Italy, the land of graffiti.

I am assuming that graffiti was invented in Italy. I see so much of it. Astounding amounts. Italy is supposed to be a center of culture. Of the fine arts. But I prefer to think of graffiti as something less than an art. Seems like scribbling. Or a language of smut. And desecration. But then, art is in the eye of the beholder. I go into a beautiful park in Carbonia in Sardinia. And I see a wonderful water fountain with 40 geysers and a beautiful monument to coal miners. I’m able to absorb the pleasure from wooden benches beneath stocky palm trees. But at the same time I can’t miss the graffiti from spray cans of paint on the monument and on the back wall of the fountain. As for the wall, it may be the most graffiti full wall in all of Italy. It would be difficult finding a square inch of space free of graffiti. I guess clean-up crews have given up. I see no effort to erase the stuff. It would take a mammoth effort. Which might go for naught. Because the ‘ariststs’ would return with a vengeance. –Jim Broede