[PL1]

Totally agree. The amount of tagging in this city is gross. Just looks awful and trashy.

There is ZERO enforcement. The City doesn't care at all (unless it's hate speech/symbols.)

I was standing next to a police officer once as someone was tagging a bridge 50 feet away. I said, "Oh! Officer look, he's vandalizing that bridge right over there!" And the officer looked and said, "Call 311."

Argh.

Toronto Police Service... They seriously went downhill in terms of enforcement in my perception when Saunders became Chief and have not recovered.

I noticed on Saturday one of the benches along Cherry had a broken plank, and there was some scratchiti on on of the bridges, too. I was running, and didn't have time for a photo.

 

[unrealestate]

Totally agree. The amount of tagging in this city is gross. Just looks awful and trashy.

There is ZERO enforcement. The City doesn't care at all (unless it's hate speech/symbols.)

I was standing next to a police officer once as someone was tagging a bridge 50 feet away. I said, "Oh! Officer look, he's vandalizing that bridge right over there!" And the officer looked and said, "Call 311."

Argh.

I think Toronto has an acceptable amount of graffiti. i dont find it egregious. it adds character, even shitty tags

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Way too much graffiti. Can we start increasing the penalties/enforcement? Maybe start with the spray button finger?

*Imagines public yubitsume ceremonies in front of City Hall for offenders*

 

[PL1]

I think Toronto has an acceptable amount of graffiti. i dont find it egregious. it adds character, even shitty tags

I don't mind some of it (especially the stuff I consider artistic), but there's definitely a lot of crappy bubble letter tags now (e.g. on a couple of nearby storefronts, and covering a local commissioned "wing" art). E.g. (credit Stephanie Rentel on FB: Danforth - EastYork Woodbine Community)

Tagging for the sake of tagging is (IMHO) not art, and not desirable.

 

[unrealestate]

I don't mind some of it (especially the stuff I consider artistic), but there's definitely a lot of crappy bubble letter tags now (e.g. on a couple of nearby storefronts, and covering a local commissioned "wing" art). E.g. (credit Stephanie Rentel on FB: Danforth - EastYork Woodbine Community)
View attachment 602829
Tagging for the sake of tagging is (IMHO) not art, and not desirable.

i agree, tagging an actual mural is lame

 

[hawc]

I think Toronto has an acceptable amount of graffiti. It adds character, even shitty tags

Do weeds add character to a garden? Does mold add character to bread? Does rust add character to a car? Does cancer add character to...

 

[evandyk]

Do weeds add character to a garden? Does mold add character to bread?

They can, yes. Sourdough yeast is pretty much mold. Mold definitely adds character to some cheeses. Wildflowers are just "weeds". Much like graffiti, some forms of mold and weeds are considered really nice.

 

[unrealestate]

Do weeds add character to a garden? Does mold add character to bread? Does rust add character to a car? Does cancer add character to...

graffiti is done by people, usually young people. to me it makes the city feel lived in. there is a point where it can be too much, but to me Toronto has an OK amount

 

[PL1]

graffiti is done by people, usually young people. to me it makes the city feel lived in. there is a point where it can be too much, but to me Toronto has an OK amount

Graffiti Alley off Queen W is generally good. I like most of the graffiti on the Leaside bridge pillars in the Don Valley. I don't like tagging. It does work in some places, but generally (to me) is visual noise.

 

[Dr. Snoot]

This thread is getting off track.

To me, graffiti anywhere that it isn't explicitly or implicitly authorized is a sign that people don't care about each other, they don't value private / public property, and that law enforcement or maintenance is poor. Whether you like it aesthetically or not is somewhat irrelevant -- it's objectively bad for moral and societal reasons.

Even on an aesthetic basis, I think 90% of people would agree 90% of graffiti (especially tags) makes a city uglier.

 

[milkycontent]

Obviously graffiti is often annoying and sometimes beautiful but it's also present in pretty much every city in the world. I think some of you are a little overly obsessed.

 

[mburrrrr]

Obviously graffiti is often annoying and sometimes beautiful but it's also present in pretty much every city in the world. I think some of you are a little overly obsessed.

Guilty.
I fixed it. I feel better now.

 

[UrbanAffair]

I grew up in New York (Brooklyn) in the 80s. Let me know when it gets that bad. Until then I hope we give as much energy to the bigger issues as we do graffiti, like oh I don't know, education, ensuring people have enough food and shelter, the fentanyl epidemic, etc.

I don't love graffiti, especially tagging, but I do love the art mural pieces. I even had my garage muralized by a friend who is an artist. (new adverb created by me. )
In fact, I feel pretty strongly that the mural he did has actually DECREASED the likelihood of my garage, situated in an alleyway, being tagged.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Obviously graffiti is often annoying and sometimes beautiful but it's also present in pretty much every city in the world. I think some of you are a little overly obsessed.

...obsession, nah! Wait till we start talking about utility poles!

 

[unrealestate]

i think we can all agree the worst graffiti artist in the city is Toronto Hydro