Bio Graffiti: Urban Art Takes A New Form

Everyone knows about graffiti. This urban art form has made it's way to the smallest towns, the tiniest hamlets, underneath the most remote bridges. It streaks across the continent on the sides of box cars, and irritates numerous business owners. But green graffiti?

Apparently green graffiti is cool. There is an artist names Edina Tokodi that is creating green graffiti in Brooklyn with moss. Yep. Living moss. She tags the sides of buildings and fences with images of prancing animals and hand prints and other things all done in living, growing moss. This talented Hungarian artist creates whimsical scenes in moss that share both her love of nature and the animal patterns so common in eastern European folk art. It beautifies the area and people notice!

Helen Nodding of London, England has been creating art on city walls for some time. She says that she is cheered by seeing weeds pushing up through cracks in sidewalks. She makes a mixture with moss and paints city walls. The resulting graffiti grows and fills in and creates unique living art. She also creates tiny dioramas in the cracks between stones and bricks for an exquisite surprise to the attentive passer-by.

So, you think you would like to "green" tag a few of the ugly walls in your city? Here is just one recipe for moss paint....There are others. Once you get the moss growing don't forget you will need to keep checking it to make sure it does not need to be spritzed with water.

1 can of beer

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Several clumps garden moss

Blender

Plastic container with cover

Paint brush

Stencil if desired

Mix in blender on lowest speed until you achieve a heavy cream consistency, Pour into your container. You're ready to paint, and grow. Any moist rock or wall that doesn't get much sunlight is a perfect place to create your graffiti. I The moss mix can be applied with a stencil or just freehand brushing.

There is not much information on moss graffiti out there but, as an artist, I find the idea of painting with moss fascinating! Imagine the signs that could be created with this living medium, as well as the fact that it is a tactile experience as well.

While some may question whether or not graffiti is an art form, no one can deny that this living graffiti is the best artwork for the environment! It will be interesting to watch to see if this becomes an art phenomena or a passing whim.