Hi everyone!
Only five weeks to the exams… and
the clock keeps ticking…
As far as the oral exam goes, remember
the little sentence I created so you can practise (and perfect) your pronunciation
skills: "She’s a very special woman". If you are still unsure as to how to pronounce it check out my previous post.
As for the contents of our
classes, I’ve decided to write a few words about one of the topics we’ve
tackled in the classroom over the past few days. Sorry Intermedio 1 students. Today’s
post is for my Avanzado 2 crowd.
Okay. After some consideration
I’ve realized that the subject of graffiti art deserves a comment in
this humble blog. So, even at the risk of being redundant or even pretentious, here are some
thoughts on the matter:
“Graffiti” is one of those catch-all
terms that seem to cover too much ground. It defines many forms of expression
ranging from the obscene scrawls and doodles in bathroom stalls or the worthless
scribblings of a bored teenager who decides to spray-paint “Steve is a jerk” on
the walls of his high school (not very different from certain texts found in Pompeii) to the thought-provoking creations by Banksy or the political drawings
that denounce government corruption. Graffiti can be a regrettable type of
vandalism, vulgar self-promotion or even an inspiring display of street art. It
is therefore analogous to the cases of public speeches or literature (in a way). Think
about it. A public speech can be an uplifting exercise of rhetoric or just sheer
drivel. Books can contain beautiful thoughts or dull tales. The difference between
spray-painting a wall and other forms of personal expression lies, of course, in
the inherent public nature of graffiti. When we walk to work we don’t have to
hear speeches nor do we need to read certain books but, whether we like it or
not, we can’t help seeing the graffiti… Do graffiti artists consider the impact
of their work on our daily lives?
Today I thought you may like to
take a look at this insightful video, which explores the issue of graffiti from a rather unexpected angle. Have fun.
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