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New graffiti on the Danube: art or vandalism in focus?
New graffiti has appeared on the Danube Wall in Passau. Local art initiatives are calling for more cooperation with authorities.
New graffiti on the Danube: art or vandalism in focus?
In Ilzstadt, new graffiti has appeared on the concrete wall facing the Danube. This comes at a time when the gates of the rail fences over All Saints were open, apparently making the opportunity tempting for sprayers. Loud pnp.de This use of walls is not new: in the past, the walls were often used for illegal graffiti.
Despite a protective fence that the State Building Authority had installed for 10,000 euros, there has already been criticism of the barriers. These don't seem to deter the sprayers, but they do endanger the view for numerous visitors passing by. Fabian Edenharder, a member of the art association AGON e.V., expressed the wish for more exchange with the local authorities. He suggests developing a common motif that, for example, focuses on the impressive Passau skyline.
A suggestion for more creativity
Edenharder has also discussed an annual campaign to create new works of art. He is firmly convinced that illegal sprayers would also respect such a work of art. These approaches could bring a positive change in the discussion about graffiti and public space in Germany.
Another point to note: In Germany, graffiti is considered damage to property and can have criminal consequences. The clearance rate for such crimes, for example, is around 13 percent. The combination of a rise in vandalism and a survey of illegal graffiti could indicate that social norms in society are eroding. This is also supported by the so-called “broken window effect,” which states that small signs of neglect can encourage the commission of larger crimes.
The discussion about graffiti in Passau is not just a local phenomenon, but is closely related to nationwide trends. The question remains how public space can be designed in the future to balance both art and aesthetics.