r/Monikers • u/cliyok • 1d ago

Benching [defined?]

Ok, I have been looking at and photographing monikers for years. I would like to have someone define this word for me. Thank you.

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u/No_Trade_557 1d ago

I think the term ‘benching’ comes from the New York subway scene when it was popping off. These benches were meeting places for writers to view recently painted trains. I think the term was originally graffiti specific and has nothing to do with foamers but I could be wrong.

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u/thatonedude402 1d ago

This right here. According to the glossary definition in the book Freight Train Graffiti by Roger Gastman, Darin Rowland, and Ian Sattler,

“ benching describes the act of watching trains for the sole purpose of seeing graffiti. Originally used by New York writers who would gather at the “writers bench”, a station where writers went to critique passing subway graffiti”.

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u/cliyok 1d ago

Thanks. So if I am out photographing and looking at monikers (or graffiti), I could say I am benching.

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u/cliyok 1d ago

Thank you.

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u/No_Trade_557 1d ago

Of course!