Graffiti art for grandmothers
Lehtikuva / Mikko Stig There are no age limits for graffiti art at Suvilahti.Espoo Museum of Modern Art (EMMA) and a graffiti workshop at Tapiola service centre organized a course for elderly people with the intention of making them familiar with graffiti culture. The climax of the course was a work legally created by nine over-60s on a wall situated at Suvilahti in the Sörnäinen district of Helsinki.
Before the painting of the actual work, the course participants were given a theory lesson in the styles, history and present position of graffiti art. They had also been given practice in the basics of graffiti painting in the Museum's backyard.
92-year-old Pirkko Arminen says that the theory lesson had opened her eyes, making her see graffiti as something other than scrawling. Another participant, Anneli Hätönen, was surprised at how difficult it is to paint with a spray can.
Although graffiti is often perceived as an aggressive, masculine form of art, there was only one man as opposed to eight women taking part in the course. They hoped that a place might be found in Espoo where young and old people alike could practise graffiti together
emma
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