In honor of my friend Lee who is still trying to finish the first paragraph of my last blog post, I’m going with mostly pictures this time around. Now let’s take a look around my neighborhood, shall we?
1. Hot, graffiti-on-graffiti action.
“Democracy!” subtly changed into “Enough demagoguery!” Get it?
This started out as a simple separatist poster in support of democracy. The illustrated face with the splash across the mouth is sort of the independentistas’ logo. It’s used all over the place. The splash represents the separatists being silenced by the Spanish central government. Some pro-unity person decided to help the separatists prove their point about being silenced by telling the separatists to shut up. Point: Jordi.
2. First off, let me just say “outstanding penmanship.”
Literal Translation: Catalunya will be your Vietnam.
Figurative translation: Pho for everyone!
3. Brevity at the expense of clarity.
Honestly, I was more impressed with all the dog pee on this base of this thing. Take that, death!
As a budding graffiti connoisseur I struggled with this one. At first I was really moved by the in-your-face nature of this piece. “Death is coming.” That’s pretty scary, right? And the dripping black paint comes off as somewhat menacing, too. But then I thought, “No shit, death is coming. Death is coming for all of us. Tell me something I don’t know, Metal Utility Box.”
I decided that this piece desperately lacks specificity. For instance, if it said, “Nick, death is coming tomorrow afternoon at 3:35,” I might be more moved by the artist’s work. But I don’t even know who death is coming for. This could just be a guerrilla marketing campaign for a local exterminator for all I know. Look out, ants! Death is coming for you! Or maybe death is coming for someone I really don’t care for all that much. In that case, I’d love to know when and where death was coming so I could watch.
Ultimately, I decided this piece is just too obvious and amateurish. I do give the artist credit for not using red paint, though. It had to have been tempting, but honestly, it would have really been too much.
4. “Let them eat croquetas.”
“Guillotine for the king,” or possibly for my daughter. I’ll ask someone later.
This scrawl appeared after King Felipe VI went on television and told all the separatists to sit down, shut up, and take it like a serf. At first I thought the idea of guillotining someone was a bit antiquated, but then I remembered we were talking about a king in the 21st century so it all sort of made sense.
5. Open to interpretation, depending on how dumb you are.
Where to begin?
OK. Here are some possible translations for this one from someone who doesn’t speak Catalan.
- Mort and Al are feminists. They’re having a party on October 30 at 7:30pm.
- Mort and Al are feminists. They’re having a party on October 30 at 9:30pm.
- Mort and Al are watching “Felix the Cat” on October 30 at 19:30.
- Mort and Al are expecting a fax at 19:30 on October 30.
- At 19:30, FC Mort Al beat FC Feixisme 30-0 in what had to the highest scoring fútbol game ever. Come on, FC Feixisme. Play some defense.
- Mort and Al are fascists. They’re going to get what’s coming to them on October 30 at 19:30.
- Death to fascism on October 30 at 19:30.
6. Walter: International Dog of Intrigue wades into the political cesspool here.
Which side are you on, Walter: International Dog of Intrigue? Which side are you on?
Sit. Stay. Secede?
7. “And then he showed these men of graffiti what graffiti really was.”
Translation: The Mossos d’Esquadra are a bunch of traitors.
Is Walter: International Dog of Intrigue commenting on the Mossos, or is he commenting on the people who are commenting on the Mossos? Such is the depth and mystery of his art.
This is a pre-referendum piece. It was done back when the separatists hated the regional Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra. The word “botifler” has a long history, which you can learn about here. There is some debate about its true meaning and origin, but it’s safe to say it isn’t a polite term.
8. “We got no time for that crap!”
Translation: I’m twenty years behind the times.
This is a joke, right? “Meat is murder?” Look, Jordi. 1993 just called. It wants its cause back. It’s secession time now, baby! I don’t have time to hear you complain about my eating a pork chop.
9. Cats getting in on the action.
Walter: International Dog of Intrigue is reasonable. I’m sure a deal can be reached.
10. Cats overplaying their hand.
Up yours, cats. Negotiations are over.
11. And finally…
A rallying cry to destroy all of Spain through violent revolution or an invitation to see some band only Scott White has ever heard of? Perhaps both?
OK. That’s it for this week, kids. Thanks for stopping by. Sorry for all the captions, Lee.