It’s not often that a major city gives a spotlight to a graffiti / Street Artist and issues a formal proclamation about it, but that is exactly what happened Saturday in Los Angeles. AskewOne, a native of one of LA’s sister cities, Auckland, New Zealand , was honored by the City as his new mural “Under the Influence” was unveiled as part of the LA Freewalls Project.
“It’s much more likely in this city that a graffiti artist will be arrested than be recognized for positive contributions to the community”, as LA Taco reports, but really when you consider the major inroads that the LA Freewalls Project has made into the dialogue around the value of Street Art in LA’s local politics, it can’t be entirely surprising. It probably helps that the image itself incorporates the American flag into the composition– sort of disarms that whole negative rant that some politicos use when lumping Street Artists together with other social scourges like drug addiction, domestic terrorism, and the Ice Capades, doesn’t it?
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
“AskewOne is one of the world’s preeminent public artists, and one of the most accomplished contemporary graffiti writers,” says Daniel LaHoda, who spearheads LA Freewalls and who also hosted the inauguration of the new LALA gallery Saturday night with many of today’s best known Street Artist’s work on the walls. According to an official press release, the now famous LA mural moratorium will soon be lifted and “Kamilla Blanche, Senior Deputy for Arts and Culture, and the Director for Sister Cities, is excited about the possibilities to expand Los Angeles’ place as the national epicenter of public art.”
BSA is very pleased to be able to share with you these images of the new piece as shot by photographer Todd Mazer.
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
Askew One for LA Freewalls Project (photo © Todd Mazer)
To learn more about Los Angeles Sister Cities Program click here.
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
French Artist Creates Illusory View in a Town Famous for It's Prints of Another Century ASTRO. Epinal, France. June 2018. (photo © Galerie Mathgoth) Known for its humorist take on daily norms of s...
“The XXXL Panta Burger” You are what you eat. Mr Fijodor thinks we are eating cars, buildings, cities and a few other non-foods along with all the other stuff in this stack of hamburgers. Of course, h...
International Women’s Day is only controversial for those who feel threatened by the idea of equality and freedom. Perhaps that’s why, according to current statistics, women continue to fight and ...
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening : 1. GAIA "Still Here" 2. Jorge Rodriguez Gerarda at DEN Culture Space in Barcelona 3. INO - BOMB...
Our Weekly Interview with the Street Double Mickey Bast (photo Jaime Rojo) Pondering beneath the ivy (Cake) (photo Jaime Rojo) Then she gave me a blank stare over her bare ...