Graffiti, risk, and the role of connections

So how do graffiti artists make sure that their pieces are seen by the community? That’s when connections come into play. 

“One time, it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and someone wanted to do a piece with one of his quotes, ‘No one is free until we are all free.’” Cid said. “It was totally not my idea; I thought it’d take too long, but it was at the top of a Bank of America building, and we spent so much time on it.”

With the help of one of their friends, Cid and his group of friends managed to make their way into the building without tripping any of the security alarms. 

“One of our friends worked there in the offices and gave us a key to go through the stairwells,” Cid explained. “We spent all night on it, and it came out amazing. In the morning, we planned to cruise by and take pictures of it, but it was completely gone by the time we got there. I was like, ‘Come on, just an hour more would’ve been great, because then people would have seen it,’ but it had already been completely painted over.”

Inside connections can go a long way. Having access to a building that many people pass by is one thing, but being able to put graffiti up on high spots like signage is another. 

“Some of the older guys I knew would work construction, and they would borrow cranes and stuff to make it look like they were doing construction on the freeway,” Cid said. “They’d set up lights and block traffic, so it looked official, and nobody ever questioned it. They didn’t look like graffiti writers, they just looked like normal construction people.”