I don't know how to turn it sideways now that it's in this program, so tilt your head.  One of my favorite letter graffiti events is on a wall on our path to the Metro.  Someone wrote in BIG magic marker  Micro Puta.  How someone could be a little tiny whore or bitch is amazing to me.  Very funny.  But in general I am not offended by the graffiti but see it as public art. I'm sure if it was on my walls at home it might be more irritating.  Even the police here, don't view it as a horrible crime against humanity.  A friend of ours has  a son who asked her, "What do  you think about graffiti?"  Later the cops came over to their house and said, "Your son was involved in painting graffiti on this guy's gate--he won't do anything about it if they go take it off."

From our first morning in Valencia looking out our apartment window I saw colorful, expressive artwork on walls on the edge of the Plaza de la Merced near the Central Market.  The images are captivating.  The artists, armed with spray paint and other tools show up at night with lights and this work appears.  It's sort of like self-publishing your work.  But not all the graffiti is angry or counter culture.  One of the Fallas that David and I liked so much was topped by a really intense, spiky haired female.  We liked her and she sort of embodies the graffiti artist in a way.  Actually there was a sculpture of a Graffiti artist with spray can in hand on the other side of this one, but David didn't capture it.  It was on my lost DVD of all my Falla last day photos that died.  But you get a sense of the "Up yours! sentiment"  that's alive and well in Spain.

The bravado and all is quite similar- in a public space-- reminds me of the AIDS activist artist who was a companion of Warhol's who did subway painting in the dark of night.  I will remember his name.  Their was an exhibit of hi s work in Reading a few years ago.  Mary Jo Hill and I saw it, so I may ask her his name.  

Apparently some signs are universal.

  Clearly the marijuana plant is a universal symbol.  And this was probably a great place to smoke it, away from the crowd, next to some orange groves.

But these are reminiscent of Picasso and true art renditions.  They take a full new turn!

These two are both from our local La Canyada park.  Nobody seems to notice or worry that it's here.  Kids go on playing games on the basketball court.  Older folks sit in the park with their grandkids.  It's a well used park with plenty of light at NIGHT.

This back on the old mill wall in Campament.  Where I felt the guilty pleasures of taking photos in the weeds.  So I understand the graffiti artist's emphasis on this one.