|
Romanian Kilroymania
from Alexandru Bucur
Some technical notes: Most
of the captions were just basic inscriptions of "Kilroy was here,"
and although some of them were stenciled in black spray paint rather
than just drawn with a marker, none of them actually bore the distinctive
baldheaded, u-nosed cartoon character usually associated with the legend.
This also suggests a possible source for the "kilroymania"
in the Bugs Bunny cartoon "Haredevil
Hare" (mentioned in the "sightings" area of Kilroy Was
Here) that was also shown
in Romania on Cartoon Network, since that particular animation featured
only the caption, without the drawing. Apparently a lot of people picked
it up, seeing that I occasionally spotted incarnations of Kilroy in
graffiti around several cities of Romania, but I'm pretty sure very
few actually knew what the phrase meant or where it had originated.
So in the end, the Kilroy Legend does
live on!
Warm regards from Europe, Alexandru
Bucur
 |
This is the form and handwriting of the original
few messages. The first ever graffiti was written in an elevator,
and kept reappearing despite persistent attempts to erase them
by the cleaning staff.
|
 |
These two messages, placed only a few feet apart,
are obviously the work of the same person, and belong to the second
wave, when many copycats' work appeared along with the "original"
Kilroy. I should add that all the
|
 |
|
surviving messages are in the
same area, in a part of the "Old Building" that was
closed for repairs, following a small earthquake causing some
cracks in the structure, and the concern that the whole edifice
might collapse in a more consistent tremor.
|
 |
Inscription in the tower of the old building,
(the construction with the orange graffiti on its side in the
snapshot of the same), a popular hangout for students, especially
since laws regarding the use of alcohol on campus are quite relaxed,
to the point that alcoholic beverages are sold in the cafeteria.
There was a vague attempt to ban smoking from the university's
halls and studios, but that was scrapped quickly following a near-revolt
of the professorial staff. The tower sits atop the closed area,
and although the entrance was boarded in at a certain time, access
was never formally prohibited, so it remains popular to this day.
Judging by the Double "l" in the name, this caption
is a late addition to the phenomenon.
|
|
This example shows us that this Kilroy is from
a a very cunning individual, capable of changing his handwriting.
Here he's trying to imitate mine. In fact I had forgotten about
this particular entry, on a paper-covered message board outside
the "Technical Science" staffroom, after failing an
exam in this department. The name mentioned is that of the particular
teacher responsible for the exam. A few months afterwards a reexamination
was held (we are allowed one free reexamination for each failed
test in the next exam session, and paid ones afterwards) and I
passed with flying colours, forgetting all about the message I
drew in anger, until the hunt for Kilroy led me back in that particular
area of the school.
(still the old building, a part of it that has been restored and
has since reopened for "business")
|
 |
 |
Message characteristic of the latter period of the "outbreak"
when people were getting rather annoyed with the whole thing.
In fact this piece of text is placed close to the one in picture
three, but I chose to present it chronologically rather than
based on location.
|
As you probably guessed, this is a picture of me, conveniently
placed in the shade not to reveal my secret identity . . . I
am a wanted man after all. . .
In the background is the facade of the Old Building.
Click the image for a latger view
|
 |
Click the image for a latger view |
New school: The "modern" part of the university, built
in the early 70s. The whole campus has a triangular shape covering
about two city blocks (there still is a piece of road, complete
with sidewalks, in the middle of the interior courtyard) The
university is placed in the centre of Bucharest, the capital
of Romania, in one of the most densely built areas of the city.
The white corner on the left of the photograph belongs to an
18th century church, "Biserica Enei."
|
Old School: finally, a general
view of the much talked about "Old Building." It was
constructed in 1902, in an architectural style specific to Romania
(called "Neo-Romanian")that was loosely based on the
traditional Walachian building fashion and was closely connected
to the Art Nouveau movement taking place in the rest of the world
at the same time. It is now partly closed for repairs, having
survived two major earthquakes (in 1940 and 1977, the latter registering
7.2 on the Richter scale), countless milder others, and the brutality
of two wars. Bucharest was bombed during both. In WW2 it suffered
the onslaught of American, British, Russian and finally German
planes, and was one of the focal points of the Anti-Communist
Revolution of 1989, bullet and shell marks still visible on its
facade. Further information on the school can be obtained on their
website: www.iaim.ro/en/ |
Click the image for a latger view
|
Send Corrections, additions,
and input to:
|
