Kilroy Was Here - Evolution of a Graffiti Hero Date Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - 07:26 PM PST Topic Lemmings on Parade “Kilroy was here” has, in the modern day, become synonymous with graffiti. Before I do a piece of art, I do research into the subject. I am in the process of photographing graffiti in the urban environment. My research revealed some fascinating information. I was surprised to discover that graffiti is not a new phenomenon. Actually, it is ancient – in fact the word comes from Latin sources. It means “scribbling.” Archaeologists have found graffiti in many ancient ruins – medieval inns, the catacombs in Rome and even the Tower of London. Some of the eldest examples of the “art” were found in Pompei. (for those of you who do not know, Pompei was buried under meters of volcanic ash... perfectly preserved... it also introduced a new form of archaeological find. The Ash Mummy.) In my research, I have found there are actually CLASSIFICATIONS of graffiti and a classification of scientist that devotes their life to its study. Well, actually bathroom graffiti at least... they study latrinalia. After decades of study, the experts have agreed that there are four classifications of graffiti. )Identity: these people wand to immortalize themselves or a part of their lives – romance, accomplishments, etc. ) Opinion or message: these people want the world to know what they think or feel. ) Decalogue: these brain surgeons talk back to other writers... ) Art: intricate and powerful images truly expressing themselves as in a truly public medium. For centuries, people have actually collected the stuff. Hurlo Thrumbo printed the first collection of graffiti in the 1700s. In the early 20th century, latrinalia was born. German sociologists began collecting the graffiti in toilets for the first scientific study. American scientists used it to study the sexual habits of men and women. During the 1960s graffiti evolved to be an outlet for the Vietnam counter culture. Graffiti is now considered an important window into the real history of the culture. Political unrest, thoughts and feelings, social trends and the inner workings of society can all bee seen here. Kilroy, is an important figure in American history - the most famous Graffittist EVER. Kilroy was an infantry soldier tired of hearing the Air Force brag about being the first on the spot. The torch of the Lady Liberty, the Bikini Atoll (where we detonated the bomb), the Marco Polo Bridge, and many, many more places sported his signature. It has been so many places that it is the epitome of graffiti. Graffiti is it's own social scene. Friends will often work together on projects, called crews. One such group used the name TAG to mark their work (Tuff Artists Group). Tag has come to mean both graffiti creation and graffiti itself (tagging and tag respectively) Crews often tag together, placing their personal and crew marks on the scene. At first, the tools of the trade, were pens and markers, but using these tools limited the types of surface that could be tagged. Quickly, everyone was using spray paint. The nozzles were not acceptable for the artistic bent of most taggers. The nozzles from deodorant, insecticide, wd-40, etc were used to create truly impressive tags. Some cities actually started outlawing tagging implements. Of course the crews found a way to camouflage the tools of the trade. What started out as urban protest has come to span all racial and economic groups. Many inner city children are involved with crews. it is not limited any more. In Philadelphia, a 27 year old stock broker was caught tagging in his BMW. It has grown from basic techniques to multicolored artistic endeavors called Pieces (from the word masterpiece). Just keep an eye out for him... Kilroy is here, somewhere... This article comes from Shmeng http://www.shmeng.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=703