Spread the love

Art is all around us. You might find a stunning mural painted on the side of a dilapidated building or a pothole filled in with a vibrant mosaic. But art is subjective, and if you keep your eyes peeled, you’re likely to spot plenty of bizarre and hilarious tidbits of vandalism in the most random places.

Below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite pics from the “It’s Graffiti, But Why?” Facebook group, which shares photos of strange and silly messages hidden in the most random places. These pieces probably don’t belong in art museums, but they can certainly be entertaining. So enjoy scrolling through, and keep reading to find a conversation with the group’s creator, Lubert Das!

#1 Thats Art

Image credits: Betty Bean

#2 Go Tina

Image credits: Hayley Cook

#3 Toilet Favourite

Image credits: Noel Kellett

The “It’s Graffiti, But Why?” Facebook group has been around since 2015 and has already amassed an impressive 91k members. It is described as “a place to post and share pointless, random, silly and meaningless graffiti,” and as you can see here, there’s no shortage of silly graffiti out there.

To find out more about where “It’s Graffiti, But Why?” came from, we reached out to the group’s creator, Lubert Das, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. “It started in my head about 30 years ago when I saw the graffiti ‘Adrian Robinson smells of fish and chips,'” Lubert shared. “It stayed with me for years until I thought there must be others like me that love random graffiti. I decided to give it a go and start a group. It’s taken a few years to get going, but it’s good to see so many other like-minded people.”

#4 Cardiff

Image credits: Bill Kirby

#5 Haha

Image credits: Lauren Morrison

#6 Spotted In Gap, France

Image credits: Mélissa Delteil

We also asked Lubert what the community of “It’s Graffiti, But Why?” is like. “The members are very active,” he shared. “Sometimes too active, and keeping up with posts is hard work at times. There’s a good team of admins at work behind the scenes to keep it running smoothly.”

As far as why these photos are so popular, the group’s creator says he believes amateur graffiti is too often overlooked. “I like serious graffiti too,” Lubert noted. “But amateur, childish graffiti never leaves us. It’s a reminder of our childhood. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing.”

#7 Funny Weird Graffiti

Image credits: Hamish Berryman

#8

Image credits: Zak Thistleton

#9 Haha

Image credits: Daniel John Cannon

When it comes to Lubert’s favorite posts that have been shared in the group, he told Bored Panda that there are a few standouts. “‘Fred Dibnah did 9/11’ is one I’ll never forget,” the creator says. “I just wish phone cameras were around when I saw ‘Adrian Robinson smells of fish and chips.’”

Lubert also wanted to thank everyone involved in making the group such a fun place. “Please be on the lookout for random graffiti,” he added. You never know what you’re going to find!

#10 Simple But Effective

Image credits: Angela Hatherell

#11 Same

Image credits: No Context Britain

#12

Image credits: Daniel Smith

While you might not be impressed by writing in a school bathroom or on the bench at a bus stop, there’s certainly a wide variety of graffiti out there. And according to some, graffiti actually is art, as well as vandalism. ArtLife explains on their site that one of the reasons why graffiti should be considered art is that it takes technical skill. Painting or spray painting a recognizable image or words in an extravagant font isn’t easy. So whether you appreciate it or not, ArtLife argues that art is always subjective, and graffiti’s still art.

#13 Amen To That

Image credits: Tony Kinson

#14

Image credits: Denson Ian

#15 Poets Are Those Who Muddy The Water To Make It Look Deep

Image credits: Daniel Sowsbery

Graffiti can also exemplify freedom of expression. An artist doesn’t need a gallery or clients to take to the streets and start sharing their message. They can remain anonymous when creating graffiti if they so choose, and they can share important takes on political and social issues without being silenced. In fact, graffiti has long been a way for activists and passionate individuals to bring light to issues. Over the past year and a half, I’ve seen countless Ukrainian flags and “Slava Ukraini” messages pop up in various places. This kind of graffiti can be a great reminder of what’s going on in the world, especially for those who only have access to a very narrow source of news.

#16 Grumpy Goat Toilet. Reading. Cheese Jokes Encouraged!

Image credits: Karl Williams

#17 Hm

Image credits: Jason Randall

#18 Look Out Dudes!

Image credits: Andy England

When graffiti is done well, it can also bring new life to a space. An old Soviet block building can be transformed when a vibrant mural is painted on one side. And unexpected art in hidden nooks and crannies on the street can be exciting for passersby to find. There’s no reason why we can’t bring pleasant aesthetics to the most unexpected places. Sometimes that means on a random tree in the forest, and other times that means on the door of a bathroom stall. The possibilities are endless!

#19 You Decide!

Image credits: Daniel Carnall

#20 Hm

Image credits: Jay Blunt

#21 What Did Yoda Do?

Image credits: Mark Andrew Hall

While there’s no question that graffiti is usually vandalism, there are a few artists in particular whose pieces have become so popular that they’ve been considered art first and foremost. Perhaps the most popular is Banksy. This anonymous British artist has created a variety of famous pieces around the world, including Girl With Balloon, Pulp Fiction, Flower Thrower or Love Is In The Air, Love Is In The Bin, and more. He protects his identity, due to the fact that graffiti is illegal, but his pieces have sold for over a million dollars at auction.

#22 Hm

Image credits: Gary Battisson

#23 Under The New Bridge. Berwick Upon Tweed. ….you First!

Image credits: Gayle Litster

#24

Image credits: Claire Martin

Invader is another famous graffiti artist, whose name comes from the 1970s video game Space Invaders. He’s created work in 53 cities throughout France and Europe, making over 4,000 pieces. From the top of the Eiffel Tower, you can even spot one of his famous Space Invader mosaics. While his real name has been revealed to the public, he still prefers to go by a pseudonym, given his line of work.

#25 Dial ‘M’ For ‘Missing Phone’… (In An Elevator In Brussels.)

Image credits: Thomas Van Linter

#26

Image credits: Richard Kelly

#27 The Louder You Shout, The Less They’ll Listen ? Derby

Image credits: Kate Ivie

We hope you’re enjoying scrolling through this virtual art gallery of amateur graffiti, pandas. We certainly don’t condone vandalism, but if it’s already there, why can’t we get some enjoyment out of it? Keep upvoting the pics you find most amusing, and if you’re in the mood for even more, you can find our previous article featuring “It’s Graffiti, But Why?” right here!