ON YOUNG GRAFFITI AND OTHER STUFF THAT MEANS STUFF...

“I read and grasped your connections between the forest, prostitution, and immigration..are Danish you as politically astute as you are suggesting? But my question also has to do with what you raise in your newest posting about graffiti/vandalism. On what level is the penis imagery meant to shock? Also, as you know when tagging became hugely popular in New York in the '80's there was much angst expressed especially by local government, fines were given, and massive clean-up projects were put in the works, especially in the subway system. Where and what impact is the graffiti/vandalism you are photographing having on the Danish social/political psyche? Is it being noticed? Is it out in the open? How are people and/or local government responding to it?”

This was a comment posted on my flickr account, asked by Kim Cameron, US reader and sharp minded friend. Ill try to my best knowledge and answer it.
!) Astute? After I found out what astute means, I can definitely say: yes. They are astute, if you mean shrude or calculating…but is it not a quality in political culture, that has become more of a necessity than a problem, even though the outcome is often highly questionable. That astute not necessarily means talented is another issue.
Let me exemplify, with the newest caper from the danish government: Minister of Foreign Development (thirdworld-related) Ulla Tørnæs, has launched a new initiative, more or less leaving it up to 5 famous danish individuals to decide, which development projects (in the third world) to support. The project has cost 7 million Danish kroner to create. Of a fond counting a pathetic 12 million kroner (that’s approx. 2 mill. US dollars), 5 of 100 projects will finally receive support, accordingly to the decisions of the famed person. In other words: Denmark has introduced a third world policy based on reality TV concept. The media partner chosen to cover the “show” is no less than infamous Jyllands Posten, known in particular for its role in the so-called Mohammed-Crisis, a newspaper also known as one of the most uncritically enthusiastic supporter of the danish rightwing (and US lapdog) government. Astute, you bet, talented…well. As the popular answers often goes: “We will leave it up to history to decide.”


1) On what level is the penis graffiti meant to shock?
I don’t know, that’s why I only conclude it to be pretty young. I don’t know of a lot of people who will find it shocking….maybe the size of it?
2) The Impact?
That’s a tough one. As I wrote yesterday, the conflict between the two is pretty persistent. I wouldn’t say though that it’s the talk of the town. A lot of energy is put into cleaning walls, and from time to time the media burps out stereotypes, that can keep the fear of writers at hand. Statistics shows two things:
That graffiti and tagging, as you write, create a sense of fear especially among the 60plus generation, but on the other hand they also shows that writers as such are NOT to be considered violent or criminals. Give me a day or two and I can dig the source of the information out from my moving boxes.
But of course: If you are caught with your hands on the aerosol can doing a whole-car, the fine is massive, and can be followed by imprisonment.

One local politician from the city council of Copenhagen, suggested that the council as such should sublet “public space” for giant commercials, billboards etc, to pay for the expenses they have on removing the graffiti. That juxtapose, commercials in public space versus graffiti, have raised a debate though, as to who owns public space, and what is the real difference between commercials and graffiti, and that I welcome.