VA

The tag VA can be found all over Halifax without looking too hard. In four or five graffiti photographing walks (TagBagging) I’ve collected more than 50 examples of this distinctive Tag. Not only is (s)he prolific, but (s)he is one of the few taggers who works in various styles – a traditionally written VA, an outline style VA, a throw-up here and there tagged VA. A veritable renaissance (wo)man among graffiti artists. The Tag VA is made up of 3 bold confident lines, seemingly put up without hurry – of course who needs to worry when you only have 2 letters to paint, as opposed to a more complex Tag. Unlike many other VA usually respects personal private property – a few exceptions around the corners of Windsor and Cunard excepted.

Among the handfull of pieces that I would consider at some level as being ‘Art’ ; VA is over-represented.


VA clearly knows HEUG – their Tags often co-exist, occasionally in an identical rare colour. Could they be the same person? – Who knows? VA is linear, HEUG much loopier, but obviously this could be a product of the message, rather than the messenger.

As you move around the city keep your eyes open. As I have, you may find yourself thinking more and more about V eh?

As "TheGiftedTypist' commented, VA has two styles, one bolder, one softer, and sure enough, my daughter spotted this distintly feminine VA at the corner of Queen St. and Spring Garden Rd.

Graffiti=Vandalism

Sometimes however, tags are just slapped up helter skelter, on houses, doors windows etc...(Graffiti is not called 'throw-ups' for nothing). Perhaps a form of "Kilroy was here", but in this case, more accurately "dickweed was here" as a certain wise psychiatrist would say. The best solution is a fast coat of fresh paint.



The opinion of the Halifax Regional Police Force is clear:
Graffiti=Vandalism

Graffiti=Art?

On occasion, even the mundane can be elevated above its apparent place. All that may be required is a fresh perspective on what surrounds us every day. A splash of colour, a flash of light, an open mind, and the ordinary can be tranformed. The graffiti that fills our public space is sometimes (usually) an eyesore, but under the right circumstances can be seen in a new way.



Ordinary becomes Extraordinary
Graffiti becomes Art

The Halifax Commons Skatepark late October 2006

What goes together better than Graffiti&Sk8trBoyz/Grrrlz (other than say Rum&Coke or Sex,Drugs,Rock&Roll)? So what better place to find lots of graffiti and Tags than at Halifax Skatepark near the Commons. Sure enough the older portion of the area is covered with graffiti, and some enterprising Taggers have gotten a headstart on the still fenced off, still under construction expansion.

Overall (given the context of a Skatepark) the effect is quite artistic - a jumble of styles, colours and materials melding into de facto installation art on the Commons.

The usual suspects (YOOPZ, HEUG and VA) are present and accounted for; as are literally hundreds of others

It will be interesting to revisit and follow the progress on the fresh canvas that the expansion represents (short of hoardings at building sites - the most 'socially acceptable' location to tag in the city)

Hoarding at Lieutenant Governor's Residence

What better place for graffiti than a hoarding? A fresh, blank (temporary) canvas beckons. And sure enough, the hoarding on Barrington Street at the Lieutenant Governor's residence is no exception. Lots of examples of graffiti - tags in many styles, slogans, and a stencilled gnome. The ubiquitous (around Halifax anyway) "YOOPZ" tag is represented (more on this another day)

Half the hoarding came down this week, taking its scribblings with it to the ?dump, but it lives on here (for now)

A Starting Point

We all see it as we move through our cities - graffiti - spray painted, scrawled, scratched into the surfaces we live with every day. Halifax is no different, except that the targets of the graffiti seems to be objects (mailboxes, power transformers) rather than walls and buildings. Most of the graffiti seen in Halifax are "tags".

According to the Wikipedia a "A 'tag' is the most basic writing of an artist's name in either spray paint or marker. 'Tagging' is often the example given when opponents of graffiti refer to vandalism, as the artistic form is lacking and style of penmanship is highlighted more."

This Blog will document my (our) exploration of Tags and Tagging around Halifax, using photos, linking to Flickr sets and Mapping software.