Jump to content

My Master's Thesis on Grafftit


russell jones

Recommended Posts

What's up everyone. I have been lurking on this board for a little bit, but have not made a formal introduction. My name is Russell Jones, I'm not a writer, but have many friends that are. I am a hip hop dj and got involved with some writers that way.

 

I am also working on a master's degree in art history at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and I am an art teacher at Owens Community College right here in Toledo, Ohio. I try to get my students hip to graff, and I include the link to this site on the course sites for my classes.

 

Right now, I am interviewing writers, especially those from here in the midwest. I am mostly asking what writers think about permission walls, art galleries and bombing. If anyone on this board would like to be involved in this project it would be a great help to me and it would be a chance to vent your views, increase understanding and possibly even promote yourself. In the future, this thesis wil hopefully be turned into a book about writing in the Midwest.

 

So if you would like to be interviewed, please PM me and let me know. I don't think I have to say this, but do not use your real name with any correspondence with me. I have strict rules for security that are mandated by my University, so I have to keep everyone protected from any harm. Again, any help that any of you could give me towards finishing this project would be greatly appreciated. You would be a part of something that I think could be really great.

 

Also, if anyone has any suggestions on how I could get more participants, let me know. Much respect,

 

Russell Jones

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This forum is supported by the 12ozProphet Shop, so go buy a shirt and help support!
This forum is brought to you by the 12ozProphet Shop.
This forum is brought to you by the 12oz Shop.

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

what kind of name is russel jones. This guy is probably an oinker.

 

 

I'm not, but my real name is Russell Jones. If you would like, you can go here https://www.owens.edu/cgi-bin/class.pl and look up "art" for the subject and "101" for the course and you will get classes with my name. I also have a myspace site, http://www.myspace.com/djrusselljones if you want to find out more about me.

 

 

It is of course up to you if you wish to take the risk, to protect your identity. All information that you send me will be securely destroyed within 6 months.

 

 

I have interviewed members of the RA crew here in Toledo, if that helps to establish my trustworthiness.

 

By the way, thanks to the board members who have already participated. More is better though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

know what pisses me off? people who write about graf and study it always write about the scene and the illegallity of it.

 

Why don't you for once just focus on the art form itself? That I would be interested in reading about. I could care less whether its a felony in Boston or people in Toledo like rap music or taht someone in Orlando does "it" as a protest against yada yada yada...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

Why don't you for once just focus on the art form itself? That I would be interested in reading about. I could care less whether its a felony in Boston or people in Toledo like rap music or taht someone in Orlando does "it" as a protest against yada yada yada...

Because its usually the ones that dont understand the artform, that want to write papers about it...and the ones that DO participate/understand graffiti could give a shit about writing papers about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

know what pisses me off? people who write about graf and study it always write about the scene and the illegallity of it.

 

Why don't you for once just focus on the art form itself? That I would be interested in reading about. I could care less whether its a felony in Boston or people in Toledo like rap music or taht someone in Orlando does "it" as a protest against yada yada yada...

 

 

The reason why I am not focusing on the artform itself, is because many of the writers I have talked to and interviewed do not consider it to be art at all, but some do, like yourself. I am just trying to get people's opinions, and it sounds like you have one. My paper does not just talk about illegality, that's just one chapter. The rest of it is about graffiti in galleries, permission walls and advertising.

 

This is the reason I want to interview people, because you all have different opinions and I want to understand what writer's think. I would like to write a paper about the art itself, but I need to understand more before I can do it. That's were the interviews come in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

Because its usually the ones that dont understand the artform' date=' that want to write papers about it...and the ones that DO participate/understand graffiti could give a shit about writing papers about it.[/quote']

 

I think that is a valid point, but it also generalizes the writer community. Everyone has a different opinion. Obviously some graffiti writers do give a shit, because I have had them contact me about being part of this project.

 

 

Some many people that have written about graffiti don't even bother to talk to graffiti writers, they just try to lay some kind of postmodern bullshit theory on it and move on without even making an attempt to understand what's up. That's what I am trying to do, understand. Because I'm not a graffiti writer, you could say that I will never understand fully, and obviously you're right. But by doing an interview with me, you could express all of your opinions. If you think it's bullshit and not worth your time, that's fine, it's your opinion, but not all writer's share your opinion.

 

I think graffiti is something people need to know about, to understand and to respect. That's what I'm trying to do here. I get sick of all the shit that is said in the news media about it, especially when I see the dedication to bombing and craft that is exhibited by the graffiti writers around here.

 

I should say that I don't write graffiti because I just don't express myself in that way, I'm into scratching and mixing for that. I don't think it stops me from appreciating graffiti though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

know what pisses me off? people who write about graf and study it always write about the scene and the illegallity of it.

 

Why don't you for once just focus on the art form itself? That I would be interested in reading about. I could care less whether its a felony in Boston or people in Toledo like rap music or taht someone in Orlando does "it" as a protest against yada yada yada...

 

 

By the way, if you were to write an article about graffiti, what would you write about? I know you say the art form itself, but what kind of specific kinds of things would you want to say. I am honestly interested in your opinion, because I agree that a discussion of the artform is sorely missing in most of the writing I see about graffiti.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

no but seriously.....if i was from the midwest i would participate....i dont think theres many writers on here from toledo bumfuck whereever....if you needed some west coast interviews holla at me

Thanks 10 dollar, check your PM's.

 

I'll interview people from all around the country, because I want as many opinions as possible. Writers from all over the world are welcome and encouraged to participate as well.

 

There are a few writers here from Toledo on the board, there just isn't a lot of writers in Toledo in general! I've seen posts by the RA crew on here, which includes the late HEIST. But the ones I have met so far are real serious, so give them respect!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

I think graffiti is something people need to know about, to understand and to respect. That's what I'm trying to do here. .

 

Fuck that. I dont want people to "understand" or "respect" graffiti. That will never happen. Society will never respect destruction of private property, graffiti will always be looked down upon by society at large and I like it that way. I think its fuuny whenever theres a gallery show and the owner ends up getting pissed off at the chaos that ensues (fights, vandalism, broken bottles etc...).Thats what you get for trying to take something as wild as graffiti off the streets and into the confines of your gallery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

my views are this.

 

im sick of people claiming they do graffiti for political purposes. that's just a fucking excuse. unless you write what your political views are next to every scrawl you do you're a liar. i think some people tell themselves that lie for so long that they actually start believing it. im sorry, but seeing colorful letters does not make me want to go out and vote or promote reform.

 

same with people who do it for the art. go do it in your basement if its for the art.

 

this shit is for fame. fuck what you heard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

my views are this.

 

im sick of people claiming they do graffiti for political purposes. that's just a fucking excuse. unless you write what your political views are next to every scrawl you do you're a liar. i think some people tell themselves that lie for so long that they actually start believing it. im sorry, but seeing colorful letters does not make me want to go out and vote or promote reform.

 

same with people who do it for the art. go do it in your basement if its for the art.

 

this shit is for fame. fuck what you heard.

 

Most of the writers I have interviewed so far have said the same thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

.

This is the reason I want to interview people, because you all have different opinions and I want to understand what writer's think. That's were the interviews come in.

 

ok, so this would be a problem for your writing

apostrophes are used in posessives, not plurals.

ha, yeah, you know that, i'm being an asshole though.

 

i started writing because i was into art and bored with what i was doing with it at 17..drawing and doodling and fucking with calligraphy and photography

graffiti fused [some of] the things i love in life: art, creativity, danger, excitement, destruction,

and things i came to love: an underground culture with a sense of elitism through hazing, and the anonymity/recognition paradox inherent in the scene

 

i hate people. i hate society.

if it destroys itself i will view that as the ultimate fulfillment of mankind's destiny

graf is my therapy

and sure, of course the fame is cool.

but i haven't really gotten much. there is a lot of favoritism in the art world, it can be a lot more about who you know than what you've done when it comes to mags, books, the internet, and media

 

if fame was the only reason i wrote, i would've stopped a long time ago. there is a small scene in my city and not too many people in it i interact with. i haven't really gotten much recognition for all the work i've put in over the years. i was put down with a big crew a few years back and that was the major validation of my career

fame is a big motivator for keeping me going back again and again..and again, and again . and then some more.

but i feel incredibly anxious/stressed if i don't paint too, and fame isn't what gets me going to the sketchbook to try to improve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

my views are this.

 

im sick of people claiming they do graffiti for political purposes. that's just a fucking excuse. unless you write what your political views are next to every scrawl you do you're a liar. i think some people tell themselves that lie for so long that they actually start believing it. im sorry, but seeing colorful letters does not make me want to go out and vote or promote reform.

 

same with people who do it for the art. go do it in your basement if its for the art.

 

this shit is for fame. fuck what you heard.

 

 

 

What about fun. It's fun to write on shit that doesn't belong to you. It's fun to creep in the shadows all cloak and dagger like... shit is great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

What about fun. It's fun to write on shit that doesn't belong to you. It's fun to creep in the shadows all cloak and dagger like... shit is great.

 

 

No doubt. I used to skateboard. It was fun to rip up shit wherever you wanted, run from cops, jump down big stairs, slam hard and get back up. Would anybody be doing it if it wasn't fun?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: My Master's Thesis on Graffit

 

Why are so many people writing papers about graffiti? Write your thesis abou something else, like manatees

 

 

manat2.jpg

 

LMAFO OMFG THAT IS FUCKING SO FUNNY, I DONT KNOW WHY BUT THAT COMMENT MADE ME FUCKING LAUGH VERY HARD!! GOOD JOB DUDE! ( FLAVICON )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...