# I hesitate to call this grafitti **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555 "2021-07-28T21:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/1 "2021-07-28T21:30:06Z")
On a dark desert highway… [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51341863693_bbed765b49_b.jpg "IT3") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/191587192@N04/51341863693/in/dateposted-public/) [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51341637541_2c5572d5c5_b.jpg "IT1") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/191587192@N04/51341637541/in/dateposted-public/) A gully washer (monsoon) had just stopped falling, the sky and road were still wet, I was on the I10 about 4 miles from Ash Fork, AZ - the flagstone capital of the United States when I drove around a curve and down into the wash, glimpsed this and was gone before it really registered. Very VERY impressive and effective art IMO. I knew that the next time I was in that area, it would be gone. Even if it didn’t get painted over, the sun would have faded the color in less than a year, so I drove 3 miles to the next exit, turned around and back tracked 7 miles so I could pull on the shoulder and take a pic. Totally worth it and if anyone ever gives me the artists name and contact info, I will send him much praise and a little money. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/2 "2021-07-28T21:32:41Z")
That ain’t graffiti, that’s some pretty impressive wall art, thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/3 "2021-07-28T22:09:08Z")
I came across some wild artwork, I too hesitate to call it graffiti as well, I got some pictures. I have mixed feelings because there is a fine line between vandalism, and art. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/4 "2021-07-28T22:28:45Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > I have mixed feelings because there is a fine line between vandalism, and art. I am in total agreement. How is the line drawn? Most folks here will admire the art and consider the effort it took for the artist to drag his supplies down into and across the wash to render his vision of an 8 foot tall monster, but that culvert belongs to the state and someone has to think about the children who will have nightmares after glimpsing that in the blink of an eye. (I’m not that someone, but I’m sure that someone is out there.) [I am also guilty of using public lands for my canvas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-door-to-nowhere/926328) so I don’t have any high ground to stand on. BUT the State doesn’t care about graffiti on highways and culverts and kids have nightmares about stupid stuff all the time. This is amazing art and should be preserved just like we do pictographs for generations to come. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/5 "2021-07-28T22:37:22Z")
That’s an old friend of the Piasa. > **[Piasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piasa)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}38°53′52″N 90°11′56″W / 38.897833°N 90.199°W / 38.897833; -90.199 > The Piasa (/ˈpaɪ.əsɔː/ PY-ə-saw) or Piasa Bird is a creature from Native American mythology depicted in one of... ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/6 "2021-07-28T22:44:52Z")
Free your mind. Graffiti is not synonymous with vandalism. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/7 "2021-07-28T22:52:51Z")
It’s possible that this isn’t graffiti even in the literal sense. For all any of us know, the artist might have gotten permission from the relevant authority, or even have been commissioned by them. But regardless of whether it’s graffiti or not, I think we can all agree that it’s a fine piece of artwork. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/8 "2021-07-28T23:04:43Z")
If only more concrete expanses were rendered so creatively. Local city allowed an artist’s mural on a wall in front of a reclaimed green space. But I do like spotting deviant art. Not tags or scribbles. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/9 "2021-07-28T23:17:10Z")
So, what do you guys think it is? I’m going to wait until others say before I say. I don’t want to influence people and others I’ve shown it to seem to see different things. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/10 "2021-07-28T23:20:08Z")
It’s pretty clear to me that it’s a giant rat ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/11 "2021-07-28T23:22:41Z")
You’re right. It’s a graffito. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/12 "2021-07-28T23:43:50Z")
I am sorry for being unclear. I was actually asking what the picture itself represented to you, not the proper name of the individual piece of art. @Chronos sees it differently than I or do, but I can sure see how he got there. This is why I am not saying 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/13 "2021-07-29T00:17:36Z")
I have no idea what the artist was conceptualizing when they came up with this but as I look at it and try to put flesh over it in my mind I think it would be a very skeery critter indeed and I don’t know why the color choices were done as they were but the whole thing is undeniably art to me and if I had a blank wall on my property I’d love to host this piece on it. I think it’s a huge improvement over the plain culvert wall but I’m very tolerant of art in the wild–I love it as much as I detest stupid random tags that mean nothing, although sometimes those can become art if they’re done well enough but they generally aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/14 "2021-07-29T00:52:35Z")
Note: Ash Fork is on I (no “the” 🙂 )40, not I10. > [@mikecurtis](#): > > Free your mind. > Graffiti is not synonymous with vandalism. If it isn’t the graffitier’s property, it is. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/15 "2021-07-29T01:51:53Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Note: Ash Fork is on I (no “the” 🙂 )40, not I10. You are so right. I just got home after driving across 5 state lines in 4 days due to family drama and forgot which I I was on. At least I had the presence of mind to turn around and take the pic! If it had been gone when I managed to get back out there, I would have always regretted it. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/16 "2021-07-29T02:25:14Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > stupid random tags that mean nothing, maybe to you. They mean something to the person who made them and to the people they made them for. > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > If it isn’t the graffitier’s property, it is. maybe to you, but not to me. [This](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lascaux_painting.jpg#/media/File:Lascaux_painting.jpg) wasn’t on the artists’ property neither was [this](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golpayegan.petroglyphs0101.jpg#/media/File:Golpayegan.petroglyphs0101.jpg) or [this](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banksy-art.jpg#/media/File:Banksy-art.jpg) there is no difference between [this](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SantaCruz-CuevaManos-P2210651b.jpg#/media/File:SantaCruz-CuevaManos-P2210651b.jpg) and [this](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Former_roof_felt_factory_in_Tampere_Jun2012_003.jpg#/media/File:Former_roof_felt_factory_in_Tampere_Jun2012_003.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/17 "2021-07-29T02:30:09Z")
I see a skeletalized croc. Rock art Tennessee iirc. Gas stop in the hills. [https://i.ibb.co/0M88Jdx/11-F676-A0-BFC0-4599-AF54-0-E2-C87492-EBB.jpg](https://i.ibb.co/0M88Jdx/11-F676-A0-BFC0-4599-AF54-0-E2-C87492-EBB.jpg) [https://i.ibb.co/kx7c4wh/0-B269-EC8-F5-A8-4-B05-8-CDF-D0-E59-F2-D2-D2-C.jpg](https://i.ibb.co/kx7c4wh/0-B269-EC8-F5-A8-4-B05-8-CDF-D0-E59-F2-D2-D2-C.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/18 "2021-07-29T02:35:32Z")
MOAR PICS!!! When I first saw it, my mind screamed IT!!! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/19 "2021-07-29T03:01:38Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > maybe to you. They mean something to the person who made them and to the people they made them for. But that’s the difference. If something is drawn or painted on a public surface that all or many members of the public enjoy, that is clearly very different to something that is important only to the artist but no one else. The former is social, and the latter is anti-social. The former is doing something with a public surface for the public, and the latter is having the selfishness and temerity to use a public thing for your own enjoyment to the detriment of everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555/20 "2021-07-29T03:03:30Z")
If you like this sort of thing you will absolutely love this story: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jmccJgw66vA/maxresdefault.jpg "Warrnambool's wombat street art is a happy accident") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmccJgw66vA) Mr Phil Hoy became an absolute legend after this video went viral, and deservedly so. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hesitate-to-call-this-grafitti/947555.md?page=2)