Resumo: Multaj grafitioj de unu vorto aperis en mia urbo la antaŭa semajno. Mi serĉas ilin por dokumenti la problemon.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the letters ‘NEMEW’ appeared in 35 places across Winchester, painted with a brush and white paint. A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection with the crime and a clean-up operation is in place.

Before Winchester is completely purged of the nemews, i thought it would be interesting to find as many of them as i could and take some photographs, just as a documentation exercise. I don’t approve of graffiti, and it upsets me that Winchester has been defaced in this way (it’s not even pretty graffiti!) but i can’t help feeling a little bit impressed that somebody managed to paint it in so many places in one night. As far as i’m aware, nobody saw it being done. It is impressive in that it is so prolific, and in a couple of places it must have been quite dangerous to do.

Surprisingly a search of the internet returned no image results. I would have thought lots of photos had been taken. So i have created a Flickr group: Nemew, Winchester and i welcome contributions for anyone who has seen this particular graffiti to take a photo, geo-tag it and add it to the group. Then we can see them on the nemew map.

I have only managed to find 11 so far.

It’s not illegal or immoral to take photos of graffiti, is it? Even if it’s on somebody’s private property? I hope not!

Thank you to Jack for tipping me off about a few of them.

1. Liam Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 17:56

   So what exactly does Nemew do?

2. Liam Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 17:57

   Err.. mean, rather. Not do. Haha.

   I’m so tired from being at school all night.

3. Anonymous Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 18:47

   I’d noticed them… I was trying to work out what NEMEW meant. but then I forgot about it again!

4. ladybirdintheuk Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 18:48

   I spotted that. I was trying to work out what nemew meant. But then I forgot.

5. Aimee Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 20:08

   Hi Liam,

   I don’t think nemew means anything. You’re probably right to ask “what does nemew do” actually. Nemew is a 19-year-old idiot who paints graffiti late at night and gets arrested for it.

   Oh, and sometimes nemew makes graffiti websites which are subsequently left to expire. That is pretty much what nemew does, as far as i can make out.

6. Aimee Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 20:10

   Hi Ladybird, have you seen any nemews that i’ve not photographed? Can you photograph them for me or tell me where to find them? xx

7. Peter Says:
   May 12th, 2008 at 14:23

   I’ve seen one on the side of River Park and elsewhere as I drive down from Bereweeke to there after work. I’ll see if I spot any and snap them.

   Can’t help but wonder if we’re giving him the attention he desired though… (and d’oh, yes I did reply before on the wrong post - I’m smart, me).

8. Aimee Says:
   May 12th, 2008 at 15:00

   Thanks, Peter, i’d appreciate if you can contribute photos.

   I know, i worried about adding publicity to this, but i’ve tried to make it clear that i am against graffiti and i am not glorifying it. I simply searched the internet for some images, didn’t find any, and decided the internet should have some. For documentation purposes.

9. anon Says:
   June 5th, 2008 at 13:05

   aimee, your such a hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   well done!!!!

10. Aimee Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 13:39

    I think ‘hero’ is a little stretch of the imagination, but thanks!
    Have you got any pictures to add to the Flickr group?

11. Anonymous Says:
    July 23rd, 2008 at 20:09

    hahaha you guys are dumb. go eldon aka nemew