Is this graffiti some kind of code (drifter/hobo/etc?)
March 14, 2017 12:18 PM

I saw this graffiti on a wall along a hiking/mountain bike trail near where I work.

It sort of reminds me of hobo glyphs but not in any way that I can decode or understand.

Is it just plain graffiti or is there some meaning behind it?
posted by RustyBrooks to Media & Arts (9 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
I don't know, but the shapes, numbers, and letters made me think of the kind of markings used by public utility workers.
posted by ejs at 12:42 PM on March 14, 2017


That to me is a bearded person wearing a button down shirt with a pocket. Maybe the numbers and the stuff on the sides is some sort of code, but not convinced.
posted by AugustWest at 1:05 PM on March 14, 2017


Yeah and the triangle looks sort of like a bandana.
posted by RustyBrooks at 1:15 PM on March 14, 2017


It looks to me like a person with a bandana tied over their face, outlaw-style (especially given the knot on the left), wearing a shirt, with two slits for eyes. Could it be gang-related in some way?
posted by Bromius at 1:16 PM on March 14, 2017


It's a stylized man with a bandanna (know on the left), button down shirt, and a pocket.

The "6/16" is likely June of 2016.

The "B." on the bottom right is the artist's signature.

I'm not sure about the "PEE" or "PFF." or "PFE" or whatever that is on the left side. Maybe it's a portrait and those are the subject's initials.
posted by cmoj at 1:43 PM on March 14, 2017


This reminds me heavily of the style of train tags.
posted by cmoj at 1:46 PM on March 14, 2017


Could it be a memorial to a buddy who died on 6/16?
posted by AugustWest at 1:55 PM on March 14, 2017


a person with a bandana tied over their face, outlaw-style

Or Occupy-style. Or biker style. Or gang style. 6/16 may be a memorial or may commemorate an event - there's some sort of big biker rally around then in Austin.
posted by Miko at 8:09 PM on March 14, 2017


Seconding hobo glyphs/train tags/chalk hobo graffiti. Don't think there's any meaning behind it besides the tagger's ID.
posted by knownassociate at 10:46 AM on March 15, 2017


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