Glasgow's Graffiti Poetry: A Feature Article.

With Glasgow being the proud host of the Commonwealth Games this summer, I’ve noticed a smidge more colour than usual dashed across the city in what was an attempt to get Glasgow ‘dolled up’ for the influx of tourists and the eyes of the world. While wandering through the town, I have stumbled across more spray paintings, graffiti and quotes in the city centre. Although the photorealistic murals of giant girls with magnifying glasses picking up passers-by and black cabs being carried off into the sky by dozens of balloons are astounding; the graffiti and, more specifically, the words that have been etched onto the city’s walls are what have really been fascinating me. 

Quotes are a trend that have been seeping into popular culture and social media recently with more and more of us – I’ll admit I’m guilty of it too – posting thoughtful, inspiring and uplifting words, usually paraphrased and altered so many times that the true source has long been lost. And it would appear that this movement is also trickling into our community art. I recently came across a curious reworded quote by philosopher Lao Tzu in graffiti on Belmont Street, Glasgow that reads: “He who knows others is wise, she who knows herself is enlightened”. The reciting of these seemingly meaningful and profound statements are proof that as humans, we take comfort in words and although some quotes apparently from urban legend such as “when you can’t sleep at night, it’s because you’re awake in someone else’s dream” may seem far-fetched and even pretentious, I believe that, like with our fond notion of Nessie the Loch Ness monster, we may not truly believe but a small part of us would like to think it could be true.

While graffiti is often viewed merely as offensive, juvenile vandalism; if we squint our eyes and tilt our heads like we do when trying to make out the shapes in an abstract painting, it could be seen as a public expression of talent, culture and heritage. Although most of Glasgow’s professional-looking murals have indeed been commissioned by the authorities and are perfectly legal, the troubled spray painted words scribbled on walls by mystery poets are still widely considered as vandalism and are subsequently destroyed. But what if like those who scrubbed away pieces of ‘graffiti’ that were in fact the works of Banksy, we are washing away potentially famous quotes from the next Robert Burns? While I don’t agree with defacing public property and have a low view of those who mindlessly vandalise our toilet cubicles, national landmarks and communal buildings with profanity, I would find it hard to imagine Glasgow, or indeed any other major city, as a blank canvas without its murals, contemporary street art and poetic graffiti. Like the comradery and pride that Glasgow takes in replacing the famous traffic cone on the statue of the Duke of Wellington’s head each time it is removed by a council employee, I think we can all admit that on occasion it’s hard not to smile at the expressions of Glasgow’s droll, creative and intelligent character that are often misunderstood and branded as vandalism.