High Rock

The platform on top of High Rock in Maryland once launched hang gliders into the skies high above the Pennsylvania valley below. Gliders no longer launch from the rock due to safety concerns, unless permission is granted by local officials. First responders urge visitors to practice responsible behavior to avoid injury and even death from falls. Over the years, graffiti and the effects of weather have made the rocks more slippery. Folks still make the out-of-the-way drive to High Rock, and when exploring with common sense, return home safely.

Graffiti

Graffiti is a popular form of urban expression, often for those who have few outlets. It’s sometimes synonymous with street art, though street art is more often curated works by professional artists.

I’m drawn to colorful city walls with a message. I snapped these photos in Reykjavik, Iceland during a trip in 2014 when the artwork and statements piqued my interest. I imagine how drab the street in the third photo might look without these eye-catching displays, however I don’t know what the artwork means, which might spark a different conversation.

The Graffiti Debate

Graffiti is a dirty word to some and an important form of expression to others. Do an online search or ask your friends, and you’ll find the debate about graffiti is one of good vs. evil.

Graffiti is always vandalism. Graffiti’s most salient characteristic is that it is a crime.
―Heather Mac Donald (American conservative political commentator)

Should graffiti be judged on the same level as modern art? Of course not; It’s way more important than that.
―Banksy (anonymous British graffiti artist)

Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing.
―Banksy (anonymous British graffiti artist)

Some people are enraged, and some people are applauding. If there were a mission statement for graffiti, that would be it.
―Barry McGee (contemporary American artist)

Graffiti at High Rock

High Rock is an attraction for graffiti artists, or vandals, depending on how you would classify them. The markings at High Rock are primarily graffiti, folks stopping by to etch their names in ephemeral paint for a moment in time. What do you think of the artwork at High Rock? I’m divided on the issue, being a lover and protector of nature and an enthusiast of creative expression at the same time.

Come on an Ecopsyched! adventure with me in this week’s episode, and let me know in the comments below what you think of the artwork at High Rock.

-Lisa B

Thank you for joining me on this and future adventures!