The Eyes Have It.

Most of the graffiti I look for is big and bold and colorful, the large exciting pieces that really stand out, but there’s something to be said for subtlety, even if it should be said quietly. During the 18th century when neoclassicism became all the rage the monuments and statues of ancient Greece and Rome were admired for their subtlety and restraint. What people didn’t realize at the time was that in their heyday Greek and Roman statues and monuments were painted with gaudy colors, making them a lot less subtle. Downtown Athens and Rome weren’t that different from, say, Times Square, Picadilly Circus, or the Las Vegas strip, but only in the daytime since neon lighting hadn’t been invented yet. The muted quality of classical statuary came from the fact that the paint had faded and flaked off or washed away.
To get back to my point about subtlety, though, I really get a kick out of finding something that was intentionally meant to be discreet, that could easily be overlooked. Sometimes it’s the small things that can make a surprising difference to the way we see the world around us, and when I find something interesting I want to yell, HEY, LOOK AT THIS THING!

Quietly, of course.

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4 Comments

  1. Arionis

    Eye don’t know how you spotted that. Eye never would have seen it. Good work!

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      Here’s a fun fact: that planter where those eyes have been painted is right in front of an optometrist’s office. I don’t think that was deliberate, though, because I’ve seen those eyes painted other places around town.

      Reply
  2. Ann Koplow

    Always something worth seeing here, Chris.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      And I’m always glad when you drop in for a look.

      Reply

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