Blanca Ayala

02-21-13

Period 2

“Going up in L.A”

            Los Angeles was known as the mural capital of the country around the late 80’s. in 1999 Martinez published a book named “Going up in L.A”. This book mainly talks about local tagging crews named k25-stn and the rivalry between the east and west tagging crews. The author’s main characters name is primes life in Los Angeles.

            The character prime in Martinez’s is article has a very difficult life. Prime was a young man that was a graffiti artist he worked with several other artist that were involved with a local crew named k25-stn. Prime’s family lived in crime. Ridden area he was also growing up on welfare. His dream was to own a big long moveable wall he wanted people to see his art work as an art pieces. Martinez shows a very detail imagery when he talks about Primes young life “at the age of 8, he tells me, he snatched his sisters gold flecked hair spray and wrote “little Joe 18 street” in the back yard” Page 164.

            Furthermore, in the middle of the story it talks about Prime is still alive after getting short and a new character named Duke. Duke was prime’s homie duke was 20 years old he was from the same tagging crew as prime k25-stn. “Prime, like duke, had began to distance himself from the gang world before he was short” page.173 .he points out a very interesting point how prime and this homie wants to change there life round and have a clean starte.

 In addition the auter Martinez also tell the reader how there is young writers tying to come up but inserted they are only making the city looks ugly with there “toy” tagging’s . the young writers at the panic zone are rabid taggers. “we all write on ‘em all “ he utilizes details to show the reader that many kids don’t know the passion of tagging they only destroy walls and there mentality it very childish they fill that they need to be known.

            Therefore, graffiti can be seen in two different ways in a form of vandalism or expensive art. For Martinez graffiti is a way for teens to express themselves and a way to get away from gangs. My personal opinion for the murals in Los Angeles will always be a beautiful art work that will stay in our history.