Graffiti Research Lab

Graffiti Research Lab � LED Throwies

The GRL is “dedicated to outfitting graffiti artists with open source technologies for urban communication”. OK, whatever. It’s geek-meets-boarder-chic.

While I’d of course not condone the vandalism of property, it’s undeniable that there are ‘urban corners’ where the graffiti art (for indeed some of it is art imho) adds to the quotient of joy in the world rather than detracts from it. I say this as a Shoreditch resident, daily cheered by the Banksy art I pass on my walk into town.

Less permanent than point though are the “throwies”:

LED Throwies are an inexpensive way to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in your neighborhood. A Throwie consists of a lithium battery, a 10mm diffused LED and a rare-earth magnet taped together. Throw it up high and in quantity to impress your friends and city officials.

They’d look nice on the railway bridges, I reckon.

Then, however, I remembered the EU directives on things with batteries, disposal thereof etc, and realised that this is probably not the most ‘eco’ of ways to make social comment and communication…