We took a friend with us to show her a nearby city which I am very fond of, but does have its scruffy and tatty sides. As we were driving through a particularly neglected area, closed down shops, graffiti everywhere, rubbish and litter in the gutters, semi-derelict buildings, I had a mental shrug of oh well, I expect there are parts of her country where it looks in not the best condition. She, however was captivated, and remarked how amazing it was. Oh really? But she wasn’t looking at the mess, she was looking at the fantastic murals which graced empty walls and shuttered windows. The murals were witty, pointed, fun, relevant, topical, weird… and that is what she saw.
Lois Elsden 