By now, you’ve probably noticed the graffiti littering our campus; it’s an egg-like face usually paired with some nonsensical phrase written alongside it. It’s ugly, it’s arbitrary and it needs to stop.
Our University is doing all that it can do to achieve flagship status. We’ve increased alumni support, increased enrollment, upped admission standards and we’re in the process of countless remodeling and beautification projects all over campus. These attempts to make our campus look prestigious are thwarted by this unattractive and unsightly graffiti artist who obviously has too much time on his hands.
There is nothing wrong with graffiti as an art form — if it makes sense and/or stands for something — but this egg cartoon is completely nonsensical. The text is flat out ridiculous, too. “The most extraordinary marvels come from nothing,” reads the giant banner above the UC Satellite.
When graffiti first started, even back in ancient Roman days, it was meant to express a point or a means to be heard when voices and opinions weren’t acceptable. That tradition, for the most part, has carried on. So when artists like “the egg guy” go around defacing our campus, it’s not only a disgrace to him, but also the art form as a whole.
It’s almost like the graffiti artist (if you can call him that) is imitating the world-famous Banksy.
The difference between this guy and Banksy is that Banksy has talent, and his work serves a purpose. Take for example Banksy’s “Ozone’s Angel,” in which he depicts an angel in military garb holding a skull. He raises awareness of all the hazardous chemicals that we breathe in every day — almost saying that it’s so bad, it’s even in heaven. Dissimilarly, an egg with an angry face sends no message to the greater audience.
Perhaps the Daily Cougar will fuel his fire. By writing this article, “the egg guy” may feel validated, and maybe he’ll start taking cheap shots at us or use snippets from this article in his next piece of work — how’s that for tossing you another egg? But we hope, instead, that this student — and yes, we know who you are; we’ve seen you — will stop incessantly defacing our campus with pointless eggs.
In the meantime, can the vandalism at least make sense? Do a simple Google search of some good graffiti and try copying some of the pros, because your work has failed to impress anyone.
Kendra Berglund is an education senior and may be reached at [email protected].
For an education senior you're not very bright are you? The future is looking very bleak.
Long story short: If you don't get it you don't get it, that doesn't mean its bad art. Not to mention who the hell are you to judge his work? Whens the last time you did something anywhere near as meaningful?
At least this guy does it in chalk, which washes off. Do you want him to copy those who graffiti walls with very permanent colors?
The Eggman's art is a controversial topic, but to say that his art is "nonsensical" and "arbitrary" is simply untrue. I remember my first week on campus at the University of Houston. I had just transferred to this mecca in the big city from the suburb of Cypress and was looking for some sense of identity at such a large campus. I was leaving the UC Underground, destined for Chemistry class at the SEC building. At the top of the stairwell was a small sign picketed into the ground. On the sign was the face of Eggman with a caption that highlighted the pervasive idea that a majority of people no longer value reading. This sign, a flimsy piece of cardboard, staked into the ground, had a power greater than any TV in the UC (you know, the ones that play "Mindrot Television". Errr…. MTV), it had a greater power than any sign strung up in the UC patio, it had a greater power than any posting anywhere around campus. That sign, at the top of the stairwell, had the power to make one think. That sign, a piece of flimsy cardboard, had the power to make one question whether or not they too have fallen victim to the hustle and bustle that is 21st century America. Since then, I have seen many other postings around campus, some cryptic, some blatantly obvious. But for the most part, all of these signs force the reader to think, to wonder, to question.
Yeah it does have a lot to do with getting it. Thats how art works. You either get it or you don't.
he's an asian kid who always wears a beanie on his head in Dr. Robert Carp's Constitutional Law class, pgh 349, Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30-1. He admitted this in class in front of many students as we waited for the professor to come in.
i asked him why he was doing it, and he said because he wanted to "inspire" people. i asked him inspire them to do what, and he said it's just a form of expression and had no answer for me.
needless to say, he's a dumbass that needs to be caught. i will try to get his name and post it on here.
I have seen a similar Asian kid with a beanie putting up egg men papers around campus. I'm sure it's the same kid.
Please do get his name and post it so I can contact campus police and get this kid in jail for vandalism.
he's an asian kid who always wears a beanie on his head in Dr. Robert Carp's Constitutional Law class, pgh 349, Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30-1. He admitted this in class in front of many students as we waited for the professor to come in.
This article is pretty stupid. I can't believe your a senior. It's because of people like you who think graffiti is okay as long as it's "pretty" that these guys think it's no big deal.
I have seen the image near PGH done with a thick black permanent marker, so it's not just chalk.
The point is that it's vandalism. That's all it is.
It's not art! It's Vandalism.
Go tell that to Basquiat you twit.
I believe it's a group of students doing it. I've heard them talking about it once but did not think to take their picture. The people supporting this guy on here are probably the same people doing this.
IF YOU SEE THIS ASIAN KID OR ANYBODY ELSE PUTTING UP EGG DRAWINGS TAKE A PICTURE AND CALL UHDPS (CAMPUS POLICE) AT (713) 743-3333 http://www.uh.edu/police/
his name is Drew. That's all I could get. Asian kid, named drew, wears a beanie, sits in dr. robert carp's constitutional law class tuesdays and thursdays 11:30 to 1:00. someone call UH police already!
wow. threat?
I like the egg and the audacity that the ARTIST uses to put it everywhere. From an artistic and marketing perspective, I give this person 2 thumbs up. However, he is breaking the law and will sooner or later have to account for his actions.
To those idiots above, STOP SNITCHING! Even worse you're cyber snitching. I would bet money that despite you talking all big and bad on here, if you saw this kid 3 feet in front of you on campus, you wouldn't do anything. Vandals do NOT belong in jail, murderers, rapists, etc belong in jail. PERIOD!
"Stop snitching" ? You sound like a 6 year old at the playground or a street gang that uses stop snitching as a way to keep on committing crimes without having to worry someone will snitch on them.
He will account for his actions when he/they are caught.
Things to do if you see this kid 3 feet in front of you:
—take a picture of his face
—call university police
—give picture to university police
People who break the law belong in jail. i.e. vandals and other low level crimes.
People who commit more violent crimes belong in prison or a penitentiary. (murderers,rapists,etc)
Whatever random crime fighting guy. I hope you catch him, so YOU can sleep soundly at night knowing the streets of 3rd Ward are safe. After you catch this guy, PLEASE, go out and take pictures and alert UHPD of all the armed robbery incidents that will happen on campus. And be sure to go take a picture of the people who did a drive by shooting in front of the Recreation center last month.
I ran a stop sign a week ago, are you going to take my picture and call UHPD on me too so I can go to jail?
lol he won't go to jail. he'll just be told to stop being a douche and ruining the school. I've already talked to this kid, i told him exactly what i thought of him. just didn't think to take a picture
Right, 10 bucks says you're full of crap. That fact you're bragging about it online is testament enough to your character.
They're are bigger problems on campus. Students are getting ripped for buying a parking pass but not able to find a space to park. I'm forced to buy a meal plan to a horrible cafeteria. Meanwhile Khator is banking over $400,000 per year while we suffer. And you really give crap about some kid exerting his whims in different places? Sometimes I feel like painting MY concerns on the side of the UC.
It's YOU guys who need to get a life.
I used to be a graffiti artist, but quit when I got to a certain age that I didnt wanna risk going to jail anymore. As a graffiti artist there are, believe it or not, a set of rules that we kinda abide by. 1. Don't hit up federal property (school, churches), because not only is it a stiff punishment, but it's also REALLY tacky.
This kid is WACK! He not only uses sidewalk chalk to do his tags, it's also really crappy work. I mean even if this kid DID have the balls to use paint, it would STILL be ugly! He's what we call a toy.. I still love graffiti, but I HATE graff that gives graff a bad name. EGGHEAD BE GONE you lousy ass toy!
bunch of uptight wieners get mad at art. deliver an impossible-to-substantiate anecdote about the artist being some random asian guy.
if you can't handle graffiti, stay in your house/dorm/hugbox/hyperbaric oxygen chamber where you won't have to be exposed to any scary sights and sounds.
we've got witnesses that this asian kid named Drew admitted to being the graffiti artist in a classroom full of people. i'll call the UH police myself, just to prove it's not "unsubstantiated" claims. and btw, i don't think you know what anecdote means
dumba$$
u mad
For once cakewalk and I agree on something. But nonetheless its pretty sad that these people are getting up in arms over art. I haven't seen any spikes in vandalism besides Eggman's art so where is the harm here? His art really isn't going to hurt UH's chances anymore for Tier 1 status than them graduating twits like the author of this article.
^5
I thought some juvenile delinquent did it. I never thought a UH students would do it. I apologized by insult to the community.
who cares. it's an egg. let's move on to the parking issues and most importantly, the safety of our student body. it's an egg.
specially "anthony." we're in college. stop snitching. go study.