Welcome to BSA Images of the Week.
How was your blue moon, and your time switch, and your Beyloween? And your 6-3 Supreme Court?
Feeling dizzy? Not much to worry about should be a slow week coming up.
Here is our weekly interview with the streets, this week including Billy Barnacles, Calicho Art, City Kitty, D7606, Fire Flower, GoInco, Lucky, Lunge Box, Phetus, Praxis, Ree Vilomar, Turtle Caps, Wayne, Zuliamiau.
Corona has killed off the street art festivals in many ways. These days we think that all street art is local, and the nature of the graffiti street scene is changed by it as well. Additionally with so many people out of work, many artists have more time, we see more thoughtfully considered pieces and perhaps better executed pieces. Just a theory.
Since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, Lapiz says that he has gone back to his earlier days more than a decade ago: posters and wheatpaste. Living in Hamburg, Germany now, he has travelled to places like New Zealand and parts of Africa and South America in the past, but right now he’s more focused on developing work with a message – partly as a way to communicate ideas to passersby but partly as a way to contemplate complex modern matters. Today Lapiz tells BSA readers in his own words about three recent socio-political issues, with his own approach to critique.
The Covidiot
Again, time has passed, restrictions have further been lifted, travel is possible again, so are services at church, the museums are open again. Protests are possible if the rules of social distancing and wearing a mask are observed. Rightfully, people started to protest against the restrictions implemented by the government, but a small group took the stage. The Covidiot, according to the urban dictionary, is a person ignoring the warnings regarding public health and safety.
On top of that all kinds of wild stories are spun to explain the virus in ways that can be interpreted as anti-Semitic. The challenge for me to address this was to not resort to the obvious and paint a mask; but here it had to be done. But here the black-white-red mask is covering the eyes. The colours are taken from the Reichs-flag, a symbol of all those rejecting the legitimacy of the modern German state. Here it was used as a metaphor for people blinded by anti-Semitic propaganda something all Corona-deniers around the world have in common,
So far, the Covidiot is the last entry in this body of work. However, the pandemic is not over and it is just days since the best-known Covidiot in the world tested positive. We will see what other challenges lay ahead.
Liberty Suspended
The feeling of loneliness did not go away, but it felt as if the people adapted to it, the new normal, this is what life is now. Since the first intervention of this piece on the street some time has passed and the second installment was glued up on the same poster board a few weeks after the restriction of the lockdown were loosened. While supermarkets, shops and restaurants were allowed to open again, most other things are strictly forbidden and many liberties granted in the constitution are “temporarily” suspended in favour of safety and security.
So, while shopping was possible, protest wasn’t, religious groups could not gather, access to playgrounds was restricted and culture was declared obsolete. A new feeling came about, disbelief: how easy it is to take human rights away. These printed big sheets are of the first articles of the German constitution, crossing the articles that are now deemed to be irrelevant to the system. Onto this changed constitution is painted the universal symbol of freedom, Miss Liberty, wrapped in banner tape used by police to mark restricted areas.
The C-Word
A girl hugging herself, surrounded by a yellow social-distancing hoola-hoop was the first piece – it is glued on a poster stand that is normally reserved for local politicians. It was right in front one of the biggest supermarkets in Hamburg, one of the only shops open in the first weeks. Instead of focusing on the mask, I wanted to concentrate on what it would mean to be locked away in a city without having contact with anyone, not even your neighbours or friends.
How would you feel if everyone else is regarded as a potential threat – when hugging would be hazardous and close ones would not be allowed to be close anymore? Would you hug yourself, close your eyes and pretend it was someone else?
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week.
Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring CAM, David F. Barthold, JJ Veronis, Martha Cooper, Poi Everywhere, REVS, SoulOne, Tones, UFO 907, Winston Tseng, and WK Interact.
Street artist Swoon’s Heliotrope Foundation continues to add artists to its lustrous roster of prints and projects with a new program of pieces for you and your kids to color in.
“We worked with a few artists to make this activity book in response to all the need for home schooling and anyone else who likes to color,” she tells us.
The collection is called Compass: “a unique and beautiful handbook, a collection of creative activities and an inspirational journal. The aim of the project is to generate work for artists while sharing the joy and necessity of art to heal, grow and play.”
Compass is available to you as a free download.
Artists include:
Swoon
Bunnie Reiss
Beau Stanton
Meagan Boyd
Alyssa Dennis
Gaia
Karmimadeebora
COMPASS is a free PDF activity book available for distribution to those at home, those with children, and those looking for something to be motivated by. If you would like to distribute Compass in your local area, please contact us: info@heliotropefoundation.org
Tag @TheHeliotropeFoundation on Instagram with your finished COMPASS pages & we may share your work! #HeliotropeCompass
Today we go to Barcelona in Spain, where the country held a memorial ceremony July 16 to honor more than 28,000 people who have died there from COVID-19. This new mural contemplates what it means to be connected, and considers what it takes to have hope.
Utilizing the architectural barriers as metaphor for the obstacles to connection, artists Josep Fernandez Margalef and Rice created ‘Esperança’ (Hope) in the Granollers area of Barcelona.
“Even at a distance, hope acts as a power that can bring us closer to each other, helping us to reach tomorrow. We honor connections, longing, and a feeling greater than ourselves when we are alone; love, friendship, and care all belong in this realm of being,” say the artists.
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week. The weather has been beautiful in NYC and the organic art popping up on the streets is still forcefully advocating for social and political solutions amidst great upheaval, even while…
Police groups want to paint a ‘Blue Lives Matter’ street mural in New York City, Federal officers are using unmarked cars to arrest Portland protesters, Trump Administration Strips CDC of Control of Coronavirus Data, Governor Cuomo Announces $1.5 Million for ‘Feeding New York State’ to Assist Food Insecure New Yorkers and State’s Farmers, 5.4 million have lost health insurance , Biden will not support Medicare for All and Liz Cheney joins forces with Nancy Pelosi to ensure taxes go to fund endless war in Afghanistan after 19 years.
Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Adam Fujita, Almost Over Keep Smiling, Billie Barnacles, Black Lives Matter, Bosko, Detor, Downtown DaVinci, Eric Haze, Fumero, Insurgo, Marco Santini, Marina Zumi, Praxis VGZ, Sara Lynne Leo, and Who is Dirk.
The New York street artist who works under the moniker “Almost Over Keep Smiling” reinterprets slightly this Boston warning poster telling anybody who was black in a “free” state like Massachusetts or New York to stay away from the police because the federal government had passed a law empowering people to capture them and return them to slavery.
From Wikipedia: The Fugitive Slave Act or Fugitive Slave Law was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850,[1] as part of the Compromise of 1850 between Southern slave-holding interests and Northern Free-Soilers.
The Act was one of the most controversial elements of the 1850 compromise and heightened Northern fears of a “slave power conspiracy”. It required that all escaped slaves, upon capture, be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate. Abolitionists nicknamed it the “Bloodhound Bill,” for the dogs that were used to track down runaway slaves.[2]
The Act contributed to the growing polarization of the country over the issue of slavery, and is considered one of the causes of the Civil War.
Instagram commenter transparentlemon is irked by Banksy’s apparent defacement of the Tube. “I’m all for graffiti on walls of buildings that’s art,” he says on Instagram, “But on public transport that’s just vandalism”
Oh dear. The Bristol born artist has built his entire career on mucking up public space with his clever observations, but somehow it is still grinding the gears of some peeps who think he might have veered too much into the “vandal” category on this one.
The commenter who self-describes as cultural_creative cannot contenance the idea that the anonymous do-gooding street artist has been fooled by the obviously Bill-Gates-funded conspiracy to take away people’s rights and force them to wear masks and get micro-chipped.
“I’m taking this subjectively..,” they write, “I refuse to believe @banksy would peddle government propaganda he’s too slick for that”
Meanwhile Instagrammer mria_nz is contemplating demographic clues left by Banksy’s sampling reference to the 90s tub-thumping anthem that critiqued and praised middle class banality; “caught the Chumbawamba reference! Is Banksy our age? Lol.”
Yes, he’s done it again, Banksy, presenting his view on a topical topic using his preferred method of aerosol – and heavily edited video – posted to nearly 10 million fans.
“if you don’t mask – you don’t get”, he calls it, a double negative that implies that wearing a mask will increase your chances for Covid-19? Surely not. Surely not?
Posted on his Instagram account we see a video of a man, believed to be the elusive international man of mystery himself, wearing the ubiquitous protective cleaning gear of many public professionals and holding the sanitizer sprayer for quite a different task. The “cleaning” man proceeds to stencil several rats wearing masks and sneezing in full pandemic mode.
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week and Happy Pride NYC.
No pride parade today, not that New York needs a special day for LGBTQI parades – that’s simply called walking on the catwalk, err, sidewalk.
The US is officially a pariah on the world stage – banned to travel to Europe. Because, you know, masks. But dude, we’re like in totally good company with other countries like Brazil and Russia. It’s a race to be number 1.
A special shout-out and respect today goes to the creater of the I (heart) NY logo and campaign, Milton Glaser, who passed away this week at 91. Many artists on the street today are aware of his other contributions to graphic design and illustration in the last fifty years or so. Rest in Peace.
In street art news, downtown Manhattan is still largely boarded up, so artists are taking advantage of the new canvasses. You see, there is a silver lining to everything if you look for it. Or a plywood one.
Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Daze, DPF Studio, Dragon 77, Hek Tad, Sara Lynne Leo, and Stikman.
Black Lives Matter is rolling forward, quickly and unevenly, causing revelation, elevation, discomfort, and hopefully eventually liberty and freedom and equality.
Until then, big wheels keep on turning. Berliner’s Various and Gould are the duo behind these new vintage clip-art wonders that may recall the permutations of yesterday’s kaleidoscopes, although the images may be new. That’s the paradox baked in to the truisms that these perennial mixologists offer. Just think of these new powerful and ironic artworks as a mirror on events of this moment, with a through-line to the past.
Norwegian Street Artist Pøbel is offering artists proofs of his “The Lovers” print to raise funds for Covid-19 efforts in the Amazon. Today you have an opportunity to get an original and unique piece that has been featured on many publications since he first put this image of a couple in embrace on the streets.
He tells us that he’s travelled many times to South America and has made friends with folks in indigenous communities. “Many of these are now suffering due to the pandemic, and we hear little about this in our part of the world. Hospitals have been collapsed for months, some are dying in the streets, the government restrictions and economic fall make it impossible for many people who live day-by-day to get what they need.”
100 % of this sale is going to a goo friend of his who has studied with and lived with different indigenous families for a decade, he says. “The indigenous people are strong and their ancestors have survived similar things in the past on their own, but this time I, like many others, would like to reach out a helping hand to try to do some good.”
The Lovers AP
Dirty test print
1/1 Unique
88 x 62 cm
34,6 x 24,4 In
Conqueror Connoisseur
300 gsm paper
Hand-printed
5% art tax included
Signed and numbered
DON’T FORGET TO CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND TO PLACE YOUR BID:
Barcelona, Spain has begun the process of re-opening the city from the confines of Covid-19. Lluis Olive, a frequent BSA collaborator tells us that phase I of re-opening includes bars and restaurants but only at 50% of their capacity. Stores under 400 square meters are also allowed to re-open. Groups up to 15 individuals are permitted to gather in public as well. For him this is a welcome relief for much needed open air.
And what does a street art fan and photographer do when you let him outside after weeks stuck in his home? That’s right, he captures the voice of the artists in the public sphere.
Here Mr. Olive shares a few shots on the streets of Barcelona – artists’ view on the pandemic.
The street and its art is a reflection of the society that it is part of, and right now in New York many in our communities are mourning the loss of family, friends, leaders, and followers.
Because of the circumstances of the illness, many people could not see their loved ones while they were in the hospital, could not bid them goodbye in the way they would have wanted, worry about what their last days had been like.
No matter the station, the loss of someone can have an impact on you. One street artist has created a new campaign honoring those who have left us called “Forget Me Not”.
“For those parts of our community whom we can not properly mourn, a small tribute asking that we honor the overlooked. Reminding us of our fellowship,” the artist says.
For more please see @forgetmenot.nyc on Instagram.
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BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
