Viewing Street Art

A few days ago I wrote about Shepard Fairey's ingenious website design; including an area specifically for "sightings". But how should we as the public view these works?

Without a museum security guard to keep us silent how can we propose that these works are part of a society of high class art? (That was meant to be sarcastic, the answer is, of course we don't).

After researching so many street artists I have come to the conclusion that street art is meant to be an enjoyment. Even if the emotions the art causes are sickening, or jarring, the remembrance of these events are meant to instill feelings of joy towards the escape these works offered us.

Lets take Swoons embarkment of her floating street art work, Ships for example  Her pieces are celebrated and revered by the community.

Or we could examine how Banksy pieces promote immediate discussion.The way members of the public will often go crazy and play around on 3d visuals.

Finally, we could see how the passerby sees it, caught here by several greats of street art photography. 

Martha Cooper

Timo Stammberger

No matter how we, as the viewer, decide to interpret the scenes of street art it is important to remember that these are public works and are meant to strike a cord within us. In addition, we should consider that these pieces are trying to take us to another place, maybe we can let them take us there.


Bibliography
http://humoriscontagious.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3d-2.jpg
http://www.urbanartcore.eu/top-urban-art-photographers/

Non-Traditional Mediums in Street Art

Walking through any urban area, even suburban area, you see forms of street art. Graffiti, Murals, Sculptures, it exists all around us. Frequently we see spraypaint or stickers populating the streets, On rarer occasions we will see a wheat paste poster. But what about the more captivating, more unique, techniques?

Today I have a few processess to consider.

First, an amandment to wheat paste posters. Any viewer of the 2010 film Exit Through the Gift Shop has seen the segment where Shepard Fairey sits on the floor of Kinkos, shreddig massive just printed posters to be made into taped togetrher bill board sizwed imaes. But there are otehr ways to work with this wheat paste medium. In a video interview showing Shepard Faireys recent work at the PAce Gallery we get a taste of Fairey's mediums of printmaking. Many of his prints receive the clear printing of the Intaglio process on massive metal plates the size of posters. We also see his work screen printed with beatufiul color clarity. The most ingenious of his plates however is one that is a low relief embossed style. When printed the plate does not alter the color of the print, it instead transforms the paper itself into a bas relief. The Street artist Swoon has also managed to revolutionize this poster style. For her life-size or greater works she creates massive wood block prints. Sometimes she will even work with linoleum. (If you are searching for how to get linoleum blocks this big several forums suggest the use of Home Dept bath or shower fillers in long untampered rolls to be cut and carved.)

In addition to the street form of poster art there is also the form of picture printing and pasting. One street artist, France's photographer JR, works with Lithograph prints to create his pieces. These Lithograph works are a synthesis of the historic printmaking process and the modern ideas of color printing. Together the prints contain a sense of almost unnatural depth.

Swoon 

If this individuals are pushing the boundaries of public art, what do you see coming next?


Bibliography

http://www.jr-art.net/
http://www.jr-art.net/projects/inside-out-project-group-actions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM2IW8hv5m8
http://www.triggermagazine.com/images/swoon.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2863977216_809c94879f.jpg

Graffiti in the Warpath -A summary of the art work of the Intifada

In my recent research I have stumbled across several articles on the political artworks and graffiti of the Intifada. The subject and works immediately resonated with me and I began to delve in further. What follows is a compilation of the ideas expressed within these articles, and some of the images that are available of these works.

For those who are uncertain the Intifada was, and should specify that I referring to the First Intifada, it was a violent yet unarmed coronation within the state of Israel. The violence focused on the Palestinian people attempting to be freed from Israeli occultation. The conflict consisted of more then just violence, with a majority of palestinians participating in boycotts and strikes. While there was death tolls on both sides it has been noted that 7% of all Palestinian children at the time were beaten, shot, or tear gassed. The conflict itself began in 1987 and ended either in 1991 or 1993. (Depending on the continued anger following the Madrid Conference and up until the Oslo Accords.)

So where does street art and graffiti enter into this confrontation?

The Julie Peteet article, The Writing on the Walls: The Graffiti of the Intifada, reminds us that the war was often referred to as a "war of stones". Both for weapons used, metaphors of will, and canvases for statements. Much of the graffiti that existed within this area and at this time where depicted on stones, walls, or ruined buildings. Peetet describes the scene of the area: ever-changing. Palestinian writers would be produced and interpreted by their communities. Israeli communities would read and deface them. Peteet, writes "while  they represented they also intervened" (140) about the words scrawled across walls. What graffiti was able to do in this arena was create a statement while effectively halting power. In addition graffiti represented expression in a period of heavy censorship.

What was so exceptional about this form of graffiti was that the life span was so short. Writers knew that they had less then seconds to write their message, and the image itself might not last more then a few hours. For a culture that was being suppressed this form of fast expression was a necessary support, but also a reminder of the oppression being constructed.


This work is beautiful and filled with impact, the images below are some examples.

 

All picture rights to Julie Peteet

Bibliography

Julie Peteet, 1996

The Writing on the Walls: The Graffiti of the Intifada, Wiley 

Dolk

Musings on street art.....today let's look at one of the premiere artists of Norway, Dolk.

Dolk was born in Norway in 1979 and began his street art career in 2003. Dolk has had a history in graphic design and his work has been personally inspired by Banksy. Dolk works mainly in stencils and his grayscale pieces with selective color have often be confused with Banksy's.

Dolk has transformed his images in recent years to exist with the gallery sphere. Since 2006 Dolk has shown in the following Exhibitions and Galleries.

Halden Prison 

Exhibitions and festivals [edit]

• 2004, "Dolk vs. Strøk", Tilsammans, Bergen, Norway.
• 2005, "Unge(s) spor", USF Verftet, Bergen, Norway.
• 2006, "Santa`s Ghetto", 15 Oxford Street, London, England.
• 2006, "Nuart Festival", Stavanger, Norway.
• 2007, "Difusor", Barcelona, Spain.
• 2007, "Nuart Festival", Stavanger, Norway.
• 2008, "The Cans Festival", London, England.
• 2008, "Urban Affairs: Streetart and Urban Art Exhibition", Berlin, Germany.
• 2008, "Nuart Festival", Stavanger, Norway.
• 2008, "Graffle 2", Bristol, England.
• 2008, "Saints & Sinners", Soho, England.
• 2008, "Ghetto Spedalsk", Lofoten, Norway.
• 2009, "Fame Festival", Grottaglie, Italy.
• 2010, "BGO1", Bergen, Norway.
• 2010, "Nuart Festival", Stavanger, Norway.
• 2010, "Brooklynite Gallery", New York, USA.
• 2011, "OSL Contemporary", Oslo, Norway.
• 2012, "…………CAPITALISM?", Norwegian School of Economics, Bergen, Norway.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOLK_(artist))

In addition to these shows Dolk has managed to create a niche for himself in commission work. Dolk's pieces now grace the walls of Halden Prison, and the Norwegian School of Economics.

Swoon

Today lets look at one of my favorite street artists of all time;  Swoon.

Swoon was born in Florida in 1977. She studied at the Pratt Institute in New York. Her work focuses on the ideas of immersion, transformation, and audience experience. For Swoon work seems to be something that is meant to be discovered through happy accidents. As a result her piece have a quality that is known to inspire community, and the artist herself has told stories about her works neighborhoods defending their pieces.

In addition Swoon spearheads her own non-profit project seeking to help families in Haiti.

Below are some of her fantastic works.

Carlos G. (2011)

Olivia

Bibliography

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43txDpBfDM6Ky10ioTNiQtOU3RwtNSYet3NzTEniPoawb5Q5HD4r9euDwfKbn9kY0vWG44K5gBfqv9XG_FbRy_DhXKM_JzSxZgmKP6G6xzxb0meDZhxq2RfnOmCXfNngbkOgiVWW8mtY/s640/swoon.jpg
http://according2g.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Olivia-by-Swoon.jpg

Steven P. Harrington, 2011, Brooklyn Street Art

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swoon_(artist)

Graffiti as Urban Development

51. That is the magic number. 51% of humankind currently live in an Urbanized area. (http://kff.org/global-indicator/urban-population/). This may seem like a positive thing. Business is created in global city-centers. Populations mix and no longer face the divide of patriotism.

But urban centers create their own trials. One of these trails is the loss of culture.

When urban planners examine what the next steps of their developments should be the continual question that follows their ideas is, how do we preserve culture? As Julia Lossau writes in

'New Urbanity' and Contemporary Forms of Public Art Notes on 

"Citizen Firefighter" (K. Hunter)

"revitalization programmes cannot be successful today if they do not include culture." (329)

What is fascinating about modern urban planning is the potential of new urbanity. This theoretical idea that a city should be similar to the concepts proposed by 19th Century european urban centuries, focuses on three ideals. These include, compact business and use, dense but efficient land and resource use, and finally the requirement of mixed understanding and habitation of land.

When we take this understanding we can recognize that the new path of the city is one where culture has to play a part, but faces the challenge of doing so in an environment that is designed for conciseness. Where this may have disparaged the previous urban planners of generations past, the outlet being created is one that is meant for street artists. Street artists have the advantage of creating effective work, culture, and messages, in a relatively compact, and well seen format. For this novel idea of new urbanity to take off street art needs to be at its side.

In accordance to this opening that modern urban planning is providing street artists, there is the additional push that negative feelings growing between artists and traditional modes of showing. Traditionally artists would enter into the world of gallery shows and commissioned work. In recent sociological studies however artists are beginning down that path, then feeling used by the gallery world. In the writings of Tracey E. Bowen, R-1 (an artists whose identity is under protection) expressed that he found "the art gallery culture was superficial and elitists, characteristics that he claimed were opposed to what graffiti was all about." (31) In addition other graffiti artists interviewed in the same research describe a horror at the misunderstanding that individuals within the city have of their own, easily accessible, art community. What is beneficial about this turn from the traditional path of artistic life is that more and more artists are beginning to see the necessity of street art.

In a world of new urban planning, new cities, and a massive urban population, culture will be in demand. Luckily, cities may not have that far to look.

Bibliography

Julia Lossau, (2008) ‘New Urbanity’ And Contemporary Forms of Public Art Notes on Citizen Firefighter (K. Hunter), Erdkunde

Tracey E. Bowen, 1999, Graffiti Art: A Contemporary Study of Toronto Artists, National Art Education Association 

Modern Alphabets: Pixação

When I visited Sao Paolo last spring I was fascinated by the graffiti. The images covered the walls, the writing was everywhere. It didn't take long for me to recognize that there was this indiscernible writing which continued to reappear through my travels. Initially I compared it to a mixture of the Latin alphabet used for stone carving, with some sort of Trek-aged lexicon. After much wondering I would finally ask my hosts what the letters meant. I found out that the answer was that the letters were an exclusive form of writing called Pixação.

Pixação is a key part of a culture based around street art. Brazil is a country known for its massive economic rifts, with towering skyscrapers and elaborate parties being juxtaposed next to the largest slums in the world. So it is no surprise that a style meant to overcome class and economic-barriers would be prevalent in this country.

In America the closest our street artists come to a style like Pixação is tagging, but this comparison doesn't really do the form justice. In Pixação an individual will normally write their name, gang, and the year. (There can be additional pieces depending on the format). But there are other qualifications to the style of Pixação however. On example is that there are several alphabet structures depending on the height of the piece on the building it is being tagged to. An additional goal of Pixação is to place these messages as high as possible. This drives artists to scale buildings just to be able to complete one tag.

So where did Pixação come from?

The alphabet and movement came from the favelas (poorest neighborhoods) of Sao Paulo. In the beginning Pixação was a form of writing used to write derogatory campaign slogans, or deface other political candidates. (Roughly around the late 1940s). By the 1970s the movement was in danger, until there was a resurgence of popularity. The return of Pixação, rising in the 1980s contained messages of heavy metal band names, creating a format for public self-expression of taste. Eventually this would morph into a more simple form of name writing.

This form of writing has a beauty, enigma, and sense of inspiration surrounding it that is rarely found today.

The pictures below are a combination of images I have taken from Brazil and additional information on the alphabets of Pixação.

Pixação Alphabet

http://www.manystuff.org/?p=4462


Bibliography

1. ^ http://www.magda-gallery.com/en/nunca
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Manco, Tristan, Lost Art, and Caleb Neelon; “Graffiti Brasil”, Thames & Hudson, London, 2005 (ISBN 0 5002 85784 8)
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-lDyq6pw0E

Importance of Sighting

It could be argued that Street Art is the most socialist form of art. If socialism is a theory that promotes shared owenrship for an entire community, then who could argue that street art is not attempting to do the same thing for the general populace?

That may be a slightly volatile accusation to begin this post with, but its one that I think is necessary to note. Street art gives all viewers access to art. That media form that has always been a symbol of class and socio-economic status. So when we come across street art how should we act? Do we ignore the piece? Do we take our picture in front of it?  Do we immediately share the photo on every social network we have?

There is no set "Etiquette" when it comes to an art form that, well, seeks to break rules. But there is one idea that seems brilliant and empowering to me. This is one promoted by Shepard Fairey and his website. (Page pictured below)

This is the idea of Sightings. For Shepard Fairey, famous street artist and perpetrator of both the Andre the Giant Sticker and our generations most iconic image of a president, has found an ingenious way to create a social input that is focused around him. This is his page of sightings, where anyone who sees a Shepard Fairey piece can link their photos and ideas into the main website.

What does this do for the artist?

In my opinion this is brilliant on several levels. First it allows the artist to comprehend the stretch of his or her work. By seeing where these sightings are happening, or if the image has been tampered with , an artist would be able to know if someone were cashing in on their style. Additionally, the artist never has to divulge all of their works onto a website. Instead the artist can complete things and place them in public domain and have faith that the work will eventually be tagged as theirs. Finally to brings the artist a sense of community. When viewer are submitting works you know that those viewers are so literate in your style that they can identify it. Also, viewers suddenly have access to this world-wide map of works. If an individual considers them self an avid follower of an artist it would be fantastic if they would go on trips to collect memories or in person images of these random acts of street art.

So what is the power of sighting?

To reiterate, sighting gives the artist a sense of community. It reminds the artist of what is so individual about their style. It gives the artist a sense of mystique and the viewer a sense of exploration.

So how should we consider this idea of sighting?

I would assume that many other street artists have formats similar to Shepard Fairey's, although I find his the most useful. Maybe in the future more street artists will upload pages like this to their websites. Hopefully there may even be a platform that provides this street art location service for the general public.

To return to the comparison of street art to Socialist thought, we are reminded that street art is a community outlet.  Sighting only aids this process and gives the publics art form real access to the public.

Bibliography

Shepard Fairey, http://www.obeygiant.com/fine-art, 2013

Day 1- A Street Art Class Introduction

This blog is an examination of Street Art and Artists.Swoon

So where do we begin? Today let's dive into the world of the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010). The movie focuses on Banksy and the maddening Mr. Brainwash (MBW) two characters in the ever present Street Art scene. MBW, a filmographer turned artist, becomes the focus of the film when we begin to see him as a vilification of all things "bad art". (I will be writing an off-shoot of the film, if however you have not seen the documentary and wish to the link below provides some more information, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587707/)

When talking about this documentary I am lead to the theory that many others before me have expressed, that Exit Through the Gift Shop is in reality another Banksy piece. The idea that MBW, the actions of the film; all of it was designed by Banksy. If this is true the film shows through characters a history of street art and the problems the movement faces tat Banksy himself has defined.

What captures the imagination when examining the film through this lens is the potential that Street Art is on the verge of a collapse. When talking about Contemporary art we are always marked with the idea of the inevitable. Will a movement fall apart? Will an offshoot become popular? Where do we evolve to next? Street Art falls under this umbrella of contemporary art and benefits from artists willing to work in a similar medium. The piece that allows street art to remain contemporary however is the forced evolution of the movement through artists individual drives on paths to uniqueness. What this documentary may be trying to warn us of is the severing of the DNA that has made street art, street art, and that is the streets themself. With the advent of street art galleries and the need for a sense of validation created by a gallery wall, artists have been taken from the streets. In addition the renaissance that photoshop at one point allowed art, creating the digital versions and alterations of famous works, editing has been overused to the point of boredom and predictability.

Exit Through the Gift Shop  is not the only horseman of this potential future. The Rare Bird Radio podcast, focusing on Street Art and Artists especially in the LA Area, hinted at the undulating wave of street arts creation. The December 2012 interview turned briefly to the idea that the MOCA show Art in the Streets 2011 has had the adverse effect of slowing down Street Art culture. Was it the prolific amount of work shown? The idea that street art could now be classified as a historical movement? The heralding of the mainstream or the pull of the galleries? Whatever the reason may be street art seems to have entered the downward curve of its current wave. If history repeats itself then we will see the movement rise up once more. But Banksy's words and works still strike the viewer. Has art become predictable and repetitive? Is there anything new?

Bibliography

The Green Contemporary, "Art In The Streets", (2011)
James Daichendt "Rare Bird Radio", (2012) http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rarebirdradio/2012/11/27/stay-up-los-angeles-street-art-podcast