Luxury Lifestyle: How the Streets View Google

Graffiti artists generally have an alternative view on current affairs, a view that they express through street art. This article shows the opinions held internationally by graffiti artists, on internet giant, Google.com

Dolores, San Francisco, USA

In an interesting post about anti-gentrification of urban areas, writer Chris Carlsson gives an example of anti-google, anti-gentrification graffiti, which states “Trendy Google professionals help raise housing costs”. Urban gentrification occurs when the cost of living in an area is raised by the influx of residents who can afford to pay higher rents and amenities. For residents who have lived in the area for many years, this often means that they suddenly find themselves unable to afford living in their own homes.

The stenciled graffiti was found in San Francisco’s Mission District, placed in such a way that it couldn’t be missed by Google drones. The search term in the graffiti art piece states, “Mission + Exploitation”. Over the last decade, this district has become home to a number of Google’s and other internet company’s employees, who earn more than their neighbors. This contrast in lifestyles has led to a number of protests by street artists and vandals, such as the “Mission Yuppie Eradication Project“, which in 1999 encouraged impoverished residents to vandalize the luxury cars of their wealthy neighbors. Although it is the natural order of things for an urban area to change with time, these changes often result in class conflicts such as this one.

Above: Mission Yuppie Eradication Project. Image by Telstar Logistics

Dunedin, New Zealand
A spoof on the common phrase, “Google it”, showing an image of Jesus Christ claiming, “I don’t have all the answers. Try Google.”

Unknown Locations – Stencils

Stencil street art has gained popularity over the last few years. These street artists have chosen to stencil the phrase “Google it” or simply “Google” in various locations around the world. Perhaps something in the area gives a pedestrian cause to use Google’s search engine. These could also just be attention-seeking designs.

Cairo, Egypt

An internet cafe in an impoverished area of Cairo, Egypt, painted Google’s logo above his shop entrance, to attract potential customers.

I Can Be Googled, Therefore I Am

For the creator of this simple scrawl, the phrase I think, therefore I am, is not enough. The statement of this piece is that by having search results of the creator’s name online, their existence has been proved.

Digital Graffiti

French graffiti artist, Zevs, has created a website, gzzglz.com, based on the layout of Google.com. He displays pictures of his art in a similar format to that of Google images, and has designed his home page to look pretty much exactly the same as Google’s home page.