

Most of the graffiti I was originally exposed to consisted of tagging done on the areas in and around my apartment complex. As a child, I initially viewed this solely as vandalism, however, I also remember being interested in what the strange letters and symbols meant, and why someone would choose to spray paint these images in that specific area. The area that I lived in was also recognized for gang violence, therefore as a child I often assumed that the tagging done was related to the gang activity that occurred. Similar to the tagging located throughout the apartment complex, I also encountered graffiti in almost all other areas surrounding my home. I often viewed the art on bridges and walls throughout the city while I travelled by bus or subway, and I found it entertaining to watch the artwork pass by as I sat on the transit. As I became exposed to more areas of Toronto, I was able to view different forms of graffiti and street art throughout the city, which altered my opinion towards the art form in a positive way.

Although my original opinions regarding graffiti were negative, throughout time I��ve developed an appreciation for certain examples of graffiti that I have encountered and have become increasingly interested in interpreting the meaning and intentions of the pieces that I encounter.  

Below is an example of graffiti that I would have seen near my home in Etobicoke. 

source: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2014/11/04/graffiti-artists-caught-in-the-act-in-etobicoke/

[khuniv1200-blog]

Introduction

Hello!

I am very excited to get to know all of you throughout this semester! My name is Kaitlyn Hartshorn and I am in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program (BLA) here at the University of Guelph. I used to live in Mississauga as a child and about 10 years ago my family and I moved to the small town of Brookville. My interests include reading, creating and critiquing artwork, hiking and swimming. I also have a love for plants, this being one of the reasons why I love my program. My room at home is literally a jungle and my family loves to make fun of my obsession. The BLA program's focus is on the design of landscapes that are both environmentally sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Certain forms of informal public art may be considered to be an aesthetic contribution to landscapes and design.

My family and I travel twice a year to places around Canada and all over the world. On my travels whenever I come across a piece of public artwork, I love taking it all in and looking at the detail of it. I always wonder what the message behind each masterpiece is, most of the time being able to figure it out or at least have a good guess. There have been a few that completely "wowed" me that I will share later on!

I cannot remember my first encounter with graffiti art. As a kid, I do remember being disgusted by it whenever I took the train with my family into Toronto. My parents had said that it was the work of "bad people", so my first influenced opinion on graffiti in general was very negative. Nevertheless, I would always look out the window and watch the endless tagged walls pass by, as I was a very curious kid. I didn't know why the "bad people" made them or why they were there, they just were. Now that I am much older and have a passion for art, I have an appreciation for graffiti and informal public art, excluding tagging. I am inspired by many forms of Wall Art, Sculptures and pieces that are embedded in nature, like the shoe and bicycle trees. I wish I had a picture of that bicycle tree to show you all, it is really cool! I will make sure to take a picture next time I pass by it.

Below is an example of some of the tagged walls that I would have passed by as a kid on my way to Toronto.

Source:  https://hiveminer.com/Tags/car,panel