One difference that I see often between America and Europe is the prevalence here of graffiti.
In America it's a marker of being in an unsafe neighborhood - usually accompanied by broken glass, sirens wailing, and lots of seedy-looking bail bonds establishments. In Europe, it's normal. It blends into the landscape. It's par for the course.
I have no idea why this is. Certainly Europeans don't like it any more than we do. Maybe there's more spray paint on sale here?
At any rate, it ain't the neighborhood. The Mister and I live in one of the nicest beach communities in Málaga (we got lucky on price because the person that rented it out to us hates the person that actually owns the apartment and wanted to stick it to him - true story) and there's graffiti everywhere. Paris, Rome, Prague, Madrid, graffiti, graffiti, graffiti.
Weird, no?
okay, here's my theory...spray paint graffiti is a modern construct. Europeans have an overload of ancient and just plain older architecture-usually ornate. so their leanings as far as fabric, furniture, art, fashion etc is more modern, simplistic, futuristic-hence a greater tolerance towards graffiti.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too when I visited Spain. It surprised me as well.
ReplyDelete