Ethan's Portfolio: What We Leave Behind - Metroglyphs

 What We Leave Behind - Metroglyphs

Artist Statement: Ethan Hamilton

Like photography, graffiti is a medium that captures a moment in time, some briefer than others, yet behind every thoughtful mural, quickly illustrated character or scrawled tag there’s a mind and a motive to accompany it. I wanted to put a lens over these modern-day hieroglyphics and their intentions, illuminating the importance of balancing community and individuality. Through examining these artifacts that we'll leave behind after our lives exceed us I also sought to explore how artistic expression is encouraged and discouraged in public spaces. 

My work is inspired by broken conformity in art, by those who are fearless enough to venture beyond the lines of the socially acceptable, eliciting critical thinking. We as individuals are so entrapped by unity and thwarted by the world's intense desire for cultural assimilation. This produces a population that doesn’t nurture meaningful differences nearly enough, despite people growing more acceptable over the years, there are still expectations strewn onto those and their communities. There are boundaries within everybody's respective race, gender, religion or sexuality and their interests and ideals don’t always overlap. Graffiti can be a means of both individuality, to break away from those boundaries, but also traditionalism. Positions of powers will condemn graffiti as vandalization and commission eye-consuming murals in the same breath. This gentrification of the art form may have its benefits, like the beautification of areas in need of a makeover, but it suppresses the voices of the many small street artists who endeavour to do the same but are not deemed worthy enough. There should be no tyranny over art, a city's streets need to be represented by its inhabitants and I wanted to capture all walks of graffiti to depict the diversity of Toronto. I'm influenced by candid photographers who don’t shy away from bringing the unconventional into the limelight. 

Within my body of work, I’ve highlighted graffiti I’ve seen around my neighbourhood for years and newer additions I hadn’t caught before, curious as to how much of this would remain after I’m gone. Much of what I’ve captured are pieces that bring to mind feelings of community, it’s akin to a photo framed in one's hallway that they see every day, if it had suddenly disappeared it’d be obvious and the space would feel void of distinction. The prettier, permanent pieces tell stories that resonate across generations while the fast tags that pop up in new places around my area are a contemporary take on the times, with messages adjacent to the current social, political and economical climate. These little messages frequently seek to expose or bring attention to an issue. Other quicker graffiti is more narcissistic, the goal in mind being to gain local, sometimes even worldwide acclaim or anonymous virality. When everything ends will these be how future civilizations remember us? Will these works be our rendition of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, Sumerian cuneiform inscriptions, or Neanderthal cave paintings that date back over 64,000 years? Only time will tell how we’re remembered half a millennia into the future.