graffiti artists who decide to enter vacant property to paint are risking their lives, as a recent incident at westmoreland house on stokes croft highlights. on may 3rd a man suspected of entering the derelict building to paint graffiti fell three floors, sustaining serious injuries, including breaking his back. the site has been abandoned for years and has long been recognised as a danger to anyone entering it. local graffiti artists have used its walls to spray and in so doing draw attention to its state, but local police are unwilling to enter the property to apprehend people.
this follows an earlier report that 2 graffiti writers were spotted and reported over a two-day period, yet failed to get apprehended due to the same health and safety issues. at the time police had insufficient manpower at their disposal to leave officers outside the building. critisised for not taking action, they now say the more recent incident justifies their decision not to enter what they see as a ‘hazardous site’.
it does raise the point that graf writers sometimes put their lives at risk to find a wall to paint. entering a derelict property and painting there seems a whole lot more considerate than painting on the walls of a council building [just as an example]. the fact is, there are few places around bristol where it is cool to just get on with it, dean lane being the notable exception. if the council could find legitimate sites for spraying it might save a life? further to that [and i'm on a roll now] how about using existing leisure areas, in the same way that dame emily park works, with children playing, kids spraying and a whole culture being able to be seen and heard in the open? perhaps if children grew up alongside credible graf writers, they might learn the difference between artistic expression and the vandalism of tagging? more respect for property might emerge from such action, though not necessarily for that which has been left to rot. i never knew until recently that most graffiti writers seek permission for the walls they paint, so why should a 14 year old with a can of car paint he got from his dad’s garage know?
not every piece of street art contains a political message, and not every graffiti writer applies the same level of respect, but if the activity in the westmoreland building is anything to go by, education and action are needed before we get another accident or even a death. the person injured is called absive, he’s only 24, please wish him well
report from injury watch about incident