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"No shit bitch" has become my motto for the summer months. I pass these 3 words, as I climb up the hill in Hydra, on about the 180th step I think. I keep meaning to count the total number, but the ability to sweat, walk and remember at the same time deserts me after 150 steps. I'm also busy trying not to lose face as an octogenarian or two overtake me with a friendly "Yassou" and not a hint of perspiration on their brows. There is not much graffiti on Hydra, but I can't say the same for the mainland. I don't like to draw comparisons between Greece and Turkey, but the amount of urban scrawling can't be ignored on the a Western side of the Aegean. It is everywhere and makes for unpleasant viewing on the bus or metro ride from the airport to Athens or Piraeus.
I'm a great fan of Banksy because his pieces make us either laugh or think but the majority of the stuff I pass by on the bus just signals a society in decline.
Occasionally there are attempts that look as if the perpetrator has artistic tendencies but most are rather sad and depressing. I hate mindless graffiti so I'm not sure why I'm so fond of the "No Shit Bitch" tag. It may be the beautiful turquoise shutters it's written on but it's probably just the lack of oxygen getting to my brain as I wheeze and pant up the hill.
I was trying to get my head around the thought of graffiti in the cradle of western civilisation, until I remembered that there is graffiti on the walls in Pompeii. Sadly it seems to be inescapable everywhere, so I'm glad the bit you see on the shutters helps you get up the rest of those endless steps. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd graffiti from Napoleon's soldiers on the sphinx.....those steps would be the death of me...
ReplyDeleteHello:
ReplyDeleteIt is the mindlessness which lies behind so much graffiti that we find somewhat depressing particularly when, as is so often the case here, it appears on newly restored buildings over which then the authorities take no action whatsoever.
. . there was a lot of 'good' graffiti in Iran, which surprised us, and we got to spend time with the so-called Iranian Banksy who was the most engaging sort of guy. What he decorates Tehran with has seen him in prison but undeterred by the experience. There will be a post when I get around to blotting out some faces from photos!
ReplyDeleteMost graffiti leaves me cold (though Liam takes a more liberal and conciliatory view). We went to Lisbon and found the arty district of Bairro Alto totally covered in the stuff. And I don't mean the colourful, the clever or the political. Perhaps I'm just getting old and grumpy!
ReplyDeleteB to B, I agree that graffiti - or the trashing of our public spaces - is a real symbol of the decline of a society. I was shocked at how bad it was in Greece. But I guess that's what happens when government no longer even pretends to care about the public good.
ReplyDeleteAs we drove around Greece last year we were staggered at the amount of graffiti - some of it artistic most of it mindless vandalism. I did a post on it with photos of buildings, boats, trains and even a campervan defaced. Most annoying for us was defacing of the road signs - which left us scratching our heads at many a junction!! I now have a picture in my mind of you freestyle rapping your way up and down those steps!!
ReplyDeleteLove the beautiful turquoise shutters but not a fan of graffiti - we have been to Santorini, Khalki Diki -maybe wrong spelling - and Athens, though now over 10 years ago, didn't see much graffiti back then, SD has a point there. Enjoy your time and hope to see you in Aug!
ReplyDeleteI hare graffiti, too. The fashion in Fethiye a couple of years ago was to scrawl your love for someone all over the brand new harbour pathway in huge spray painted letters. For some reason, graffiti on the floor annoyed me more than wall stuff. Thankfully, the trend seems to have passed. Enjoy Hydra...and the steps. :)
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