In Praise of Graffiti...

Jesus Just Google It, by Component

...or is it street art, urban art or what ever people call it today - but what ever, it enriches my neighborhood. I'm not talking about the mindless scribbles of young vandals but proper graffiti. We have an artist in my suburb, Grey Lynn, who goes by the pseudonym "Component." He's been stenciling and pasting up his art for a long time now and the more I look the more I find.
   It started for me when I won a competition and got to choose a piece of art to hang in my home for a year. I chose a painting by Component called "Queenie Rocks the Party," and it hung in my hallway looking cool for a year. I then realised by coincidence I owned a T-shirt with a Component graphic on the front and then I started noticing his work appearing around my neighbourhood. I'm sure it was always there, but I'd just learnt to pay attention.

Queenie Rocks the Party

   Recently a wonderful portrait of Sir Edmund Hillary appeared on the side of a local wine shop. "Sir Ed" was the first man to climb Everest and is the most famous New Zealander ever - he's iconic and Component's portrait is fantastic.
    Component has a website, maintains a Flickr gallery, and is a member of the Cut Collective. Keep up the work, you make my neighborhood a richer place.

Sir Ed, by Component