I'm not sure if you're lambasting or praising this? Personally, I don't have any problems with this specific example and think it's a neat artistic expression (maybe not my taste, however). Would it be different if it were made of tile and called a mosaic? The difference here is that this mural seems to have been a commissioned and planned artwork. If memory serves, I think the artist even included his/her phone number.
HOWEVER, I loathe crap tagging and lame illegal graffiti.
This is not art. You can say anything is art for the sake of making it right. But doing this stuff on building walls is not art and very 3rd world country.
I think this discussion hinges on whether or not the building owner wanted this done (I contend that they did). As far as I'm concerned, if the owner wants to paint an exterior wall lime green with a hot-pink checkerboard overlay, it may not be pretty but it's his/her right.
Everything else relating to whether or not this constitutes "art" is subjective and beside the point.
Hey r., "third world country"? That makes no sense, and frankly that kind of unintelligent response doesn't really serve your cause well.
I too think this is in a hazy area. We don't know whether the owner of the building gave permission or not. Assuming he did, I too think it's probably no worse than any other kind of ugly paint job. And like it or not (I don't), it's obvious that some level of artistic talent went into the piece. Of course even legal graffiti art isn't exactly the best way to promote the safety and beauty of a neighborhood, and I'm definitely uncomfortable with it's close relationship with the illegal sort that usually tends to have less (or no) artistic value. So in the end, not really thrilled it's there. Still, hard to get too outraged, because it could be worse, and there are bigger fish to fry.
Look if you like this kind of stuff go to Detroit. If you want Chicago to look like the wasteland then support it. Call me what ever you want but I don't find this art work and I have no agenda other to make the comment this is ghetto plain and simple. The way Chicago is going with the use of the Tiffs and the flat dictatorship of the Alderman's agenda's and not the majority of the people I really don't see where Chicago will be that nice of a place in 10 years. If you want a different look on the walls then it should be done in the first place and have to get approval by zoning and signed off on and have a permit to do it.
Also if you can't buy spray paint in the City why would Helen support a fair teaching kids how to deface property.
Listen r., I suspect that our interests in Uptown's future are at least 95% identical - look at my previous comments on this blog.
Just saying, the way you talk about things doesn't help one bit, comes off as a bit racist, and only serves to reinforce the stereotypical image of yuppie condo owners that Helen Shiller uses so well in her politics.
And I didn't call YOU anything, just commented on what I thought was a poor choice of words in your post.
I am not racist but if wanting clean streets, clean walls nice buildings and makes me racist then I don't know what racisism is. I am not a yuppie condo owner. Rather a condo owners mortgaged to the hilt First/Second that goes to work everyday and I get real tired of having to use kid gloves with the ways of Uptown. Had I known what Uptown was I would have never moved to Uptown. I am sick of having to deal with the eliments in Uptown that don't rent or own. And I am not afraid to say it. I don't mind the crazy lady that always talks to herself and sleeps on the hard sidewalk by my place every morning becuase I know she is really mentally ill(It would be nice if Helen's SS orgs would really help the women). But I do mind the thugs, gang bangers and drug users, white trash, brown trash eliment in Uptown that don't care about anyone but themselves and have no respect for anyone elese. Not to mention being asked for change everyday buy someone. Uptown will never change until people have the balls to say this is what is wrong with Uptown and act up. Let Helen and her mafia control you if you want but I don't work for Helen Shiller or anyone in Uptown. She's a pos of that is why Uptown is the only ward that is so run down in the North.
Hey I have better things to worry about then my gramer on a blog. Uptown is full of bunch of wimps. In 4 years I will use my pocket book to good use for the right candidate. I just hope until then someone can get organized and blow the lid off the Wilson Yard shit and other things going on in this ward. Hopefully when they re draw bounderies I won't be in Helen's ward. At least up in Rogers Park Moore has a real challenger and a fighter to take him on.
Why don't you get spell check. Who has the time for this bs anyway. It's a bunch of people that all they do is complain but don't mobilize and hire legal council to get something done. I am beginning to get a clear picture of Uptown residents. Also I am at work so I don't have time for my posts to be masterpieces but I think most people get the point. I won't comment anymore. Don't worry. Tired of the complainers that don't want to do anything.
You're understandably bitter. You mortgaged yourself "to the hilt" to buy a condo in a neighborhood you didn't really research ahead of time ("Had I known what Uptown was I would have never moved to Uptown.") Too bad you didn’t walk around for a few minutes, huh? Might’ve seen some graffiti and such.
Big bummer.
However, I think you're venting here about ALL of Uptown's woes--most of which, I agree, do suck--in a way that's unrelated to the original post. As a result, you've ended up arguing with someone who is philosophically aligned with you.
If this is how well you work with people who agree with you, I shudder to think how off-putting your political foes view you.
It is clear to me based on UU's post that the UU blogger is clearly on r.'s side. UU puts Uptown in a very negative light that is a detriment to this community, whatever free speech rights may or may not exist
to: Concerned Resident said... R., just what have you done other than complain and spout borderline racist opinions on this blog? Probably nothing. I think you're all talk, buddy.
My Reply:
Hey since I moved to Uptown I have been asking for someone to form a group for all of Uptown or tell me of a group that is already formed where I can get involved, contribute money to and do what we need to do to make real changes in Uptown and expose, sue stop Shiller's back room dealings with Wilson Yard and SRO'S, developers etc. It appears if Target says they aren't coming then she is lying.(Expose that) All I am told is to join a book club. All I am told when I see things call the Police. It would be nice to have one funded united group to address these things. It takes lawyers and money to force people to be accountable to the residents. No one I have talked to voted for Shiller but she got elected again. Why not have this group or a group challenge her on everything. Make her life a living hell? Maybe if she got a lot of heat with a well funded lawyered up group she would do different and possible not run again next time. Everyone complains about her but no one goes after her or holds her accountable. She has her little special hearings on issues and then does what she wanted to do in the first place with out regard to the residents on the street or block.
Further it would be nice to do some mapping of Uptown as to how many and which residential units are subsidized housing per block. Also map out who owns what buildings that are causing problems.(drug dealing/prostitution etc). I would like the hard figures on how many social service orgs/SRO are in Uptown compared to other wards. Hard figures unlike what Shiller has.
i p, you make no sense, again. And your constant reverting to name calling is a good example of the UU crowd, the understanding and knowledge. If I said anything remotely like your name calling, I'd be warned by UU. It's funny that you will say Shiller is the cause of creating division for political gain. Try sobriety for a while.
Let's face it Shiller is only helpful to the poor and indigent and then she really does do much for them either except let them live on the streets. If our social services that she so likes to brag about was working in Uptown we would have less homesless and less graf walls etc.
She is one of the worst alderman Chicago has. Probably worse than Joe Moore.
Seen near Broadway and Sheridan. "Graffti Busters," anyone?
I'm not sure if you're lambasting or praising this? Personally, I don't have any problems with this specific example and think it's a neat artistic expression (maybe not my taste, however). Would it be different if it were made of tile and called a mosaic? The difference here is that this mural seems to have been a commissioned and planned artwork. If memory serves, I think the artist even included his/her phone number.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER, I loathe crap tagging and lame illegal graffiti.
It's a very fine and subjective line, I realize.
This is not art. You can say anything is art for the sake of making it right. But doing this stuff on building walls is not art and very 3rd world country.
ReplyDeleteI think this discussion hinges on whether or not the building owner wanted this done (I contend that they did). As far as I'm concerned, if the owner wants to paint an exterior wall lime green with a hot-pink checkerboard overlay, it may not be pretty but it's his/her right.
ReplyDeleteEverything else relating to whether or not this constitutes "art" is subjective and beside the point.
Hey r., "third world country"? That makes no sense, and frankly that kind of unintelligent response doesn't really serve your cause well.
ReplyDeleteI too think this is in a hazy area. We don't know whether the owner of the building gave permission or not. Assuming he did, I too think it's probably no worse than any other kind of ugly paint job. And like it or not (I don't), it's obvious that some level of artistic talent went into the piece. Of course even legal graffiti art isn't exactly the best way to promote the safety and beauty of a neighborhood, and I'm definitely uncomfortable with it's close relationship with the illegal sort that usually tends to have less (or no) artistic value. So in the end, not really thrilled it's there. Still, hard to get too outraged, because it could be worse, and there are bigger fish to fry.
Look if you like this kind of stuff go to Detroit. If you want Chicago to look like the wasteland then support it. Call me what ever you want but I don't find this art work and I have no agenda other to make the comment this is ghetto plain and simple. The way Chicago is going with the use of the Tiffs and the flat dictatorship of the Alderman's agenda's and not the majority of the people I really don't see where Chicago will be that nice of a place in 10 years. If you want a different look on the walls then it should be done in the first place and have to get approval by zoning and signed off on and have a permit to do it.
ReplyDeleteAlso if you can't buy spray paint in the City why would Helen support a fair teaching kids how to deface property.
Listen r., I suspect that our interests in Uptown's future are at least 95% identical - look at my previous comments on this blog.
ReplyDeleteJust saying, the way you talk about things doesn't help one bit, comes off as a bit racist, and only serves to reinforce the stereotypical image of yuppie condo owners that Helen Shiller uses so well in her politics.
And I didn't call YOU anything, just commented on what I thought was a poor choice of words in your post.
I am not racist but if wanting clean streets, clean walls nice buildings and makes me racist then I don't know what racisism is. I am not a yuppie condo owner. Rather a condo owners mortgaged to the hilt First/Second that goes to work everyday and I get real tired of having to use kid gloves with the ways of Uptown. Had I known what Uptown was I would have never moved to Uptown. I am sick of having to deal with the eliments in Uptown that don't rent or own. And I am not afraid to say it. I don't mind the crazy lady that always talks to herself and sleeps on the hard sidewalk by my place every morning becuase I know she is really mentally ill(It would be nice if Helen's SS orgs would really help the women). But I do mind the thugs, gang bangers and drug users, white trash, brown trash eliment in Uptown that don't care about anyone but themselves and have no respect for anyone elese. Not to mention being asked for change everyday buy someone. Uptown will never change until people have the balls to say this is what is wrong with Uptown and act up. Let Helen and her mafia control you if you want but I don't work for Helen Shiller or anyone in Uptown. She's a pos of that is why Uptown is the only ward that is so run down in the North.
ReplyDeleteHey R., how am I letting Shiller "control" me and how are you not? Do your grammatically challenged online rants exempt you from her control?
ReplyDeleteTo be taken seriously, you need to be tough and intelligent. You've got the tough part down (in an anonymous web-posting sorta way).
Hey I have better things to worry about then my gramer on a blog. Uptown is full of bunch of wimps. In 4 years I will use my pocket book to good use for the right candidate. I just hope until then someone can get organized and blow the lid off the Wilson Yard shit and other things going on in this ward. Hopefully when they re draw bounderies I won't be in Helen's ward. At least up in Rogers Park Moore has a real challenger and a fighter to take him on.
ReplyDeleteOn what basis do you label Uptown Update as full of wimps? Proper spelling? Ability to communicate?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you get spell check. Who has the time for this bs anyway. It's a bunch of people that all they do is complain but don't mobilize and hire legal council to get something done. I am beginning to get a clear picture of Uptown residents. Also I am at work so I don't have time for my posts to be masterpieces but I think most people get the point.
ReplyDeleteI won't comment anymore. Don't worry. Tired of the complainers that don't want to do anything.
R., just what have you done other than complain and spout borderline racist opinions on this blog? Probably nothing. I think you're all talk, buddy.
ReplyDeleteR.,
ReplyDeleteYou're understandably bitter. You mortgaged yourself "to the hilt" to buy a condo in a neighborhood you didn't really research ahead of time ("Had I known what Uptown was I would have never moved to Uptown.") Too bad you didn’t walk around for a few minutes, huh? Might’ve seen some graffiti and such.
Big bummer.
However, I think you're venting here about ALL of Uptown's woes--most of which, I agree, do suck--in a way that's unrelated to the original post. As a result, you've ended up arguing with someone who is philosophically aligned with you.
If this is how well you work with people who agree with you, I shudder to think how off-putting your political foes view you.
It is clear to me based on UU's post that the UU blogger is clearly on r.'s side. UU puts Uptown in a very negative light that is a detriment to this community, whatever free speech rights may or may not exist
ReplyDeleteIDS,
ReplyDelete"whatever free speech rights may or may not exist". WTF
Who the hell are you? Helen Shiller or another mayoral toady? I'm quite sure da mare would love to limit criticism.
You want to limit people's rights to criticize because you don't agree?
You are an asshat. Go to urbandictionary.com to look it up or do a google image search. You ASSHAT!
The Uptown Update covers the good and bad in Uptown. It is a fine resource and I am glad it is here.
Look at all the posts they have about new businesses. Look at their post about the Chase Park festival. That ain't negativity. That ain't bullshit.
They also cover the bad. Which is equally as important to cover.
Now if you don't like this blog I suggest you not read it. Very simple.
From now on I shall call you "Cranius Rectumus".
There is a reason the First Amendment is the FIRST. Figure it out.
to: Concerned Resident said...
ReplyDeleteR., just what have you done other than complain and spout borderline racist opinions on this blog? Probably nothing. I think you're all talk, buddy.
My Reply:
Hey since I moved to Uptown I have been asking for someone to form a group for all of Uptown or tell me of a group that is already formed where I can get involved, contribute money to and do what we need to do to make real changes in Uptown and expose, sue stop Shiller's back room dealings with Wilson Yard and SRO'S, developers etc. It appears if Target says they aren't coming then she is lying.(Expose that) All I am told is to join a book club. All I am told when I see things call the Police. It would be nice to have one funded united group to address these things. It takes lawyers and money to force people to be accountable to the residents. No one I have talked to voted for Shiller but she got elected again. Why not have this group or a group challenge her on everything. Make her life a living hell? Maybe if she got a lot of heat with a well funded lawyered up group she would do different and possible not run again next time. Everyone complains about her but no one goes after her or holds her accountable. She has her little special hearings on issues and then does what she wanted to do in the first place with out regard to the residents on the street or block.
Further it would be nice to do some mapping of Uptown as to how many and which residential units are subsidized housing per block. Also map out who owns what buildings that are causing problems.(drug dealing/prostitution etc). I would like the hard figures on how many social service orgs/SRO are in Uptown compared to other wards. Hard figures unlike what Shiller has.
ReplyDeletenice photo,
ReplyDeletenice graff wall.....
better than a blank nothingness.
i p, you make no sense, again. And your constant reverting to name calling is a good example of the UU crowd, the understanding and knowledge. If I said anything remotely like your name calling, I'd be warned by UU. It's funny that you will say Shiller is the cause of creating division for political gain. Try sobriety for a while.
ReplyDeleteARRRRRRRGG!
IDS:
ReplyDeleteLet's face it Shiller is only helpful to the poor and indigent and then she really does do much for them either except let them live on the streets. If our social services that she so likes to brag about was working in Uptown we would have less homesless and less graf walls etc.
She is one of the worst alderman Chicago has. Probably worse than Joe Moore.
IDS,
ReplyDeleteI said you were an "asshat".
That is not name calling.
To anyone else it would be an insult.
To you it is a compliment and a statement of fact.