Saturday, March 01, 2008

Theme day : Mural or Graffiti


Time flies... It's the first of the month again. As you must all know now it's a theme day! And today's theme is: mural or graffiti. So here you go; a mural I've been willing to show you for a long time, simply because I like it. BTW, if you wonder how theme days are decided, it's very simple : we have a "voting booth" on the portal - under the high surveillance of Jenny from Sharon Daily Photo!- and we get to vote every month. Who knows, one day, we might make this vote available to every visitor...


Almost 150 City Daily Photo blogs participate in this theme day today. Time for you to (re)discover our new portal. You may also visit each blog individually, but please bear in mind that we're all on different time zones!
Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn

63 comments:

  1. Interesting angle of him looking like he is walking up the steps. Is the initals of the graffiti artist on the walls?

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  2. Am I first for the first day of the month ? That would surprise me but ...
    I love this mural painting. Seems like chineese ink. Yes time flies, I remember the last Theme Day like if it was yesterday... Almost 150 cities which participate in the theme, how nice and successful it is!
    Have a nice week end everyone!

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  3. Sorry for the grammar, but I was RUSHING

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  4. Who is the Mural of Eric?

    Clo

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  5. Ah, c'est belle ca. Non, je ne me souviens pas (no i KNOW that's wrong) Theme Day, et je ne sais pas le nom, Murale ou graffiti.

    Arrrggghgh my french tonight is hopeless and i'm all sulky because of the re-direction thing taking up my time. lol!

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  6. Surprising to see you get somewhat confused Lynn. How often does this happen on Eric's PDP?

    Clo

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  7. Hi, Eric. I know you've heard this a lot of times, but congratulations for the site and the attachment. i just love it.

    And you seem to have a good sense of humor since you define yourself as "a friendly parisian - yes, it does exist", hihihi.

    See you!

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  8. I think Banksy would agree- it's both a mural and graffiti! :D

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  9. Looks like a happy person going up the stair, but you might have fooled us with the angle, Eric. Is that a stairway or a railing?

    I post at the end of the day and still have to put up my 2/29 post! 3/1 won't go up for another 24 hours. But I have something for theme day

    Votre francais est merveilleux, Lynn. Or would I say "ta francais"? Did I get any of that right?

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  10. i love that the cement wall adds texture to the mural. how big is this mural? in my opinion definetly not graffiti...i live in a city where there is lots of graffiti and none of it looks this good.

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  11. Where is this mural/grafitti? I like it too. I really like the detail and different looking textures on his turban. I'm also curious to know who he is if anyone knows.

    Have a good weekend everyone!

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  12. I think it's ton francais, Petrea, but someone will correct us if wrong!

    Clo yes i was all fingers and thumbs! Not usually, no....? blush. I know what you're saying lol.

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  13. That would be a great idea, Eric, to make the voting out here, then the less technically able amongst us can participate. Also a simpler way of sending the html for the participants. But that's just me. I can't master it, i can't. lol!

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  14. Eric: another suberb choice.
    Lynn: register with citydailyphoto.com and you will get a lot of help there. the forums are very good and plenty of helpful people around. Send me an email if you need help.
    Night night everyone :)

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  15. Hi Clo, long time no see!

    Eric, I think it's a good thing that only the Daily Bloggers get to vote, this way you can always surprise us. But then again, anything about the Daily Photo blogs are great, open vote or not.

    Phx congrats for the GF of the day. Your award (hey, even if you don't win you get an award because you're awesome!) is on the way! (yes I mailed it today)

    Can you guys believe since the GF became official I haven't been able to compete??!! I've been arriving home rather late.
    Au moins, aujourd'hui j'ai une bonne excuse: j'ai un rendezvous avec un ami français, nous sommes allé à Maison de France (où le embassade de France est situé) pour visiter la bibliothèque et ensuite nous sommes allé dans ce restaurant de cuisine française. Donc, j'ai passé une nuit vraiment française à Rio!

    Guille, corrections please!!!

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  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. Lynn, I saw your paintings for Rose, absolutely fantastic! You are so talented! You're an amazing artist!!!

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  18. I'm confused. What vote are we talking about?

    I'm going to go look the paintings Lynn did for Rose.

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  19. I love this kind of stencilled street art...def not graffiti in my book. I am sure Sydney's Green Boy would agree!

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  20. It does look like she is going up stairs. Is it a stencil?

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  21. Very interesting Eric!! Yes, she does look like she is climbing a staircase...perhaps a staircase to "heaven"???

    An addendum to yesterdays post...I believe that Monsieur le Maire Delanoe also sold most of the wine that was in the cave at the Hotel de Ville??? Non???

    So sad about the YSL model Katoucha..n'est ce pas??

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  22. Great choice Eric and I love how it's Sharon Daily Photo who helps coordinate it for the community. It really is a community when you have different people helping make it successful.

    Ok tonton, what's this about Katoucha?

    Lynn, you still having problems with your URLS and redirections? Hmmmmm, sounds like a personal problem to me...

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  23. Google, my friend. It seems this lovely woman has met an unfortunate end.

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  24. Here you go, Michael:
    http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=114&sid=1354853

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  25. Magnifique.
    Dans quelle rue du 11ème peut on voir cette oeuvre ?
    Je ne l'ai pas remarquée autour de Saint-Ambroise et Oberkampf...

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  26. Le mural est fraiche. (Or do Parisiens say 'cool'? I know expats do...!)

    Hey! Isn't this Sagesse's first appearance? I surely would have noticed the Renoir painting that represents her blog.

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  27. This is beautiful - and clever in relation to the stairs. Super choice.

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  28. I like her, too, Eric. This is a clever positioning. Now I'm trying to think of the one you showed us quite a while back with a hand coming out of a grate in the pavement or something similar. I love the creative whimsy of it.
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  29. In 1984, the late Keith Haring, who began his short but semi-spectacular career as graffiti artist, was commissioned to paint a mural on one of the exterior walls of the Collingwood Technical School in Melbourne, Australia. Not surprisingly, there was a great deal of debate at the time as to whether the end product was graffiti elevated to the status of a mural or a mural demoted to the level of graffiti.

    Shortly afterwards, Haring started painting canvases and making print editions of his work - which were openly praised and promoted by Pop luminaries such as Andy Warhol. As a result, he was accepted as a "legitimate" artist and the prices for his work skyrocketed.

    Years passed. Haring died.

    Meanwhile, his Collingwood Technical School mural had, through simple exposure to the elements and neglect by its owners, begun to degrade. By the late 1990s it was in such a parlous state that a new debate arose. The question now was whether (or not) to preserve (or restore) it. A handful of commentators even suggested that it should just be allowed to rot away of its own accord. The underlying premises of this new debate, however, were nothing if not familiar: is it sophisticated graffiti or a crude mural, street art or art on the street? As far as I am aware, nothing permanent has been done one way or the other.

    My view is that the graffiti/mural distinction is not as important as the judgment we make, collectively, about the value of graffiti and murals as artifacts. Let's face it, some graffiti is artistic, while some murals are just plain vandalism!

    Whether what Eric has photographed is graffiti or a mural is, I think, far less pressing a matter than trying to grasp what a given work means in its social and geographical context. Can anyone offer us some sort of explanation, or even interpretation, of this image?

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  30. Bibi thinks that ESD is for Energy for Sustainable Development, as you can see the word "Oil" above them.

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  31. Ah..... I've never seen anything like this... It is one of my favourites from now on... What grace,what power!!!! MERCIE BEAUCOUP!!!!!!!

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  32. Very observant bibi!

    I finally see the story about Katoucha. What a shame... Thank you Petrea.

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  33. Great angle for the shot. Is the artist known?

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  34. Thank you so much, Monica. Kind of you to say.

    Michael today has been ok so far, perhaps you're right.

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  35. I, too, enjoy the mural. Not graffiti, but a mural!

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  36. Very nice!

    I also enjoyed watching Bertrand Delanoe's promotional video yesterday. It's powerful and quite convincing!

    Eric I still have trouble getting Avignon registered with city daily photo, but for those who are interested please note that Avignon is participating in this theme day.

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  37. Very nice. It looks as if 'he' is using an escalator.

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  38. I love the simple black and white.
    And of course nice shot with the staircase.
    Have a good WE.

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  39. Something to share with you: Paris street fashion here -

    The Sartorialist

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  40. Lynn I love that blog. Thanks for reminding me of it.

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  41. Isn't it great, Petrea. At the moment it's about Paris so i grabbed the chance to put it on here!

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  42. It's hard not to get lost in there. I could probably take a few lessons from it.

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  43. I knew you would have an awesome mural.....and I was right! Very nice.

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  44. oooh Lynn I enjoyed the link! I love fashion, so cool to see so many elegant people in the streets of Paris huh?!

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  45. Monica, I'm headed your way on Saturday. First need to go to Connecticut for a couple of days, back to Paris, then look out Brazil. Unfortunately, I won't make it to Rio yet again, but one day I'll be back down to soak in the sun and sights. This trip is all business, except for, of course, a visit or two with Mlle. Caï P. Irinha, but business in Brazil is oftentimes better than vacation in many other places....

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  46. Were there enough run-on sentences in that last comment or what?! Lynn will certainly be ashamed of my English.

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  47. Michael you go ahead and have fun with Mlle. Caï P. Irinha. I am jealous but what can I say?! You've traded Rio for Sao Paulo for good...

    Like we say here: Juízo!
    Careful with those drinks... the morning after people often don't remember what they were up to in the night before...!

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  48. Great choice Eric. A really nice mural.

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  49. I'll bite, Lucio. Artwork will never last forever, and I think Keith Haring wouldn't care a bit about his mural deteriorating. He started in the New York subways with chalk drawings, that lasted only momentarily.

    Graffiti artists take that concept of temporary and run with it. Do I think it is artwork? I think this one comes awfuly close. Look at the variety of textures found in the turban alone. It looks like it has been stenciled with an airbrush,and these textures really stand out on such a deliberately flattened figure . The perspective we feel is in the angle of the banister (or whatever it is), in front of the mural which provides that tension.
    I wrote a bit about the graffiti photo Feb 6th, with a bit more added on Feb 7th. That one stole an entire picture from directly from Banksey. I think that graffiti artist had a lot more to say
    gotta get off computer, sorry

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  50. Not at all Monica, I just can't be two places at the same time. And yes, sometimes it's good to forget the night before on the day after! ;-)

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  51. LOL Michael

    Seriously I wish you the best time here, even if you'll be working. It's great to have you in Brazil anyway!

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  52. Very detailed work. It looks like stencil art!

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  53. phx-cdh: Thanks for "biting", phx-cdh.

    I agree with what you say about Haring. In fact, it was one of the other arguments put forward at the time, and which I suppose still has some currency. I deliberately didn't bring it up because I think it's always dangerous to try and second guess the intentions of an artist - especially when they are dead. However, I do think there is enough circumstantial evidence, as it were, to assume that Haring would not have been unhappy to see his mural slowly fade to nothing. If his intention was for it to be ephemeral, however, it does make the brouhaha about its status and future seem like a bit of a joke, doesn't it? (I'm not taking sides - I'm just pointing it out.)

    And I concur, there is certainly something artistic about this image - although to what degree it is, or is not, a work of art will vary from viewer to viewer. But I find myself also wanting to ask: who made it - and why? Is it legal or illegal? Does its placement have some special significance, or is it simply that the wall was accessible and available?

    On the other hand, one could just enjoy looking at it, and the photo taken of it by Eric. One could always do worse than succumb to one's desire to look without regard to anything other than one's direct perceptions...

    Hey, Michael, if you are ever in this neck of the woods (Melbourne, Australia), don't forget to drop me a line so I can take you on a tour of the place I call home - for now.

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  54. A fine piece of art there and a worthy choice for the theme day :-)

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  55. Monica yes it's such an interesting fashion blog. A bonus to be in Paree too.
    Michael i am never ashamed of your English! I am, though, shamelessly curious and a little jealous of the mysterious Mlle. WHO is this interloper? Monica, do we need to panic yet? Do tell.

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  56. Great idea! i am creating my own today, inspired by you, of course. Eric, thanks!
    http://vancouverdailypix.blogspot.com/

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  57. coolpixfixer, be sure and check out the city daily photo blogs portal and join the blog group Eric founded. You'll find it here:
    http://dailyphotoblog.com/portal/

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  58. ohhhh, this made me look twice. I took a photo of some "alley graffiti" near my apartment in Taipei, Taiwan back in 2006 and I think you'll agree it not only looks similar...it is completely the same!

    take a look, eric:

    http://www.yeahokay.com/2006/08/new_blog_take_2.html

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