‘Writers’ is what Milan’s band of graffiti artists call themselves. I’m not all that sure as to the artistic merit of their efforts, which in the main appear to be attempting to scrawl their names just about everywhere and anywhere, including on the façade of our appartment block.
All the scrawl finally got to the Milanese authorities and measures have been taken to reduce the effects of the so-called writers. One of these measures has been the removal of the ‘art attacks’ from many of the buildings in Milan. No mean feat, as it would appear that these chaps, for they are mainly male, have managed to cover just about every single building with their ‘art’.
Our appartment building recently benefited from a ‘writing removal’ session, and it looks much the better for it. Indeed, many of the buildings around us have had the artwork removed, and, they too, look much more civilised.
Meanwhile some of the main ‘artists’ have been rounded up and fined.
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
As to how long all the clean walls will last, is anybody’s guess, but for the moment, this little battle appears to be being won.
As can been seen from my ‘Shutter Art‘ post, some of the writers have taken up gainful employment as real artists, and busy themselves brightening up the steel roller shutters which adorn most of the shops in Milan. I’m all for this, as Milan after shop closing time does become a little grim with all these grey shutters down.
Hopefully, more of the name scribblers will find something better to do and leave Milan’s walls and monuments alone.
Many years ago when I first came to Milan one thing really struck me – and that was all the graffiti. It just made the whole city look a mess.
Now Milan is looking much the better for all the anti-graffiti efforts.
