I'm sure in Yerevan there is probably some sort of graffiti sub-culture, like many other large cities, though I've not seen any, and regardless, that's not the kind of graffiti I'm talking about.
What I've seen are just little things, not anything I would consider a tag or anything like that.
My first encounter was at the school we would meet as an entire group every other week during training. The side of the building just said "OK." Another volunteer pointed out that this was the most chill piece of graffiti ever. In general I feel like in the US graffiti is seen as anti-establishment, angry-at-society kind of stuff. Or that is what is started out as, now it could easily be considered an art form, and I'm not going to get into that debate. Regardless, it was strange to an American frame of mind and I loved it.
And in Vanadzor I have seen one door, the door to my Armenian tutor's apartment, which has a spider web, reminiscent of Charlotte's web, with the words "I love you" written inside it. Again some pretty positive, chill graffiti. Someone is loved. Isn't that a great feeling? Maybe that was written for you. It was written in English, and you're reading this blog, so who knows . . .
And below that was a poem written in Russian something about my sweetheart, my love I think, I could understand a few words here and there but I'm pretty sure it was a love poem.
I have only seen a few instances of graffiti and I'm sure not all graffiti here is so nice, but I like the image I have of it so far.
Ain't (Armenian) graffiti grand?
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