DC artist Erin Antognoli has a habit of drawing on the bottoms of drawers in hotel rooms; she explains:
Whenever I stay somewhere, I try to leave my mark. Sometimes I have more time than others, which is why some of the designs are detailed and others look rushed. I do not harm the drawer in any way, and most times no one ever knows this artwork exists. But anyway, this is what I do, for those of you who have been wondering…
I think it’s interesting that she says she doesn’t “harm” the drawers. Sure, she isn’t hacking them to pieces, but what she does is technically vandalism, even if it most likely remains out of view. Is vandalism inherently harmful? I’d say “yes,” but I’d also argue that, at least in this case, it’s also inspiring — a subversive expression of individuality in what look like a series of pretty generic spaces.
View a gallery of her creations on Facebook (sample image featured above), and learn more about the artist on her website.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Vandalism can mean different things. When it comes to creativity, vandalism meaning property destruction is irrelevant. Erin’s drawings are great! I hope she will have many more safe journeys and will keep creating…
Vandalism or art? Such a delicious question. I suppose technically any uncommissioned/uninvited/undesired marking is technically vandalism. But subversive or not, I, for one, am thrilled to find interesting expressions in public, unexpected places. Remember the Borf artwork that appeared all over DC a few years ago? I miss that.
i support vandalism as art, and vice versa. this hotel art is brilliant and guarantees that i will be a bit more attentive to hotel furniture in the future.
I just can’t see how it is acceptable to deface another’s private property. This isn’t a “public space.” A hotel is a private business, those drawers are part of someone’s livelihood, and those drawings undoubtedly decrease their value. Rationalizing this by calling it “art” is self indulgent. I wouldn’t go to Erin’s home or place of business, rip the stuffing out of Erin’s couch, sculpt it into a giant swan, and pat myself on the back for “leaving my mark.”
I definitely see your point, Michelle, but the example you give is more destructive than what Erin’s done, isn’t it? Ripping the stuffing out of her couch makes it unusable – destroys it. Drawing on the bottoms of drawers, where most people will never see it, leaves the drawers intact and doesn’t necessarily hurt the hotel financially. I’m not saying I advocate it – my feelings on this one are complex – but I don’t think it’s as clear-cut as you make it sound.
I followed the link to Peter’s blog and saw that he linked to this related gallery of “secret wall tattoos” — drawings hidden behind the art hanging on hotel room walls:
http://www.secretwalltattoos.com
Okay, right, I am using a more extreme example to illustrate my point. But where we do draw the line as to what is or is not an acceptable amount of destruction of another’s property? I don’t think the “artist” should get to make that decision, as opposed to the private owner of the (not public) property. Self indulgent!