The Magnet Wall. The Organic Wall. Street Art is drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Even if a city officially prohibits any form of uncommissioned Street Art, it probably has a few spots where artists can reliably put their wheat-pastes, stencils, stickers, even sculptures – a community nerve center that quickly gives an overview of the players in the local scene. Usually the art is covered instantly by more art and if it lasts a few days intact it has had a good run. Since Street Art is an ephemeral scene, the artists know this and they are not particularly bothered by the rapid turnover, knowing that their piece will be seen by their peers and the public at large.
Leba’s cartoon illustration influenced work on this wall echos directly some sentiments of the Occupy Wall Street movement. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
We always think of the streets as an outdoor gallery, and recently in Los Angeles we checked out this magnet wall in the Arts District where it could not have been a more apt description. Hanging out for a little while on this block, we saw a group of four teens taking a casual walk on a sunny day pivoting to the wall to check out the new additions, to point, comment, joke, and pose with each other in front of their favorites – making faces and giving each other the rabbit ears in photos. Minutes later a European tourist family, urban hikers with cameras and fannypacks, carefully scanned the patterns, textures and layers, taking photos and discussing their discoveries. Even a bulky fella crossing the street to get into a van emblazoned with a plumbing company logo – paused for a second to snap a cellphone pic before rumbling down the street.
This LA wall is a bit of a community billboard; an outlet and a showcase, where Street Artists try out new stuff and sometimes express personal or political sentiments. It’s never the same, and usually interesting.
@Get Up Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lydia Emily. You have been put on notice. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)
UTV C/S (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Word 16 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Don’t Lose Hope (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FOH! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
OKKO! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Casper Loves LA! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ghandi plays a role. Kryptik (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
"So I count 17, 18, 19, 20 people that are not from Miami,” Alan Ket observes as he scans the office tower at Biscayne and 1st Street, now an outstanding crown jewel in Miami’s graffiti scene. Emergi...
In the bustling street art/graffiti scene of Porto, Portugal, a fresh wave of new pieces informed by folklore gives rise to "Street Gnomes," a captivating solo exhibition by the Estonian street artist...
"It's surreal to be on the south side of the US border," we said last week about being in Mexico. Sorry to report that it may be even more surreal on this side. Trump and Co. suffered a setback o...
PANTØNIO from Portugal has been racing with the rabbits across buildings, facades, and last week into a parking garage. The last time we published his rapid liquid rabbits was a year ago when he encir...
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week. This week we see the rubber band of our normal expectations is stretching and contracting in the city, whether you are referring to the insistant Omicron wav...