Guest
Emerging from the human psyche and showing characteristics of abstract expressionism, minimalism and Russian constructivism, graffiti removal has secured its place in the history of modern art while being created by artists who are unconscious of their artistic achievements. It is no coincidence that funding for “anti-graffiti” campaigns often outweighs funding for the arts. Graffiti removal has subverted the common obstacles blocking creative expression and become one of the more intriguing and important art movements of our time. The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal (USA, 2001, 16 min) is an experimental documentary directed by filmmaker Matt McCormick and narrated by Miranda July based on original ideas and concepts of Avalon Kalin, that makes the tongue-in-cheek argument that municipal efforts by Portland, Oregon to mask and erase graffiti is an important new movement in modern art.
