by Marcella Ortega
Daily Lobo
On sidewalks, bus stops and newspaper
dispensers, a new form of graffiti is appearing
all around campus.
It is called stencil graffiti. Stencilists create
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their designs in the form of a stencil, which
they use to fi lter spray-painted images onto
their surface of choice. They make stencils
out of cardboard, metal or anything else that
will allow a cutout.
Stenciling, which has blown up in Melbourne,
Australia - now known as the stencil
capital of the world - has been appearing
around campus more frequently in the past
few months.
Joel Straquadine, facilities manager for
the Physical Plant, said the University spends
around $50,000 every year cleaning graffiti. He said about two-thirds is spent on labor
and the other third is spent on material, which
includes paint, glass, solvents and cleaner.
Sidewalk chalking is protected as a right
for anyone who chooses to present their
ideas in that form, according to the University
Business Policies and Procedures
Manual.
"They wanted to give them somewhere to
express their thoughts," Straquadine said.
"It's something that's easily removable."
However, the policy forbids anything that is
destructive or materially damaging to University
property.
"If they paint, it is there forever," Straquadine
said. "That is graffiti, and we remove it."
What University policy considers material
damage is seen as an art form to Noah, a local
stencilist who refused to give his last name for
fear of self-incrimination. He has practiced
stencil graffiti for two years.
"Anyone can do them and express their own
individuality through them," he said.
Noah and his friend Justin, who also refused
to give his last name, became interested
in stencil graffiti when they lived next door to an experienced stencilist.
"It's how any artist is inspired,"
Noah said. "You see what other
people are doing and think, 'I can
do that different.'"
Justin said practicing stencil
graffiti is simple. All it takes is a
piece of cardboard and a can of
spray paint.
"Once you have the stencil, you
can reproduce over and over again,"
he said. "The most complex (stencils)
I've made have three colors."
Some of Justin's works include
a hand making a peace sign
and Richard Nixon in his famous
trademark salute with his arms
stretched out making peace signs.
"The peace sign I made for obvious
reasons," he said. "That's how
I feel."
One of Justin's most complex
works is a picture of Elvis Costello.
"I'm all about music," he said.
"You look at it, and it's like, 'rock
'n' roll.' It's better than putting a
guy standing there with a gun."
Noah said one of his favorite
works is a gonzo fist - Hunter S.
Thompson's symbol when he was
running for sheriff of Pitkin County,
Colo.
"I admire him," Noah said. "He
would do whatever he wanted to
regardless of what people thought
about him."
Although the two view stencil
graffiti as a way of expressing
themselves, they are aware of the
negative aspects involved in working
with it. Justin said some stencilists
have to carry weapons when
they are painting in rival neighborhoods.
"I haven't," he said. "But I don't
go out there."
Justin said conflict arises when
people change the stencils.
"If someone covers it, a lot of people
take offense," he said. "All we
are are artists. Violence shouldn't
be around art. They don't mix."
Justin said he is not concerned
that he is committing vandalism.
"It sucks," Justin said. "But it's
not like it's my sidewalk."
Although Noah and Justin view
their work as an art form, Joyce
Szabo, associate chairwoman and
professor of art and art history,
said she sees stencil graffiti as
vandalism.
"If it was their own home or a
canvas, then that would be art,"
she said. "People get hired to paint
murals. It is well known around
the world."
Szabo said the force required to
clean and repair surfaces ends up
costing time and money, which
ultimately translates into student
tuition increases further down
the line.
"This is not their property to deface,"
she said. "I don't care how
good it looks."
