Anybody Know Elmer/Porab/Gasm Tag artist in Detroit?

**softailrider** · September-05-12, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

While I agree with your statement, a brick surface with blown out windows, water damage, no doors, trees sprouting off the roof is no longer so pleasant.

Not condoning the tagging, not at all. I wish that the city would fine every single property owner for the condition of their property. Hell, this could put a big dent in that pesky budget crisis.

Imagine if the city was as energetic with building enforcement as they are with parking enforcement as of late.

The city fines property owners all the time, I've seen the tickets, they're always for absurd amounts. They have no way of collecting - often times it isn't the property owners fault anyway.

**astongraham** · September-06-12, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

If anyone here knows who they are, they sure aren't going to post their names on a public forum. I take it you are unfamiliar with tagger streetcode.

"Gasm" is not a gang member and is not affiliated with a gang or any sort of street code.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-06-12, 11:34 PM

^^What the hell are you talkin about?
I never said shit about anyone being in a gang.

Streetcode: don't out taggers on public forums where people make threats of collecting bountys to commit acts of violence against them.

You are not the keeper of the streets and until you are, don't presume to school me on anything regarding street artists, thanks.

**Islandman** · September-07-12, 01:47 PM

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...y.php#pointmap

Apparently GASM is also doing legal work. Just ran acoss this..number 3 on the list.

**Jaybiz** · September-07-12, 03:56 PM

I don't know those guys personally but I know their work, I am familiar with the graffiti/street art scene being I'm involved in art myself [[not street art). What I find strange about most of the street artist is that most of the time they are white males who usually didn't grow up anywhere near where they are tagging with the exception of gang graffiti which has less to do about art than it's message. Graffiti was a big part of the hip-hop movement [[bigger than rap at one time) in south Bronx and other poorer urban area's in the 1970's and 80's and now it seems to have transformed into hipster art-school educated white person activity. I have no real opinion or problem with that but I find it curious.

**neavling** · September-07-12, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Jaybiz

I don't know those guys personally but I know their work, I am familiar with the graffiti/street art scene being I'm involved in art myself [[not street art). What I find strange about most of the street artist is that most of the time they are white males who usually didn't grow up anywhere near where they are tagging with the exception of gang graffiti which has less to do about art than it's message. Graffiti was a big part of the hip-hop movement [[bigger than rap at one time) in south Bronx and other poorer urban area's in the 1970's and 80's and now it seems to have transformed into hipster art-school educated white person activity. I have no real opinion or problem with that but I find it curious.

I'm with you on this one. Hell, most of the street artists don't even live in the city. They buy their paint from Royal Oak and parachute into Detroit. ... I am neutral on graffiti. I like its origins, and I love some of the work. But I have seen one too many "Gasms" on houses, churches, historic buildings, etc. Once you start tagging homes and historic buildings, you can't convince me you care about the city. To me, it becomes an ego stamp from someone with no tact or grace. It's just a fancier version of, "So and so was here."

**mauser** · September-08-12, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

You can't fix stupid with a club. Just ask Tiger's wife.

disagree...just ask Kwame's wife.

**mauser** · September-08-12, 05:08 AM

Originally Posted by Jaybiz

I don't know those guys personally but I know their work, I am familiar with the graffiti/street art scene being I'm involved in art myself [[not street art). What I find strange about most of the street artist is that most of the time they are white males who usually didn't grow up anywhere near where they are tagging

Oh really ? They are all white kids, huh ? No africanamericans or mexicanamericans, eh ?

hipsters ???

Wow dude, keep saying crap like this and the graffiti people are gonna put a bounty on YOUR head.

**mauser** · September-08-12, 07:12 AM

Im so glad that Tyree Guyton doesnt just go and paint right on houses like the bad people do.......oh......wait..

BOOM!
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...85573194_n.jpg

**mauser** · September-08-12, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by neavling

Once you start tagging homes and historic buildings, you can't convince me you care about the city. To me, it becomes an ego stamp from someone with no tact or grace. It's just a fancier version of, "So and so was here."

AGREED !! I am glad somebody else can see what a prolific not-caring-about-detroit vandal Tyree Guyton really is. Maybe they should make him pay for cleanup of all his slop dots just like Mike Duggan did with COUPE....?

Somebody famous for exploiting the ghetto conditions of Detroit for his own self aggrandizement ?

R U I N S P O R N O G R A P H E R ! ! !

**Jaybiz** · September-08-12, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by mauser

Oh really ? They are all white kids, huh ? No africanamericans or mexicanamericans, eh ?

hipsters ???

Wow dude, keep saying crap like this and the graffiti people are gonna put a bounty on YOUR head.

Haha, bounty on my head! Tell em to bring it, I ain't never scared!! Elmer and Gasm are white and so are these New York and LA dudes like Revok and all the artist he brought in for the Detroit Beautification project all white boys, the artist I know who spend hundreds of dollars on paint for one tag in Eastern market, Packard, dequindre cut, train station etc are majority white. I never said it was all white but for a city that's over 80% black it's ironic these guys are tagging hoods they probably didn't grew up in and probably don't know anybody who lives in them. At one time a graffiti artist tagged his own area so all his people would see it and he would be a local celebrity of sorts but I highly doubt anyone in my old neighborhood off 7 and Gratiot knows who the fuck gasm is. But like I said I don't have a problem with any of this but I find it interesting and I'm not saying I'm a 100% right either; I'll stfu and admit I'm wrong if you can name me 3 major players in the Detroit Graffiti scene who are African american and are from the city proper.

**mauser** · September-08-12, 08:40 PM

I am not outing anybody, not even what race they are, I find that rather distasteful - and poor forum etiquette. I only refer to the person by name who is "world famous" and paints dots all over the city. He appears to be african american to me, but I never asked him.

**Fulcanelli** · September-09-12, 04:40 AM

Amazing. What Tyree Guyton does has absolutely nothing to do with what Elmer/Porab/Gasm/Chaos does. This whole position is rather childish...one kid gets caught stealing candy and his defense is that his brother did it first.

You aren't addressing the disrespect these taggers are inflicting on the people living in those areas. I have a sneaking suspicion that if someone surveyed the area, that perhaps the taggers aren't as popular as they like to think of themselves.

My objection here is the countless instances of these tags, on building after building in some areas. Another phenomena that is as prolific is cancer.

**mauser** · September-09-12, 07:40 AM

You are refusing to acknowledge that Tyree Guyton does illegal graffiti which is exactly the same as GASM or whoever else. This is my point - the hypocrisy and selective attentions of certain board critics of graffiti as vandalism.

You will never get around my argument because it is airtight. Mr. Guytons graffiti slop dots qualify for your bitch about "the countless instances of these tags, on building after building in some areas. Another phenomena that is as prolific is cancer."

Modify your argument to a more intelligent analysis, and then it might hold water - perhaps sans personal insults. Right now that is your opinion, and in and of itself, it is an inconsistent one. You hate what you dont like. That is like a kid who eats all his dinner but doesnt like to eat the carrots. But in the final analysis, it is in fact all food.

The slop dot guy is the most prolific graffiti "vandal" in Detroit history.

**gnome** · September-09-12, 08:04 AM

Mauser, that is an interesting point. I would think the compare/contrast between graffiti and Guyton would make for a provocative paper.

There are many who don't care for the self-glorification of gasim but are fans of Guyton's work. For me I see Guyton as a contextual artist. Gasim's stuff has almost no context. A wall is a wall is a wall. The larger and riskier, the better; but it is still a wall and a tag. Me me me. Look look me look look ooh meeee!

Guyton's use of a bus, shoes, plush toys, boats, cars provides a larger and deeper social context.

In short, Guyton's art makes the viewer search for meaning; Gasim's tags just makes the viewer wonder how he got up there.

**warsaw7** · September-09-12, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Is flaming your best talent? You need to examine yourself.

Are stupid asshole suggestions your best talent? If so you need to examine YOURself.

**warsaw7** · September-09-12, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

Well if you did your research you would see that at the June 2008 NoGraf Network Conference of experts from the U.S. and around the world, the annual costs of graffiti was now estimated to be $25 Billion in the US.

Just think if that same amount of money was spent on homelessness and education,what about the business owner that is struggling to feed their family and receives that letter from the city requesting that they paint over the graffiti or get fined,real pride in taking food from families.

Maybe you should do a bit of research and realize the impact of a few on so many lives for thier 15 minutes of so called fame .

http://graffiti911.com/costs.php

This is a joke. No I said it, this is a joke. That is my rebuttal.

**Fulcanelli** · September-09-12, 11:17 AM

Life sure is tough, trapped here in the inner city. I lost my job and can’t find another, and I can’t afford to move and my property value has dropped like a lead balloon since the housing bubble was pricked. I get so depressed walking through the neighborhood, looking at all the blight! It’s just bricks and burned out stores and homes, trash…the SOS. It’s hard waking up every morning, with the putrid sights and smells of the ghetto all around me.

I know…I just got an idea…we need something to brighten up the area, to add property value here in this abandoned town. I’ve seen some WONDERFUL tagging in other neighborhoods, and it just improved the overall ‘look’ of the street, with ‘Porab,’ ‘Elmer,’ ‘Chaos,’ ‘Nark,’ and ‘Gasam’ plastered everywhere, like ghetto wallpaper. There are so many wonderful, uplifting words to choose from! I wonder if these generous young lads would grace our burned out streets with their marvelous art. I wonder if they do commissioned work, or do they prefer their random acts of kindness? Since seeing their art in other neighborhoods, I’ve been having true aesthetic experiences with a much deeper appreciation of art.. The forms, the exciting color, the hundreds of instances of their gift actually brings me closer to God.

And if it increases the land value, just as they say…maybe I can get out of this rat infested hole.

Thank you, whoever you talented tarts are, for bringing art and meaning to the inner city! You are God’s gift to the ghetto.

**warsaw7** · September-09-12, 01:46 PM

One of the worse threads ever.............

Proof

http://thewynwoodwalls.com

**KJ5** · September-09-12, 10:10 PM

Geez, fulcanelli, don't you have anything better to do with your time? Maybe you should get a hobby or something...

**Honky Tonk** · September-10-12, 08:58 AM

"Geez, fulcanelli, don't you have anything better to do with your time? Maybe you should get a hobby or something... "

Really...... Why don't you take up vandalizing other people's properties by spray painting your name all over them?

**jtf1972** · September-11-12, 06:29 AM

Someone spraypaiknted on the Dequindre Cut sign at Gratiot. Wonder where they got the idea that it was cool to do that.

**Honky Tonk** · September-11-12, 10:57 AM

"Wonder where they got the idea that it was cool to do that."

Ok, This is a TRICK question, just give me a minute.......

Picture someone that's "heard" about the Dequindre cut-off, shows up for the first time, and sees that. What do you think runs through their head? "Oh, How cool is that, let me go down there".

**mauser** · September-15-12, 07:25 AM

Does it have a giant dot on it ? Because if it does, I think I know who did it...

**mauser** · September-16-12, 06:06 AM

Grand River Creative Center Art Walk is happening on Thursday, September 20, 4-10 pm starting at 4731 Gallery and Studios as part of the Detroit Design Festival 2012 [[Grand River Avenue south of Warren). Visit http://www.detroitdesignfestival.com...ridor-art-walk. As stated on the website: “The Art Walk will take visitors on a visually stimulating journey while giving them a unique shopping and eating experience. Vendors will be set up outside of 4731. Food Trucks will be present as an added attraction to the event. There will also be an indoor exhibit showcasing local visual artists. This event will be a great way to unveil the work created by Detroit graffiti and fine artists.”