I have noticed that there is a lot of graffiti along the motorways in the Vaud. It surprises me that the authorities do not seem to have a policy of removing it. Is this true? Is there a reason they leave it? The rest of the country is so clean....

It's not just Vaud it seems like it's everywhere !!!!

I love street art. Some of the writers are really good. If only they are given a proper canvas to show their artistic talent.


Not really mate, come to Bern and you'll see how dirty the city centre is.

I agree. In Basel, there are a few spots where they let them do their work in peace, and the art is fantastic.

A city isn't a city to me without graffiti.

I've got a big pile of pictures of graffiti in Geneva, I went for a walk once, looking for them, there is quite an amazing choice.

I agree that the real artistic graffiti is quite something, but all that scribbled stuff is just awful, it's like living in the bronx.

What amazed me was that there was this great piece of art at Hardbrucke and instead of covering up the rubbish stuff the authorities have now painted over it!!! Sensible.....

Still good news, some graffiti has now been removed from my local park area! I guess it's all part of city living!

This explains a lot to me. When I was in Geneva last summer I was shocked at the amount of graffiti around the city (even in the really "high rent" areas or on historic old buildings) and couldn't believe that authorities hadn't removed it. It makes sense that people find it a part of the city's culture. That attitude just really isn't natural to me coming from the U.S. (where graffiti tends to be limited more to the "inner" city). Just another example of cultural differences I'll enjoy learning more about when I get to Switzerland!

Though I do agree that there is a big difference between the art and the gang tagging scribble that makes an area look apocolyptic!

It’s hard to believe that the amount of Graffiti visible in Zurich.

It seems everyplace u look somebody has signed his name or sprayed some ugly incomprehensible crap ?

Seems to be a problem also in the neighboring towns and villages.

Yesterday, I tried to identify a bridge that isn’t covered in the crap on the way home.

The worst I have seen is the Uitliberg tunnel in the west – it isn’t even open yet and already covered with Graffiti

It would be nice if the local police were as effective at combating this as they are at catching us for speeding

Comments ?

Great post gottogo.

I personally hate graffiti. Often taking a pic in a city centre of near some beauty spot is marred by this insidious "artwork"

That and littering. Sadly in the past twelve years that I've been resident in this otherwise beautiful land, i've seen it starting to take more and more space up on the lovely buildings / structures here.

I'm all for stiffer penalties for those caught doing it.

I remember the first time I came to Zurich some 20 odd years ago. No graffiti, litter...kind of like Disneyland. When I moved here, I was amazed to see it. My apartment agent remarked that it was just "kids having fun." Quite surprised to hear that.

fduvall

interesting - when I came to Zurich in '95, the place was covered in it. So a busy 10 years with the spraypaint was had, I'd say.

I don't even notice it anymore. Is that bad?

I can't recall Zurich without graffiti. I first came here in 1982 and moved here in 89.

There was a house that was renovated in the early 90s in Zurich Unterstras where the tram 7 runs. When they painted the outside of the house, the house painters sprayed it with their own graffiti for the first 3 metres above ground level - so the house owner could at least have a choice of what was sprayed on his house.

I put the amount of graffiti down to too much money - those spray cans cost a bob or two...

I think I was first here in '84. I guess I didn't see the graffiti. I remember it being extremely clean and tidy, though.

-fduvall

On a similar note, the local council decided to whitewash one of this guys "art" works off a pub wall in Brighton. Was worth about 80k...

Banksy

Shame tag spraying looks such a mess, you wouldn't mind so much if it was a genuine attempt at artwork. Suppose they have to start somewhere though.

Thanks for that, I've heard of this guy a lot but never realised how creative he is. I used to hate graffiti but the older I get the more chilled I am about this sort of stuff.

By the time I retire I'll probably be an anarchist.

My favourite....

Banksy : Cuttings : The Guardian

very good

although these are commercial, quite creative anyway

My feelings towards this are that yes it is OK for there to be dedicated areas, where people can create a work of art, which both takes time and a significant degree of artistic talent however, random swirls, lines, scribles etc., are both unsightly and frankly downright annoying. For this category of "art" I feel that society is long overdue for a culling and personally if I encounter one of these so called "artists" decorating the exterior of my apartment, they will very quickly find a entirely new use for their spray can ... so they had better keep their vaseline handy!

If you like graffiti, there's one piece here on Josefstrasse, near Hardbrucke, on the recycling building. Some guy painted around a wrecking ball type of thing. People stop in buses to take pictures of it...

I do not mind art, but the kids in our village cannot even write properly. Their scrawl is over our newly renovated railway station. No pictures just nicknames and English swear words spelt wrong. Maybe one night I will buy a few cans of white and put it back to "normal". Knowing my luck, I will be the one to get caught by the police.
My sister sent me this - this is what I call 3D street art.
http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm