wribben bu

 
inTRooucTiON

D.OTS. (Disciples of the Spray Can) is art theory by deconstructing
graffiti into a religion. It is an attempt to influence traditional graffiti
artists (writers, bombers, pieces, hip-hop, graf, taggers, ego graf) to
Produce political art on a mass scale. The development of theory
interests me because D.O.T.S. takes three taboos subject matter
(Politics, religion and graffiti) and makes it one. Originally, it was
for me to follow the guidelines that I wrote in The Message - Part 1.
Using traditional tactics (throwing up. tagging, and piecing) to spread
the propaganda,

Around the same time I started to develop D.O.TS., I started to notice
acertain sticker “Andre the Giant has a posse.” Thad scen this sticker
before, but I aever thought much oft other than “that muthr fukr is
up.” At the same time, there was a crew from Sac, I think, FTS. They
were doing a newspaper, shirts and stickers and that's where my first
stickers were directly influenced from. I wanted my propaganda to
be up as much as OBEY’s shit, but the content was more like FTS
shit. So I switched gears and started to produce stickers, posters and,
later, stencils. I wanted political art work to dominate street art. I
believe producing stickers, posters and stencils is an easier and more
effective way to do what I was attempting.

Talso felt the only to do this was to influence other writers to see the
world as Ido. I was young and naive; I believed that all writers felt
the system of capitalism needed to be destroyed. I was wrong. I feel
most writers are thinking, “How much spray paint can I steal?” or “I
want to bomb the whole city” etc... (Isure did and do).. It’snotentirely
our own fault. We are not raised up to question authority. When our
actions, such as writing on the walls, which is considered actsagainst
authority, it does not mean we are unified in our reasons for writing
on the walls in the first place.

 

This all came to my attention while I was writing D.O.T.S, But I
uunderplayed it because I didn’t want other vriters to just disregard
What was being said. The act of writing on the walls is a political act
whether person writing on the walls knows it or not, But this isn’t
good enough anymore. The writer must beware that writing is @
political act and mustunderstand why itis also. D.O.TS. is a crew to
bring unity to graffiti, itis nota crew to battle under. There is « much
larger enemy in the world than ourselves and we (graffiti artists) spend
too much of our time destroying our own art work instead of
destroying this god damn system.

Coming out of traditional graf, Isee stickers as tagging, stencils und
wheat paste as throw ups and pieces. I still see myself as a graffiti
artist. I just don’t frechand anymore. Traditional graf is now starting
touse more stencils, stickers and wheat paste in the pursuit of getting
up. The problem I see with traditional graf is it is still more about the
individual than it’s about the whole.

My own attempt is to mix the two and I feel it works. I made an
iconic image about police repression (the star pig). The message of
the piece is political but I still want credit for my work. Before political
street art has been anonymous. Bringing the two together - ego graf
and political graf - I hope will bring a higher level of activity to
political street art, which I feel is a must.

A lotof people look at the ego as a bad thing. People need an ego so
that they don’t just get pushed around or crushed by others. They
also can’t have such a large ego that they start pushing and crushing
other people. A balance needs to occur. | don’t feel ego/political graf
is the only way to do graf. Being aronymous is a part of traditional
‘gzaf also. Being znonymous does sometimes bring a feeling of elitism
to the active, (“Oh you, didu’t know” ot “Where have you been?”).
‘That bullshit needs to end. Graffiti is for everybody who is willing to
risk what little freedom we have. Ego/political graf is my attempt to
bring traditional writers and others into the mix of politics

We Americans view word propaganda with eyes of mistrust, We are
told that propaganda is half truths and thet propaganda should be
ignored. We learn that propaganda should be disregarded as lies.
Propaganda is a viewpoint, and that it is not journalism. The job of
the propagandist is to look at al sides of an issue, form an opinion on
it and sway the viewer to believe the same as the propagandist. This
is true for ultra right to ultra left propaganda. The journalist’ job is
to give all sides of au issue. The viewer can then make an educated
decision of what the right course of action is.

More and more, journalists are just becoming talking heads for the
Tuling class. This makes for the most dangerous Propaganda, saying
it’s objective when it’s not, The viewer of propaganda needs to know
that it is a one-sided argument for or against an issue. Because the
mass media is run by the ruling class, the job of the propagandist is
‘o counter this. An objective opinion can be made by the viewer hy
looking at both. Propaganda is not lies; it is a one-sided argument
intended to sway the viewer to believe the same as the propagardist.
‘The propagandist is not a puppet master and the viewers are not

Puppets.

The first gospel: Welcome to the Church of the Holy Mist, Yourself
Fume, Style, Message 1 and Message 2 were written to influence and
unite Graffiti Artists. That it is in our own best interest to understand
the world in terms of class struggle and that our art can play a major
role in changing living standards out from under this system of shit
(capitalism).

T wrote the first gospel in the voice of the “old school writer,” telling
you damn “new jack sukr ass toys” what to do. The reason I did this
is that I wanted to give some cultural flavor to the writing. I was
brought up in graf in similar ways. I was told what to write and how
to write it. I was a toy, as all writers were whether they like to admit
it or not, Alera year or two, I broke from thet bullshit and stood on
my own. The same idea is in the black bouk. You willbe told what to
write and why you should write it It’s on you and only you to break
away from my ego and make D.O.T'S. your own. The first gospels in
‘most part was written for the first and second year writers, the toys, 1
don’t mean to use toys as a dis in this context; I mean inexperienced
writers.

The second gospels are written to invite writers, non writers, artists,
non artists, activists, non-activists into the world of political street
art with a touch of old school ego graf with it. The second gospels,
(curselves, activism, content) is to further explain the role the street
artist can have in society on a whole. It is about how we are once
again reborn in the holy mist of the spray can. This is where yourself
become ourselves, where fame becomes activism and where style
becomes content, God has risen again in the form of a spray can.
Onlya few of therighteous recognize it. The battle is on. Right versus
wrong. Good versus evil. The people versus the state. The spray can
ig the tocl of the last revolution; the streets are the battlefields and
churches. We must unite, get organized and rise up and fight back
 
welcome Go Ghe church of Ghe Holy misc...

God has risen again in the form of a spray can. Only a few of the
righteous recognize it. The battle is on, Right versus wrong. Good
versus evil. The people versus the state. The spray can is the tool of
the last revolution; the streets are the battlefields and churches.

Streets writers (Disciples of the Spray Can, D.O.T'S.) understand the
structure of the city (society) better than anyone. They sec the divisions
of sex, race and class that the state creates, encourages and enforces.
‘These are enforeed by the law (police: pigs) making it so they can
legally beat, rape, and kill the poor, minorities, women, homosexuals,
and the homeless, They use the law to strip all of our dignity from us.
The middle class is a lie, a iront to make the working class believe
that they are better off than that “crack head bum” they pass every
day without a second thought.

  

‘The “middle class” has a roof over its head and food on its table, but
still is a drone for the state. Can the middle class quit their jobs
tomorrow and still pay off the loans? HELL NO. They work, work,
work - nevermaking enough or making their dreams come true. They
are just hoping to get something better (a raise). The lie of the middle
class was created by the devil (the state) to separate the people. The
separation creates a hatred within the working class. The “middle
class” believes il is better off than the poor because it has more. This
belief creates hatred for those who have less (poor). It also creates
envy of those who have more(the rich). In return this creates greed,
hatred and ignorance all around to poor to rich to middle to rich to
poor to rich to middle and back around - a sick disgusting cycle of
death and destruction, rape and confusion all adding up to bullshit
equaling capitalism.

Hate that boils up from the depths of hell is radiated by the spray can.
In the fumes of the spray can I have seen all races, sexes, classes
working together for the same goals. The goals are Yourself, FAME,
Style. Yourself: understanding yourself, ego, creating yourself in a
new image. FAME: notorious, willing to risk it all (your freedom),
being active, Style: creating style, understanding forms, redesigning
the cities. These are the three aspects of graffiti. A soul is created
when God (a spray can) is invoived at all times.

‘We must start writing for the messes; we must start to ask ourselves:
Am I just writing for myself or for others enjoyment also? But we
should always force ourselves onto the public no matter what, As
graffiti artists we must force ourselves to think bigger, not in the size
of the piece, but in the idea behind it,

‘We call ourselves writers, but what are we writ 12? The same damn
word over and over again. We must start writing about what we see
is being done on the street. We see it all. When normal people are at
home asleep, we are out there “vandalizing” their FUKN property.
We must use all the tools that are available to us: posters, stickers,
images and stencils. You may be thinking, “Well, that doesn’t seem
all that hard core.” But ifyou get caught for any or all of this, you are
still goingto be arrested and thrown into jail. We must all ask ourselves
“Why the fuck am I doing this?” Yes, we live in a capitalist society
and because of this, we are forced to sell our talent, ourselves. But,
remember, it doesn’t have to be that way, We don’t have to ‘pay our
landlord and worksome lame-ass job just to get by. It’s just the system
that is in place now that makes us do that,

Just sit down and think for a moment. If everyone in the world was a
graffiti artist, the value of property that is preached to us would be
destroyed. A building would be used however it wanted to be. On the
Outside wall that faces the public it would be used in the way the
Public wanted it to be used. Public space would be just that. The
Public space would be used for expression that would last as long as.
the public wanted it. It would not he blasted | over but would be bumed
over with what a new individual thought looked better.

Don’t believe that Ithink that this graffiti world would be some perfect
society because writers arc the biggest assholes around, self included,
But we must start to crush cur egos down without losing our self-
respect and try to understand people around us and not just blow
them offas toys. We need to thinka little before we react in destructive
behavior (style wars). If we feel in mind, body and spirit itis justified
toflip the muthr fukr and start a war, then go for it, There atea whole
lot of people out there that just take from the spray can and never
give something back to it.

God has risen again in the form of a spray can. Only a few of the
righteous recognize it. The battle is on. Right versus wrong. Good
versus evil. The people versus the state. The spray can is the tool of
the last revolution; the streets are the battlefields and churches.
Writers, we must unite, get organized, rise up and fight to beat down
the wicked .
 
The first aspect of D.O.T.S.: YOURSELF

I'm gning to takea few minutes, of your time to write about ourselves
and graffitias a whole. These feelings will be echoed in other
gosspels: FAME and STYLE.

We as a whole are standing still. Graffiti has not changed one bit.
Now I’m going to really piss you off. Everybody but the first
generation are biting sukr ass toys that you just crossed out, wrote
over or flipped. Second generation biters, third biters (You know wha:?
Even the first generation were biters; they just didn’t bite other street
writers because they were the first; they just bit someone else). But
you and me, we are just biting. You know what; fuk your style and
fuk his style and fuk her style and what you are writing. It’s been
done before; and if it hasn’t, some other muthrfukr will do it soon. So
let's see what we ate writing. “Oh, wow, a three to four to five or
even maybe a six letter word” I done this, you done this; repetitive
actions graffiti rock. The spirit of a toy is so fresh; they never wrote
‘on a wall before but, we have. We take a risk every time we go out
bombing (getting arrested or shot because we might be mistaken as a
burglar) but when we get to the wall we stop taking risks and we
bomb the same old bullshit. Maybe in a slightly different hand style
but still the same“ TAG ONE CREW.” Hey you're a fukn writer...now
what?

Have I pissed you off yet? Heehee. I know what you're saying to
yourself, “What right does this asshole have to say every thing I have
done is bullshit?” Well, I have never said I wasn’t an asshole, I'm the
biggest asshole in the world. But go beyond all that. Just imagine if
you were on the streets right now and you were reading these very
words. I'm serious. Just imagine if every word you read was on a
walland you were standing there reading Piltake myself
away from myself for an objective point of view. I would be thinking
“What right does this asshole have to say everything I have done is
bullshit? Heehee.” But, after that, I would bomb all aver it. After a
few minutes or days or weeks or even years, I would as least think to
myself what balls it took to write all that on a wall (that aver

 
opinionated asshole, WHAT AFUKN TOY.), Just think, what if
writers all over the world started to write their opinions on walls

Fuk the tags. Fuk the styles. Graffiti becomes about content: “what
aveds to be written.” It would become constructive written
conversation going on in the streets. An¢ if this was going on, graffiti
could grow in leaps and hounds from what it is

Right now I will share with you a quote from the greatest muthrfukr
inthe world: myself. But before Ido that, [ will give you some context;
where I was coming from. At the time I was tripn a lot (look, kids, I
‘was cool once-I did drugs. HEY), And before I ever even dropped, I
felt if ate a tab, would become aware of what life is really about.
In other words, I would meet god. Well, that never happened but I
did write this coming down one time: If god came to me it would be
in the form of a spray can. And with that spray can I would write the
words of the streets, because on the strce's there are no false poets or
Prophets. It's the truest (hardest) realty there is. NO TOYS
ALLOWED

The broken definition of graffiti:

Graffiti is art (the lowest, dirtiest shit you can do without being a
thug or a punk), prolific painting, marking with ink, pencil, chalk
onto a surface. Graffitiis to stick, to paste or staple: posters or stickers.
Illegally, i.c. vandalism (under the law that we live with at the
moment). Graffiti is to force your art onto the public. It is @ public
expression without being given permission to do so.

 

‘The broken rules of graffi

1. Activity is everything. If you are not active, you are not a graffiti
artist: D.O.T.S, Ill go even farther. The only time you arc a graffiti
artist is when you hit the tip of a spray can or slam a pen cap to a
wall, After and before that moment of activity, you're just like
everyone else.

2. Never cross out or write over another writer or flip them without a
reason you believe is just. Don’t write over just because you think
his/her style is wak. (Style is a judgment. I might say that a style is
dope and you'd say, “Fuck you, Broke, that style is shit.”) It’s all
opinion

3. You and I are not original. Graffiti never comes from nothing. A
new style comes from an old one. So don’t forget ZEPHYR, SEEN ,
MODE2, SPOZE, NIMBL , UPSKI, PHRESH, POEM, DREAM,
‘TWIST and the thousands of muthr fukrs who came before us. Biting
is straight out copying someone, no! influence.

4, Burning is not considered crossing out or writing over someone.
Burning is about competition. Competition is about doing a better
style than the rest, To the one who is being bumed over this might
look like disrespect. It might be, two. But just look in yourself and
burn thatkid over. Burning creates activity and new style. I’m always
more active when I’m battling than when]’mjust going without check.

5, Bombing is for the streets, not homes or smalll businesses. There
are some exceptions: any and all liquor stores and stores that have
kicked you out because you looked weird or shady.

6. Never scratch bomb; that shit is ugly as fuk. Windows are meant
to see through. Stop fukn up my view to the world, asshole.

7. The last rule which is the only rule: These are my rules of
graffiti. We as individuals write our own rules of graffiti. I suggest
that you write your rules to grab a larger sense of what you think
graffiti is to you.

(¥es Lhnow 1 bil the shit out of upski's beok: bomb the suburbs)

The definition of religion from Webster’s New World Dictionary
don’t you love it when some idiot quotes a fukn dictionary?)
Definition 2a: any specific system of beliet and worship, often
involving a code of ethics and philosophy. Definition 3: the state or
‘way of life of a person in 2 monastery, convent, etc...(the streets)
Definition 4: any object of conscientious regard and pursuit. Yes,
god is a spray can. In regard to definition 2a, there is acode of ethics:
ts loose as fuk but we still have one. And to philosophy we defiantly
have that; we are starting to write it on the walls as we speak.

Sceing as I’m writing mad shit, why should stop. FUK THE MAGS.
FUK ALL THE GRAF MAGS. Fuk your pics. A picture isa lie. You
ever get the true experience of the situation, You never see the details
of the piece, to see the drips, over spray, or ifthe piece even has those
faults. In other words, pics hide can control. It hides the feelings of
bombing the piece. When you go to the lawn, you might have to
jump a fonce or wait until u security guard is asleep or whatever
Mags are a big fat lie. They don’t bring any feeling to them. The
Teason why I buy a mag is to read the interviews ( the same rceson
T buy Penthouse and Hustler). No, really, that’s why I buy graf
mags. When I see Mode 2, Dream, Twist or Phresh are being
interviewed, then I buy the shit “fuck a Pic.” When I want to see
Braffiti I go to the lawn and see it in person. The feelings I get in the
lawn or on the streets Te-energizes me. To the chicken scratch bullshit
to the mad styling hardcore bombing, I loveit all. To all the kids out
there taking pics to document graffiti for graffiti sake, I love you.
But to all the assholes who just take pictures of themselves or their
friends, FUCK OFF, You're a fukn toy in my eyes. Graffiti is about
what's on the streets right now, not what: you like. It’s about the whole,
even the bullshit. The bullshit makes the 200d shit even better (that’s
fukn poetry right there). Also what's bullshit or good shit becomes
opinion ata point and the public needs tobe able to make their own
opinion . In all the mags, it’s like ten or maybe twenty writers-the
same damn pictures. The only good thing from mags is you can see
what kids are doing in other parts of the world. And sometimes you
car read a good interview; that’s about it,

I really didn’t want to write a bunch shit talking because I do love
Brafftiand those who partake init. Ipersonally eee the scene standing
Still and because ofthis I get really pissed off Kids are feeling life is
Joke and they don’t need to see the whole picture. “Just go for self
fuck the rest." Just become a fuckin thug. Graf mags could be so
much more, graffiti could be so much more and the graffiti artist
could be so much more. The system in place today is just that. The
system in place right now doesn’t mean it should be the system in
place tomorrow. Graffiti revolutionizes art (graffiti is art for art sake,
no gain in capital, no real fame). It’s time to keep the revolution
‘growing. If fame is the name of the game, then get your fame and see
if youare satisfied. I bet you ten dollars you won't be. And if youare,
then you weren’t much of a fukn artist to began with. Fuck fume,
fuck style and fuck your ego.

 

 

Yes God is a Spray can. I feel people define themselves by the
activities that they partake in, The reason to continue ia these activities,
is to give purpose and meaning to their lives. Certain activities that
go against thenorm will skewa person’s view of how capitalist society
works within itself and how it projects itself onto us (writers:
D.O.TS,). God is a spray can and I am a disciple of the Spray Can.
So, grab a brown paper bag and can of spray paint, hit the tip and
huff the fumes and become one with god.

My name is:

 
 
‘The second aspect of D.0.T.8.: FAME

We as Graffiti Artists are the biggest fame whores that the world has
ever seen, We get the greatest thrill when we hear u friend or peers
say, “Damn, kid, your shit is everywhere.” The rush of bombing is
the holiest gift that the spray can can give us. The activity of being a
graffiti artist is addictive from the rush of being willing to risk it all.
The expression of the activity of writing my name on a wall gives me
a sense of freedom and at the same time a fear of being lucked up.
For me, graffiti is full of these contradictions: I call myself « Graffiti
Artist, but the justice system calls me a Vandal; I want people to see
my art work, but I don’t want them to see me doing it. We call
ourselves writers, but we are really not.

Activity is everything for us. Without it, we’re nothing which is a
stupid thing to write. But ’'m a DUMFUKK; so fukit. At some point
‘as anartist you should ask yourself, Do I have a social responsibly to
the people (the public)? Our art is the most public art out there and
my hope and reason for writing this shit is to influence other graffiti
artists. Graffiti could be viewed as great public art against social
injustices (minimum wage, housing, pigs or I mean police, racism,
ctc..) The action of graffiti is a direct attack against property, public
& private. Within this country, property is everything. It is more valued
than human life itself. Hrom a graffiti artist being shot and killed to
being mistaken as a burglar to kids getting shot in the back because
they were writing on a freeway walkway overpass - all were deemed
as justified homicides because there was a threat of property being
damaged. Inany given city thereare hundreds ofabandoned buildings.
Within the same city there are also hundreds of homeless. The
homeless are not allowed to live in these buildings. The reason is
because the buildings still have value and this value is greater than
human life and health because the buildings are still closed and
allowed to stay empty while hundreds of people go without shelter.
‘The protesters who are allowed to be beaten when their acts became
“violent” and the police then are given permission to stop them with
brutal force. The so called “violence” that the protesters cause is
smashing windows and flipping over cars and maybe a fire or two.
Violence against property justifies the proper authorities to let loose
thier thugs to stop this “violence” by beating the shit out of any person
that talks out against them (the police) or looks like they're trouble,
The smashing of windows, the tagging of walls and being in a fukt
up situation justifies going without a home, of getting our asses kicked
and being stot in the back. All of this is done to protect what this
country (society) holds most dear: property. So when a kid tags a
building, abandoned or not, that act is attacking something that is
more valued than their own life, Because of this, going out for Fame
becomes a political statement whether tae writer knows it or not.

Once a writer realizes that God is a Spray Can and that we are reborn
inthe holy mist of the can and they gain the understanding that graffiti
is larger duan themselves and the people that they know who are graffiti
artist too. Graffiti is public art and involves ilself with everyone who
ever sees it; whether someone likes it, hates it or ignoresit, it still has
an effect on people. As graffiti artists we need to ask ourselves, “Who
is ouraudience? The public as a whole? The people who like it? The
peuple who hate it? And if it is directed toward the people who hate
it, is the art work done to piss them off even mare? To change their
minds about graffiti? To make them question their belief that graffiti
is nothing but vandalism and the people who do it are nothing but
criminals?”

Fame is about activity, about not standing still but going forward.
My hope is to give something back to graffiti by asking writers not
be so concemed about what their style looks like but what they are
writing (content, substance, make us think a little). I want them to
become aware of the concems that their neighborhood has or the
concems that they have with their neighborhood by sharing it by
writing it on the wall. The big dream is to make graffiti a form of
protestagainst social injustices, to become the largest public art work
ever against societal injustices. I know this sounds all serious and it
is, But I'm not asking you all to stop writing but to think a little
before you do. You will still be going out for fame but when do, you
will bring the whole fukn crew (D.0.7.S.) with you. Be aware of the
activities going in your community. Invest your time in understanding
all sides of a problem to find out what side you're on and then tell
people how you feel about it. This is what I mean by being socially
responsible. On e whole, graffiti is standing still. Graffiti is still what
itwas in the 60’s, 70's, 80's, and 90's. “EGO” “EGO ONE TBE”. It’s
time for graifiti to move forward and for us to understand I am not
and you are not the only ones writing on the walls. It’s time to involve
the public directly with our art, Graffiti now is becoming another
BLAH of the city. It’s time for graffiti to reinvent itself to make the
public notice, to make the public stand back and say

Yes, God is a Spray Can, Only a few of the righteous have recognized
that. The battle is on - right versus wrong. Good versus evil. The
people versus the state. The streets are the battletield and the churches.
Writers, we must unite, get organized, rise up and fight to beat down
the wicked to take what is ours. FREEDOM!

 
 
‘The third aspect of D.O.T.S.: STYLE

Style is hardest thing to write about because it's all opinion if this
style is dope or that style is wak. So to write about style I will break
itup into control, what ike and what I hate and this idea of originality.

In piecing there are basically four styles: straight letters, semi-wild,
wild, and abstract. With all styles the first thing I look at is the whole
outline of the whole piece, then the letters and to see if the piece is
tight. Showing control of the can is straight lines with not to much
over spray. If the piece is tight in my opinion, I know the artist is
happy about the final result. 1 know the artist wants the piece to look
like what it does and no big mistake has taken place. I may not like
the style the writer has written but I can appreciate the control the
artist has. The control of the artist shows the activity of the artist
‘You know the old saying practice makes perfect. I feel activity is the
most important part of graffiti.

What I like and hate in style. 1 love straight single letters that are
easy to read. The way I judge someone’s style is outline of the letter
and show no concem to the fill at first, If the outline of each letter
shows control and the form of the letters is treated in the same stylistic
script, when all is done it makes the piece work forme. When I look
back at the fill, too much color is a no-no because it makes the piece
tacky as fuck. This also goes for arrows and other flare offs, two
much of that shit makes a piece wak as fuck. I love looking at the
negative space of a piece and I can tweak out on those weird little
shapes between letters for hours. When looking at wild style, the
concern changes a bit to how well the letters are camouflaged. I like
it when the letters still have some space of their own where the letters
don’t totally overlap each other for it not to read as just mukky de
mukk. I enjoy looking at how the letters or lines interlock and flow
through the piece. I still watch out for too many arrows and other
flare offs, but in wild style you can get away with more of that shit.
In wild style the concern is again on the whole form of the piece, not
in the single letter, and the form of the piece should be done in the
same style. I have seen pieces where one or two letters just don’t fit
With the rest. The artist needs to show concem for this and not change
style in the middle of the piece.

‘The placement of the piece can influence what it will look like; if
you don’t have enough room to fit the piece in, it can make the piece
wak (unbelievable places like heavens and other fame spots may
influence the style of the piece). The graffiti artist must keep this in
mind when they are bombing; what are the limitations of the space,
time (unneeded risk), and can control. All these limitations will
influence the style. Are you doing quick bombs for fame or are you
doing a complicated bomb for style, that takes time? You can judge
other artists on these concerns too in a yard where an artist as hit up
a wild style piece and next to it is a throw up. Ask yourself, why the
fuk did that kid throw up where he could have done a piece and left
the throw up for the street where our time is very limited compared
tothe yard. It seems a very toyish act to me. You can judge theactivity
ofan artist from the placement of the piece; if it is in a fame spot or
a spot like a heaven where you stand in disbelief that a persen could
ge! up there to rock or had time to rock. I may not like the piece but
T’malways impressed by the balls or clit that the artisthas in bombing
those spots. Here are some of my guidclines in yards versus the streets:
in yards do a piece in a more invoived style to push your own control
level up. Leave the throw ups, asshalf pieces and bombs for the streets
and roof tops. When you come to the yard, be prepared to burn and
rock fukn dope style not some bullshit (a yard should not be used as
a sketch book). On the street the concern is more about the time it
would take and asking yourself if it’s worth the risk.

 

None of us are original. The first person who drew on a wall was
original. The person who created an alphabet was original, but we
are just reinventing the Roman alphabet (reinventing the alphabet is
notoriginal). Fvenif our style is the dopestaround it can be compared
to awak style simply because it is written in English and the Roman
alphabet. To me an original piece means that it hasn’t been seen before
with no influence or reference point at all. I'm not suggesting we
should go out and forge someone's style. I’m always asking myself,
“When does influence become biting?” To all the artists saying that
they are original, guess what our not and let’s say you are, original
does that mean your style is dope, no doesn’t. It probably be
considered wak as fuk because humans need a reference point to be
understood, Because there would beno reference for us, we wouldn't
understand it and we would probably say “What the fuk is that shit.”
I wish people who are saying they are original would replace that
fukn word with unique. I can see uniqueness in styles like TWIST,
DREAM and PHRESH but being original no. With more and more
time passing by, I’m becoming more concemed with what ideas that
a piece is expressing to me. Ego is great but it's time for graffiti to
grow up a bit. We as artists need to realize that we are not the only
people looking at our art. I’m interested in the idea of freedom, the
freedom that I feel when I’m out there risking it (the freedom of
bombing) and how I can express that freedom; what it means to me,
what it means to others and how we can get it. Right now I'm not
concemed if my shit looks pretty or not. I'm concerned in content.
I’m concerned in promoting graffiti as the most important art form
of our time and to give something back to it.

‘Yes, God is a Spray can and we as Graffiti Artist are Disciples of the
Spray can, We as D.O.T'S. have recognized that we have been reborn
in the Holy Mist of the Spray can. The spray can is the tool of the last
revolution. The streets are the battlefields and the churches. Writers,
‘we mustunite, get organized, rise up and fight to beat down the wicked
and get what we need FREEDOM.
THE MESSAGE PART 1

In graffiti there is hierarchy: tagging, bombing, piecing. All these
activities are holy toD.0.T.S. (Disciples of the Spray can). D.0.T.S.
believe that we as graffiti artists are reborn in the fumes of the spray
can, Within the rebirth we become aware that we graffiti artists are
all D.O.TS.. That god is a spray can and the ac! of writing on a wall
is a holy act. We believe expression and living is more important
than property. This doesn’t mean you should fall onto your knees
and worship a fukn can, It means you are actively grabbing a better
understanding of what graffiti is and it could be.

  

Why is god a spray can?

Because there isa hierarchy in grafiiti and piecing is on the top. And
in piecing the most wildly used tool is the spray can. It became the
obvious choice for a god. Also, the belief is based on ast being a holy
act, meaning that art doesn’t simply come from yourself but
somewhere beyond yourself. For me god is a figure to explain the
unexplainable. For example, the act of creating something out of
nothing (such as a blank wall turning to a wild style piece) is very
unique act. Where does inspiration come from? Your sind? Simply
from your own mind? What about influence from others, shapes and
forms from nature or human made? You can’t escape influences. The
only way to hide from them is to lock yourself in a cave from birth
and never come in contact with another living thing. I feel all artis
influenced by something and because of that all artis coming cut not
only from the artist but also from the artist’s surrounding world. With
graffiti artists our expression is from the spay can. The act of graffiti
is different from any other art in the world. It’s a gift to anyone who
dares to pick up a can and hit the tip and rock the walls, trains,
rooftops...... So YES, GOD IS A SPRAY CAN.

How to grab a better understanding of what graffiti is to you and 10
others:

1. Start asking yourself questions. Like: “Why the fuk am I doing
this?” "Why am I writing this word over and over for?” “Who is my
audience?” “What justifies my actioas?” “What is style?” “What is a
dope style ora wak style?”

 

 

2. Ask similar questions to other writers,
3. Ask non graffiti artists what they like or hate about graffiti

4. Educate yourself. Idon’t mean to pick up a book and start reading
it (You could do that and you probably should). What I mean is to
learn from direct experience. For example, you just got arrested. What
‘can you Icarn from this experience so it doesn’t happen again?

5. Start looking at your neighborhood and other neighborhoods that
you bomb to see what the problems are that you feel need to be
Tesponded to (poverty, homelessness, police brutality, racism, sexism
and all the other fukn “isms” like the big “ism”: capitalism, heath
issues).Then how can you and your art address these issues?

‘What does it mean to be a D.O.T'S.?

1. Youhave to recognize that graffiti is lager than yourself. And you
want to give something back to it.

2. Promoting life over property. This could be done by your art
Adiressing issues like poverty, homelessness, police brutality, racism,
sexism. Use the spray can to spray out ignorance. Bombers: 1 out of
5 bombs , Piecers: 1 out of 3 pieces should address an issue that you
think needs to be told to the public

3. Promote graffiti. This could be by ‘aking a toy under your wing.
Handing out spray cans or stickers or whatever else.

4. Try to progress the art of graffiti any way you can (progress tagging

 
by writing more than your tag and crew, write some farces or stories
‘on the wall. Example, “WE LIVE INTHE BELLY OF THE BEAST.
IT’S TIME TO BURN THE BEAST TOP TO BOTTOM, END TO
END UNTIL THE BEAST IS DESTROYED FROM WITHIN.
STAND UP AND FIGHT BAC

 

5. Start preaching the gospel and start writing our own
(become a self-righteous self-appointed Prophet of Destruction).

Message to DOTS addressing the criminal system:

I feel we need to tone down the ego a bit, not to the point that we just
lose ourselves but to the point that we understand and respect others
(other writers, people who like you, people who hate you, and even
the pigs). Understand and respect the pigs? FUCK YOU BROKE. Well
maybe not respect them but deffently understand there role.

What I mean by that is to understand why the pigs do what the pigs
do, Put on their shoes on for a bit. There’s a war going in america:
‘The war on drugs, war on terrorism. That's a fucken joke, the war is,
on the poor and minorities. The foot soldiers are the pigs. Cutting
welfare and the three strikes law is a direct attack on to the poor.
Nationally, three strike states a criminal convicted of three violent
crimes will serve 25 years, but here in Californiait is any three felonies
which incudes 594 (vandalistn). So if you are convicted three times
for 594, you will do 25 years in prison mandatory; there no way out
of it. Judges have no say in the punishment. All this confirms that
criminals (the poor) are the real threat to the country and the Justice
System becomes the number one control mechanism in the american
capitalist system. The poor are a threat because we are the majority
believe it ornot; 80% of the wealth is controlled by 20% of the people

We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, they must keep us
controlled.

In an economic system such as capitalism you most look at the
criminal justice system as a big business, What do police, D.A.s judges
and prisons need to keep their jobs? Criminals. What does a D.A.
need to seem to be doing a good job: a high conviction rate. Who
would beharder to win against, apublic defender or aprivate attomey?
To answer that question just lock to the prison population and their
economic background.

So wien a person starts to speak out against these injustices within
the system and also starts to organize the people to take action they
become a threat. The system allows the police, FBI, ATF or DEA to
Just pin a crime on the person and the threat is equalized. This is
‘what happened to the Panthers (Geronimo, Mumia, Leonard and all
the other political prisoners). It’s not always some great grand
conspiracy coming from the White House or the Capitol. Usually it
starts off from a low level pig who believes his job would be so much
casier if the person speaking out would shut up, die, be killed o
Jailed. The conspiracy starts when the powers above do nothing to
stop it and why would they; they are happy with the results, It’s the
pigs job to be the foot soldiers in all this bullshit, to pin the crime on
the person and take the blame if they get caught; They take the blame
because it's not like we are going to get rid of all the judges, police,
Prisons and politicians. If we did that, we'd just be killing each other
or,more likely, solve all our problems. So they shell out some money
to shut up the victim’s family or fire a few Police to appear that they
are cleaning house. Where do these fired pigs go, they go to some
other police department. ‘The police are coming with a mentality of
beat or shoot first and ask questions late, if at all. I hear them say it
all the time on shows like pigs, I moan COPS. “I could be killed
today by any kid (gang member) I come in contact with.” This
mentality is the same as any dumbass gang on the streets,

The justice system is here to set fear into us. “That's against the law,
you shouldn't do that” Saying law is just: law is true. Well, you know
what, that isn’talways true; 3 years then another 3 years and the next
time you're caught, you’re doing 25 years. Is this justice? Is this
right? FUCK THEIR LAW. God is a Spray can. The next time you
are about to go out and write over, cross, burn or flip all the fukn toys
in your city, please just ask yourself one question: Who is the true
enemy? Those toys or the buffers, police or who the buffers and the
Police work for? We live in the belly of the beast. Can you read the
writing on the wall? We as DOTS are here to burn it tap to bottom
and end to end to destroy the so-called leaders of the free world from
within. The time is now. You have one life to live. Do you want to
live your lite working your ass off to feed some suppressive capitalist
muthr fukrs who don’t give a shit if you live or die? STAND UP
AND FIGHT BACK. GOD IS A SPRAY CAN.

 
il

3

il
THE INESSAGE PART 2

feel graffiti should become more of a counter view to mass media.
Graffiti should be used to cross out, flip and bur alll the political
hype in the consumer bullshit that is pumped into us by TV
advertisements in the form of commercials, TV programs themselves
telling us how to act or react, to billboards posters, etc, Every major
news network is owned by a corporation. The whole nation is tuned
into a corporate newsletter, Well Idon’t ‘work for ABC, NBC or CBS,

I work at Kinkos and FUCK KINKOS. Fuck their profit and fuck
their bottom line. News media in America is a brainwashing tool; a
Propaganda machine that never proposes any solution but the one
the government tells them, “STAY IN LINE”, ‘giving no otherchoices
but war. Here's another choice. Pull all our troops out from foreign
soil back home. Our own constitution says that no foreign troop can
‘occupy our soil. To me it’s a two way street you can’t treat others
differently than the way you want to be treated or it comes back and
bites you on your ass. What happened on Sept. 11 isn’t rare to the
rest of the world. On that date the people, not the people in power,
but the people became citizons of the rest of the world,

Since that date the propaganda machine known as the US news media
kicked into high gear. The New York Times printed a two-page US
Flag. If we didn’t get the idea, patriotism is back in style. “United we
stand,” wear Red White and Blues to show your allegiance. | feel
what happened was fakt up, but my memory isn’t so short; not one
but two A-bombs were dropped. Why? To scare the shit out of the
Japanese and it worked. Thousands of Iraqi children die every month
because of US sanctions, But who fukn cares? Thet’s someone else’s
problem and their deaths not broadcast live world wide (asthe WTC).
Some people look at the flag and truly feel that it is a symbol of
freedom, liberty and justice. Others look at that lagand secignorance,
murder and oppression

It's quite obvious how I feel; I’m not an ex-patriot because I was
never a patriot to begin with. The whole attitude of “love it or leave
it” (which I get a lot) is a joke, Anybody using that tired ass phrase
appears to me as a redneck, cross buming klan member and the next
muthr fukr who says that shit I’m going to punch in neck. I'm aot a
pacifist. | believe people have the right to defend themselves. also
helieve people of any nation have the right to overthrow their own
government, when their government has become an oppressive state,
on their own soil or foreign soil. But a government never has the
right to overthrow another government no matter if it’s in the name
of preserving the way of lift back onit’s own soil or overthrowing an
evil dictator. The american way of life is eating all the world’s
resources. In a nat shell capitalism is grabbing pillaging and raping
anybody it can in a never ending cycle of death.

‘This government has and is continuing to commit crimes against
humanity and me leaving it or ignoring what itis doing is not going
to change anything. But speaking out and exposing the hypocrisy of
this country is. And [’ll do it anyway I can; in song, speech, visuals,
and in action. Of course, the more people that do the same the quicker
the change will happen, Corporate news are telling us lies. We are
being lead like sheep to the slaughter to the third world war. Guess
what? America is the forth reich and we're living in germany. You
want to look at z police state? Look out the window; we're living in
it, And it is only getting worse.

Graffiti could become the people’s news. Anyone willing to risk their
‘own ass can do it. A pen, spray paint, stencils, wheat paste (posters)
are tie tools. You just need to decide to get off your fukn ass ; stop
watching MTY, fukr, stop smoking pot for 5 minutes, hippie, stp
¢rowning yourself in alcohol you fukn purk and fukn bomb. If you
ever watch the corporate news, you deserve to wash that shit out of
your brain by telling the truth. The streets are ours, our minds are
‘ours we need to take them back.
 
 
OURSELVES

‘We are living inside the system of capitalism. “We don’t run the
system, we bomb the system,” Skeme from Style Wars (taken totally
out context). We are ruled by a class. We are not just working for
ourselves butalso for the ruling class, Weare forced to do this because
there are no other choices given by the system of capitalism. We are
owned by the state, by our bosses, by our landlords, by our creditors
or banks: we work as much for them (if not more for them) as for
ourselves. You can not escape it. Capitalism is throughout the world.
And here in USA, it easier to say it’s not all that bad and ignore all
the death, rape and destruction that it creates and to keep the ruling
class in powcrand the bottom of society satisfied enough not to revolt
We are slaves to our wage. They work us so hard that it seems
impossible to have time to breathe and just chill the fuk out. But the
ruling class has to keep us busy. If we had time to chill out, we might
Start talking to each other and we would find out we are all totally
fed up with this system of shit.

Tbreak up the world pretty simply because I’m asimple man. I view
the world as two classes: One class is owners of large amounts of
land, owners of factories and technology: The minority, the ruling
class, the bosses, the landlords, the politicians, the bourgeoisie, The
second class are the exploited the ones who pay for land that they
will never own, the ones who pay for the services and goods which
are sold for profit, the ones who are forced to sell their ability to
work for a wage just to survive: The: majority, the righteous, the
working class, the proletariat.

AA few of the righteous recognize it and are locking for a way out. As
you read this, messages are being written on the streets of our cities
in an act of resistance against this system of shit. What do a spray
can, bucket of wheat paste, and sticky backs (stickers) have in
common? They are the tools of the Disciples of the Spray Can,
D.O.TS. Posters, stencils, stickers, tags, throw ‘ups to burners that
are forced onto the public to question the status quo. D.O.T.S. look at
ourselves in struggle with the ruling class that forces us to be a slave
‘o our wage. We all should be fed up with this shit today. No, ten -no,
thirty - no, fuck that shit, fifty years ago. This message, this act of
resistance and other acts of resistance are done to create alarge culture
of resistance against capitalism.

There is no question that images promoted by major scream media
skew our own self worth. From kids wanting the new toy, from
teenagers wanting the new shoes, to adults wanting the new car, drug
or president or whatever else they are trying to sell us, Stereotypes
are created and reinforced by movies, TV and ads. The sitcom or
movie shows the nuclear family as the norm and anything outside of
the norm is evil. Reality shows are far from heing real. Ads try to
drug us up to forget our problems. TV shows tells us men are strong
and women are here only to support their man. And the list goes on.

Who is it up to to say that all this is bullshit? It is up us, D.O.T.S.,
Writers and Artists to the People who are just sick of this shit. The
time to act is now. Being anonymous in our actions needs to be
questioned. (If you are asking people to put their necks on the line,
cur neck needs to be next to them). But being totally recklessis suicide
(like puting your phone # next to a piece of graffiti saying “ fuck the
police”). The creation of the propaganda against the system of
capitalism needs to come from the majority, the exploited. And the
messages at first need to be clear and easy to understand.

 

For artists to start, they need be willing to act on their belief that
something is wrong and they need to point it cut to people. A spray
can is easy to get; to write on a wall and not get caught is almost as
easy, You need to ask yourself: is it worth being caught for? If not,
then try to write something thet is worth being arrested for. If you
can’t think of anything, you can always grab images or slogans from
abooks or the Intemet. If the whole idea of heing arrested is something
you can’t deal with, then this action is not for you. There many other
ways to create a culture of resistance: writing , talking to other folks
(organizing), street theater, protesting, etc.. But it seems like all this
might run you the risk of being arrested also.

D.O.TS. is not against other acts of resistance. It isall for them. But
D.O.TS. focus is on street art. D.O.TS. is here for people to take
hold of and make their own, It is here to empower people like you
and me and others to force your own views onto the general public.

The goals of D.0.T'S. is to make political street art dominate the
Cities landscapes. The politics of our art is anti-capitalist, pro-labor;
we stand with and work for minorities, women, homosexuals, the
homeless and ull oppressed peoples of the world. Our point of unity
is LIFE OVER PROPERTY. This means we believe human beings
are more important than property and that one’s actions can never be
considered violent if the only “damage” is to property.

GETTING ORGANIZED

A crew of folks partaking in this activity of street art could be easier
for some to keep on doingit. To get folks involved, simply ask friends
of yours if they would be interested in the action of street art. You
can build an art collective around the action. Begin to produce your
‘own propaganda. You can gain experience in organizing and graphic
design skills.

I feel it’s important create a point of unity that the group writes
collectively. The point of unity can be either broad or narrow but it’s
important to keep discussing what the point of unity means and what
it doesn’t mean. The following is an example of a point of unity.
Feel free to use it, adapt it or ignore it.

The statement:

Our point of unity is Anti-imperialism. We include people with
Communist or Anarchist leanings or the undecided, meaning that
you don't identify with a “system of thought” as yet. We are working
together to expose the inequalities of the imperialist state, building a
working model of collectively rebellious art work

Our goals are 10 put forward images and slogans that deliberately
question the status quo and the Imperialist system currently in place.
We will create a stage for the feelings of bitterness that many people

Jrom many backgrounds and social classes feel toward imperialism/
 

capitalism hecause of it's lawlessness towards humanity

We question the use of “public property” or public space. And to
reflect ail this in action and in content (anii-imperialism pro-
internationalism). To use public space as a starting ground for
resistance threw the propaganda we create or promote.

 

The work presented here is not an atiempt to answer all questions or
solve the contradictions that Capitalism/Imperialism creates. It is a
starting point for public discussion and to expose the injustices
Capitalism creates. These actions are done to encourage other acts.
of resistance against the state and to be a constant reminder to the
public that another world is possible.

It’s important for all in the group to develop other skills whether it is
onganizing, art or something else. Maybe someone just wants to make
art, another one just wants to put it up; that works just fine. It is a
problem if everybody just wants to make art and never wants to put it
up or vice versa. Both need to happen ar: making and art action
(putting it up). You can’t have one without the other. Ego may come
into play; it may be that a person in the group just wants his shit up
and doesn’t really care if other people's art is up or not. Maybe a
person likes to tell everybody what to do, but never lifts a finger to
help, butreally loves controlling everything. Struggle needs to happen
here and these persons nced to understand that it is not just what they
want but what others want also. Specially, you are all working
together.

I've worked with groups primarily with a discussion process of
consensus. Consensus is when everyone agrees with the discussion
(what slogan, image, where to put it. etc...). The good thing about
consensus is that discussion accrues the struggle may push things
forward creating a deeper understanding of where people are coming
from and how they view this system of shit. The problem with
consensus is if you have a person who will never agree on anything,
this will hold up the group.

D.OTS is all about action. The way to avoid this and keep the good
part of consensus is to have consensus by the majority. This means if
Someone has a strong disagreement, first struggle and try to urite; if
itseems consensus can’t happen, then a vote can be taken to resolve
the matter.

My experience with pure consensus is that too often the lowest
common denominator is what all people can agree upon, The
discussion becomes so watered down that it becomes almost pointless
tozact. Consensus by majority will counter this from heppening and
keep the group pushing forward. But it also may alienate people in
the group and create a split. We must avoid this from happening.
Alternative slogans and images can be made for the person or people
who don’t agree with the majority. Another way a split can kappen is
if there is almost always two groups fighting each other. Everybody
may get tired of the shit, split into two, or just quite all together.

‘Well, I do not have an easy answer for this one. But there was a
reason for the all of you to come together in the first place. So I
suspect the group needs to reexaminc the original idea of unity and
try to start over. In no way is this the only way a group caa be
organized. Do whatever works for you,

Because the means of production is in the hands of the capitalists, it
is hard to mass produce propaganda. There are ways around this fact,

1, Have one or more members work at a print shop and, you know,
do something - | hope you understand what Iam talking about... you
know, that. (Funny, I'm willing write ll about graffiti, but not about
the other thing).

2. Pool your money together to get it done.

3. Spray paint is wonderful - you can free hand your work or use
stencils.
 
ACTIVISM

Activism beyond the protest that what D.O.1.S. is all about. A protest
‘rally can be a beautiful event butit isonly an event. Ithas a beginning,
middle and end. You'll meet good people doing good things. But
People may feel lost at the end of the day and want to do something
but they don’t know where to start.

That's where god becomes involved. Yes, god. If you don’t know
what god I’m writing about, itis a spray can. Yes, GOD IS A SPRAY
CAN. Of course, there are other things that people can do before or
after a protest. But I’m not here to write about that. I’m here to
prophesize the great destruction and reconstruction of society.
Through the fumes I have seen what to write, Street Art is for all who
happen to see it and for those who want to join. If used correctly, it
can reach the masses more than a protest ever will.

GETTING UP

One night of activity on the streets will never add up to the impact of
a protest, but constant organized activity on the streets will blow any
Protest out of the water. Becoming organized about street art isn’t
that hard to do. First, look for a high level of foot traffic (this means
the parts of the city where yousce thousands of people walking every
day). This kind of area is a great place to begin to become noticed.
Places with high foot traffic during the day and light and low foot
traffic during the night are prefect for fame.

T’'m going to give my definition of fame here: what I mean is that
people will see your work. I don’t mean people worshipping you as
an idol. Grabbing a map of the city is a good place to start to see all
the different areas you want to do. Mark the places that you krow
have a high level of foot traffic, then try to connect the areas with a
‘main street. Once this is dane, it will seem like our artis everywhere.
Like I said before, one night will never add up, but every day will.
Every day? YES!

When I was a writer, I set a minimum of 3 tags a day; that’s 21 a
week, 1092.a year, When switched to stickers, it changed to 5 days
aweek, 5 stickers a day, 25 a week and 1300 a year. Ina night you
can easily do 25 stickers - 5 stickers is just minimum, a lot more can
be donc. I feel it’s important thet street artists set minimums for a
week so that the activity continues.

Putting up stickers is a good medium to start with. At first, go with
paper stickers (photo copies). You can buy 100 sheets (8 1/2x 11) of
sticky back for $20 or so at office supply stores. For sticker paper
with copies and cuts the cost is about $30 to $40 for 400 to 600
stickers. Paper stickers do not last as long as vinyl stickers. Printing
about 1200 to 1500 stickers costs about $175 going a print shop. The
yield of stickers all depends on your layout. You also can go the
D.LY. (do it yourself) route.

Stickers are great for foot traffic but are not so great for car traffic.
For car traffic the design needs to be big and bold and quick to read.
Cars are in motion, To have a one or two paragraph statement on a
poster for a viewer in a car to read“will never work. Looking at
billboards is great place gain design influences about what works
and what doesn’t.

You can grab a bunch of 11x17 (11x17 is most common large paper
format in copy stores) posters and tape them to together to cover es
much wall space as possible, After taping the posters together, roll
them up and unroll them onto the wall. This technique is the quickest
way to get the posters up. On the streets, time is everything. The
more time spent doing the action, the more likely you can be caught.
Keeping exposure time down is a must. Quick hits and lots of them
are the hest way to get a message out.

Ifyou want bigger posters, you can enlarge them at most copy shops.
Their cost is no less than $2.00 and up to whatever they charge by
the square foot. The low cost route is to get a pad of newspaper 18x24
or larger; the cost is about $10 for a 100 sheets. Then cut a stencil
and spray paint onto the newspaper or cut the stencil on wax paper,
tape the stencil ontoa silk screen and print them. ‘This is the cheapest
‘way | know of how to mass produce posters. The cheapest way to get
‘amessage across to the masses is just grabbing some spray paint and
freehand your work.

Doing street art for car traffic usually means foot traffic will notice it
also. But most likely the buffers (street art removal) will too. That’s
Why the action needs to be constant. To organize a group ofpeople to
hit over 200 posters in a night that covers the whole city is great. But
ifis an action isn’t followed up, all your work be gone in a month if
nol sooner. The only way to beat the buff is to be more active than
the buff.

Apperson can just put in a day ina week in putting stuff up and still
get fame. But the day would need to be at least 8 hours or more of
work. A person can easily do street art every so often, but it will
never be considered up. The idea of D.O.T:S. is for people not in the
~‘seen” to notice the messages on the strests. The only way to do this
is to battle the buff . The buff is constant, so our actions should als
beconstant. Spray paint is the easiest ool to start with whether you're
free handing or using a stencil. Stencils take time to cut; but once
there cut, you can transform yourself into a walking printing press.
As I wrote before, you can also use these same Stencils to create
posters to paste up later.

invite all readers to become D.O,T.S. and to write their opinions on
the walls end streets of our cities. Do this action every day for a
month before deciding that it is not for you. Create art work of
resistance against capitalism and share it with the masses. By no means
do Ibelieve that this act alone will dismantle: the system of capitalism,
but it will play a vital role in the people's minds that they are not
alone in believing that this system is shit.
 
“ENT

‘The content of the art work Presented to the masses should be on the
Political Line that capitalism is the root cause of all socicty’s ills. I
Suggest studying the writing from Bakunin to Marx to grab a deeper
understanding ofhow capitalism projects itself onto ourselves, Iknow
there are deep theoretical differences (between anarchism and
communism) but they do share some common threads, Through
studying both a person can decide what is more true, ifany. The rest
of this essay is written in the belief that the reader agrees that all of
Society's ills are rooted in the system of capitalism. Ifthe reader does
not believe that, this is true the essay will fall on deaf ears,

From the begin of D.0.TS. I started to make art to reflect feelings of
Tage against the police brutality. [ always felt there was a connection
between police brutality and capitalism. I’m still looking for ways to
express this connection through visual art. The connection is that
Police are not there to protect or serve us but are here to repress any
and all people in a ficked up situation or people working to change a
fucked up situation.

‘The police function withthe belief that if there were no police, we
Would all become savages and kill each other. This misconception
the masses have is hased on white supremacy which this country was
found on and still ruled by. White supremacy is so deeply rooted in
capitalism that no reform is possible. It’s easy to say, “Cops are bad
because they're bad people.” But, actually, cops are bad because their
job is to repress the working clas. Cops are here to keep the ruling
class ruling. The sad thing is that most cops don't know or ignore this

Police don’t do these things to protect us; they do them to stop us.
My own understanding of the state comes out of this work.

So whether a person wants to work on police repression, homelessness,
sexism, racism or any other social ill, the connection to the root of
the problem needs to be made. We also need to look at the problem
the other way around. For example, in the paragraph above, I took
police repression and connected it to capitalism. We need to start
with capitalism and make the connection with police repression,
sexism, racism, and all these wars - whether it’s the war on drugs or
the war on terrorism. (I’m waiting for the war on wars - I guess
that’s the war on terrorism.)

Working with an art collective where the point of unity is anti-
imperialism has deepened my own understanding of capitalism and
how art can expose the hypocrisy of it. Imperialism is the highest
stage of capitalism. They are one and the same. Working with sucha
group I hope to bring the theory of D.O.T'S. into practice and,
hopefully, into reality. One of the posters we produce says, “The Walls
of our Cities shall become the Anti-Imperialist Ar Gallery.” This
slogan gives context to what the group action will become. It will not
happen overnight. Most stickers and posters on the streets are ads
for a new record, movie, band, or event. What we (D.O.T.S,) are
doing is out of the norm and will take time to develop so that every
person recognizes and understands the messages we are putting
forward.

I feel right now the general public is not aware of the activity that is
‘going on; thet the work benefits the people doing the work more than
the one looking at the work. This doesn’t mean we need to stop; it
means we need fo do it more, bigger and deffer. I feel the more that
join in, the more powerful the action(sireet art) will become. I feel
other projecis can stem from this action, Even other projects that
already exist can re-energize themselves by taking up this action. We
are up against great odds but we don't believe it’s impossible to make
political street art the dominant images on the city landscape.

 

Iam from a small town. I started to write graf in that small town on
the west coust. Modern graf started in NYC before or around the
time when I was born. Fifteen years later, it found me and rest of the
world. Political street art most definitely will become the dominant
images on our cities streets. I’m not just writing it; I’m prophesizing
it. By no means, do | feel that this action alone will change anything.
Thave no romantic belief that after I, or we, design our 100th poster

 
that revolution will come and save us all. I do believe that it will
bring new people forward and can bring new understanding of how
capitalism works on to the masses. believe this art will play a major
role in bringing ¢ new system of thought into reality.

BIGGER THAND.O.TS.

Thelieve we as a whole need to reexamine capitalism to see if itis
worth what the capitalist says it is. To do this, a few of us need to
think and act very radical. 1 am writing this knowing only a few
people will ever read it and the people reading it will reside in a
subculture (graf, activism, punk rock, hip-hop) and that’s a problem.
Subcultures can create a fecling of unity but it alienates at the same
time. Even people who are in the that subculture cen fecl alienated
from it. We need to figure a way out of this contradiction soon ar we
will never see a better world.

‘We need to start to build an infrastructure that can be a working model
of how a world can work without capitalism. This needs to be done
on a mass scale, internationally. It needs to be done with little or no
help from the state (except free money). We need to look at the
necessities of life (food, housing, heath care, a job that means
something) and make them assessableto everybody. This sounds very
abstract and itis because I have no idea in what form this will become
after thousands upon millions of people decide what it looks like and
make it a reality. We, the “movement,” need to be in the lives of

everyday people, every day.

Communists are going to say this can’t happen until state power is
seized. And they are sort of right. But an invisible open infrastructure
needs to be working before anybody in their right mind is going to
sign up for any great social movement looking to radicaly transform
social relationships. People need areference point to decide ifthings
are going to be any better than what they have already.

The total abandonment of social service programs (like feeding the
hungry, giving health care, shelter, job training) by revolutionaries
needs to be reexamined, especially by revolutionaries that hold up
the Black Panther Party as vanguards of the 1960’s - 70’s. The Black
Panther Party wasn’t considered Public Enemy # | by FBI fornothing,
‘The party was composed of young black men and women not just
saying there were going 10 change shit for the better, but were doing
it. When the youth needed food before school, the party fed them.
‘When the community needed heath care, the party ran a free clinic.
When the police were beating, raping and murdering the people, the
party was out on the street with guns watching the police to make
sure the shit dida’t happen. Now there were plenty of theoretical
problems within the Black Panther Paryy, but the plan of action in
their social services programs was not one of them. These social
programs worked so well, the state took them over. The work on
social services made the Black Panther Perty very visible to the masses
and also to the state. And state came down hard, so hard that the
movement never quite recovered, even today - thirty years later.

‘To say social services are just a waste of time because they will bring
only reform is wrong In the best case, the state will step in and regulate
the program. Ifthe program is well received, the community is willing
to fight to keep it. In the worst case, the state steps in and stops it
because the community is not willing to fight. In both examples there
is a need for a revolutionary role. In the best example, the
revolutionary needs to struggle with the people to show the state is
not needed and the service doesn’t to be regulated by the state. In the
‘worst example, the revolutionary role is the same, but needs to make
more noise so that community knows it’s under attack. Also, the
revolutionary should bring all this up before it happens so a plan can
be formed beforchand. There is no need to hold back. We know what
the state is capable of, We need to make it very clear we are willing
to defend the service and more importantly the people (class) that
service aids to the end, The American idea of “What's in it forme?”
needs to be answered. It needs to be answered by living examples
(6ocial services). But we need to understand that the “what’s in it for
me” idea is rooted in capitalism. The contradiction is we can escape
it without answering it.

We shouldn't believe that at best our actions can only bring social
reform. It should be known that the worst can bring social reform
and the best will bring a revolutionary solution. Revolutionary struggle
can take place in a social service programs as much as in anti-war
Coalitions, ifnotmore. We should not stop working on one (anti-war
movements) and start working for the other (social service). Both
should be worked on and made into one and the same.

‘The ruling class’s infrastructure is control of water, Sewage, power,
£28, telephone, education, police, roads, fire, etc, These services will
never be in the hands of the working class until capitalism is
dismantled. The movement can start to build its own infrastructure
through social services. In this way they can build a community of
resistance and be.a positive, visible voice against capitalism to the
Masses on an everyday basis. The infrastructure needs to umbrella
all social service work; it important for people to focus their work,
but if they are notan umbrella under a larger group, their work could
goumnoticed. Further, it could be harder to connect the issue to the
larger problem capitalism. Today the movement has splintered into
thousands of different organizations. This needs to end. A united
front needs happen, working on an infrastructure can bring a united
front into reality.

The building of au infrastructure will directly challenge the power of
thestate. The ones building such an infrastructure need to beware of
this from the get-go. The state is not going to roll over and let their
Power be challenged without a fight. There needs to he no illusion
that the state will just rumble and that the ruling class will collectively
decide, “You guys are right. Here is all the wealth of the world, la la
ta la la” That shit ain't never gonna happen; we must be ready for
them,

This infrastructure can be built from or top of organizations such
Food Not Bombs other anti war groups, info space etc, The need and
Problem is to grow not just locally, not just nationally, but also
intemationally. There is a need for a clear platform and program to
be in place. We need to see what’s wrong and then act and build up
from there. There is noneed to move from ‘your own city or country
to start doing this. As far as I know, capitalism is everywhere and
nceds to be confronted everywhere at once.
This gets back to the real problem. All of this can’t really happen
until state power is seized or destroyed. The infrastructure will be
limited because of capital, time, and housing all other traps that
capitalism is full of. But the reason to go forward still stands. People
need a reference point, something concrete to see and work for. They
need to see it in their life time, in their own experience in order to
learn from it, to gain experience, to create a new way of working
together, to see that capitalism is not what it is cracked up to be.

How the fuck docs D.O.T'S. fit in to all this? As I stated before, the
act of street art alone will not change a god damn thing. Street art
attached to a larger group will make that a group's activity known to
the masses, ifthe strect artis up (meaning it’s everywhere). The masses
will beware of the social programs and where to go to plug in. This
will be the most effective way D.O.T.S. (street art) can work. The
D.O.TS. can be done without a larger group, but art work could be
read as a dead end to the viewer. There will be nowhere the viewer
can go to plug in, And being anonymous can also thicken this wall
between art maker and art viewer; we need to change this. The art
maker and art viewer can be one and the same by throwing the idea
of aesthetics out the windaw. Who gives a shit if it looks pretty as
long as the political line is correct?

Capitalism is shit. We should never say anything nice about it. Art
work, work end play should be done to reflect this. No market plays
fair; no market is natural, no market will stop exploitation. Capitalism
is here to erslave us to a wage, to the state, to the banks, to the
landlords, We as D.O.7.S. must gain an understanding of this and
bring that understanding to the masses. We must become willing to
do anything to end capitalism.
HOW TO MAKE STENCILS

STEP

 

Print out or draw what you want. You can also buy stencils at an
art store such as letters and images. You also draw your own
letters and images or lay it all out on a computer as I do.

STEP 2
It's a good idea to laminate your stencil before cutting it. Laminat
Ing your stenci! will make it last longer. it cost $2.50 to $ 5.00 or
‘more to laminate depending depining on the size of the stencil. If
the cost is too much, you can print onto or tape your stencil to
heavier paper (card stock). Then cut but these card stock stencils
don't last as long as the laminated ones do.

STEP 3

Cutting you will need a knife or razor; exacto knife is the best, To
explain haw to let's just say you want to cut:

WE MONT FIGHT YOUR
INPERIALIST WAR

You can just cut them out and your stencil will look like th

HEWN FIGHT YOUR
INPERIALIST WAR

 
If you want your letters (ABDOPRAQ) to stay close then you need
to set up your letiers like this:

WE MONT FIGAT YOUN
IMPERIALIST WAR

Open is black and close is white. When cutting stencils your
cutting the black out if the black surrounds a white area it will all
be open (()=() jif you don’t close it off ike this (O= @)

‘When cutting images you need to keep this in mind. It’s up to your
skills in cutting and your understanding an image needs to stay
closed so the image is still readable. At first just keep it simple,
here's a exsample of simpling an image

 

STEP 4

Can control: it's usually a good idea to have the spray can about a
foot or more away from the stencil this might cause over spray
around the stencil but the image or text usually looks clean. If your
‘stencil is detailed it's good to use a thin tip (cap) on the can, if a
‘simple stencil use a fat tip. You can get tips in graff maps or look
‘on line, there about $15 for 50.
15 EASY STEPS TO FUK SHIT UP
HOW TO WHEAT PASTE HOW TO WHEAT PASTE

What you will need:

1. An empty 3 gallon bucket if you have a car, if you're on
foot a smaller paint bucket.

2. Water.

3. Powdered wallpaper adhesive and industrial ‘spackle or
wheat flour.

4. Poster or printed materials on no greater then 100 pound
book or text, Paper stock. Heavier materials will not ‘stick well
and will fall down after you leave the spot.

(if you don't have any posters to wheat paste | do @ wwwnotmygovermment.com)
5.A flat broom, brush or roller.

 

1. Using cold running water, mix water, wallpaper adhesive,
and spackle till consistency is very thin and watery If glue is
Not properly mixed it will coagulate into chunks and will not
work.

2. Let mix sit for ten minutes. Glue should be a southern grits
consisteney.

3. if your posters are to be tiled together to make one big
image, it is best to tape them together and roll them up
before going into the field.
4. Put glue in your bucket and stir it around with a broom
until the broom has a good amount of adhesive on it.

2. Completely saturate the surface to be posted on with glue
using your broom or brush.

3, Place poster on surface.

4 Smoath over with broom or brush. Do not leave surface
too wet, others may post over or peel off your poster.

5. To reach a high spot, normally unreachable by human
arms, place poster draping over broom and use broom as an
extension of your arm.

6, Take a picture and send it to AWOL Magazine.

7. If anyone questions you while you are doing it, tell them
“it's OK, | am just working, my boss Bruce sent me out to do
this.” If they ask what company reply ‘NPA’. Ifit's a cop, tell
them, “It’s just for my buddy's band, I’m just tryin’ to make a
buck like you.” If that doesn’t work, fukn run.

by Sir Guy Snipersman Ill

ORIGINALLY POLISHED BY AWOL MAGAZINE

please don't sue me
HOW TO MAKE STICKERS

Get sticker paper, crack and peel, label paper or sticky back
its all the same thing.

Make sure the paper is full label sheet or dup

Have an image to copy. Place as many images as you can
ona 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper: Use that as your master.

Go to a copy shop. Use your master to make copies onto the
sticker paper,

Then cut them to size.
Don't have any images?

Check out www.notmygovernment.com for all our sticker
master, poster and stencil needs.
 
 
 
production
whereabouts unknown * USAR