We’ve all seen street art in some shape or form, especially in the Atlanta area. Many people have that one piece they always see on their way through the city, and sometimes we can get attached. I never knew how much I loved seeing the VOMET and KNIFE tags on that one overpass over the Connector in downtown until the day they were painted over and the bridge returned to grey. (Soon after that, the overpass was redecorated by WRECK, MIBS, and SLAW, although they didn't last long there, either.) I understand the illegality part of it, what with private property and all, but I firmly believe graffiti is an important part of the city and the people.
I grew up in a small town, and there is one thing you can be sure of in all towns in Georgia: train tracks run straight through the middle. I've spent so many hours of my life waiting for a train to pass, and that's what started my interest in graffiti. The cool thing about tags on train cars is that you have no idea where the artist is from. Trains can end up in so many different cities! I have seen so many gorgeous, elaborate, and detailed pieces on train cars.
Several years ago, I was in Little Five Points during some kind of street art event. A particular wall was set aside for the artists, and each one completed part of a large mural on the side of a local business. As a kid, I loved the idea of painting outside on a brick wall for everyone to see, and it was after this that I started paying attention to graffiti in the city and taking note of which names I saw where. My favorites were VOMET and ENZO.
My interest was pretty passive until the overpass incident, in which my old friends were finally painted over and then replaced. Even though I was sad to see them go, I was excited to have new names to look for, and I sure have seen them everywhere since then. Sometimes it's in such a precarious place that I almost get a little concerned for their safety! It’s funny how after seeing the same names scattered throughout the city you can almost feel like you know these people.
Atlanta's graffiti and street art has been made famous through social media. People from all over the country have seen pictures of the Krog Street Tunnel and other graffiti hotspots. Also, the Living Walls Conference has brought recognition to legal Atlanta street art, but not everyone is into it. Since the foundation of the Atlanta Graffiti Task Force in 2011, the city has seen the disappearance of many greats, but the task force will forever have their work cut out for them as new artists are always appearing. Graffiti is the voice of the city, and we cannot be silenced.
