Think it over on Tuesday

Nowata, Oklahoma Tucumcari, New Mexico Wichita Falls, Texas Scarborough, UK Duncan, Oklahoma Tucumcari, New Mexico I don’t want to approach the tired old argument of “What is art?” because that is not what is interesting to me here. Art or not, I don’t care. I have documented some small and large town murals because of how they came about, what they represent and what they do. Carefully planned and executed murals like these show the cooperation and effort of many, the pride of many, honor, integrity. They show common respect, a sense of value, whether they were done by hired professionals or the 4th grade class at the local school. These planned murals often make a connection with the history of the town or the area or the people. The future is a bit dim to those without a sense of where we have been. A wall of random graffiti does not represent any of these things. Art or not, I just don’t care. The point of most graffiti is to show disrespect, draw territory bounds or just fluff an ego. Most of the results just fall into the category of vandalism. Whatever individualism, social comment, or even attempts at art, graffiti applied without property owner’s permission, is still just vandalism. And often, a blight. Dayton, Ohio Columbus, Ohio Sometimes, just no one cares. Marlow, Oklahoma Marlow, Oklahoma A blank crumbling wall in a deteriorating small village does not show many good values either. It shows a lack of respect, a lack of incentive. It represents the rightly maligned “disposable society” and its lack of values, misdirected sense of pride. It shows the greed of the property owner who refuses to spend the money to maintain the property. Now watch how this discussion can deteriorate into wailings about individual rights of expression, the rights to rebel against unjust society, the oppression of the poor and so on. Documenting some of these civic murals is my only interest. Art or not, I don’t care. Sometimes this public work will rise to art. But vandalism will always be just vandalism. Graffiti. Tulsa, Oklahoma

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