Reverse Graffiti In Riga, Latvia, Or Pressure-Washing Dirt Off Walls (VIDEO)

Here's a video of stealth artists in Riga, Latvia, doing reverse graffiti, or pressure-washing dirty walls into (sometimes) meaningful patterns. The concept originated with British artist Moose, who's been cleaning English walls and pissing off English councilmen since the early 2000s. His brought the idea to a wider audience in 2008, with a documentary that showed him cleaning the San Francisco Tunnel into the shapes of flora and fauna that would have grown in that area thousands of years ago. Whether the Latvian equivalent is as pointed, we can't say. But there are pretty flowers!

Comments

[Aigars Mahinovs]

03:10 AM on 10/11/2011

They are also doing this for comercial purposes as well - take a zebra crossing where the white lines are dirty with grit and pressure-wash a name of a web site into every line. Slightly annoying, but still great advertisement placement idea that does not hurt anyone.

[Mrsbean54]

08:36 AM on 10/07/2011

This is much nicer than the usual graffiti, but with the same premise...
1. On someone's private property = not cool
2. Writing your name or profanity = not cool
3. Doing it on a historical building/landmark = not cool

Otherwise, no problem.

[mgroteii]

03:21 AM on 10/06/2011

How cool.

[skooli]

12:41 AM on 10/06/2011

I'm gonna push a pressure washing business and reverse graffiti "clean me" on driveways and leave a business card on the door.

[ddicksond]

01:02 AM on 10/06/2011

that is a good idea.

[lifeandvictory]

11:27 PM on 10/05/2011

I wish we could have gotten a better view of a finished work.

[fpwillson]

11:23 PM on 10/05/2011

That's really exciting news. NOT. Slow day Huff?

[quixmar]

11:14 PM on 10/05/2011

Not the story I expected. I was anticipating a story like what the oilice in England did with grafitti.
When someone wrote "TONY" on a wall, they wrote "SUCKS" underneath it. The grafitti stopped.

As an aside, some grafitti artists need a powerwash themselves.

[David Amaya]

10:15 PM on 10/05/2011

To the nay Sayers that think this is awful, Why don't the artist (and STOP referring to yourself as graffiti artists, call yourselves as Street artists graffiti=eyesore) Powerwash the entire wall THEN create a mural??

Someone here at work looking over my shoulder reminded me why not, they city wants permits and hates non taxpayer funded art!

[catslegl]

09:06 PM on 10/05/2011

Since it's pressure washed art, and probably (generalization coming up, please forgive me) thugs won't have pressure washers in their arsenal, I think the art won't be threatening or derogatory.
I give it 2 thumbs up.

[lpcrsotp]

08:58 PM on 10/05/2011

OK, Kid. You are charged with cleaning part of a building wall. How do you plead?

[David Amaya]

10:09 PM on 10/05/2011

If art is a crime,may I DEMAND TO PLEAD GUILTY!!!!!

[lpcrsotp]

10:36 PM on 10/05/2011

All right! Convicted and sentenced to draw whatever you choose.

[whoknew222]

07:57 PM on 10/05/2011

Awesome use of usually unappreciated talent. The most harm done is that someone may follow behind them and finish cleaning. These people have true vision. Kudos to them.

[carnut122]

07:28 PM on 10/05/2011

What are they going to arrest them for? Cleaning public/private property?

[David Amaya]

10:10 PM on 10/05/2011

no, for forcing the city to say "This is nice", or the residency to demand "Clean the rest of the damn wall!!"

[Christina-Xena]

06:20 PM on 10/05/2011

I like this reverse graffiti style because:

1. This is a lot more sutle of appearance, given this spray washing technique just reveals the underlying orginal surface so only has minor contrast to the current natural overlay.

2. Doesn't requiring spray any paint so is "green" graffiti.

3. Over time it blends back in with the background, is naturally is self-removing .

4. Eliminating reverse graffiti, if truly offensive, just means a general cleaning of the area...which the area/surface probably could use anyways.

5. This is NOT gang related or, at least by this artist, focused on tagging or territory marking.

6. This style is NOT likely to catch on with regular taggers, as it's too subtle and easy to remove.

7. This is "light artistic" in nature, with butterflys and flowers, etc. How many people really finds that offensive except to those who have an extremely sterile preception of public space?

8. The government might try to hire them to do combined offensive graffiti removal and yet leave in place colorful flora and animals (even though those would images be in paint...using a block out method).

9. Young adults needs some creative outlets, and better to channel it than spend tons of money to completely fight it.

10. Overall there should be some PUBLIC space for quality graffiti-artist which is culture and art orientated. Would love to see a sidewalk done square-by-square around a small central city park.

[ohwhen]

06:20 PM on 10/05/2011

I like it!

[badeal]

06:11 PM on 10/05/2011

I LLLLiiike it!