David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


09 July 2009

Melbourne : A Brief History of Tagging

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Despite Melbourne's reputation as a place enlivened by its street culture, including its graffiti, Melbourne City Council continues to promote an anti-graffiti policy.

bLOGOS/HA HA was therefore recently amused to note this succinct Melbourne survey of sign and style.

2009.07.05_MCC+KIA_Melb tags_400w

OURS IS A FINE MONOGRAM
yours is an ugly tag

bLOGOS/HA HA notes also the additional means by which these two self-promoters focus our attention. The MCC adds a Right-angular battlement frame to their insignia and thereby double-centers it. KIA, free to move, plays the Outside(r) territory and releases just below our sightline to the Monogram a wobbly upward arrow that elevates our focus past the centre-locked Imperative, to their target. KIA claims the crest of the other and there self-crowns.
LOOK AT ME
look at me

KIA 'takes a speccy', in other words. Like Paddy Ryder (below) in Round 7. We observed the KIA v MCC match-up on the way to last Sunday's Saints v Cats game.



O
At the peek
bABY bL takes a speccy
in the manner of Patrick Ryder