Comments on: Share Your Ideas

By: Young Neurohr

Young Neurohr — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:47:15 +0000

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By: Benton Penaloza

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By: Michael Powers

Michael Powers — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:32:56 +0000

I agree, the wall is so close to the Arch and other national attractions, it should be designated as part of the parks service, lit, landscaped a bit, and promoted. Put in a walking path, some benches, some sculptures…etc. Put up a placard that tells of the walls hisotry and the importance of public places for expression. You could commission local artists to do themed, large art pieces that could be attached to the top of the wall, but not able to be easily reached by graffiti artist.

Lets hold a public meeting, walk the site and discuss potental improvements.

Michael

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:48:19 +0000

Y’all better save that wall! It’s a tourist attraction!

How about you just move it somewhere inside? Be kind!

By: Name

Name — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:25:11 +0000

yea i went here durring the day to paint….bad idea i did 2 throwies and the cops came.. told him i thought it was a legal spot and he left..phew..

By: JP

JP — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:06:12 +0000

I understand that unwanted graffiti is frustrating for building owners, and that people who are unfamiliar with the art form see it as a sign of urban blight, but this is an out dated and prejudice outlook. Graffiti is a legitimate form of artistic/cultural expression, it attracts other participants and admirers. If you walk into any larger national book store these days you will find books of both Banksy and Shepard Fairy displayed at the front of the store, (FYI both are graffiti superstars, Fairy is now doing national design, some call him a sell out) Your local graffiti artists, while at first local kids, can and do become world renowned if they so choose. Instead of trying to stop this art form by force, which doesn’t work, allow graffiti artists to continue to change and evolve the wall in question, and if it is encouraging art in other places, give these artists walls and spray-paint friendly areas around town that are designated for graffiti. you will still end up with some art in unwanted places but that is going to happen anyway, and maybe by giving these artist more respect they will give undesignated areas more respect as well! It may not be understood by everyone, but this is art, let it live and grow! no city was ever hurt by a little more culture.

By: el Castellano

el Castellano — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 05:30:06 +0000

Fans of mod and massive installation art, undoubtedly, would like the wall to take on a similar role the redevelopment of Gateway Mall seeks in the civic core of St. Louis: sculptures, projection walls, maybe a fountain or some greenery–all designed to entreat the lazy eye of commerce. These sterile and controlled exhibitions are fine in their own right, but are too formulaic to match the rugged canvas of Chouteau’s Landing.
But while these dignified and culturally a pro pro sculpture parks become more popular, they lack a connection to the lifeblood of the neighborhood, being mere interchangeable pieces you could plop down in any other American (or world) city. Opponents of graffiti~ or those against its proliferation across town to the aging mortar and terra cotta of other districts~ignore two very simple facts:
1. Graffiti has been around since the Andalusian cave paintings. They are instruments of social change and a barometer of society in general.
While the insta-grat. of on-demand diversion takes away the attention span of the up and coming gen XY, there are some that look to redirect bottled-up energy into pushing new planes of the visual experience. In St. Louis in particular there are some 5 000 souls per square mile; how visibly present is artwork for every hampered soul? It seems all socially ‘acceptable’ or ridiculously ‘tasteful’ art be relegated to specific spaces? But why do many of these upstart galleries fail? Graffiti breaks the imposed order of things in a city… which is part of the reason the city leaders and enforcers have such a problem with a ‘roguish’ art form as what freestyle graffitistos seek to portray on its buildings and walls. The order of sqaure blocks, brownstones and class segregation outmoded itself with the rise of humanism; how better to show Chouteau off as a cutting-edge community than to do away with gentrification? You cannot stop graffiti…you may as well embrace it in its finest forms.

2. Flood walls are designed to hold a 100-year deluge, not an installation.
And although I’m tickled about even thinking the wall could be used to shelter an outdoor garden or patio for some bistro, the logistics of either proposal would require too much cunning with little payoff for the riverfront area. The national park surrounding and highway interchanges swallowing the old industrial area thereabout provide to much of a physical and psychological barrier for such an enclave to survive. You’d be essentially creating a new spot for the neighborhood’s homeless to gather…not to say that’s such a bad thing in and of itself, but probably not what most generating ideas for the project had in mind…unless you’re talking about homeless artists looking for a canvas

By: Will

Will — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 22:32:26 +0000

here is a video on youtube of how Sydney, Australia chose to use graffiti in a positive way to support the artists and beautify the city –>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktIqA5RTnVY&feature=related

Something like this would definitely put St. Louis on the map as an established artistic city. We already have the largest graffiti wall in the world, we should use it.

By: mike

mike — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:15:00 +0000

There appears to be a passion growing in the urban art community.

A graffiti wall as an expression of public art is a tremendous idea and can be beneficial to the entire community, so long as vandalism to “non-participating” walls does not become an issue.

There have been previous comments about competition. Isn’t that a goal of graffiti artists, to be known for their art. Well, bring it above ground and actually give them their pub. Have an actual competition with a public judging, maybe even a “cash” prize to replentish their supplies. And, why limit this to “graffiti” artists? Maybe this grows into a regional, national, or international celebration.

I also like the idea of having new groups of artists express themselves. But, if you paint over the art, it is gone forever.

Therefore, as a community project, install panels on the flood walls and paint the panels. When ready to re-paint, replace the panels. The existing “art” could be sold, raffled, donated, stored, used at construction projects elsewhere. The options are endless. This could become St. Louis’ “Cows on Parade.”

By: vaux

vaux — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:52:26 +0000

well i do graffiti myself and i think the wall is great, but the thing is some writers dont like the fact that people from other citys come and do a big pice on there wall so they cap it (throw tags over it) but i love the place i was thinking of coming down and doing a pice or two. but i think it should stay for graffiti because its that much more graffiti that is not on the streets and walls of the city