In perfect Helvetica, of course.
(In Barcelona last month we kept seeing “NO HAY FUTURO” written all over the city. I am amused - sadly - by the contrast with the American stencillist’s individualism; a sign perhaps that the States is still so affected by dread fear of socialism that even the disaffected don’t dare to believe that the problem may be systemic, not personal.)
(I read too much into things.)
split between reification and complete, comedic rebellion
from vivid-erisSo I went to Apex Bar last night with our roommate, a friend, and colourswatchcactustheatre {which I’m sure you all know is my partner}, and was encouraged {despite being stoned and ultimately drunk by their great, great beer list} to do a photo project.
They have put gender neutral signs on both of their bathrooms, which is awesome. What’s interesting is that each bathroom has a completely different feel- partially a result of the fact that they haven’t changed the outfittings and graffiti in either bathroom after changing the signs to gender neutral {man without a skirt slash woman with a skirt} signs. in the bathroom that was once women’s, graffiti messages abound, including arguments about veganism, explicitly feminist statements, and queer-positivity. There is a wall-mounted trash can, if I remember correctly, for items that can’t be flushed, as well as a mirror and a well-stocked soap dispenser.
The bathroom that was previously mens has graffiti that is primarily comedic, sometimes with subtle political arguments based on fighting against/for societal norms of masculinity, with plenty of bathroom nonsense {ridiculous yet humorous poems, drawings of ridiculous things, etc} to cover the rest. The graffiti, for me, gives a picture of an intense battle over normative masculinity- one which the sides split between reification and complete, comedic rebellion. There is no mirror in the previously men’s bathroom, I guess because men don’t need to be conscious of their physical appearance? In any case, sometimes {i’ve been there a few times} you’re lucky to find toilet paper, and the attitude of the previously men’s restroom {which still has a urinal} is much more frivolous and dismissive of any political criticisms against or for masculinity, feminism, or pretty much anything {such as veganism, where there’s a full scale argument amongst many people scrawled on the previously women’s restroom}…
I should have gotten pictures, but really good beer got in the way of unbiased and academic photo analysis of the bathrooms. I will at some point provide pictures, but the presentation of gender still visible in each stall was very fascinating to me…
Gran Avenida casi llegando a Americo Vespucio. Una hermosa niña de grandes ojos. contrasta con la derruida oficina de contabilidad. esta cerca de un trabajo de Aislap, se leas ha visto trabajando juntos en otras partes. La firma está abajo pero no se entiende mucho ¿Alguien sabe quién es?
Street art in Santiago de Chile.
Mural by the RLPMK (Red Libertaria Popular Mateo Kramer) in Bogota that reads:
Mateo Kramer Popular Libertarian* Network - PEOPLE POWER
*Libertarian in a South American/Spanish language context has a complete different meaning as to what it does in English. It’s pretty much another word for Anarchist…
I see lots of murals and graffiti on my daily commute to and from work. For some reason, this is one of my favorites.
Location: Just east of the Georgia State MARTA Station, looking south, near the Mattress Factory Lofts.
