Sunday Meandering part 1

It's been an interesting handful of years for graffiti and for the graffiti artists.  The vandalism or art questions, probably never resolved but it's certainly old news now.  The Taggers who created new art, or vandalism, over the older efforts...take your pick, art or vandalism.  Along the way the colors and creativity caught the attention of numerous photographers...me too.  Now I'm not sure what it's saying, but I think I have an idea.

Consider this image:

Multi-colored graffiti painted over with large stylized fat tags in white with black outlines telling us something I'm incapable of reading.  Over the top of that we see some person or groups calling cards, 4DC, CRUKK and what appears to be a political statement of sorts...RIP FIST.  Most recently in red we have 2 peoples names???  SOMEONE & CHARLIE DAWG.  Is this the equivalent of the heart with initials carved into a tree?  Cho Lite and Charlie Dawg true love.

What I think I'm seeing here, aside from an obvious community message board, is a reminder that street art is transitory.  If the artists don't understand that then the succeeding waves of artists explain it to them with paint.  Graffiti art in all it's forms is valid for about 15 minutes.  Just about right for photographers.