Graffiti can be a tricky subject for me. I love freedom of expression and art, but I don’t love defacing public or private property. Most graffiti in Indianapolis is simply thoughtless tagging, similar to how a dog marks his territory while on a walk. Of course, the paint stays much longer.
Sometimes, however, graffiti can make you think or laugh. Banksy is the king of this, but there are others around. This tag in Indy isn’t on Banksy’s level, but at least it is on a place that appears to be mostly harmless: A temporary jersey barrier lining Market Street in between the Cummins and 360 Market East projects.
Wilhelm Construction has been located in Indianapolis for 90 years, and has nothing to do with the Kaiser from Deutschland (misspelled on the tag, as I said, it’s not a Banksy). But at least it drew a laugh in a spot where thousands of people walk daily and see nothing but concrete and dirt.
This makes me laugh every time I pass.
This tag has been painted over, so it’s good that I photographed it.