PORK, PORKE, PORKSTA, PORKER. FKB: GRAFF

From tags that can be found as early as 2009 across Wellington, New Zealand (Aotearoa), chances are you've seen the tag 'PORK', 'PORKER' or 'PORKE' somewhere.

Whether it be a large colourful tag on a building or a small black marker tag on the stairs. There's a certain consistency to the tag. Simple and stereotypical bold letters with shadows. Though he does spice it up here and there with his larger tags.

Repeated enough, it starts to feel less like vandalism and more like a presence. In cities like Wellington and Auckland, you don't just see it once - you see it almost everywhere.

Pork's tags have been spotted overseas as well and also recorded online. Across cities in Australia to Europe, such as France and Germany. The extent of Pork's tags extends to even GTA V. That honestly says a lot!

Back in Aotearoa, the name 'Pork' comes with media attention. Auckland Council recorded close to 1,000 incidents of Pork's tags across the city in just a year. You can find numerous news articles highlighting the quantity.

Auckland Council has stated that from 2018 to 2023, they have spent between $4.2 to 4.4 million annually to remove graffiti across its cities. Obviously, this isn't a figure that can be attributed to Pork alone.

Arguably, Pork's global recognition can be partially attributed to Cameron Hunt's 2022 YouTube documentary, 'Full Time Pork'. In the doco, Pork states that he is not hurting anyone and that his work beats looking at a corporate billboard. Cameron mentions being at a bar when a yoga teacher randomly brings up the name, 'Pork'.

Pork says he does this not for the art but because he wants to be seen.

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