in one of my last posts, i have pictures up of a building that is caked from head to toe in graffiti, which i know most people here really hate. and in a lot of cases i agree, especially when a building is so perfectly preserved (or very common where i live, is a historical site) its disappointing to see stuff broken/ stolen/ vandalized. but when buildings are completely empty, and are just concrete walls with nothing left i don't mind seeing graffiti, especially if the artwork is actually really well done and not just some random instagram handle. it makes the exploration a lot more visually interesting and its almost like visiting an art gallery.

i have never graffitied anything myself and am not trying to encourage it, i just don't mind looking at it if it's well done and in a location that's already really far gone and isn't a historical site

does anyone have similar opinions? and if you don't please explain i love seeing multiple points of view (but please remain civil)

I sort of go both ways in terms of my opinion on graffiti. I've seen graffiti ruin the historical value of some locations, but that's not always the case. A good example of this is an old Nike missile site near me. The roof has caved in on some of the buildings and all of the windows were broken. It's difficult to find a single surface there that hasn't been gratified. This completely destroyed the historical value of the place, but the location was already so far gone that the graffiti actually kind of added an extra layer. It's just sort of interesting to walk through a place where people go to do things they're not supposed to. You never know what you're going to see. It's fun to walk through and see everything from Instagram handles to insane ramblings to quality graffiti art. Besides, the old 1960s architecture buried beneath all that paint sometimes makes for a cool photo. I like graffiti in places like extremely deteriorated buildings and storm drains, but there are some locations that graffiti would destroy. There used to be a completely untouched farmhouse near me. It was preserved to the point of the table still being set and the cards for a game still being fanned out on a desk. Graffiti there would have been awful. The place was sadly demolished a few months ago, but it really was incredible while it lasted. I'm shocked that it never had any issues with vandalism.

I've always disliked graffiti. In my eyes, it's just vandalism. Even if the piece itself is visually pleasing, widespread vandalism would nonetheless be a side effect.

Not a fan really, unless its by someone with genuine artistic talent and doesn't resemble that graffiti "style" but big ass tags on the sides of buildings, or where a cool photo could have been taken just kinda ruin it for me. Makes it feel like a trashier, less valued spot.

I have a hard time accepting any graffiti no matter how good some might be, because I say "graffiti begets graffiti." If someone puts up something nice, others will come along and add their own crap. I've heard some graffiti artists have some version of ethics, but they're the minority compared to all the others who will draw over others' work, tag residences, etc.

As far as I'm concerned, all graffiti is an attack on whatever it's drawn on, and can be to the surrounding community. So I like it when it's done with this in mind, more like culture jamming than just throwing up your signature. There's a US military base near my home, and someone put up this mural on the wall shortly after Trump and Kim Jong-un had their first summit.

Also in my region, we've had a steady stream of foreign taggers coming here, cutting locks on train depots, tagging trains inside, and leaving the country before they can be identified. A big deal has been made because recently an American tagger was extradited from Europe so he could stand trial for doing basically just this.

I am deeply opposed to childlike graffiti with no purpose or artistic intent. I do not mind a well-thought-out or complex piece I come upon while exploring. It adds to the mystique of someone taking time out of their day to lay an intricate work. It's almost like when you go to a museum and look at all the stiff old art, you look at it, marvel at it, take a quick photo as a memory, and move on to the next art installation. It adds a sort of grunge urban art feel.

Posted by inkd I am deeply opposed to childlike graffiti with no purpose or artistic intent. I do not mind a well-thought-out or complex piece I come upon while exploring. It adds to the mystique of someone taking time out of their day to lay an intricate work. It's almost like when you go to a museum and look at all the stiff old art, you look at it, marvel at it, take a quick photo as a memory, and move on to the next art installation. It adds a sort of grunge urban art feel.

I love Kilroy Was Here.

whenever this comes up on the railfanning forums i frequent, people lose their fucking minds over it. They start screaming it's private property and death to the artists... and then the discussion usually devolves into some weird political thing. That's the point I excuse myself.

personally, if the piece is visually pleasing and has some thought and effort in it, fine, it's art and most certainly not everyone's taste. If it's just bullshit tagging, that's an eyesore. And taste, as everyone here knows, is a matter of opinion.

Posted by Samurai whenever this comes up on the railfanning forums i frequent, people lose their fucking minds over it. They start screaming it's private property and death to the artists... and then the discussion usually devolves into some weird political thing. That's the point I excuse myself.

Are they really saying "death to the artists"?

Posted by Samurai personally, if the piece is visually pleasing and has some thought and effort in it, fine, it's art and most certainly not everyone's taste. If it's just bullshit tagging, that's an eyesore. And taste, as everyone here knows, is a matter of opinion.

How do you propose setting up a system where the worthy graffiti artists are allowed to do their thing wherever but the shitty taggers are prevented?

And sorry to single you out.

Posted by Samurai whenever this comes up on the railfanning forums i frequent, people lose their fucking minds over it. They start screaming it's private property and death to the artists...

I find this funny because half the fun of train spotting for me is seeing the art and messages that come from all over the country. Learning to recognize certain names and caricatures has always been interesting to me. Sometimes when you research the names online (I get the impression social media has ruined graffiti as much as it has urbex) you find crazy stories like KID PK.

As for graffiti in explorable spots, I don't mind it in the local sewers and mills. Some of the art is very high quality and brings interest to what would otherwise be boring RCP. I have always thought the point of tagging was to get your name out there and in people's faces so I don't really understand the garbage tags people put in places barely anyone will see. For other spots that aren't boring, even the "good" pieces wreck the feel of places.

Posted by Steed Are they really saying "death to the artists"? How do you propose setting up a system where the worthy graffiti artists are allowed to do their thing wherever but the shitty taggers are prevented? And sorry to single you out.

yes, some railfans are absolutely militant and around the bend about their preciouses.
Honestly, I don't think you could ever have a 'system'. I think you are just stuck taking the good with the shit. I mean it's so random a thing...

I have hated graffiti ever since kid's graffitied the drivers door of my fathers 1966 Impala station wagon, 51 years ago.

I guess canvas is too expensive to buy or hard to steal...

The whole practice of tagging is just plain dumb in my eyes. It's basically saying "Wow guys, I woke up at 3 AM to climb the side of an overpass to spray some made up words and a penis for everyone to see!" Spraying some shitty nickname onto the side of the highway or building won't make you as popular as you think. And those who don't even try to make it look good, just using basic black paint, make it even worse.

Once in a while I come across some actual good art spayed on a wall, but in the end I prefer it not even be there.

Posted by Hawkwind I have hated graffiti ever since kid's graffitied the drivers door of my fathers 1966 Impala station wagon, 51 years ago. I guess canvas is too expensive to buy or hard to steal...

sometimes, the world is the canvas...

i love all these different perspectives, thanks to everyone who gave their opinion in a respectful way without a fight.

here's a picture i took from my last exploration (same spot as this https://www.uer.ca...urrpage=1&pp#post0) which is a great example of something well done that i would consider art ruined by other people drawing stupid shit over it

click to view

The only good graffiti is DON'T DEAD OPEN INSIDE.

Posted by Spook13 i love all these different perspectives, thanks to everyone who gave their opinion in a respectful way without a fight.

Oh, should we have been more hostile?

Because personally, I would like to discourage anyone from coming to visit me in order to break locks, vandalise trains, and flee before being caught. They will catch you.

i think there may be some miscommunication here. in my original post, i was more or less asking people how they felt about looking at graffiti in places that are empty and worn down, and if they've ever seen anything of artistic value. i added that i don't encourage doing it and that i've never done it myself. i realized this could be touchy subject, so i asked people to present their opinions respectfully, and so far everyone has which i'm very appreciative of : )

I have very mixed feelings about graffiti. On one side, finding well done artistic graffiti is almost as cool as finding interesting shit left behind from a properties prior use. On the other, I've seen shitty graffiti ruin one of my favorite spots, the now demolished landmark mall. I think it matters what the intent of the tagger is, to create something interesting and creative or just to scrawl their name on random shit. In my urbex groups I have a hard rule against any type of vandalism or tagging specifically for this reason

I take less offence to graffiti in blown out spots, at that point its just part of the structures history, but its still something I will not ever do myself. Preserved locations are infinitely cooler than ones that have been tagged to hell and back

Posted by Deconstrukt The only good graffiti is DON'T DEAD OPEN INSIDE.

Real, always get a chuckle seeing this.