Editorz

Perplexing the Poles, Mark Jenkins Plays Publicly in Łódź

November 20, 2017 Artists

“Wanna taste these ramen noodles? They’re really good,” says the woman leaning forward to offer you a fork full of the Japanese food, dangling it over your head.

What?

Mark Jenkins. “Ramen Noodle”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

The ultimate public still life sculptor and installation artist, Mark Jenkins has just positioned this woman on a lamp post in Łódź, Poland as part of Michał Bieżyński’s ongoing curation of his city’s public space.

Jenkins continues to refine his true-to-life interactions, with realistic, if troubling and surreal, figures frozen mid-action. He casts his own body and sometimes others’ bodies, using packing tape and plastic wrap, and then dresses them in unremarkable clothing that is conventional to the culture and environment.

Mark Jenkins. “Ramen Noodle”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

This is a kind of human taxidermy, if you will, with bizarre scenarios invoked by the presence of the life-like figure in public space, implicating passersby into the scene before they even realize it.

Here we have six new installations from Jenkins in and around the city center, throwing people off their daily rhythm. They chuckle uncomfortably and point or snap a photo, slightly picking up the pace when walking by.

Mark Jenkins. “Ab Cruncher”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

Mark Jenkins. “Holy Man”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

Mark Jenkins. “Rapunzel”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

Mark Jenkins. “Back Stretcher”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

Mark Jenkins. “Flower Girl”. For Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń in Lodz, Poland. November 2017. (photo © Rafaà Tomczyk)

Artist: Mark Jenkins
Location: Piotrkowska street, Łódz, Poland
Curator: Michał Bieżyński @lodzmurals
Organizer: Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń @lodzkiecentrumwydarzen

BSA Images Of The Week: 11.19.17 : Barcelona Special

November 19, 2017 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Barcelona this week was a tale of many opinions, passionately expressed, even hammered home. Geographically at the epicenter of a fight for/against the secession of Catalonia this fall, the conversations about everything from futbol to Guaudi to tourists can take on great enthusiasm. Although, no one argues about tapas. Tapas are just always good.

The organic Street Art scene in the city that was famous during the early 2000s has been calmed as a result of a crackdown on illegal works, but some still exists in pockets of stencils and stickers and one-off paintings. The legal stuff, or ‘permissioned’ murals, are more likely what you will find in the central city, with a little more illegal stuff as you move away from the center to Sant Feliu de Llobregat or L’Hospitalet de Llobregat,

In general the Barcelona scene feels alive, vibrant, varied; and the quality of execution can be quite high. There is also an elusive feeling of magic and history infused within the integrated street scene and a healthy amount of socio-political critique – a swirling mix of illegal murals, commissioned murals, and controlled chaos in the artist compounds. Our sincere thanks to our hosts on the streets this week, especially Fernando and Esteban.

Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring 1Up, Axe Colours, Escif, Hosh, Kenor1, Kwets1, Mina Hamada, Pantonio, Rice, and Zosen.

Miss Van at La Escocesa from 2012. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Escif at La Escocesa. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Axe Colours. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pantonio at The Hangar. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rice. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Zosen and Mina Hamada. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hosh. Contorno Urbano.12 + 1. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenor1. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

1UP Crew. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bombers. Sant Feliu de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kwets1 . Kaligrafics. Sant Feliu de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kwets1. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Street Artist and muralist Kwets1 spent three months working on two monumental murals on two tunnel walls right across from each other in the immigrants friendly, working class town of Hospitalet de Llobregat in Barcelona. The obvious theme of the mural is nature, conservation and climate change. The underpass is located right next to a river that attracts a plethora of exotic birds that use as a sanctuary and a rest stop as they migrate south during the winter season. We were actually witness to several large parrots flying from tree to tree while we were there.

The artist says that he took his inspiration directly from the nature story, and the human one of immigration here as well.

The other source was the human immigrant stories in this town. In the late 60’s and 70’s the immigration to the town was from several regions of rural Spain, with agrarian families who left farmlands and came to Barcelona seeking job opportunities in the large manufacturing companies that had established themselves in Barcelona. Many of those original immigrants eventually left the town to retire within Spain or to other European countries – leaving room for a new wave of immigration coming from several parts of Africa and Central and South America.

Presently Hospitalet is a vibrant community of old and new residents, and these murals capture the feeling of colorful, tumultuous, exiting and difficult change.

Kwets1. Hospitalet de Llobregat. Barcelona. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Mine is bigger than yours. Barcelona, Spain. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Vandalizing Mario Testino in Berlin, at Helmut Newton Foundation

November 18, 2017 Artists

Now that we are closing the exhibition, how would you like to vandalize it?

Mimi Scholz . Mario Testino “Undressed” Helmut Newton Foundation. Berlin. One Day Only Street Art Intervention curated by @strychninberlin. (photo courtesy @strychninberlin)

That’s basically what Yasha Young said to three artists this week in Berlin.

Of course Hera from Herakut said yes, having caught a few tags in her career. So did Mimi Scholz and Sandra Chevrier, studio artists who have done some work on the street and jumped at the idea – Chevrier actually flew from Montreal just to fool around with these sexy portraits. Together, the three have made a beautifully tattooed and magic mess of all of your favorite iconic photographs by Mario Testino in this exhibition called “Undressed”.

Mimi Scholz . Mario Testino “Undressed” Helmut Newton Foundation. Berlin. One Day Only Street Art Intervention curated by @strychninberlin. (photo courtesy @strychninberlin)

“Because of the huge scale of my work in this show,” says Testino, “and the way it’s applied directly to the walls like wallpaper – I felt like we had no choice but to experiment with vandalizing before taking it down.” As anyone in the Street Art world can tell you, some of the best results come from unconventional experimentation.

The Helmut Newton Foundation probably wasn’t open to the idea of big fire-extinguisher tags sprayed across its walls and various sundry surfaces, but like the fluid aesthetics of the Street Art world, the 5 meter tall photos now have plenty interventions or “collaborations” that effectively transform the meanings of the original Testino images.

Mimi Scholz . Mario Testino “Undressed” Helmut Newton Foundation. Berlin. One Day Only Street Art Intervention curated by @strychninberlin. (photo courtesy @strychninberlin)

“We tested with pens, aerosol spray, paints, scratches, markers, paste-ups and chalk,” says curator Young, who scored the final day of this stunning photography exhibition to effectively flip the script. “The three artists managed to change the original intention and subject into entirely new stories and perspectives. With texts and poetry, some sharp wit, and incredible talent – this show is mind blowing.”

Somehow it makes perfect sense for this boundary-pushing photographer to let his work be pushed further by three artists who have been pushing the imposed/accepted limits of street culture for the last decade or more, each willing to provoke when necessary.

Hera . Mario Testino “Undressed” Helmut Newton Foundation. Berlin. One Day Only Street Art Intervention curated by @strychninberlin. (photo courtesy @strychninberlin)

Scholz routinely pokes fun at all the cliches of female psyche, while Chevrier points at the superficiality of image forced upon girls and women, and Hera’s critiques of all manner of hypocrisy softly lacerates with the phrasing of a poet. All three are ready to play with sexuality and emotion, a perfect combination with the world summoned by this starkly sensual show, which Helmut Newton Foundation curator Matthias Harder describes as “filling the rooms with bodies and emotions in a sensational way.”

In case you’re wondering, all art work will be destroyed after the close of the exhibition, say the organizers; a perfect parallel to the ephemeral nature of art on the street.

Our thanks to Ms. Young for these exclusive photos of Sunday’s show just for BSA readers.

Sandra Chevrier . Mario Testino “Undressed” Helmut Newton Foundation. Berlin. One Day Only Street Art Intervention curated by @strychninberlin. (photo courtesy @strychninberlin)

HELMUT NEWTON FOUNDATION
Museum of Photography
Jebensstrasse 2 / 10623 Berlin
info@helmut-newton-foundation.org
www.helmut-newton.com
phone +49 30 3186 4856

For more information about the ONE DAY ONLY event click HERE

For more information about the Helmut Newton Foundation click HERE

BSA Film Friday: 11.17.17

November 17, 2017 Artists

Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening :
1. We’re Street (Somos Rua) – Rollerblading as Urban Art and Performance
2. PEZA – Yoseba MP
3. Don’t Fret Does Commercial Gig for Sports Team
4. “Complex Meshes” Miguel Chevalier, Fabian Forban, Krista Kim, REO

BSA Special Feature: We’re Street (Somos Rua) – Rollerblading as Urban Art and Performance

We marvel at, seriously dig, these Rio-based daredevils on rollerblades, adapting the equipment and pushing their physical limits to produce an urban art, a street sport, an adventurous full body poetry of the city.

When you see a sequence of repeated tries to master a stunt here, you can also appreciate the perseverance.

“We care about the satisfaction of a successful stunt, a photo or a video that carries the identity of each member, for we all are different, but, in the end, We’re STREET (RUA).” #SOMOSRUA

Patinadores / Riders: Tony Gonçalves, Nei Neves, Van Souza, Danyel Araujo, Fernando Areas, and Fabio Carneiro

PEZA – Yoseba MP

Dude, it’s your grandma with a basket of produce on her head, surveying the scene with her binoculars. What is not to like as you watch Joseba Muruzábal, aka Yoseba MP, from Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain’s Galicia region, turn this senior into a superhero with superhuman powers.

It’s all part of enPEZAS Proxecto de Arte Pública y Partcipación Cidadá – a project of public art and citizen participation

Don’t Fret Does Commercial Gig for Sports Team

Humungus tax breaks for sports stadiums and tickets so expensive that everyday families can’t see a game – All that aside, it still tickles the ardent Don’t Fret fan to see the wheels turning in his head while the creative director spouts forth about this “activation” he does on a Chicago wall.

“Complex Meshes” Miguel Chevalier, Fabian Forban, Krista Kim, REO

A large scale inside projection in Jacksonville, Florida that exposes a universe of networks with a mesh of three-dimensional vertices, edges, polygons expanding and peeling off and de-constructing as the viewer physically interrupts and sets off reactions – genuine first person disruptors.

“Within this vital flow, everything floats about, branches out, always turning into something else through the interweaving of multiple lines of colored light, layered networks, and varied pathways. Elements are attracted and repelled by one another, creating a breathing-like rhythm of dilation and contraction.”

And The Winner Is… ESCIF ! (Barcelona Dispatch 2)

November 16, 2017 Artists

This week BSA is in Barcelona to participate in the Contorno Urbano competition to select an artist for a new community mural and residency in the municipality of Sant Feliu de Llobregat – and of course to see the famed Barcelona Street Art scene as it continues to evolve.

Street Artist ESCIF is Chosen as Contorno Urbano Winner.

From 300 to 12 to 1, we have a winner.

The final phase of the judging process was the meeting of the citizens who have a stake in the outcome that far outstrips the considered analysis of experts in the Street Art/ Public Art world. Four veteran members of the Sant Feliu De Llobregat Neighborhood Association generously shared their personal oral history recounting the struggles of this neighborhood that coincided with the passing of Franco in the 1970s.

Theirs is a story of people’s struggle; a coalescing neighborhood’s movement to fight for self determination, democracy, education, health, women’s rights, union rights, human rights, and yes, the right to public space in battles against the dictatorship and powerful private interests. Hearing these people talk was illuminating, educational, and inspiring – as was our visit to the Plaza De La Salut (La Salut Square), itself a result of the neighbors fight for public space against moneyed interests who wanted to build a huge gas station there in 1977.

After reading through close to 300 submissions and asking 12 to submit specific proposals, a thoughtful deliberation and strict voting process took place among an assembled panel of Mónica Campana, Verónica Werckmesiter, Fernando Figueroa, Esteban MarÍn and Jaime Rojo.

The chosen proposal was submitted by Escif, a Spanish artist who lives in Catalonia.

“Any public intervention is political as it modifies the daily life of people in the cities. This modification can be directed in two possible directions: bringing people closer to their reality or away from it,” he says on his website today.

“Even if my work is inevitably within the parameters of spectacle, I try to find a way to bring painting closer to reality. I try to erase (or at least blur) boundaries between life and spectacle, between presentation and representation, between contemplation and experience, between landscape and territory, between the power of institutions and the power of the people.”

More details will follow about his winning submission later, but here’s a loose collection of some examples of Escif’s previous work.

Learn more about Escif at Street Against.

Escif. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Escif. (photo © lluis Olive Bulbena)

Escif. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Escif. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

BREATH – TEMPO DI RICARICIA

BSA en Barcelona: Miss Van, La Escocesa, and Reskate! Dispatch 1

November 15, 2017 Artists

This week BSA is in Barcelona to participate in the Contorno Urbano competition to select an artist for a new community mural and residency in the municipality of Sant Feliu de Llobregat – and of course to see the famed Barcelona Street Art scene as it continues to evolve.

Fresh off the plane from New York at 7 am, BSA hit the streets with the talented Street Art photographer Fer Alcalá and the director of Fundacion Contorno Urbana, Esteban Marin – both amazing and generous hosts.

Miss Van (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We covered a lot of terrain in this pretty, clean and relatively quiet European city (Catalonian referendum marches last month not withstanding) and there is a wide variety of sanctioned and unsanctioned art on the streets even today, years after the city began cracking down on an organic Street Art scene that flourished here in the mid 2000s.

You’ll find a lot of local Street Artists here as well as a few international names who are passing through, or who have settled here and have studios in addition to a street practice.

Yo también ! A very early Escif at La Escocesa. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For lunch you may want to check out the regional special dishes like Escudella d’Olla , a hearty Catalan stew with poached meats and vegetables, or fideuà, a noodle dish that locals may prefer to paella – made with seafood like cuttlefish, monkfish, prawns all cloaked in alioli, a thick garlic and olive oil sauce.

Afterwards you can check out La Escocesa, a self-managed artistic production center that focuses on the visual arts with the public in mind. The artist spaces, performance spaces, gallery spaces – a real hothouse of invention and an art factory on the site of a former textile factory that reminds you of what artist communities can be like when the right elements are present and in balance.

Escif at the wonderfully raw The Hangar.(photo © Jaime Rojo)

A number of artists have residencies here at the moment, including muralists Mina Hamada and Zosen, who we just saw in Brooklyn at the Vinz Feel Free “Innocence” show while they were in town to paint a huge wall in Jersey City – it is a small world.

Unfortunately in two years La Escocesa will be demolished to make room for affordable housing – it’s owned by the city council which purchased it from the banks.

Reskate (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Also if you come here you’ll want to check out a new mural by Reskate, an artistic collective formed by Maria López and Javier de Riba, who have a workshop and studio in the Sants district of Barcelona.

With an illustrative style full of life, you can see influences from popular culture, graphic design, pop and traditional sign-painting. Our hosts tell us they often paint referencing social themes – and they certainly are loved here. Here’s a shot of our little touring group at one point. See you all tomorrow!

Miquel Wert. A “secret” spot curated by Jiser. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A Brooklyn King in Barcelona. Biggie Smalls by Axe Colours (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Axe Colours goes GOT. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Costa Rican artist is still a revolutionary act!” Akore (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rice (photo © Jaime Rojo)

1UP (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sixe Paredes (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Fàbriques de Creació. La Escocesa from Barcelona Cultura on Vimeo.

For more about Jiser: www.jiser.org

For more about The Hangar: www.hangar.org/es

Andreco Charts Sea Level Rise Predictions Along Venice Canal

November 14, 2017 Artists

“Man is nature becoming conscious of itself ” ~Elisée Reclus

Focusing his public art and Street Art work on raising our consciousness about the Earth and drawing the connections between us and our environment has been Andreco’s focus for most of this century. Like the 15,000 strong Union of Concerned Scientists who just released a “letter to humanity”, he’s not sure if we will act fast enough to halt the catastrophe we collectively are creating.

Andreco. Climate 04-Sea Level Rise. Venice, Italy. (photo © Andreco)

During the past year the Italian Street Artist, scientist, and environmental engineer has been working on the fourth step of his project educating people about the consequences of climate change, rooted in science.

Gondolas! Naturally when you think of Venice the first image conjured is of those long thin boats wending their way through canals so you can see the city of water.

Water. That is what continues to rise, eventually eliminating Venice and cities around the globe.

Andreco. Climate 04-Sea Level Rise. Venice, Italy. (photo © Like Agency)

CLIMATE 04 – Sea Level Rise. That is the name of Andreco’s fourth step installation in the project called Climate Change Consequences. The 100 meter long wall painting on the Canal Grande in Fondamenta Santa Lucia opened the new installation on October 27^th along with an iron sculpture. Completing the piece are local plants that Andreco selected “for their important role in the resilience of the Venice lagoon.”

Andreco. Climate 04-Sea Level Rise. Venice, Italy. (photo © Like Agency)

In short, the mural tracks expected sea levels of the future, demonstrating in diagrammed color just how high the water will rise. Done in collaboration with the Institute of Sea Studies of the National Research Center (CNR-ISMAR) and others partners, Andreco says he hopes the mural, which runs through February 1, will bring a greater appreciation and raise consciousness in viewers of the genuine impact.

“On the mural there are all the expected sea level quotes in the future, based on the most important international scientific studies on Sea Level Rise,” he tells us. “Also on the mural are the mathematical and physical variables and equations for calculating the extreme waves and the sea level height.”

Andreco. Climate 04-Sea Level Rise. Venice, Italy. (photo © Andreco)

Andreco. Climate 04-Sea Level Rise. Venice, Italy. (photo © Giovanni Fiamminghi)

Climate 04-Sea Level Rise
Andreco

October 27th, 2017 – 2:30 PM – to February 1st, 2018
Fondamenta Santa Lucia, Venice, Italy
(S. Lucia Train Station – Grand Canal)

Find out more about Climate 04-Sea Level Rise at http://www.climateartproject.com/climate-04-see-level-rise/

BSA in Barcelona for Fundacion Contorno Urbano “Mural Salut”

November 14, 2017 Artists

BSA is in Barcelona right now and we are honored to collaborate with Fundacion Contorno Urbano and their project Mural Salut.

Working in conjunction with the municipality of Sant Feliu de Llobregat and Kaligrafics, Contorno Urbano put out an international call to all artists to enter a mural contest. With close to 300 applications submitted 12 finalists were chosen. Among the 12 finalists only one of the proposals will be selected to paint their project on the historic wall in the old city center in Sant Feliu.

Five jurors, including our own Jaime Rojo will have the difficult task to choose the winning proposal to be announced this Thursday, November 16th.

After the winner is announced all members of the jury will participate in a panel discussion to talk about the relevance of commissioned artworks within the context of Urban Art and the cities, the relevance of murals in today’s Urban Art environment and the different ways in which cities, artists and curators approach these commissions in Europe and in the United States.

In conjunction with the panel discussion urban artists Elisa Capdevila and Elbi Elem will be on hand to paint live in front of the guests.

We hope to see you at the panel discussion. All information is below.

Congratulations to the 12 premiere finalists for the Mural de la Salut in Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain) are:

Axel Void
Borondo
Colectivo Licuado
David de la Mano
Escif
Guido Van Helten
Hyuro
Innerfields
Millo
Otecki
Sabotaje al Montaje
San

For more information about the panel discussion click HERE

“Half A World Passed Me By”, In the Studio with David Walker

November 13, 2017 Artists

Known well as a portrait painter of pensively wistful women across numerous expansive walls in cities around the globe in the last decade, Street Artist/muralist/fine artist David Walker is opening his scope of work to new things. Men for example.

David Walker. Half A World Passed Me By. Lawrence Alkin Gallery. London. (photo © Yuli Gates)

“Half a World Passed Me By” represents a turning point for the artist, or a few, says Walker, of the new exhibition opening at Lawrence Alkin Gallery in London this week. Of course he’s still using spray paint, but “I feel that using new approaches and materials has allowed me a fresh dexterity and an opportunity to mature as a painter,” he says.

David Walker. Half A World Passed Me By. Lawrence Alkin Gallery. London. (photo © Yuli Gates)

Maybe it was simply the event of turning 40 years old, but Walker tells us that he’s experiencing a new sense of freedom to explore that he didn’t have before and the two-level show includes figurative works, studies and sketches, along with a new series of text-based paintings featuring his own writings.

‘Half A World Passed Me By’ refers to a few changes for the artist, including talking about something he says he hasn’t felt comfortable speaking of previously.

“I have been completely blind in my right eye since birth. It’s not common knowledge,” he says, as he didn’t want it to cloud perceptions of his work. Whatever obstacles he’s referring to, the new collection speaks for itself. In the meantime we’re happy to hear him say,”I feel far more fearless as a person and artist and far more comfortable to invite people further into my world.”

Take a look at these new images, including exclusive process shots for BSA readers, thanks to photographer Yuli Gates.

David Walker’s Half A World Passed Me By opens this Thursday, Novemeber 16th. Click HERE for more details.

BSA Images Of The Week: 11.12.17

November 12, 2017 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Yoko Ono has been talking about and advocating peace for half a century and with her husband John Lennon she asked us first to imagine it.

Is it the absence of something, or the presence of it?

“Think Peace. Act Peace. Spread Peace. Imagine Peace.”

As the US commemorates Veterans Day this weekend, we lead this weeks BSA Images of the Week with Ms. Ono’s latest public art piece, a white banner flag flapping in New Yorks’ wild winds atop Creative Time’s headquarters. Part of a multi-city installation by ONO and Creative Time’s Pledges of Allegiance program, this flag and others like it will fly at museums and other educational/cultural institutions across the country.

Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Ai WeiWei, Buff Monster, Curb Your Ego, Damien Mitchell, Disordered, Don John, Ghost Beard, KLOPS, Mina Hamada, Sac Six, Patch Whisky, Squid Shop, Turtle Caps, Vinz Feel Free, VY, Yoko Ono, and Zosen.

Top image: Yoko Ono “Imagine Peace” for Creative Time #pledgesofallegiance (photo © Jaime Rojo) Thanks to RJ Rushmore for his help.

BED PEACE – John and Yoko

Bifido & Julieta in Buñol Go to Church with “EGO”

November 11, 2017 Artists

Here is the third recent collaboration of Spanish Street Artists Bifido and Julieta, a combination that plays on the strengths of each individual while retaining their respective characters.

As the creative partnership continues you can begin to see a common language forming with the oddly surreal photography/painting collage work that Bifido does and the context of Julieta’s paintings that are often occupying an other-worldly sphere of existence. Curiously, they ground one another.

Here the storied overture is your associations with the spiritual life, a young girls imaginings of being something ethereal and able to take wings. The façade of this austere Spanish colonial architecture provides a series of sizes and angles to work within for a scene surely inspired by the buildings use as St. Rafael’s Church.

“Our new work is about the power of church and the influence that religion has on people,” Bifido tells us as they finish the mural here in Buñol, not far from Valencia. They have given the piece the title, “EGO”.

BSA Film Friday: 11.10.17

November 10, 2017 Artists

Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening :
1. OLEK: Keep Going
2. Aïda Gómez: Ladies First
3. A Look at the Worlds First Museum of Urban Contemporary Art
4. MurOne // 12 + 1 Project
5. Obey Giant – The Documentary

BSA Special Feature: OLEK: Keep Going

During the opening weekend of the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art (UN), BSA and the other curators invited 150 artists to exhibit indoors and about 35 to do site specific installations and performances in the 5 block radius of the museum. Polish/Brooklyn Street Artist OLEK created and performed along with a team of assistants a three hour meditative crocheting event under the elevated train line between Bülowstraße and Nollendorfplatz stations.

Entitled “Keep Going,” one can imagine a number of interpretations of what is intended by the artist. Is it to reflect the unstopping, unstoppable traffic of people on the street who saunter blithely by despite your unique and meaningful actions, née, existence? Is it a poetic and literal illustration of the cyclic nature of construction/destruction exhaustion/renewal that are earmarks of the life and death process we are all engaged in? Perhaps it is a commentary on the workers who toil day after night after day in this world, never able to get ahead, never meriting more than a curious look or consideration. Or is it an exhortation to fully live ones’ life regardless of obstacles, fears, or the senseless chaotic behavior of the world around us?

Director/cinematographer Ulle Hadding gently observes the scene, examining the performers’ body language and capturing facial expressions as they quietly perform their work amidst the currents of a human river flowing in around and through them.

Also Martha C. is there among the re-assembling assembled, bless her and bless us.

Aïda Gómez: Ladies First

While doing an artists residency in Iceland recently with ART Attack Neskaupstaður, Aïda Gómez noticed the signs around her. “The plaque shows a man followed by a woman and I asked myself, why is this signal like this? Why the feminine figure is following the masculine figure?” Indeed.

A look in the WORLD’S FIRST MUSEUM OF URBAN CONTEMPORARY ART

Doug at Fifth Wall TV puts himself in the middle of the UN inaugural events and uses his astute powers of observation about its move into contemporary art, with a stop along the way to wonder about gentrification.

MurOne // 12 + 1 Project. Contorno Urbano

The latest from the 12 + 1 Project, the artist MurOne bringing some mechanically inspired eye candy to enjoy.

Obey Giant – The Documentary

Finally it all comes together and we get a balanced insight into the art and dissent of Shepard Fairey.

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