Lose some, win some; a look at the urban canvas

I have discovered on this trip, more than ever before in my life, that I am incompetent at directions (be it giving, following directions, or telling where I am) and that I am also inept at planning vacations for myself.  In my haste to not bypass a good deal or have a trip cost more than it should, I do not read the crucial fine print.  I will not discuss the detriment to which I found myself this morning when, after planning a trip to Lyon, had to cancel it for an outing with the DePaul group-----an outing which, mind you, is not certain, and if it does not happen, someone will have to hold me down to keep me from hurting someone/thing (including myself).  Regardless of my ultimate realization of my incompetencies, I did manage to make good and carpe diem.  

After struggling with finances, I finally managed to make it out of the house before noon (having woken up at 7) and take a venture to the Grand Palais to see an exhibit in its last view days of viewing.  The exhibit was called "TAGS" and was a display of graffiti art created specifically for the collector.  The artists were asked to copy a tag of a previous era, then continue the style or inspiration onto the rest (1/2 half) of the canvas with the idea of Love.  I personally am fascinated by graffiti as a sort of forbidde

n, rebellious art form.  The written discussion upon entry compared graffiti to Jazz, which I found profound and very insightful.  The exhibit ranged from (inspirationally speaking) 1960s-2009, and was held in one room. 

Perhaps it is my love of vibrant colors and/or controversial subject matter, but I feel that graffiti art embodies the kind of understanding of a culture in chaos that the rest of the world can only begin to grasp. In indirectly quoting the discussion previously mentioned-- it is the personal expression of those attempting to cope with the severity of their surroundings.  It is often a humorous take on a serious subject--not such a foreign concept, using humor to break up depressing circumstances--which simultaneously characterizes the competitive nature of the culture, emphasizing the need to prove one's worth to survive.  

Interestingly enough, my current study of the Impressionists centers on the term "Modernity," that is to say, the true sense of one's time, nothing romanticized, idealized, but rather split-second analysis of one's world as is in the moment.  In their time, it was the creation of a new era, the beginning of an industrial world  as never thought conceivable until that point in time.  This exhibit, while not grappling with a new industrial age, also expresses a sense of modernity.  Graffiti art is a glimpse into the world of the underprivileged through their eyes.  It is not an outside observation but a personal impression of a momentary emotion, state of mind, state of being.  Pregnancy, racial hatred, self-hatred, ethic pride---these are the signs of modernity for these young people, these new Impressionists.  Their canvases are forgotten places, though not necessarily hidden---as a matter of fact, usually not---but rather those overlooked day after day, much like themselves.

And thus, I would like to suggest that whenever you feel down and discouraged, go view some graffiti and feel uplifted by its optimistically colorful approach to life's challenges; if nothing else, the colorful spirit of the images will take your mind of your troubles for enough seconds for you to then successfully move on with your day.