We’ve seen some reverse tags here in LA along the 110 north just before the 5 north exit but never anything quite like this. When we first saw reverese graffiti it really stuck it gave us quite a chuckle. The word graffiti implies vandalism, where as this kind of work comes close to using graffiti as a vehicle for urban renwal, and there something very punk rock about that idea.
Paul “Moose” Curtis using stencils and pressurized water to make make art on walls in downtown San Francisco. This could be done in almost any urban area, and we’re sure canvases abound in every city around the world. The stark contrast brought about by Curtis simply cleaning a wall is astounding when you realize the wall’s true color. We think this is an idea we’ll see a lot more of in the future.
This colorful flick is a hardcore glance at the global graffiti movement. It offers an accurate history – quickly dispelling NY as the birthplace of American graf and giving a fly animated recap of Cornbread and his hits on Philly in the late 70’s. Bomb it moves right into NYC and introduces a wide cast of OG artists from some of the first crews. They offer explanations and really specific details on bombing missions and tagging up in their neighborhoods.
There is some great interview footage with serious old skooler TKID in a park in the Bronx and he recalls the rise and fall of subway art and how the street art obsession has led many to their grave. Not only is the artwork photographed well, but the interviews are real, candid, and offer an intimate conversation with some artists that you would probably never bump into at a Museum, or on the street - because most are out writing when you are sleeping. There are amazing tidbits on lettering style, militia bombing excursions, and the personal lives the artists have years after they first got up.
The main theme running throughout the film is clearly the artist’s need to express him or herself and the issue of doing it on the street – for free, for fun, and for social statement. No one pays street artists – they risk their life, their freedom to get their art up. Over 100 artists from the likes of Japan, the US, Europe, Brazil, South Africa, and the Lebanon are showcased. Graffiti is a weapon for many of these artists. It is energy and an attack on public space and public thought. It’s their form of communication to let the world know who they are, and what they stand for. The movie will be out on DVD soon, but it is on a theatrical tour now – check out Bomb It’s website to see where you can catch it.
We’ve seen graffiti, and we’ve seen animation, but we’ve never seen anything quite like this. You remember that guy in art class who seemed to just draw on everything all the time? This is what happens when you let that guy loose in a blighted part of the city no one cares about. Now if only we could get him to come to LA.
We couldn’t find much info about this except that the artists handle is Blu and this piece, “Muto” was made over the course of a few months (no kidding, looks like this would take years) in Buenos Aires and Baden. If you have anymore info about his guy PLEASE post it in a comment.
We found the following message on Blu’s Blog, which we we think translates in propr engrish to “I keeps it real”-
I’m receiving loads of emails about Muto
I can’t reply to everyone so I try to do a quick resume.
if you are asking for advertising works the answer is: NO THANKS
if you are asking for music videos the answer is: see above
if you want to use it for any commercial purpose: see the license or read again the answer above.
for any other proposal: I will try to reply as soon as I canfor everyone else: thank you very much guys.
ADDENDUM: Apparently this is hoax. According to Wired, Skullphone paid Clear Channel to put up his work rather than hacking their network. So much for street cred pal, I think it’s fair to says your days as a street artist are done.
Graffiti is apparently going high tech these days. Street artist Skullphone found a way to hack several Clear Channel Billboards in Los Angeles and insert his own art into them. While this won’t last as long as spray paint, you could potentially tag every electronic billboard in America at once. How’s that for street cred?
In early February 2008 several mysterious pieces were sighted around Hollywood. Namely a few on Beverly Blvd. Rumors are we can credit the illusive Banksy. Several of his long standing stencils on Melrose had recently been repainted after years of relatively uninterrupted display. We can only hope that these new works will enjoy a long lifespan.
These two bags were designed by Luisella Stroebele, a German photographer and designer. The imagery is an example of Berlin’s street scene. The messenger and small bag are made of cotton and synthetic material. You can find them here for $75 and $155. Ich bin ein Berliner baby.
For those who are still asking the “Is graffiti really art” question, we finally have an answer and his name is Jose Parla. The cursive stylistic gestures of street tags shine through the non-words Parla layers over and over. Together they imply the effect of one generation of taggers painting over another until all of them blend together. The textures evoke a dirty urban canvas, reproduced to live inside a gallery for our viewing pleasure. Just as hip hop evolved from lo-fi street music to the polished sounds we know today, graffitti has now officially moved up in the art world to the point where it’s ready to hang in the MOMA.
