Reverse graffiti: battling against pollution and decay

This innovative art form consists of creating temporary pieces by selectively cleaning polluted urban surfaces. Armed with a high-pressure washer and stencils clean taggers transform dirty areas into unique biodegradable artworks.


Freed from built up dirt, designs, words, slogans, logos and images are formed by the white unsoiled bits in contrast to the dark tainted areas. Basically when you see these cheap reverse graffiti pieces you would think they were made with black and white spray paint.


Paul Curtis, known as grime writer Moose, was one of the first to use the reverse graffiti technique. This green graffiti pioneer used to work for the Leeds based Soundclash record label and discovered the immense possibilities of cleaning while dishwashing. Moose places stencils against surfaces and scrubs until they are clean using soap, a wire brush and a high- pressure washer to remove the dirt.This clean advertising artist had street branding contracts with Microsoft, Channel 4, Diego and Smirnoff but mainly sticks to his own art. One of the things he likes about dust tagging is to make people think about whether they appreciate clean walls or whether they simply have a problem with personal artistic expressions.


Brazilian artist and self-taught photographer Alexandre Orion(1978) put the first large scale reverse graffiti piece, a series of skulls, in São Paulo's Max Feffer transport tunnel.
Coming clean in street art can be dangerous. But who could object to positive, natural, creative street art? 


It's time for legislation to clean house as these artists are keeping it real.


www.foleygallery.com
www.alexandreorion.com


Article written by Ann Timmermans