In recent years (10 to 20), a new form of graffiti has developed. It has spread world wide in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Barcelona, Ann Arbor, New York, London and many, many more cities of renown. My sample has been collected within a kilometre of Newtown Station in Sydney and is by no means complete.

One can look at this small collection of images and imagine a number of incentives that may have driven the artists to the subjects and the method. I was told by one artist, who approached me when I was photographing some of the images, the reason for the method. Street art is against the law and the artist needs to be quick to escape detection. The stencil can be cut at home at leasure (they are mostly about 20cms square) and a number are easily concealed, as is a spray can of paint. Making the image on a wall takes but a matter of seconds.

What do they mean? They could seem to reflect the social mores of the artists of the area, though perhaps visitors contributed. They may be political, sexual, artistic or speculative. They do not seem to be religious in this secular society. One finds them in the back streets. One would seldem notice them from a vehicle. They live in the walking part of a city.

I look at them and wonder. If I can not understand the messages that these images convey from members of my own society what chance will I have at understanding images made10 or 20 thousand years ago on rock. I wonder at the myriad of books that have been written explaining the precise meaning of rock art of this great age. Did their authors have a closer affinity to the artists than I have with my fellow Newtonions?

I will meet more of the artists of Newtown. My one contact, so far, led me to believe that they work in groups.

The 25th May 2006.
I received an email from a stencil artist. It was illuminating to me and, with permission, I quote an extract:

'Howdy

My name is XXXX and I was referred to your web site on stencil graffiti by a friend who spotted one of my stencils in your gallery (the dashing young lad in the checkered shirt is a self portrait). I thought it might be helpful to you if I provided some insight on the subject.

Stenciling as we know it today was brought to Australia by the Cave Clan in Melbourne, an urban exploration group that used them to mark routes and directions in underground drains. This is not certain, but is the most popular belief amongst stencil artists. Melbourne is arguably the stencil capital of the world, with many of its artists gaining international fame and commercial success.

As far as the reason people do it, stating one reason would be like declaring a supreme colour. There are so many motivations ranging from artistic pursuits, the excitement of spraying illegally, political motivation or a mixture of many and more of these. Most commonly, however, it would seem that most stencils, especially in Sydney, are design-oriented—simply visual designs put up for aesthetic reasons. Also, the culture of 'getting up' is a common general motivation in most forms of graffiti—that is making a name for yourself by putting similar things up as much as possible to gain exposure. The main reason most artists tend to use stencils is not only their speed of application but also the way they enable an image to be transferred to any surface. You can take any picture from the internet and put it on any wall you want.

XXXX'

I wonder—could similar motives have inspired homo sapien artists through the ages. Or are they all spiritual, as so many claim? If so did their purpose perhaps change and if so when?