I wonder why graffiti is for the most part so boring. Tags are scribbled quickly, partly because writers don't want to be caught, and partly to achieve that effortless grace. I get that (I think most of us try for the same quick elegance with our signatures), but why is so much of it in the same style? Even the big, colorful, labored pieces are too similar in style. Why aren't there street artists who try for some other approach with paint (I have seen a few fresher things, but few and far between)? There must be many ways to apply spray paint. What about realistic, or expressionistic graffiti paintings? Are graffiti artists so true to the form and tradition that they prefer not to break with the accepted styles? Seems strange that folks who enjoy the thrill of illicit 3 a.m. painting would be so bound by custom.

A couple years ago, I did a small graffiti project based on the comment I heard from so many people: "I like graffiti, as long as it looks nice." I hung up some "nice," framed watercolor paintings around town, and glued a couple of nice oil paintings up in the subway (they were paintings of people riding on the subway). There were 11 paintings in all, and I'm not sure what became of them...