METRO GRAFFITI MAKES “EL PAÍS SEMANAL”COVER (MORE EXCLUSIVE PICTURES)

This Sunday, El Pais Semanal, a Sunday supplement by one of the most important newspapers in Spain, announced an interesting article on its cover: “Graffiteros: la guerrilla del espray”. (Graffiti Writers: The spray guerrilla.)

Normally when you see this type of content in generalist media, a shiver runs down your spine when recalling by memory, and not because you’re making it up, the amount of lies that are usually said about a subject as hermetic as metro graffiti. On this occasion we knew that wasn’t going to be the case thanks to the knowledge and insight of photographer Enrique Escandell and journalist Pol Pareja.
The impeccable images by the Valencian photographer accompany a story that describes two metro sessions in Madrid and Barcelona, told with a realism and veracity never seen before, that leaves aside ethical judgments and focuses on the romanticism of adventure and selfless visual creation.

The article as a whole, far from being apologetic for vandalism and incivil behavior, paints a clear portrait of an activity that’s a reality in every city in the world, and that only emerges in the mass media when an image of violence and scandal can be portrayed.
You can read the whole article by Pol Pareja illustrated by Enrique Escandell after the following link.

“In the group there is also another 40-year-old man, who confesses that he’s become “hooked” again after having spent more than a decade without painting. He says he’s recently divorced, he’s in good shape and no one’s waiting for him at home.“

“‘Many of them are apparently normal types: they have a job, an education, a partner, a family…’, points out Luz Clemente, chief inspector of the Central Operative Section of the National Police Mobile Brigade.”

“90% of us start running when we are caught, the problem is the reputation the other 10% gives us. The police, Mossos and the TMB head of security confirm what the dozen graffiti artists who were consulted tell us that most of them repudiate these acts because they give them bad press, and that those who behave in that way tend to be young, inexperienced graffiti artists.”

“Why do people risk their integrity in this way by painting a train car that won’t even circulate? Interviews with graffiti artists and experts reveal three main reasons: tradition, ego and adrenaline.”

“It’s 3:50 on a Tuesday, the painting started more than five hours ago and one of the graffiti artists says goodbye. “I’m going to sleep for a while, tomorrow morning I have a meeting.”