Sunday, August 9, 2009

Queens graffiti

Pin It I stood on the Woodside Platform to a gray sky morning; the cast from the heavens masked the Manhattan skyline beyond the Queensboro Bridge which spanned the East River. I felt a few drops of rain as the subway cars clattered to and from their destinations while I waited for mine to eventually come.

I found myself slowly becoming accustomed to the sights and smells around me; it was becoming more commonplace and regular.

In just a few minutes my train arrived; as it sped me away toward Manhattan, I looked down on the streets and buildings several stories below. Graffiti I’d seen on each of these trips scarred the buildings I passed over, leaving behind words of those long-since gone; undoubtedly some ineffectual attempt in order to be remembered. However, this was hopeless for many others had tagged over these messages in order to be seen as well…it was clearly a competition for limited space and shouting power.

But as we moved into another neighborhood the graffiti transfigured and evolved into something greater; quite simply it became…

Art.

Insomuch I had to make a hasty exit from the train, and take capture a few images of it all.







By the way, my brother just informed me about 5ptz here.

6 comments:

Danielle said...

Amazing pictures! :D

birdeeb said...

What a colorful neighborhood...probably brings a lot of color & joy to the people that lived in that neighborhood in their dark times...

Linn said...

Glad you stopped--these are amazing!

mamahasspoken said...

Wow, I wonder how they were able to reach the higher floors of the building in the first picture and still have it look great! Awesome pictures as always!

Gerb said...

Check out that white boy in the 'hood! ;)

It's funny, I never really thought of graffiti as art until Herbie pointed it out with fascination one day as a train covered in graffiti passed by. "Look at those awesome pictures, mom!" It's amazing what can be done with a few cans of spray paint.

Teachinfourth said...

D - I wish I'd taken a few from the train as well, the vantage point from there was even better.

Curses.

B - It was very 'busy' looking at it all at once; from above it was almost too much to take in all at once.

L - Thanks, I'm glad I stopped too.

M - I think perhaps they used a window-washer pulley or something along that nature? Not sure...

G - Yeah, can't get much whiter, can he? You're right about what your Herbie said about the graffiti - it's all perspective.

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