August 2000: Sarajevo

Hugo Kaagman is awesome. Period. You'll be seeing a lot more of him in the weekly posts. Today, his work takes us to post-war Sarajevo, circa 2000.

Being a street artist is full of occupational hazards. Thugs, cops, and rats loom around every corner. Most of these problems can be anticipated, but sometimes unusual quandaries emerge. When Dutch artist Hugo Kaagman spent August 2000 painting in Sarajevo, he dealt with a rare set of issues. Financed by a grant from the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, Kaagman was commissioned by the Bosnian government to help rebuild the post-war city. To spruce up buildings on the former front lines, Kaagman painted five large murals in the suburb of Hrasno. However, the bullet holes in the old flats made the painting surface pockmarked and difficult. The extreme summer heat threatened to explode his aerosol spray cans. In addition to the heat, the only scaffolding available was an unstable 14-foot trolley on wheels. In spite of these setbacks, Kaagman's chief concern was "How would the traumatized population respond to this 'unnecessary' luxury?"Kaagman quickly solved his logistical problems. With the help of heavy chains, he secured the scaffolding in place. Painting from the early morning until 3 pm reduced the risk of a spray can explosion. Steering clear of cliché images of peace doves and broken guns, Kaagman drew inspiration from M.C. Escher in addition to Chinese and Moroccan patterns. Armed with tape, rules, and templates, he diligently set about transforming the flats' exteriors.These faux-tile murals are pleasant to look at, but they also possess deeper underlying meanings. In "Swan," two swans interlock like one of Escher's puzzling graphics. Kaagman explains that the two birds represent the cultural and historic parallels between Ireland and Bosnia. The bold Moroccan tilework of "Carpet" illustrates Kaagman's love of patterns and, he adds, is "a friendly nod to Islam." His most controversial piece, "Peace Talks," features two diplomats negotiating amidst a frenzy of spear-toting monkeys. The piece raised some eyebrows; during the painting process, countless pedestrians stopped to question Kaagman.In the end, though, the community's response was positive. The curious pedestrians gave him encouraging feedback and appreciated his work. Speaking fondly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kaagman says, "I love the extremity of Sarajevo and its suburbs. You have the old style of the city where the mosque, the synagogue, and the Coptic church all sit side by side. But there is also the modern style with hip, MTV-minded youth. There is so much contrast here. Someone who looks happy now may have spent time in a concentration camp." Like the city's incongruities, Kaagman's murals contrasted sharply with Hrasno's bullet-bludgeoned buildings. While art certainly can't resolve deep-seated conflicts, Kaagman and his work make the landscapes a little brighter.

All images courtesy of Hugo Kaagman. To see more images of this and other projects, visit www.kaagman.nl.

Can anyone in Sarajevo give us an update on those murals? How are they holding up? What's the scene like? Let us know what's up! We've got great posts coming up, including tomorrow's ProFile which features a local CT project. Fabulous!

February 2009: Providence

This past weekend, I popped over to Providence, Rhode Island, for a slice of Antonio's and a good hunt. (Yes, I am an Antonio's girl, but someday I would like to try Nice Slice just for comparison). Although it's quite small, Providence is one of my favorite cities. The neighborhoods are fairly walkable, there's great food everywhere you turn, and it's got a quirky style all its own. My only gripe is that the bus system is a tad pokey (I'm not trying to drive in a city). Yet if Providence offered me a decent job, I would probably take it in a heartbeat. (No offense, New York, but your hiring freeze is killing me softly).

I worked in Providence two summers ago and will share those photos at a later date. What interested me this time was the overwhelming presence of USPS mailing tags. Like Royal Air Mail stickers, USPS stickers are perfect pocket canvases. They feature plenty of white space and are free at any post office nation-wide. Today's post showcases the USPS sticker and the myriad of artistic possibilities it contains.

This ant is posted up on a parking sign outside of the Wickenden Street Utrecht outlet. The utility box next to it is covered in Shepard Fairey and other stickers.

Although it's a bit beat up, I liked the detailed work on this sticker. I found her on the back of a stop sign across from Rainbow Bicycles on Brook Street.

Simple but elegant. I forget where this one was located. Unfortunately, the sun was going down so some of these are a bit blurry.

I love this guy's face. Whoever makes these posted a bunch of other stickers and I think the the characters are fabulous.

I think this one is my favorite. Such an elaborate stencil style on such a small sticker. I found this one a crosswalk light on Charlesfield Street. There's so much going on in Providence right now and it's definitely worth a look. Thanks to Adam for bringing an extra camera (damn you, batteries) and jumping on top of walls to get a shot. You're the best! I think I'm going on a hunt this afternoon in uncharted territory (for me, anyway). We'll see what I dig up!

August 2008: Québec City

Fabulous weekend. Thank goodness for high school vacations; I needed a break from my students as much as they wanted to get away from me. Yesterday, I popped up to Boston and checked out the Shepard Fairey exhibit at the ICA. Very nicely done! There's a wide selection of prints from Andre the Giant and the Obey campaign to his war series and a variety of portraits, including the ubiquitous Obama piece. Definitely worth checking out.

Now on to the post. Today's words and images come from my sister. She managed to find time in her chaotic college schedule to wax poetic about shots she took last summer. She writes:

"Hey Weg! 

I figured, after promising you all this time that I'd send you a post for your blog, I'd actually do it. Here's my street art pics from Québec."

"Over the summer I visited Québec for the first time. Gorgeous city. It blends the old and the modern so well, and its street art is no exception. It was the first time I'd been in a city where I really looked hard for good street art, but before long this piece jumped out at me. At the crossroads of a small neighborhood and a row of cute little shops, I found this guy. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out who he is, or what "moé" means, but I find myself looking back at this picture every once in a while, trying to figure out the mystery."

"The second picture was a mural I found on the side of a deli shop in a side-alley. I don't know if it was commissioned or not, so maybe this doesn't count as street art. However, I found it fascinating how seamlessly the old and the new came together in downtown Québec. Beautiful stuff. Love the blog, Meg!"

Er, these are great! Thanks so much. (And mystery solved: 'moé' means 'moi' in French so it roughly translates to 'Someone stop me!') I'm already mulling over tomorrow's post but we've got a lot of interesting stuff waiting to be shared. If you've got any photos or stories that you want posted, send them my way! My readers in the Philippines! Turkey! France! Germany! Russia! Yeah, I know you're all out there. Rep your countries and let people know what's up on your street art scene! Drop me a line at illicitexhibitions@gmail.com and let me know what's up!

In The Headlines

What a great weekend. I scoured Providence for street art (which I will share later on in the week), consumed a ridiculous quantity of Mexican food, saw The Wrestler (so good but so intense!) and caught up with old friends. Nothing like a good weekend to revive your drive. There are some great posts waiting in the wings this week. First off, let's cover the headlines.

Street artists in Yakima, Washington, are finding new ways to incorporate graffiti techniques into indoor projects.

Shepard Fairey gets the jump on the AP but will his argument stand up in court if he's threatening another artist with copyright infringement?

Boston remains divided about Shep and his Allston pasting spree.

Photographer Steve Rotman documents the history of graffiti in the San Fransisco Bay area.

Australia's The Age speaks to Jon Reiss about his recent documentary, Bomb It! (I've seen it and it's quite good; definitely worth a look.)

And finally, the Indy Star declares that street art has sold out?

Tomorrow's post comes from one of my favorite people ever...my sister.

Friday ProFiles: The Mire Project

Today’s society places extreme emphasis on early success. Child prodigies and savants attract media attention but fade into the background as the pack catches up. Kinder soccer and junior gymnastics classes train tots before they’ve mastered walking. Get rich by 20! Earn a Ph.D by 24! Retire by 30! Barreling towards the future at warp speed, today’s super babies jump out of the womb and battle their way the top.

But there’s something to be said for late bloomers. In today’s breakneck world, taking your time is a forgotten skill. Olivier of the Mire project doesn’t have many memories of childhood artistic inklings. Growing up in a household that appreciated art, he was exposed at an early age but took a while to create his own. He recalls, “My creative side came a bit late. I remember the first poster I painted. I was very pleased with the result. I made it a habit to work with lots of bright colors and to play with these colors in an exciting way.”

Little tile aliens inspired Olivier to try his hand at street art. “The approach of Space Invaders motivated me to try urban art,” he recalls. “I, too, started doing mosaic collages representing rods, but I soon realized that the tile didn’t suit my approach; it was too awkward. I love S.I.’s work as a systematic and massive flooding.”  Fascinated by the stand-by patterns on television, Oliver created The Mire Project.

The project is based on the pervasive presence of media in daily life. “My work deals with the television,” Olivier explains, “and the phenomenon of dependence on screens. We are increasingly surrounded by screens: at home, at work, in public spaces. We’ve developed an insatiable need for screens. The stand-by pattern was broadcast in the late hours of the night (in France anyway) when programs over. We often come to the end of the programs, perhaps with the unconscious desire to want more.”

“Today, our wishes are fulfilled (for better or for worse). Television continuously broadcasts programs on hundreds of channels. I belong to a generation that saw the world of images emerge and explode. Today, we are bombarded with images for our distraction, our information, but also to maintain tranquility.” Combining posters, stickers, and Technicolor televisions, the stand-by pattern never looked so good.

This novel take on a classic symbol led Olivier to view his city’s streets in new ways. He recalls, “I was particularly productive during a period of unemployment following redundancy and before finding a new job. I remember climbing up an old refrigerator in the street to paste a poster. It was at night, the city was asleep, and as I watched the street from the top of the refrigerator, I realized that the street did not have the same appearance at this height. Being off the ground was an experience I remember vividly.”  Like any fledgling artist, Olivier was nervous in the beginning. “Starting out as an artist, particularly without artistic training, requires a certain courage,” he insists. “You have to prove that you’re legitimate. Street art has an advantage because everyone is invited to express himself or herself.” Due to his medium, Olivier has yet to run into trouble. “I’ve had several encounters with the police while I’m out pasting, but I’ve never had problems. The police were very understanding. Wheatpasting isn’t perceived as degradation. In Paris, posters are fairly common. I don’t believe that police are as understanding of graffiti as they are of murals.” Today, Olivier lives in Paris’s 17^th arrondissement and has been bombing its streets for the as three years. He explains, “I work mainly in Paris because I live here and I love this city. It has beautiful walls and street art is very present.” Because of his day job (Olivier remains mum about his alter ego), he posts sporadically when he has a spare minute. While he may not always have the time, the motivation is always there. He adds, “What drives me is the street, the ephemeral nature of the works, the creative overflow and anti-conformist art of the urban, the absence of rules. I also think that this art has an urban warrior side and a poetic side; I like both sides.”

Speaking fondly of the freedom and passion behind street art, Olivier hopes that the field will continue to morph and grow in the future. “I hope it will keep its anarchic side spontaneous and overflowing,” he wishes. “The police have always tried to counter urban art, but it always managed to adapt: going up on rooftops, using stencils, and putting graffiti on display. I hope street artists will continue to find loopholes and that street art will be where we didn’t think to look.” 

All images courtesy of The Mire Project. Check out more shots at http://www.flickr.com/photos/33624157@N06/.

Thanks so much, Olivier! I do hope I translated well. Sorry about all the confusing questions; I do my best with French. Hope warm weather and good times come your way this weekend and I'll catch you all next Monday! Have a good one.

January 2009: 100artworks and Sickboy

Bristol's Sickboy is known for using any material as a painting surface: paper, brick, canvas. However, his latest medium of choice is a bit more high-end. This time around, he's tracing his temples on 24 carat gold sheets. A far cry from abandoned factory buildings. Tom over at 100artworks.com gave us a bit more information:

"From early 2000 no street corner or rubbish bin in Bristol was safe. What appeared on them was strange and unique and the graffiti phenomenon known as Sickboy was born. Obsessed with yellow and red dome like temples, Sickboy left his mark in every nook and cranny."

"Interested with the natural restoration of the Bristol, Sickboy sees his work as approachable to a wide audience. Each temple is unique but all act as a very identifiable logo."

The red and yellow used within the temples reflect the purposeful colour theory behind many corporate logos such as McDonald's. The bright colours are instantly eye catching against the gritty backdrop of urban life."

There are 250 non-gold and 75 gold-leaf prints in the edition. Each 30 x 30 cm piece comes signed and numbered by the artist.

I'm just curious as to where the urban life part comes in. Maybe "started out hustlin', ended up ballin"?

Next week, I'm looking forward to getting back outside. I do like the galleries, but I always love what's going on in the streets. Tomorrow's Friday ProFile features a French artist fascinated with TV static. Any guesses?

March 2009: New York City

It's February and people are choosing to keep in indoors for one reason or another (be it the cold weather or the police insurgence). Today's post comes from Steve Loeb in New York City. Along with his colleagues John Robie, Royce Bannon, and the Endless Love Crew, Loeb is organizing an event to benefit local charities. He writes:

"The Endless Love Crew and The Combine are curating a benefit event at 112 Greene Street on March 26th. The proceeds will be donated to public school art programs. The theme of the show is “Work To Do,” inspired by President Obama. Afrika Bambaata and Soulsonic Force will be performing their new song at the show’s opening." 

"It is the personification and most importantly, the application of Barack Obama’s belief that: 'In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up.'"

"112 Green Street was one of the first conceptual art galleries in the seventies, showing artists like Gordon Matta-Clarke and Chuck Close. Before Greene Street Recording, 112 Greene Street was the home of the 112 Workshop. The collective began in 1970 when Jeffrey Lew, an artist with boundless energy and charisma, opened his raw ground floor and basement space at 112 Greene Street in Soho to a loose knit community of artists, known and unknown."

"The artists had complete control over their shows and the freedom to do anything to the space itself. What resulted was an anarchic flow of installations and events that acted like a magnet, bringing in dancers, musicians, poets, filmmakers, video and performance artists. Conventional distinctions between art making and art exhibiting naturally dissolved. Disciplines were shared and new forms evolved in the casual but charged ambience of 112's decrepit, elegant space."

"The artists who participated, reads like a who's who of contemporary artists including: Joseph Beuys, Chris Burden, Philip Glass, Dennis Oppenheim, Gordon Matta-Clark, Richard Serra, Marisol, James Rosenquist, Italo Scanga, William Wegman, Laurie Anderson, Billy Apple, Jacki Apple, Al Loving, Kate Millet, Richard Mock, Michael Balog, Chuck Close, Larry Rivers, Patrick Ireland, Joanne Leonard to name but a very, very few. It later moved and renamed White Columns. Then the space became the legendary Greene Street Recording Studios where many of the seminal hip hop songs were recorded. Right now it’s 4000 sq ft of raw space (30' x 80') with eleven-foot ceilings. We can paint, paste, and build all over it."

Possible benefit recipients include the Bronx High School for the Visual Arts, the Urban Assembly School of Music and Art, the New Design High School, or the Children's Carnival.

So far, the lineup includes Aiko, Cake, Deeker, Celso, Infinity, Bobby Hill, Chris RWK, Matt Siren, Chris, Buildmore, Abby Goodman, Chris Brennan, Pufferella, Anera, Abe Lincoln Jr., Christopher Gordon, C. Damage, Avoid Pi and Maggie Vending Machines, Ad Deville, Skewville, Erica Faulke, NohJ Coley, Avone, David, OHM, and Bast.

Sounds like a good time, Steve! If you're in the area, be sure to check it out. In other news, is anyone as surprised as I am that Shepard Fairey is suing the AP? I'd love to hear what people are thinking so sound off in the comments section. (Don't feel bound by English, either; I can always translate!)