budafist
03-10-2007, 11:01 PM
There is this empty lot at the end of our street - where the community of people living here have protested against developers that want to make this space into apartments. It's an overgrown lot that has been boarded up with these ugly grey sheets. At the end of last year, they had a street party to gather the people together in protest and beautify the ugly grey wall. I guess it's a reclaim the streets thing.
We missed out on the street party last year for one reason or another, so yesterday afternoon, me and my boyfriend decided to add our own mark to the wall.
We got some great feedback while we were doing it. Kids liked it, parents liked it, adults liked it and plenty of people stopped to talk about the project.
But there's always one. This guy in his 30's to 40's came by to talk to us - he asked us why we were doing it, if we had permission and told us that he HATED the paintings on the wall. He wanted the wall to be grey. He was making me feel really uncomfortable, but he's wasn't someone you can easily ignore. He seemed drunk too and a bit volatile and agitated. He said that he had been thrown out of a pub down the road by police and that he was thinking of going back to the pub. He went on his merry way.
Some more friendly people came by to talk to us - people that had organised the street party last year for the painting of the wall. By this time there were a few families about, on their way to an event in the city. Then I see the drunk-rant guy running towards us - kids on bikes everywhere. The guy is running with a crowbar in his hands. 2 police cars turn into the street and cops jump out and pin the screaming man to the ground.
This has further solidfied my belief in karma. Out of all places where this guy could have been arrested, he is arrested right in front of the wall. How symbolic huh?
Just had to share the story behind it.
Here are the pics. I hope it brings a smile to your lips because that was our intention :) The middle part (hula girl and fishies) are mine and the koala and mantis are my boy's. It says "I'm bringing sexy back" and "Shake shake ur bon-bon!". Size - the girl is taller than me. I could just reach the top of the wall with a long paintbrush and on tiptoes.
http://aycu02.webshots.com/image/11121/2002855776967497794_rs.jpg
We missed out on the street party last year for one reason or another, so yesterday afternoon, me and my boyfriend decided to add our own mark to the wall.
We got some great feedback while we were doing it. Kids liked it, parents liked it, adults liked it and plenty of people stopped to talk about the project.
But there's always one. This guy in his 30's to 40's came by to talk to us - he asked us why we were doing it, if we had permission and told us that he HATED the paintings on the wall. He wanted the wall to be grey. He was making me feel really uncomfortable, but he's wasn't someone you can easily ignore. He seemed drunk too and a bit volatile and agitated. He said that he had been thrown out of a pub down the road by police and that he was thinking of going back to the pub. He went on his merry way.
Some more friendly people came by to talk to us - people that had organised the street party last year for the painting of the wall. By this time there were a few families about, on their way to an event in the city. Then I see the drunk-rant guy running towards us - kids on bikes everywhere. The guy is running with a crowbar in his hands. 2 police cars turn into the street and cops jump out and pin the screaming man to the ground.
This has further solidfied my belief in karma. Out of all places where this guy could have been arrested, he is arrested right in front of the wall. How symbolic huh?
Just had to share the story behind it.
Here are the pics. I hope it brings a smile to your lips because that was our intention :) The middle part (hula girl and fishies) are mine and the koala and mantis are my boy's. It says "I'm bringing sexy back" and "Shake shake ur bon-bon!". Size - the girl is taller than me. I could just reach the top of the wall with a long paintbrush and on tiptoes.
http://aycu02.webshots.com/image/11121/2002855776967497794_rs.jpg