Reverse graffiti

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A car featuring reverse graffiti

Reverse graffiti also known as clean tagging, dust tagging or grime writing, is a method of creating temporary graffiti on walls or other surfaces by removing dirt from a surface. It is often done by removing dirt/dust with the fingertip(s) from windows or other dirty surfaces, such as writing 'wash me' on a dirty vehicle. It is also used commercially as an advertising guerilla technique to reach consumers in an unconventional new way, differing from traditional advertising methods.

Reverse graffiti is highly visible due to its overt placement, predominantly in urban areas. Because reverse graffiti uses no paint or ink, and thus cannot be said to actually deface an object, it is considered legal and often used for advertising. Companies such as Microsoft and Smirnoff have advertised their products in this way. ^[1] In this context, marketers call it "streetbranding", "clean advertising" and "clean graffiti". Ironically The UK pressure group Keep Britain Tidy opposes reverse graffiti.^{[citation needed]}.

Methods & Artists

Reverse graffiti is an art form and increasingly used commercially as guerilla advertising it can be created by using many different methods. The most common is words or pictures drawn directly on dirty vehicles such as 'clean me' or "I wish my girlfriend was this dirty". A more technologically advanced and difficult method is done by cleaning the graffiti into dirty street sidewalks, this dirt is difficult to clean off and the graffiti must therefore be created by scrubbing, or by using a professional pressure washer or Sand blaster.

The commercial method of using Reverse Graffiti as biodegradable advertising is growing in popularity and has seen companies such as KIA and Puma using advertising guerilla techniques as new and exciting media to reach its customers. Because the work is temporary and biodegradable and no hard materials are wasted in the production of this street artwork, such as printed paper, vinyl banners or painted surfaces it is considered an environmentally friendly way of advertising and an exciting new viable art media, creating interest regardless of the content of the artwork.

The commercial method of creating reverse graffiti is very similar to how the world famous UK artist Banksy [1] creates his urban masterpieces, using a laser cut metal stencil to give the artwork its clear defined outline. This differentiates the work greatly from free hand graffiti artwork. [2]

Paul Curtis, also known as Moose, of the United Kingdom is considered to be a pioneer for reverse graffiti.^[2] Curtis was recently charged in the United Kingdom under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act but the sentencing and implications are not known. There have been several instances of authorities attempting to prosecute those performing reverse graffiti. No authority has found legal ground to prosecute those who perform reverse graffiti.^[3]

References

Street Advertising Services SAS are the world's most experienced provider of Reverse graffiti. They have completed over 160 campaigns since 2006 in both the United Kingdom and countries across mainland Europe. Client's include Puma, Nike, ING Bank

External links

• project of artist Paul "Moose" Curtis
• Reverse Graffiti
• Artist Oliver Bienkowski draws Germanys biggest Reverse Graffiti over 1 Mile
• Artist Draws 'Clean' Graffiti from Dirty Walls
• 'Reverse Graffiti' Artist Creates Tunnel of Skulls - from Wired.com
• Scott Wade's Dirty Car Art Gallery
• Alexandre Orion reverse graffiti's tunnel
• video of Reverse Graffiti being written
• Self-produced videos by reverse graffiti artist Moose
• Paul Curtis or Moose documentary on Current TV
• Article about reverse graffiti adverts of a tennis foundation
• article about an agency making reverse graffiti adverts
• [3]

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