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Eli Valderrama

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How to solve graffiti in my community

I'm trying to figure out if there is new technology in paint , to make graffiti removal more cost efficiant or other solutions to fight graffiti in my community!

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  • greg dahlen 20+

    • +2
    Feb 20 2013: Eli, I lived for ten years in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles, near MacArthur Park, where there was huge graffiti. On my block I just got in the habit of calling the city of Los Angeles whenever a new tag went up, and they would come and paint it out for free. My block became much nicer, it looked like a block out in the country rather than in the city, and it felt more peaceful, graffiti is stressful. But I don't think I could have worked on much more than my block, every call takes time, and then I would record it and follow up if they didn't come for some reason. So maybe you have to orient toward a smaller section of your city, maybe even just the block you live on.

    • ZX Style 10+

      • 0
      Feb 24 2013: Well you did a great job, if every citizen would be like you, the whole city could look like your block.
      Added that research has shown that clean places provoke neatness and foul cities provoke more foulness.
      It's a self-reinforcing process.

      However Edi Rama in his ted talk:
      http://www.ted.com/talks/edi_rama_take_back_your_city_with_paint.html
      basically said that cities can use more color.
      Really when you look at his examples, you will see that those places look more vivid when color is added.
      Concrete can be dull.
      And poor grafiti is hideous.
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    Allan Macdougall 30+

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    Feb 18 2013: It's in the eye of the beholder, but graffiti could be seen as an urban art form.

    Because graffiti is, by its original nature subversive and anti-establishment, any community hatred of it will only serve to make the problem worse. If on the other hand it is celebrated as an urban art form and welcomed in certain areas, the subversive attitude attached to it might reduce - and therefore its popularity as anti-establishment statements. What will remain will be the true artists of the form. Some graffiti can be quite striking and beautiful in the right place.

    Again a matter of taste, but cities like Berlin are all the more vibrant and attractive because of the general welcoming attitude to urban art:

    http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/07/13/the-heritage-of-berlin-street-art-and-graffiti-scene/

    If graffiti is that common in certain areas, then it is usually there for good reason - maybe as political statements by disaffected teenagers who might feel ignored or cast aside by their own community.

    Interesting article written by an 18 year old entitled "Graffiti - Vandalism or Political Statement?":

    http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/2451704.0/

    I think looking at the psychology behind graffiti would be more useful in changing the problem, rather than new paint technology.
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    Gail . 50+

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    Feb 18 2013: A couple of years ago, I read an article about a paint that did not allow grafiti to adhere. It was easily washable and was being used on bridges and underpasses. You might try to Google it.
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