The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal

A documentary exploring the creation of a new art movement, that of graffiti removal. Often carried out subconsciously by the artists (who themselves are often manual workers for the municipality) the art sees the creation of shapes over existing graffiti as the artists creates new urban landscapes and images.

A wonderful idea this. We have all seen the graffiti removal that is less to do with removal than it is to just paint over the tags and such. However this film takes that simple task and presents it as a work of art and discusses as if it was the most beautiful creative force in the world. It is a great idea and it does it very well, effectively emulating and spoofing the approach of arty types that discuss everything with that rather pretentious air. It plays it very straight and draws humour rather than massive, silly laughs – some viewers will want these but for me less was more.

Unfortunately this also applied to the running time because I thought it ran too long and was maybe stretched longer than the material allowed. The material with the girl on the bicycle was well shot but it sucked the comic energy from the delivery. So at times it is a bit lacking but when it is hitting the target, it hits it well and makes for an affectionate spoof of artsy types – never laying into them without mercy but not avoiding the easy targets either. Amusing and effective even if it is a bit longer than it can cope with.