Los2 is a local graffiti artist who tags the “free walls” on the outskirts of Plymouth. This area is specifically designed as a place for graffiti artists to express themselves without law enforcement on their backs.
“You never really have to tell your name, no one really gives a shit like what you do at home, what you do at work, what you do at school, if you’re popular, if you’re not popular,” said Los2, “If you are good with a can and you get up as much as possibl,e they are like ‘you are cool’, and I have a lot of respect for you.”
These “free walls”, are concrete slabs of an old mill building located behind Second Comings Thrift Store. They stand speckled with various tags, and provide legal canvases for ambitious artists, who continue to be persecuted for expressing themselves.
Los2, whose pieces peer out at drivers along Route 3, explained how this area allows a safe environment for one to practice their technique. “Often artists work in fear of persecution and this does not allow them to fully develop their skills. At a place such as this you can stand and watch the police drive by and just wave to you, it is somewhat surreal.”
Mike Currier, one of the founders of the park, says, “We are one of the only free walls in the state; a place where artists can showcase their work legally. We have artists from all levels, the high school, college, and from miles away coming to spray here.”
“I have always wanted to collaborate with people through my work,” said Los2, “and because of this I have been able to, despite age or experience. I have communicated with another artist, Sork, through these walls. I heard he or she is from down south. I hope to link up and do some pieces together.”
Los2 feels that the legal canvases help to deteriorate the negative connotation that the idea of graffiti carries with it, explaining how this facility will help people recognize graffiti as a true form of art. “The walls are definitely a positive addition to our area. Plymouth is an area of open minded people which allows for such a place to be available. This concept should spread.”
He continued to say, “It has long stood as a symbol of vandalism, but other artists and I are only trying to make something look more beautiful while instilling some message into it. People do not understand that most of the time graffiti artists are taking a spot or canvas that is already broken down, and distraught and adding beauty to it.”
Every several months several of the walls are painted over permitting new work to be done. Over a dozen walls in total are self policed with the local artists painting over any derogatory markings. “The slim minority of people with spray paint are just writing crap,” said Los2, “this is not graffiti and it does not help improve the progress that graffiti as a movement has been making. We remove all of this as quickly as we see it.”
This local graffiti park will continue to offer canvases for aspiring artists. To see these decorated walls, take a stroll down Route 3 and turn left onto railroad square. You can’t miss the park as the vibrant colors jump off the concrete and dart through the woods drawing gaze.