Tuesday, April 28, 2009

writing on the walls

I've mentioned before how much I like living in a part of town where people paint on the walls. In a suburb of thinkers, students, activists and drama queens ~ many of whom seem to like to live out loud.

I've also said how I love that South Africans have such a strong tradition of political commentary, often expressed through satire. This trait kept many people sane through the apartheid years, and I'm pleased the trend still seems to be alive and well.

This professionally printed poster went up in a random shop window within days of South Africa refusing the Dalai Lama a visa, and remains there still.

Ja, wtf was up with that?? 

And then, just days after we got our new President (he of a dubious legal past), these went up all over the 'burb. 

And I had to include this one, also a new addition. A simple Peace sign. Nice.

Of course I nearly stood in dog poo twice while taking these pics, and I drove from site to site 'cos I didn't want to risk walking with my camera on my own. And I got some broken glass lodged in my shoe. 

But hey, sometimes I think I'd still rather bear all that than live in a suburb filled with fake Tuscan architecture and whiny middle-class whingers.

4 comments:

julochka said...

i think i need to be on the lookout for more graffiti in my everyday, tho' i fear my neighborhood is more a retirement home than intellectual (sigh).

i think you're developing a mild obsession with dog poo. you should maybe have that looked at. ;-)

Extranjera said...

I knew you would know exactly what I meant. You have no idea how glad it makes me that you are not one of THEM.

Anonymous said...

how lucky you are live in a neighbourhood of intellectuals and artists.

my neighbourhood currently looks (nd sounds) more like a construction site.

Unknown said...

But it was all worth it (even the dog poo) so that you could show us these photos and now we're all jealous because you live in such a cool neighborhood.