There is an article in the current issue of Time Magazine, about using laser “pointers” to write graffiti on building walls. The article is especially interesting because of the prominence of Time Magazine, and the detailed treatment of the subject of laser projections.
On a breezy November night, Yan etches Chinese characters across most of the side of City Hall. They read “Save Queen’s Pier” (an ironic appeal on behalf of a now demolished landmark), and the reason he can write them with impunity is because they are drawn using a laser pointer in high-intensity light — not spray paint. By standing on the roof of a parking lot across the street, he also avoids any danger of trespassing. When he’s done, Yan erases the words by clicking a button on the laser pointer, connected to a laptop and projector at his feet. He then moves on to tag other prominent buildings, including the city’s Cultural Centre.
The system used by MC Yan is known as L.A.S.E.R. Tag and is a creation of the Graffiti Research Lab (GRL), a New York City art group founded in 2005 to outfit the world’s street artists with innovative, open-source technology.
The complete article is online at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1691618,00.html.
