Just for fun—this Sunday, I chose to give my ride a mission. Here’s a photo essay of my Haro Klunkerson leaning against come of my city’s coolest graffiti.
I love the city. And I love throughout, the artistic works of graffiti adorning the walls an alleyways. I’m not talking about some douchebag spray painting a schoolyard, I’m talking about real artists using the city as their canvas—turning blank walls into photo-ops. Sometimes sanctioned, sometimes not.
But good graffiti usually adds to the cityscape—it’s never a blight.
So today, I cruised around an area of my city that a lot of people avoid. I’ve lived adjacent to this neighbourhood for years. There are a lot of people suffering there. But it’s also very misunderstood—often seen as a place to avoid, or one of danger.
In fact, it has a robust community of wonderful residents. I’ve never felt once in danger there. (Just don’t leave your bike unlocked.) There are so many great businesses and passionate folks carving out their niche and doing good stuff, in different ways.
But touring around these areas happens on a razor’s edge. Because while I encourage folks to visit the more, ahem, gritty areas of one’s city—it’s also important not to do so with a colonizer’s mindset. This isn’t a human zoo. You’re not there as some type of saviour. It isn’t a TikTok trend.
On this day, you’re a guest to their community. Show up with respect. And enjoy the riches, in whatever form they come.
But without further ado, here is my bike leaning against spraypaint. All photos taken with my beautiful Fujifilm X100T; f2.8; Classic Chrome film simulation.
Klunk on, klunkers!
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Thanks for sharing. The bike fits right in with background since the new face has a free style vibe / hoping curbs / a quick sprint to a bump to catch a safe space between planet earth and the tires etc. In general a low key fun vibe of danger and freedom and fun 🤩 that’s what those photos speak. Sadly the new world order or what ever you call it the direction of man kind is heading and has passed by people of many talents, creativity, and invention. Craftsman. In some cases you could rap the whole thing / category as industrial artist 🧑🎨. The strange thing about what I ‘m talking about is these people on the street or unfortunately un recognized talent know a lot more than the ones running the world that can’t even start a simple lawn mower. Anyway we know different and know talent when you see it. Great post. It’s nice to be reminded of the forgotten so we can respectfully remember. THX. ☺️ for sharing your day.