A common theme for graffiti all over is it's use in making political statements. Sometimes it's directed at a government or institution. Other times it's making a point about the current state of society. Whatever the intended target is, graffiti is an easy way to make a statement and get people to notice the larger issues at hand. I find this is particularly true with the stickers I find.
I am rather partial, bordering on a fanatic status, to British culture. Classic literature, history, popular culture, and even food from the area are among my favorite things. So this sticker easily caught my attention and has kept me wondering. A pop art version of Queen Elizabeth II's portrait from her coronation 60 years ago is not exactly something I would expect to find in the Pittsburgh Area. I didn't think there was a large British influence here; I can only think of Piper's Pub, a British style pub over in the Southside. Irish influence, definitely, and a growing number of other nationalities have clearly affected the city more than I would credit Great Britain. But then again there is a large Scottish Heritage here, especially when you remember Carnegie, and there is apparently a festival every year celebrating the city's ties to Great Britain. So I guess you learn something new every day. But looking past the obvious element of the sticker, there is a lot that it is trying to convey. The phrase on the sticker is "Death Save The Queen" which plays off the typical phrase, "God Save The Queen." While certainly not the first time someone has made a statement with this portrait and playing with the latter phrase, the Sex Pistols used it for a single's album cover, it definitely is a unique one. Is the artist making a statement about her reign and saving it's place in history or looking to say that something larger about her. Another aspect that the sticker is clearly commenting on is consumerism and our obsession with status symbols. Her hair has Louis Vuitton emblems throughout and there is the clear Chanel logo in her necklace. There are definitely other brands that convey our success and status in life but these two are easily recognizable ones. These brands are things that once you own it you feel like you've truly made it, like you've achieved a higher status in society. And there is no greater status symbol than being the queen. You can see this obsession with the prevalence of knock offs you find on the streets of any city. So this sticker is definitely making a loud statement no matter how you look at it.
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Maggie Ondrey
An amateur photographer and writer capturing a small portion of the city. Archives
August 2017
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