A couple of reasons to watch this lecture by swoon from 2007:
1) ”I’d bee pasting work on the street for a long time and been thinking about how does this gesture translate into a gesture of not just “me”, “me”, “me”, “I want my name”, “I want my image on the city”. But to sort of make it more of a statement about the permeability of these public spaces and to open up and democratise these public spaces. And how you make this gesture a real gesture.” /quote end
I flinch about tags (including rough images of men’s private parts) on fences and bus stops as most people, but I am running round cities to make images of street art I like and I see as “Art”. One can’t draw a line on “It’s all about me” to distinguish between annoying scribbles and art. For me “Art” is all about the “Artist”. However if one puts his/her/its art into the public space, should there be more than ”me”, “me”, “me”? Something to think about… ^_^.
Having said this I have some issues with her using the word “democratise” and with the example of pasting children’s drawings on billboards. That’s too easy or simple…
2) Jeeeeeeeeesssssss ! I am a printmaker myself. To cut images like this into lino or wood (with or without a Dremel), to make prints to put them into the public space for everybody to enjoy and in the end to decay… you at least have to respect this ^_^…
3) From the street into the gallery. I think that Swoon’s art translates smoothly from the street into the gallery without loosing any imagination or context. It seems to me her art just develops and grows wildly inside a protected environment.
Roa is a street artist from Ghent, Belgium. He exhibits in Galleries worldwide. I instantly fell in love with these creatures. You can see more of his work on Roa’s website or his Flickr photostream. I found his work via unurth.com. I especially love the Mural by Roa in Los Angeles.
Ericailcane is one of thoses artist which just takes away my breath*. Located in Bologna Ericailcane produces etchings, street art, animations, installations, drawings and obviously what ever else there is to do.
The style of the art work reminds me of Victorian children’s illustrations with a wimsical twist, like seeing something totally familiar combined with something unknown, uncanny and very, very strange. The capture of space in the installations is amazing, like the creatures whirling around you, invading you mental space…
^_^...
