187 on an overpainted wall!

I enjoy street art.  I don't enjoy ugly tagging of people writing "penis" on a subway bench or the nickname they have  like Tazer, Gazer, and Mazer.  All crossed out with "Blazer" written on top of it with 187 next to it.  What is up with 187?  I know that its the gang way of saying "watch your back" but really? 187? Sounds so non--threatening.  I guess it really depends on what 186 and 188 are.  I mean, if 186 is "I will kick you in the nuts" and 188 is "I will put your head on a javelin and throw it into the east river" then, 187 may not be so bad.  God knows I would be alot more scared if someone crossed my name out and put 188 on it.  Maybe it be better to try and point out WHY you think you are so much better then the name you are crossing out.  Perhaps maybe making a math equation to prove you are truly better.  "187 + 9 = 196".  Even better, start using the persons name you are crossing out in the math equation: "187 is X...and 9 is Y...then, Tazer is -12".

All I am saying is make it interesting.  Write a message.  Whatever happened to "Chris loves Sarah" written on a wall?  Now a days its Chris crossed out by Sarah with a 187 on it.  And its not even spelled right.  Chris is suddenly Kriz and Sarah is Sayrah!  WTF?  Do these taggers not use spell check at home before coming out to display their skills?  "I am a better tagger then this guy because I can spell "egregious" better!"

No matter.  I still appreciate street art.  I think painting the buildings with things is fantastic.  Gives the character.  Its like those cases you get for your ipods.  I personally think its probably all a bunch of local painters walking around tagging buildings and then calling them the next morning saying "I noticed someone painted all over the side of your building lastnight.  May I offer you our professional painting prices to get your walls all cleaned up?".  Great business.  You can create work for yourself.  If you ever want a day off....just don't go tagging the night before.

So, I would like to give props to some neat street art I have been seeing as of lately.  Some are strange, some art cool, and some are downright ridiculous.  No matter, they deserve to be here.

So here I give to you, some fine art:

The new form of street artists who seem to also have part time jobs entertaining kids on weekends at Central Park:

Some artist has been creating these fantastic Joker themed designs on already placed subway posters:

This is neat.  Graffiti of flowers on the wall that is actually called Graffiti for Butterflies.   ""GFB uses images of milkweed flowers to broadcast the location of food sources to monarch butterflies. In the prototype below, the graffiti is placed on a wall above an actual milkweed plant in New York City, signaling the presence of nectar to hungry monarchs in the vicinity.":