Graffiti

Graffiti:  Scourge of turn of the millenium Athens, and yet it is as old as its oldest ruins.  What motivates people to deface buildings?  Folklorist Susan Stewart argues that graffiti challenges both art and consumer culture by combining the two but in a way that is illegal and outside of both.  The style and the mass production come from consumer culture, but in these kinds of "pieces" there is clearly enough artistry that anyone would see them as art, but of course graffiti is illegal.  Interestingly someone in Athens told me a story about someone who owned an apartment in a neighborhood that was full of graffiti and a known graffiti artist asked to rent the apartment.  The owner hesitated, but realized that if he wasn't in her house, he'd be down the road, and this way he was connected to her and so could possibly be convinced to paint a piece on her door, which is the only thing that stops further (and less attractive) graffiti.   There must be something about immortality, carving one's name into a rock in ancient times.  It is an assertion: "I was here."

Gazi

Gazi

Psyrri

Plaka, Odos Tripodon.  Has to be the same artist, right?

Plaka, Odos Tripodon, across from the last Karagiozis Theater.

Mycene Tholos Tomb

Corinth, Roman Forum

Rhodes museum

Delphi

Delphi

Delphi

Between Omonia and Monastiraki

Gazi, Irodos St.  How did they get up there?

Right by the Keremikos Cemetery

Gazi:  Persephone Street

Rouf:  Peraios Street

Somewhere in Rouf.  The shirt is painted on broken glass, and the head is on the wall behind.

That artist again... Gazi

Gazi