Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Erin McKean's ("Things I learned while looking up other things, 2023.04.11")


"Buffing" is term for painting over street art to erase it—either to get rid of it, or to make a clean canvas for the next artist. ("Buffin" is 'A coarse cloth in use in the time of Elizabeth and James I.') Some places actually allow government contractors to enter private property to remove graffiti they think may have been illegally painted. Matthieu Martin, a French artist, takes photographs of buffed walls that are oddly moving.

Erasing brings out strong opinions and makes for cooler blazons. And sometimes what was erased is more interesting to the future than what you wrote over it. If you really want to erase something, you might consider zeroisation. 

The best erasure is this one [video link]. The worst erasure, of course, is that of people. 

Stay well, stay safe, stay visible—

Your friend,

Erin


This was issue #40 of Things Learned While Looking Up Other Things. You can subscribe, unsubscribe, or view this email online.

This email brought to you by Buttondown, the easiest way to start and grow your newsletter.

#FB00860

Subscribe to my friend Erin's newsletter today. I never miss it!

Viafoura moderates the comments on GoComics… NOT GoComics!!!!

  NOT GoComics!!!!    NOT GoComics!!!! Instead of using the words… client or site publisher… I will say GoComics.   Instead of saying   “u...