The top one, which reads "if voting could change the system it would be illegal," was on Guilbault just off the Main and survived for quite some time. It was apparently painted by a young Brendan Weston , although he's sorta vague on it, possibly trying to avoid a fine 30 years later, he says it might've been him along with others. When Bicycle Bob Silverman was told it was Brendan, who edited news for an alt weekly, had written it, he said, "Can he BE that great?"The bottom graffiti, surely evocative of the Call Me Maybe song sat, on St. Cuthbert just east of the Main. It lasted some time too.
Both of those same spots are now plagued with tagging-style graffiti which fail to resonate with the greater public.
The pix were shot by the excellent Leanne Staples, whose stuff is very cool, check out her site.
Don't forget "It's the functionaries of fascism that killed Anthony Griffin" on St. Urbain at Milton:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blork.org/mondaymorning/index.php?showimage=84
Or "Artists are the shock troops of gentrification" on Lucy L'allier (west side) just south of Dorch.
ReplyDeleteI remember this quote graffiti quote but was sure it was written in the alley between Crescent and Bishop just north of Dorchester (now Rene-Levesque) on the back of the Concordia Fine Arts building (circa: 1988-89) I would love to know if it was an original quote!
DeleteMy fave was "Disappoint a few people."
ReplyDeleteWords to live by.
I remember one in the mid-70s downtown off de Maisonneuve that went:
ReplyDelete"U.S.A.--get out of North America!"
Not sure exactly what the scrawler's specific complaint was at the time, though.
In the McGill Ghetto I recall "Deus ex my China!" and "Kitty come back, me-ow!"
ReplyDeleteMy all time Favorite
ReplyDeleteRON
I remember one: God is back, boy is he mad.
ReplyDeleteThen it became: God is black, boy is she mad.
sometime around the late 80s, in the plateau but I can't remember which street. St Urbain maybe.
Disappointed a few people was actually a local band in the late 80's if I recall correctly.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite was on Duluth near Soares grocery, "Only users lose drugs"
My faves were always:
ReplyDeleteMoi, j'ai deux heritages...Edith Piaf p'is Elton John.
...and...
F### art, let's dance.
Peabody
On Prince Arthur and St urbain on a highrise: "Slumlord heights"
ReplyDeleteSome more from the McGill Ghetto:
ReplyDelete"Hoola Hoop the Halo, Mary!" and
"On vous parle en anglais on vous aggresse?" and last, but not least, "Bourassa vend ton corps pas ta langue!" (not sure if my spelling in French is correct, it's been a while)
Soon to make a big comeback on the local scene:
ReplyDelete101 = Swastika
101 or 401
I also remember more than a few "Tuer Galganov"
And, if I were still a snot-nosed, teenage revolutionary, I would gladly scrawl today:
ReplyDeleteCONRAD BLACK FOR PRIME MINISTER!
only because I know he'd tell the |"Wicked Witch of the North" where to go in no uncertain terms, ban all separatist parties, and give freedom of choice back to all of our citizens.
He could serve one term and then leave having redeemed himself.
I remember a feministy one near Amherst and Ontario 'Women who strive to be equal to men lack ambition'
ReplyDeleteI recall the '101' tags were often modified to say LOVE MOI.
Art-wise, I always liked the Maink and Mersh tags all over Mile End, and the Flow piece on the stone wall on the east side of Park near Pine.
The "God is back. Boy is he mad" graffiti was on the boards surrounding an old church that was being converted into condos in the student ghetto (Prince-Arthur and Jeanne-Mance). It started as "God is back." Then became "God is back. Boy is he mad!" Then it became "God is back. Boy is she mad." And finally "God is black. Boy is she mad." This was back in 86/87, I think.
ReplyDelete