Photo and blog post by John HoffConsider, if you will, the prolific graffiti vandal who calls himself "Shock." This guy paints his tag on almost anything that presents a flat surface. Considering how prolific this guy is, and how long he's been tagging stuff, he's probably done tens of thousands of dollars worth of property damage in the Twin Cities alone.
The owners of buildings and rail cars PREFER to have a uniform and decent paint job, rather than splashing any old thing on patches of tagging. So how does one reckon the damage done by tagging? Do you count the whole paint job which would be needed to fix the damage and make the damaged surface look perfect again? Or do you count the relatively minor cost of the "patch job," in terms of labor and materials? Do you count the anger and annoyance of property owners? Do you count the time of city officials to take reports and send out letters and inspection teams when property owners just throw up their hands and don't bother to get rid of graffiti? So prolific 311 callers like myself call it in?
No matter how you reckon up the cost, somebody like "Shock" does a lot of damage. So how much effort is actually put forward by authorities when it comes to catching somebody like Shock? Judging by the extensive trail of documentation to be found on the internet, where Shock and his tagger buddies show off their work...
It truly appears no authorities are looking for Shock, investigating Shock, trying to figure out the identity of Shock. This is hardly surprising when you consider how our city government has underfunded the Minneapolis Police Department, in what are admittedly tight and difficult times. I've heard, for example, there are 700 white collar crime investigations which have their own file. And there are only two Minneapolis police officers handling those 700 files. Individuals who approach the police about embezzlement, mortgage fraud, etc., are reportedly told to "get in line."
So what does it matter that Shock and his friends take pictures of their tagging, pictures of themselves posing with tags or actively tagging, and these pictures are posted in numerous places on Flickr.com along with extensive discussion or commentary?
Check this out. GO TO THIS LINK I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU. Click on some of the pictures of tagging by "Shock" and follow the little electronic trails to the numerous Flickr.com profiles to see who is taking pictures of Shock's tagging, who is commenting on it, and what's being documented in their own pictures. Ready? OK, go to this link for a while, click here.
Given the wide, well-lit trail to clues about the identity of Shock and dozens of other taggers, it's apparent that if the authorities WANTED to find Shock and arrest him (along with dozens of his friends) it wouldn't be THAT difficult to follow the electronic trail of breadcrumbs right to their suburban bedrooms where they slumber beneath band and movie posters, dreaming pathetic emo dreams of smoking sticky bud and painting rail cars.
There is, however, apparently no political will to apprehend taggers unless a squad car rolls right into them, can of spray paint in hand. And, honestly, I'd prefer to see white collar mortgage fraudsters prosecuted first, but here's the thing: there aren't THAT many taggers. The trail of clues is EASY.
How much effort would it take for the authorities to locate, arrest and prosecute taggers IF THEY REALLY WANTED TO? And if the police aren't going to do it, who will? Do coalitions of businesspeople need to hire private detectives, file lawsuits? What? What needs to happen?
Some months ago, while out doing my on again, off again trucking job, I rolled through Cincinnati, Ohio. This is a town where the city fathers have apparently just thrown up their hands, and let the taggers win. From the highway, Cincinnati looks ugly and post-apocalyptic because there's so much graffiti. But it's not that difficult for Minneapolis to start looking like Cincinnati if decent people just give up, and let the taggers win.
Recently, Shock left a taunting message to city officials. They should save their money, he has nothing but time. A message like can be translated thusly: I AM JUST BEGGING YOU TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF ME. IT'S NOT ENOUGH THAT I DAMAGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH IMPUNITY, I WILL ALSO TAUNT YOU WITH MY LAWLESSNESS AND MAKE MYSELF OUT TO BE SOME KIND OF URBAN LEGEND.
I say find Shock, and give him some time. Some time in a correctional facility. Some time picking up trash. Some time painting over tags, starting with all his own tags, so well documented on Flickr.com. Of course, maybe Shock can get some kind of plea bargain in exchange for the identities of numerous other taggers.
One can only hope.
The owners of buildings and rail cars PREFER to have a uniform and decent paint job, rather than splashing any old thing on patches of tagging. So how does one reckon the damage done by tagging? Do you count the whole paint job which would be needed to fix the damage and make the damaged surface look perfect again? Or do you count the relatively minor cost of the "patch job," in terms of labor and materials? Do you count the anger and annoyance of property owners? Do you count the time of city officials to take reports and send out letters and inspection teams when property owners just throw up their hands and don't bother to get rid of graffiti? So prolific 311 callers like myself call it in?
No matter how you reckon up the cost, somebody like "Shock" does a lot of damage. So how much effort is actually put forward by authorities when it comes to catching somebody like Shock? Judging by the extensive trail of documentation to be found on the internet, where Shock and his tagger buddies show off their work...
It truly appears no authorities are looking for Shock, investigating Shock, trying to figure out the identity of Shock. This is hardly surprising when you consider how our city government has underfunded the Minneapolis Police Department, in what are admittedly tight and difficult times. I've heard, for example, there are 700 white collar crime investigations which have their own file. And there are only two Minneapolis police officers handling those 700 files. Individuals who approach the police about embezzlement, mortgage fraud, etc., are reportedly told to "get in line."
So what does it matter that Shock and his friends take pictures of their tagging, pictures of themselves posing with tags or actively tagging, and these pictures are posted in numerous places on Flickr.com along with extensive discussion or commentary?
Check this out. GO TO THIS LINK I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU. Click on some of the pictures of tagging by "Shock" and follow the little electronic trails to the numerous Flickr.com profiles to see who is taking pictures of Shock's tagging, who is commenting on it, and what's being documented in their own pictures. Ready? OK, go to this link for a while, click here.
Given the wide, well-lit trail to clues about the identity of Shock and dozens of other taggers, it's apparent that if the authorities WANTED to find Shock and arrest him (along with dozens of his friends) it wouldn't be THAT difficult to follow the electronic trail of breadcrumbs right to their suburban bedrooms where they slumber beneath band and movie posters, dreaming pathetic emo dreams of smoking sticky bud and painting rail cars.
There is, however, apparently no political will to apprehend taggers unless a squad car rolls right into them, can of spray paint in hand. And, honestly, I'd prefer to see white collar mortgage fraudsters prosecuted first, but here's the thing: there aren't THAT many taggers. The trail of clues is EASY.
How much effort would it take for the authorities to locate, arrest and prosecute taggers IF THEY REALLY WANTED TO? And if the police aren't going to do it, who will? Do coalitions of businesspeople need to hire private detectives, file lawsuits? What? What needs to happen?
Some months ago, while out doing my on again, off again trucking job, I rolled through Cincinnati, Ohio. This is a town where the city fathers have apparently just thrown up their hands, and let the taggers win. From the highway, Cincinnati looks ugly and post-apocalyptic because there's so much graffiti. But it's not that difficult for Minneapolis to start looking like Cincinnati if decent people just give up, and let the taggers win.
Recently, Shock left a taunting message to city officials. They should save their money, he has nothing but time. A message like can be translated thusly: I AM JUST BEGGING YOU TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF ME. IT'S NOT ENOUGH THAT I DAMAGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH IMPUNITY, I WILL ALSO TAUNT YOU WITH MY LAWLESSNESS AND MAKE MYSELF OUT TO BE SOME KIND OF URBAN LEGEND.
I say find Shock, and give him some time. Some time in a correctional facility. Some time picking up trash. Some time painting over tags, starting with all his own tags, so well documented on Flickr.com. Of course, maybe Shock can get some kind of plea bargain in exchange for the identities of numerous other taggers.
One can only hope.
19 comments:
I like the art and style of tagging. It is better then carring a gun and selling dime bags of poop on Penn. But just like those poop sellers the taggers need something to do and somewhere to do it. Yes tagging any property with out consent is disrespectfull and everyone dosnt like or want to see tags, but these people have a talent and should be incouraged to do something withit like a painting career or graphic arts. After a few hundred hours of seeing what it takes to cover up unwanted graffiti for sure.
Cpt Jack
I like artistic graffiti, but I hate that gang stuff.
Maybe shock could decorate that awful butt glass at Friedman's. That would definitely be an improvement.
P.S. ALL the "gang" graffitti in Nomi is lame and most of it is perpitraiters, fake, people trying to be gangsters. If you imulate thug life you have death or prison in the near future. But mostly its Ugly!
Cpt Jack
I think you are being a bit hard on Shock. I'm sure this is a case of a person who is kept down by the system and has not been able to attend a quality 4 year college. What else could they do but tagging? Until our society ensures that every youth in NOMI is fully educated and employed we are doomed to receive the spray paint that marks society as the oppressor.
Here you go again, snitch snitch snitch. Graffiti is a natural part of the hood and you are trying to clense us of our culture in NOMI.
Really, is that the choice we have, tagging or drug dealers? Actually, we have both. What if we want neither?
And the problem isn't so much what he's doing as where he's doing it, on other people's property. Let him buy a business and decorate it with a mural. Instead he forces his "art" on everyone and steals from other people.
I think this guy just likes to steal stuff and harass people. I doubt he has the patience or the talent to have an actual painting career.
I understand your argument, and I agree with it to a certain extent, but there is a difference between tagging and urban art. I think this person has some serious talent.
Cpt. Jack. If you like the art and style of it why not dedicate your own home or garage to them, or petition for more public space to be available? As I'm sure you're aware, the reason why American graffiti seems so unrefined and so focused on tagging is that the artists don't have time to do elaborate, well done murals. With the provided space and time you would be more apt to see really fantastic pieces. Like you said, many of these taggers do have talent, and you could very much help this "fourth pillar" of hip-hop culture. As it is now the only artist nurturing they'll get will be from time in prison because it is indeed disrespectful without consent. I think you should take "Shock" under your wing. With more of his tags around Nomi it may show that we're on the road to gentrification. After all, his silly Uptown emo tags are far better than gang piss scribble any day of the week.
I think this kid could actually be really talented if he/she ever tried doing something besides the word Shock... and if he/she would stop vandalizing private property. Here is some advice for Shock: Do some real art work - not just your name over and over and over - and proposition a business owner about doing a mural on their building. Now *that* is a way to be remembered for a very long time and to, you know, make a lasting, beautiful, positive impact on a neighborhood
People who think this clown is talented don't know what artistic talent looks like.
People who have talent arrive at that talent by hard work, training and practice. Vandals have no interest in any of those, but they do like the attention.
That's not talent, it's ego, and this "art" sucks. The pretty colors do not change this fact.
Once a property is tagged, the city has no problem getting on top of property owners to cover it up. And yet, even if someone was caught vandalizing a property, what would the punishment be?
How many judges share a similar sentiment, that these dolts are simply finding an outlet for their talent? Would they even get community service? I doubt it.
Why would the cops devote resources to prosecuting a crime that is, essentially, legal?
Shock should stick to his more colorful and more appreciated works rather than the scribble tags.
If north doesn't have a graffiti problem as has been said, I think angst should be focused on the concentration of roaches, ugh I mean, child molesters in north. Limited resources right? Better focused on the chimos.
"I think you are being a bit hard on Shock. I'm sure this is a case of a person who is kept down by the system and has not been able to attend a quality 4 year college. What else could they do but tagging? Until our society ensures that every youth in NOMI is fully educated and employed we are doomed to receive the spray paint that marks society as the oppressor."
Please tell me this is a sarcastic remark...
Shock's work should be respected. Did you see that the British PM gave Obama some graffiti art? Who knows, Shock's work might be hanging on the walls of the Whitehouse before too long.
I think it's funny that the same people that have no problem trying to control property owned by others. IE Housing Preservation Folks, are so outraged at an artist who selects property owned by others to place his art. It's the same thing.
You my friend, are jealous that "shock" gets more recognition through acts of vandalism than you do at yer 9 to 5. I hope blogging about it makes you feel better about yourself because NO ONE else cares. Get a life.
If people who leave behind graffiti are to be called "artists," then they should act more like one. Paint on a canvas, paint on an old plywood board in your yard. Paint on found objects. But don't paint on public property, businesses and the sides of another person's garage with your fruity gang tags. Graffiti is not art-it's defiance and vandalism to draw attention to ones self in their particular hood. It's no different than dogs urinating on trees to mark off their territory. Where graffiti exists, so do elevated levels of crime, prostitution and drugs.
Lovin' people complaining about this like it's actually a solvable problem
"graffiti never dies"
Why not put more energy into something that actually matters like how middle schoolers are getting weed so easily...
I'm just sayin...
I would like to see more emphasis on getting at least one Hmong police officer on the day shift.
FREEDOM
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