I just got back from another visit to perth where i installed this piece at “Ezra Pound”, a rad little bar in Northbridge.

Miso was also in town working on this huge wall for the city of perth.

A couple of walls I painted on a recent trip to Tasmania… both walls are in Devonport.

King Brown mag : update their site.

Space Invaders : now in Brisbane. Twoone and Nails showing.

Super Heroes : Edwina Corlette gallery in Brisbane  shows art by Nails and more.

Tailfeather : have new wallets out.

Also check this out!

I’ve been working on a prototype skateboard deck with my neighbour, Andrew from Screaming Eagle Guitars. We plan on making a small batch of these in the next few months, using various salvaged australian timbers. This deck is made from Tallarook Blackwood.

It’s been a long week of 30+ degree days. We’re half way there, used about 250 cans of paint and should be finished before Christmas.

TwoOne and I will be in Perth for the next few weeks painting a massive 600m2 wall. We will do our best to post progress shots along the way. Thanks to our friend Edwin for these photos. More in-progress coverage here.

Here’s a few shots from my show ‘Birds On Oak’. Thanks to all those that came down to the opening. The show has been extended until December 12. More info here.

Alphabetical props to: AEON, ASH KEATING / DEST, AZLAN, BYRD, CIVIL, DOYLE, ELMOOCHO, GHOSTPATROL, HAHA, JAMES DODD / DLUX!, JUMBO, KILL PIXIE, LISTER, MAKATRON, MARCSTA, MEEK, MEGGS, MERDA, MISHA HOLLENBACH / PERKS, MISO, MINI GRAFF, MONKEY, NAILS, NUROK, OPTIC, PHIBS, PRISM, PROOF, PSALM, REKA, REKS, RONE, DAN SIBLEY, SILENT ARMY, ROBERT SIM, SIXTEN, STABS, , STICKY INSTITUTE, AL STARK, SYNC, TWOONE, VEXTA, XERO, YOK, ZAP.

Some more images from Canberra by Twoone and Kelly. Byrd hooked up a wall the day we left. It was a rush job but it got done!

What?

It’s been a few days since Twoone and I returned from Space Invaders at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. We had a great time in a place widely regarded as “The Land of Bland”.  There are tales to tell, but not by me… except this short wrap-up.

My part

I arrived a couple days before everyone to install my piece for the show. It is composed of pieces of paper which have been sprayed with varying patterns and colours, and pinned directly to the gallery wall. I’ll post the timelapse sequence soon. My fingers are still a little sore from pressing thumbtacks into a hard gallery wall. Twoone had two lino-cuts in the show. A series of events were organized to launch the show including a book signing, a zine fair, live painting, and a massive party! I was also invited to present an artist talk with Vexta hosted by the show’s curator Jaklyn Babington. The talk covered a lot of ground and again I’ll post a sound file as soon as I can. Commentary I’ll leave to the experts.

Opinionated

The show itself was expertly curated by Jaklyn from the Gallery’s collection, most of which was acquired around 2004-06. As a consequence the show is actually a snapshot of a moment in time when Street Art was on its ascent, rather than an exhaustive survey of Street Art in Australia. It was a trip to see all those stencils and pasteups from the early days presented in this most ‘serious’ and established of institutions. I would have liked to have seen more contemporary pieces from the artists in the show coz most of them have moved on to successful and interesting careers in the art world. I would suggest that the NGA seriously consider this for Space Invaders II, and I put my hand up as co-curator!

So the question everyone is asking is: Where does a show like this leave Street Art in 2010? It’s an important question as we are seeing more and more public institutions showing Street Art. Does this legitimize this illicit practice? Time will tell but I’m inclined to think that the paradigm of private property rights will continue to influence law-making, and we won’t see it becoming ‘legal’ any time soon. And, does it make it ‘okay’ in the eyes of the public? Again I’m inclined to think that this show merely recognizes the cultural significance of this movement. I predict that globally Street Art will live on as a vibrant art form, as new ideas are injected and a new generation moves in. But no doubt the influence on the lives of the artists involved will be massive as we are ushered into the hallowed halls of the “endorsed”.

The linx

Here are a bunch of related links:

1. The Australian newspaper here.
2. ABC slideshow here.
3. Watch it on telly.
4. BMA mag here.
5. Everfresh here and here.
6. Buy the catalogue here or  here or here or just borrow it.

Bonsai has been busy the last few months producing paintings of the exquisite birds local to his home in the Tallarook Ranges. They have been painted on solid boxed panels made from recycled Tasmanian Oak floorboards. I have seen most of them and they are well-observed, crisp and bright, and have the great graphic style Bonsai is known for. Come to the opening and witness!

Birds On Oak
Scottie ‘Bonsai’ Neoh
6-9pm November 19
No Vacancy, Federation Square

Friday 29 Oct

Official opening — 7:30 pm to 10:30pm
Come check out the exhibition, meet the artists and curator. There’s and after party at New Acton.

Saturday 30 Oct

‘Street Studio’ book launch and signing — 11:30 am
With Ghostpatrol, Miso, Nails (me), Ash Keating, Alison Young, Twoone and the Everfresh crew in the Gallery Shop.

Curator and artists talk — 2:00 pm
Jaklyn Babington, curator of the exhibition, is joined in the Project Gallery by artists Vexta, who discusses her work, and Nails, who discusses his work in the exhibition.