Preemptive Graffiti

It's okay if you don't know it. I coined the term preemptive graffiti seven years ago, and may still be its only user. It refers to decorating (urban) walls, security gates, and building entrances with commissioned graffiti-like art to forestall defacement by free-lance graffiti. Amazingly, this works. Free-lancers apparently respect their brethren's artwork.

Then.  Seven years ago the photo at right was one of several I used to illustrate the practice of premptive graffiti on a page posted to this Journal. The image shows the artwork adorning the wall on Dyckman Street, between the Subway entrance (left -- notice the M), and an unseen liquor store (right) located on the corner with Broadway. The ad promotes Chivas Regal, and was paid for by the Inwood Liquor store, probably using co-op advertising funds usually spent on newspaper ads.

Now.  The liquor store subsequently "lost its lease," generally a New York euphemism for going out of business, and was supplanted by a trendy men's fashions store. Of course, the Chivas Regal artwork wasn't appropriate any longer, but preemptive graffiti still was. Last year, michelle took the photo at right of the same wall and posted it to her blog, The Underwear Drawer Photo Project. It's not clear who commissioned this bit of preemptive graffiti, but it's no longer commercial in theme, and "artier" than the earlier effort. It depicts Inwood neighborhood denizens in typical activities.

Commissioned Preemptors?  Either way -- Chivas Regal then or community theme now -- the graffiti-like artwork succeeds. It pleases the senses while defensively decorating a prime target surface. Preemptive graffiti works. Now if only we could figure out how to make the free-lancers into a corps of commissioned preemptors.