Help Find Graffiti Artist "ZAR"

[sgray]

Sorry to throw a monkey wrench at such a high-quality debate, but I can't resist. Here's my stupid opinion.

Whether the matter at hand is "art" or not is irrelevant. Trespassing and/or altering property other than yours without the owner's permission is illegal. Altering city property without a permit is illegal...and the john doe in question clearly did not obtain a permit to do anything on these premises, therefore he/she has committed a crime.

Now that we're past all of that, any sane/normal person would agree that this individual must be brought to justice...BUT this is Oklahoma...and I, like a lot of other people, swore to uphold the understood laws of the land which clearly state that in all situations one must know what is right and righteous and take exactly the opposite stance! Therefore, I must do nothing, and offer my full support and congratulations to this individual for sharing such awesome work!

So HA!

[MadMonk]

Reasoned? It's art, therefore subjective. Is it art? Yes, IMO.
Deface? Ruin? Says you. You opinion. Maybe when I not at work, I will come up with a longer more thoughout post. Just let it suffice to say it is a street art thing.

No doubt art is a subjective thing, but defacing public or private property - at whatever artistic level - is wrong. Some people have used urine feces as an art medium. Would you mind that sort of thing applied to your personal property - say the side of a building you own? It's an extreme example, but the principle is the same.

[OKCMallen]

Oh well...Looks like I'm getting threatened again for expressing my opinion.

Pobrecito. Say something ridiculously against the public good (finances) and you might get called out.

I better go put the car in the garage.

Well why would you do something like that...? IT'S ART!!!!!

[CuatrodeMayo]

Pobrecito. Say something ridiculously against the public good (finances) and you might get called out.

My feeling aren't hurt. It's not like I expect you sympathize. Not many in this part of the country do. I'm used to being freaked out on about this.

Well why would you do something like that...?IT'S ART!!!!!

I don't trust vengeful artists, lol.

[Dave Cook]

Yes...these folks truly have a creative gift.

[workman45]

Why do I spend time here? Where else can you find such entertainment for the price?

[bandnerd]

Cuatro--do you not find it hypocritical to say, sure, tag "artists" are fine...but then get all huffed up when someone says they should tag your stuff? Is your stuff better than everyone else's stuff? Or the city's stuff?

Whoever said this Zar guys is probably tagging things to make up for something else he's lacking, I think I have to agree.

The school where I work is occasionally tagged by either rival schoolkids or gangs. Having some message from a yahoo at NWC staring at me in my classroom from an outside wall across the parking lot is more than an eyesore--it's a distraction from my learning environment. And walking up to doors tagged with JRS (whatever/whoever that is) frankly, just pisses me off. It's a school. A house of learning, not some place to be "claimed."

Dumbasses.

[wsucougz]

My feeling aren't hurt. It's not like I expect you sympathize. Not many in this part of the country do.

FACT: People in other parts of the country love getting their sh*t painted on.

CuatrodeMayo - I understand from previous posts that you're either involved with the flatiron, or just as excited about the prospect of it as many others on this forum. What if right after it was built, Cier came over and tagged his name all over the nice new brick with white spraypaint? While you may not admit it here, you know that would suck. My point is, where do you draw the line? You obviously have some nihilistic ideas about this topic as many of us surely do, but you can't live in both worlds. Either start a fight club or keep wearing that cornflower blue polo M-F.

[gen70]

FACT: People in other parts of the country love getting their sh*t painted on.

CuatrodeMayo - I understand from previous posts that you're either involved with the flatiron, or just as excited about the prospect of it as many others on this forum. What if right after it was built, Cier came over and tagged his name all over the nice new brick with white spraypaint? While you may not admit it here, you know that would suck. My point is, where do you draw the line? You obviously have some nihilistic ideas about this topic as many of us surely do, but you can't live in both worlds. Either start a fight club or keep wearing that cornflower blue polo M-F.

Whoaaa... I got my post erased for less than that.

[wsucougz]

Whoaaa... I got my post erased for less than that.

M-F, as in Monday thru Friday.

[gen70]

Nice save.

[wsucougz]

Nice save.

Haha. I like Quatro... I wouldn't do him like that.

[kevinpate]

Maybe I'm just old. I read M-F as Monday through Friday as well. Until the whoa post, a different notion dinna even cross the old noddle.

[metro]

yeah, i don't think it was a "nice save" either. I am young, not old and read it as Monday thru Friday as well.

[OKCMallen]

Either start a fight club or keep wearing that cornflower blue polo M-F.

Hahaha nice pull!!!!

[Caboose]

My feeling aren't hurt. It's not like I expect you sympathize. Not many in this part of the country do. I'm used to being freaked out on about this.

Get real. No one give's a crap whether or not you think graffiti is art. That is a matter of opinion. The problem is that you cant seem to fathom that regardless of whether or not it is art it is a crime and is costing the tax-payers and private property owners money to clean it up. That is NOT a matter of opinion.

No one is "freaking out on you". They are just pointing out that you are being retarded about this no matter how much you pretend to be so enlightened and that everyone else is just too backwards "in this part of the country" to "get it".

[CuatrodeMayo]

I’m kind of disappointed that this didn't pan out into any real intelligent discussion and instead ended up as a flame war. I’m not a troll nor am trying to start a fight. Here is an idea: rather than hiding behind bad-ass personalities on the internet, I would love to get together with anyone willing and actually discuss this with an open mind. The weather will be nice this week so we can meet under tree on the empty lot bordered by walker, Hudson, 10th, and 11th.

Those of you who seem to want to punish me for speaking up for graffiti, with a little research, you can find where I live. And you can tag my building if you wish. As long as you do it reasonably well, it will be an improvement.

To be clear: I don’t advocate legalizing graffiti in any form or fashion. I don’t advocate that any and every surface should be tagged. I don’t think graffiti and/or graffiti artists are “noble” or worthy of any respect.

That being said, I am intrigued by the process, ideas, motivations, messages, and actual forms of graffiti.

The reality is that we live a very predicable city. Everybody does what we expect them to do. Our buildings look like what other buildings expect them to look like. Our people are the same. Graffiti is spontaneous and bold. It shakes us up. Look at the previous posts for an example. It garners reaction in a conservative city like this one; “stirring the pot” so to speak.

Most public art must the run the gamut of approval from art commissions to local city councils which usually results in a watered-down please-all type of artwork. Graffiti is the anti-thesis to regulated art. It shows up nearly instantaneously proclaiming a bold message or idea.

Shortly after the stock market crash back in September, I noticed letters scrawled across a lonely concrete wall on an empty lot just north of 10th street west of Hudson. “Capitalism will eat us alive” was the message. While I don’t agree with the statement, an empty lot strewn with debris with a gleaming skyline in the background made for a compelling scene nonetheless.

Again, to be clear: I don’t advocate legalizing graffiti in any form or fashion. I don’t advocate that any and every surface should be tagged. I don’t think graffiti and/or graffiti artists are “noble” or worthy of any respect. I wish there was a way to make it work legally.

Maybe I’m just watching the movie where you root for the bad guy.

Spray Art:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/09/14/tribute-to-graffiti-50-beautiful-graffiti-artworks/

Humorous and not so artful
http://listverse.com/humor/top-12-examples-of-graffiti-humor/

[gmwise]

I hope they catch him. A crime is a crime whether you like it or not.

Up to a few years ago it was illegal for people of differant races to marry.
Besides usually it boring ass ads..pun intended.
And I often wondered why the hell are you not watching the road as you are driving, when you notice the "crime."

[Caboose]

Up to a few years ago it was illegal for people of differant races to marry.
Besides usually it boring ass ads..pun intended.
And I often wondered why the hell are you not watching the road as you are driving, when you notice the "crime."

So you have no problem with me keying your boring ass car then?

[Caboose]

I’m kind of disappointed that this didn't pan out into any real intelligent discussion and instead ended up as a flame war. I’m not a troll nor am trying to start a fight. Here is an idea: rather than hiding behind bad-ass personalities on the internet, I would love to get together with anyone willing and actually discuss this with an open mind. The weather will be nice this week so we can meet under tree on the empty lot bordered by walker, Hudson, 10th, and 11th.

Those of you who seem to want to punish me for speaking up for graffiti, with a little research, you can find where I live. And you can tag my building if you wish. As long as you do it reasonably well, it will be an improvement.

To be clear: I don’t advocate legalizing graffiti in any form or fashion. I don’t advocate that any and every surface should be tagged. I don’t think graffiti and/or graffiti artists are “noble” or worthy of any respect.

That being said, I am intrigued by the process, ideas, motivations, messages, and actual forms of graffiti.

The reality is that we live a very predicable city. Everybody does what we expect them to do. Our buildings look like what other buildings expect them to look like. Our people are the same. Graffiti is spontaneous and bold. It shakes us up. Look at the previous posts for an example. It garners reaction in a conservative city like this one; “stirring the pot” so to speak.

Most public art must the run the gamut of approval from art commissions to local city councils which usually results in a watered-down please-all type of artwork. Graffiti is the anti-thesis to regulated art. It shows up nearly instantaneously proclaiming a bold message or idea.

Shortly after the stock market crash back in September, I noticed letters scrawled across a lonely concrete wall on an empty lot just north of 10th street west of Hudson. “Capitalism will eat us alive” was the message. While I don’t agree with the statement, an empty lot strewn with debris with a gleaming skyline in the background made for a compelling scene nonetheless.

Again, to be clear: I don’t advocate legalizing graffiti in any form or fashion. I don’t advocate that any and every surface should be tagged. I don’t think graffiti and/or graffiti artists are “noble” or worthy of any respect. I wish there was a way to make it work legally.

Maybe I’m just watching the movie where you root for the bad guy.

Spray Art:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/09/14/tribute-to-graffiti-50-beautiful-graffiti-artworks/

Humorous and not so artful
http://listverse.com/humor/top-12-examples-of-graffiti-humor/

Well at least you acknowledging that you are rooting for the bad guy.

[sgray]

Most public art must the run the gamut of approval from art commissions to local city councils which usually results in a watered-down please-all type of artwork.

You mean kinda like the "sesame street" stuff plastered all around the Metro Transit station?

I would love to get together with anyone willing and actually discuss this with an open mind. The weather will be nice this week so we can meet under tree on the empty lot bordered by walker, Hudson, 10th, and 11th.

I am all about doing an OKCTalk "live" or something to that affect. Nothing too organized, but something would be nice. I mean, chatting on the web is fine, but it gets old. Wonder what others would think of this?

[Prunepicker]

Is OKC really looking for a 'Graffiti Czar" or is this just something started as
something citizens would like to have?

Czar can also be spelled Tsar, but who gives a rip? I don't. Maybe a little.

very little...

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

Truthfully, this whole thread gets the honourable Jean-Luc Picard Award...

[BBatesokc]

I must admit I've made a double take when seeing some graffiti 'art' on a wall or most likely a passing train car. I've even owned a coffee table book in the past on notable graffiti art.

But I agree with what some have already expressed. While some may be intriguing it is overall a nuisance and a crime. I've known many business and home owners that have been victimized by some punk with a spray can.

More often than not it is simply a 'tag' which attracts counter tags all done by cowards in the middle of the night.

Cleaning it up costs home owners, business owners and tax payers hundreds of thousands every year in OKC alone.

I remember one dear old lady near SW 42 and Broadway. Myself and another friend agreed to help her paint over graffiti on her fence after the city threatened to ticket her. She was so upset she was crying. That old house was about the only thing she owned and her now dead husband had built the fence himself that some punk sprayed.

She said she felt like they had spit on his grave.

I would however support a public wall in a park or something that allowed graffiti artisits to express themselves and then the wall could be painted over (white) every month or so.

[OKCMallen]

And you can tag my building if you wish. As long as you do it reasonably well, it will be an improvement.

Do you own the building in which you live?

Also, now we care whether it's "good" or not?