All posts tagged: Life is Beautiful

Spidertag Glows Vintage in Vegas

Spidertag Glows Vintage in Vegas

Just after seeing Billie Eilish or Young Thug at the “Life is Beautiful Festival” in September you could wander over through vintage Las Vegas to check out the new fluorescent diptych by street artist Spidertag. It’s an installation that happily recalls a heyday most visitors didn’t experience, but are drawn to.

Spidertag. “Neon Mural #12” Life is Beautiful festival. Justkids, Las Vegas. (photo courtesy of Justkids)

The Spaniard has brought his glowing vocabulary here in a way that is evocative of that which once distinguished the nighttime streetscape of Sin City. “Electrified eye candy” is how curator Charlotte Dutoit of Justkids describes it, and in fact, the simplicity of shapes appears romantically nostalgic in a modern time that seems cluttered with visual complexity.

The modern twist is that Spider Tag made his installation interactive, allowing visitors to alter the colors if they want. His installation joins the success of street artist Felipe Pantone’s first-ever-solar powered neon mural here a few years ago – and looking at the poster letter style of this year’s poster – It’s an aesthetic that many are enamored with.

Spidertag. “Neon Mural #12” Life is Beautiful festival. Justkids, Las Vegas. (photo courtesy of Justkids)
Spidertag. “Neon Mural #12” Life is Beautiful festival. Justkids, Las Vegas. (photo courtesy of Justkids)
Spidertag. “Neon Mural #12” Life is Beautiful festival. Justkids, Las Vegas. (photo courtesy of Justkids)
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BSA Film Friday 12.09.16

BSA Film Friday 12.09.16

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

Now screening :
1. Mni Wiconi: The Stand At Standing Rock
2. Just Kids x Life Is Beautiful
3. “Nemco, Three Stages”: Primaticcio
4. RFK Mural Festival 2016 from Chop Em Down Films


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Mni Wiconi: The Stand At Standing Rock

“The Mother Earth is the grandmother of everything and the water is her blood. And it is through this blood we live.”

That seems simple enough. The Native Americans who have been fighting an oil pipeline running through their sacred lands, passed graves, near fresh water; they have gained a lot of attention, although not as much as one might expect. Here is a quick overview of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and allies trying to stop the 1,100-mile Dakota Access Pipeline – DAPL. With their quiet and firm determination and reasoned arguments they have gained respect from many – which may explain why so many US Veterans have joined with these people to fight.

Tangentially, as is the case of most protests that are grassroots, their signage is handmade, so we thought we’d feature this political art as analogous to political street art.


Just Kids x Life Is Beautiful

A montage by Raymesh Cintron of the murals for the “Life is Beautiful” festival presented by Just Kids in downtown Las Vegas. Their 4th edition under the guidance and vision of Charlotte Dutoit, there have been 40 new street pieces in that time. This year featured installations and murals – with some of them showing true originality in concepts that faithfully reflect and update the candyflash razzle dazzle of the Las Vegas aesthetic.

Artists include Fafi, Felipe Pantone, Shepard Fairey, Tristan Eaton, Crystal Wagner, Mark Drew, Bezt (Etam Cru), Dulk, Martin Whatson, Amanda Parer, Mike Ross and Justin Favela.

“Nemco, Three Stages”: Primaticcio

Italian writer Nemco has an acrobatic flexibility that stretches and bounces back in his crisp lettering and unique ornamentation. Check him out in three open spaces this autumn knocking out a few ideas in Milan.

 

RFK Mural Festival 2016 from Chop Em Down Films

There is a discrimination in this world and slavery and slaughter and starvation. Governments repress their people; and millions are trapped in poverty while the nation grows rich; and wealth is lavished on armaments everywhere.

These are differing evils, but they are common works of man. They reflect the imperfection of human justice, the inadequacy of human compassion, our lack of sensibility toward the sufferings of our fellows.

But we can perhaps remember – even if only for a time – that those who live with us are our brothers; that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek – as we do – nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.”

– Bobby Kennedy, 1966

Murals at the RFK Community Schools in May 2016 by:
Shepard Fairey, Kenny Scharf, Jeff Soto, Sam Flores, Hueman, David Flores, Greg Mike, Curiot, Mad Steez, Cyrcle, Andrew Hem, Mear One, Risk, Yoskay Yamamoto. James Bullough, Beau Stanton, Hebru Brantley, Hush, Charlie Edmiston, Colette Miller, Rob Hill, Dallas Clayton, Clinton Bopp, James Haunt, Jonas Never, Josh Everhorn, Baker’s Son, Jose Maradiaga-Andrade, Paige Smith

 

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Year in Images 2008

Year in Images 2008

Paradigm Shifting and Cave Writings

Looking back at the powerful changes in ’08,

it’s not hard to see their reflection on the Brooklyn streets, which may serve as tea leaves revealing the messages swirling around us and in us. Each individual act of creating is of significance, yet it is the cumulative effect of the groundswell of new participants that seems so powerful, so hopeful in it’s desire.

Naturally, at the beginning of this selection of images from 2008, we are featuring the most visible street art piece of the year by Shepard Fairey, which appeared here on the streets of Brooklyn and transcended mediums to reach millions of people. Shepard’s graphic design style and his images of the man who would be president helped many to quickly glimpse the character and message of Barack Obama.

A Winning Campaign (Shepard Fairey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

A Winning Campaign (Shepard Fairey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

The image was replicated, adopted, adapted, transformed, re-formed, lampooned even. It became an icon that belonged to everyone who cared to own it, and a symbol of the change the man on the street was looking for. Like street art, Obama’s message was taken directly to the people, and they responded powerfully in a way that brought a historic shift; one that continues to unfold.

Elsewhere on the street we saw themes from topical to fantastical; crazy disjointed cultural mash-ups, celebrity worship or destruction, Big Brother, icons, symbols, death, war, economic stress, protest, dancing, robots and monsters and clowns and angels, and an incredible pathos for humanity and it’s sorry state… with many reminders of those marginalized and disaffected. We never forget the incredible power of the artist to speak to our deepest needs and fears.

The movement of young and middle-aged artists off the isle of pricey mall-ish Manhattan and into Brooklyn is not quite an exodus, but boy, sometimes it feels that way. The air sometimes is thick with it; the creative spirit. The visual dialogue on the street tells you that there is vibrant life behind doors – studios, galleries, practice rooms, loft parties, rooftops.

Even as a debate about street art’s appropriate placement on public/private walls continues, it continues. From pop art to fine art, painterly to projected, one-offs to mass repetition, Brooklyn street art continues to grow beyond our expectations, and our daily lives are largely enriched by it.

This collection is not an exhaustive survey – the archival approach isn’t particularly stimulating and we’re not academics, Madge. The street museum is always by chance, and is always about your two eyes. Here’s a smattering, a highly personal trip through favorites that were caught during the year.

[svgallery name=”Images of Year 2008″]

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