This is a little off-tangent but like Shawn, I am as seduced by “the fact that many political agendas are addressed through” the channel that is graffiti. A trip to Bangsar (haunt of Farish Noor’s ‘latte-drinking liberals‘ ) during the lead-up to the Malaysian political elections, yields a particular memory of political graffiti , predominantly caricatures of PM Mahathir and slogans like ‘Legalize Ganja’. It was the subject of a documentary, 18, screened at the Singapore Film Festival in 2005 but axed from the Seoul Film Festival.
What is 18? This mysterious number is but one of a prominent crop of graffiti that has popped up around the streets of Kuala Lumpur.
Sprayed at strategic urban spaces and applied with a seemingly socio-political agenda, the 18? graffiti and its like (eg “Legalize ganja”, “Ada apa dengan National Service?”, “Pertahankan Hak Asasi”, etc) brazenly takes its place alongside advertising banners and billboards in our urban sightlines.
What does it mean? What is it selling? Why? Who did it? 18? – the documentary – attempts to uncover the mystery behind the graffiti.”
Commentary on the controversy surrounding the film can be found here:
Have not been to Kuala Lumpur much recently but the polytikus blog gives an interesting rundown on the city’s graffiti art:
In Bangsar
In Subang
And the “politikus of Hartamas”
Where to find graffiti in Singapore:
Haji Lane- where the creatives have come to congregate. Other than the spontaneous graffiti you find on the walls of the narrow pedestrian streets, rather charming, fafi-esque graffiti also finds itself incorporated as part of the store’s brand identity. Ref: Soon Lee.
On the back of some unfortunate shophouses on Emerald Hill. The priciest shophouses on the island but graffiti on the back of these houses might suggest a few cases of students from neighbouring schools giving a new definition to ‘after-school hours’.
Hyacinthus’ blog gives an excellent rundown of some of the more interesting graffiti in residential areas(including the picture of a dog at the entrance of a condominium toilet).
Used to be a more common feature of the void decks of HDB blocks.
Is also the reason for the expulsion of an art school student.
I like graffiti when these works don’t spoil views but only improve, like on old gloomy walls. Bright and vivid graffiti can raise mood))
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