Urban-Shade Industrial Colours /// Graffiti News

Mrs Banksy unmasked

2011-03-21T20:09:00.005Z

Pictured for the first time, the elusive wife of the world's most secretive artist.

Working happily at her laptop, she looks like just another unremarkable young professional.

But this is the first picture of Joy Millward, the very secretive wife of the world’s most secretive artist, Banksy.

The snap was taken as Ms Millward delivered a presentation about her job as a parliamentary lobbyist.

But while she may be happy to talk about her work, she is extremely reluctant to discuss her private life – determined, it seems, to do her bit to keep the mystique of the Banksy brand alive.

For years Banksy dumbfounded the art world by keeping his identity a secret while his stencil-style ‘guerrilla’ art gained global notoriety.

As the value of his work rocketred – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are collectors – an urban myth emerged that Banksy was a talented tearaway from an underpriviliged background on an inner-city estate.

But three years ago Banksy was finally unmaskedas Robin Gunningham, a former public schoolboy who grew up in middle-class suburbia. And last week we revealed that he married 31-year-old Ms Millward in Las Vegas in January 2006.

Ms Millward enjoyed a similarly comfortable upbringing to her husband in the West Midlands. She and Banksy – who is believed to be 36 – are thought to have met in London in 2003 soon before she began working as a researcher for Labour MP Austin Mitchell.

In 2005 she set up Principle Affairs, a lobby group that supports charities.

Few would guess from this picture of Ms Millward, taken at the National Hepatitis C Conference in April 2007, that she normally lives as a virtual recluse.

But sources close to the couple have revealed the lengths they go to in order to avoid attention.

One said: ‘Joy and Robin live in an isolated community and have little to do with even their closest neighbours.
‘Even those they occasionally speak to have no idea who they really are. The only people who know his real identity are those in the inner circle, who have been vetted.

‘Some of Joy’s relatives have not been told who her husband is or what he does. Joy does tell people her husband is an artist of some type. She says he does the artwork for cook books and album covers. Banksy has told people he designs the sets for award ceremonies, which explains his frequent absences.’

Even trains aren’t safe from graffiti in Norwich

2011-03-21T20:04:00.004Z

The graffiti tag causing outrage around Norwich has struck again after a train carriage at Norwich rail station, pictured, has had the word “shook” scrawled on it.

It took less than an hour to find 35 locations scrawled with the distinctive signature around the city last week.

Yet an appeal for the culprit to come forward and stop covering the city doesn’t seem to have deterred people from blighting our city with the graffiti tag, as this picture shows.

A National Express East Anglia spokesman said: “Graffiti vandalism is not a harmless pastime. It is an extremely dangerous practice and criminal act, and causes the rail industry to incur significant additional costs.

“We keep a record of graffiti tags and liaise with the British Transport Police to identify those responsible and to seek prosecutions for their unacceptable actions.

“Those intent on vandalising trains and station property with graffiti cause unnecessary inconvenience to our customers and staff. Any train found with graffiti is taken out of service at the earliest opportunity for cleaning.”

BANKSY :: Street Style - iPhone App

2011-03-17T10:34:00.003Z

The BANKSY :: Street Style App will keep up to date with BANKSY the British street artist with an international reputation.

Banksy is an anonymous British graffiti artist, political activist, film director and painter. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique. Such artistic works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world.

The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad with OS 4 and above.

Click here to download the App now!

Cee Lo Green - FUCK YOU

2010-08-30T19:48:00.001+01:00

Here’s a “lyric video” for Cee-Lo’s solo single “Fuck You,” and a lyric video is fair and not indulgent when your track’s main phrase hinges on some of George Carlin’s favorite four letters. It’s called “Fuck You” because he says it a lot. It’s a sunshining piano soul kiss-off just a shade off from Cee-Lo’s Danger Mouse jaunts, and sees him playing a character that is most definitely not based on his life: can’t afford his lady Ferraris, comparing his replacement to an Xbox while he’s just an Atari. Cee may not be low-rent in the flesh but he’s inhabiting the space well with that voice, which, as always, slays. From the forthcoming The Ladykiller LP. According to his YouTube page, there will be a proper video for it soon — until then, here’s the music and lyrics:

StreetSmARTS - Legal Graffiti in San Francisco

2010-05-23T12:25:00.003+01:00

Camer1 and FASM create a graffiti mural as part of a San Francisco Arts Commission program.

Check out RattleCanBlasters.com to learn more about the Artists.

£200,000 to Guess the Name of Banksy's New Film?

2010-05-19T19:38:00.004+01:00

If you want to make a nice pile of cash, artistically of course, try and guess what Banksy is going to call his next feature film. His current movie, Exit Through The Gift Shop, is also the name of a band, or at least it was until the graffiti artist got them to change it.

The painting arrived outside Simon Duncan's west London home inside a battered old van. Overnight it has put him at the heart of street culture and made him £200,000 wealthier. The new work by Banksy was sent unexpectedly last week to Duncan, a 41-year-old web developer, as compensation for the world-renowned graffiti artist having coincidentally chosen the name of Duncan's band as the title for his film, Exit Through the Gift Shop.

"I am a drummer in a band that was called Exit Through the Gift Shop that I started with friends 18 months before I turned 40. It was a kind of midlife crisis, but we are still going, with a different line-up, and it has become a bit more serious," said Duncan, who agreed to change his band's name to Brace Yourself in an arrangement with Banksy.

"We had these hilarious emails from someone saying he was Banksy, but we didn't know if they were genuine," said Duncan. "Then a scruffy white van arrived. The driver had no idea what he was carrying."

The band plan to unveil their new name and backdrop, which shows the grim reaper riding a dodgem car, at a London gig this week.

"When we saw the painting we could not believe it," said Duncan. "It is the size of a double bed, for a start. We had to insure it, so a man from Sotheby's came over to see it in my loft. He said to me, 'This is surreal. I have just been valuing an 18th-century portrait in a stately home, but it is not as valuable as this.'"

The band have put the painting in storage at Sotheby's and will perform in front of a full-size copy.

Elite Gudz Graffiti Spray Can App Bombs iTunes

2010-05-19T19:20:00.004+01:00

Elite Gudz has released their first App for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, which is available on the iTunes store right now, for free.

News ImageThe “Graffiti Spray Can” App is a free download, developed by and highlighting the artwork of the Elite Gudz team, featuring Phetus, Mr. Den, Rodolfo Ledesma, Narek Gevorgian and Brian Ferrara.

Features:

Realistic Shake Animations and Rattle Sounds
Multiple Spray Can Skins and Colors
Touch-Screen Spray Action
Fun, Easy to Use Paint Progra
Swipe & Swap Backgrounds
Save your creations, Email to friends or Upload to the web
Frequent Updates and Downloadable Content including New Backgrounds, New Colors and New Can Skins

Premium Version Includes:

Camera Functionality
Physics-based Paint Drips
Mini Games
Exclusive Concrete Immortalz Comic Content
Secret Unlockables!

You can download the “Graffiti Spray Can” App directly from iTunes by clicking here

Or, search for “Graffiti Spray Can” through the App Store from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

Get in the know- visit EliteGudz.com

Mist & Tilt @ Speerstra Gallery

2010-05-19T16:11:00.006+01:00

“Faux Jumeaux” (Fake Twins) an exhibition by two of France’s well renowned Graffiti writers at the Speerstra Gallery in Bursins, Switzerland.

The show ran from 27.02.2010 until 27.03.2010. In this new series exclusively made for the gallery, the duo have worked together on large canvas and drawings exploring new horizons in their calligraphy styles. The works are the result of a long adventure between them, often side by side while practicing graffiti on walls around the globe.

Banksy's Fake NYC Beef

2010-05-19T15:20:00.002+01:00

Banksy and Poster Boy. Are the graffiti artists at war with one another? Just look at some of their works in the photos.

"Poster Boy" is currently in jail, but word is one of his people tagged over Banksy's work of a young boy sitting on a crate. And Banksy's "graf" of "I Love NY" was written over as well allegedly by the same rival.

However, we spoke to sociologist and author of the book "Graffiti NYC," Hugo Martinez, who is also an art dealer. He says these guys are not even legitimate graffiti artists and that they are working class artists looking for media attention, by creating the impression of a graffiti war that doesn't exist.

In fact, Hugo says the legitimate artists see it as sport, friendly competition and even a badge of honor if an artist they respect "disses" or "rags" their work.

GRAFF TOYZ

2010-05-12T18:25:00.004+01:00

A new company called GRAFF TOYZ just releases its first product line: "GRAFF ERASE BOARDS"

There are three original designs to choose from: Cloud, Subway Car and HELLO my name is sticker.

All the boards are heavy duty, transparent plexi glass which are back printed or hand painted, leaving the top area smooth, clean and ready for constant use.

Each board comes equipped with a Velcro wall mounting system allowing the user to easily remove the board from the wall as needed. Also included are two water based paint markers. These markers are super opaque and wipe completely clean with only a damp cloth or paper towel, leaving the board looking as good as the day it was bought and ready to go again. They also don't smudge to the touch or ghost like dry erase markers. So whether you are practicing a new style, creating a masterpiece, or just making a to-do list. Do it in style with inspiration from one of our Graff Erase Boards.

GRAFF TOYZ is the brainchild of artist/designer Jay Bellicchi, an old school graffiti artist from Boston once known as REMOTE circa 1980s and early 90s. GRAFF TOYZ is currently working on its next product line which is slated to be released later this year.

For additional information about visit http://www.grafftoyz.com

Graffiti Workshops in Cardiff

2010-05-12T18:17:00.006+01:00

CRUEL VAPOUR GRAFFITI ART WORKSHOPS
@ Illustrates' new Track Side Studios
Fitzroy Street, Roath, Cardiff (located just off Richmond Rd).

Brought to you by Cardiff`s finest & most experienced graffiti artists.

Hoxe & Rmer will be teaching aerosol art skills, with over 15 years experience in painting and teaching - If you don't already know there work take a look at the websites - http://www.rmer1.com & http://www.cruelvapours.com

These workshop teachings can be beneficial to all - from school children to art school students,graphic designers, youth workers, high school teachers etc.

Graffiti arts sessions over 3 hours will cover the basics looking into examples of world wide graffiti art culture, drawings skills and finally painting techniques.

Group projects can be arranged where the group can work on one large portable mural to take away to be displayed elsewhere...i.e. youth centre, school or to advertise an upcoming event.

All materials (aerosol paint, nozzles and boards) and safety wear (gloves, masks and protective suits) are provided.

SUNDAY SESSIONS
Sunday 30th May 2010
12.00-15.00
Cost - £25
Duration - 3 hours

Book fast to avoid disappointment

Contact info@illustrateproject.com

Pixels - Short Film

2010-05-12T18:09:00.004+01:00

New York City is being invaded by 8-bit creatures!

PIXELS is Patrick Jean's latest short film, shot on location in New York.

Buckinghamshire New University Graffiti

2010-05-03T08:57:00.002+01:00

Students' graffiti to welcome Bucks New University visitors.

Students have created a giant graffiti mural close to The Gateway entrance at Buckinghamshire New University.

The 40-ft long board is being transformed into a colourful spray-painted depiction of life at the University.

Students from BA (Hons) Graphic Arts, Fine Art and Contemporary Furniture, as well as friend Tom Jackson, 23, of Wordsworth Road, High Wycombe, are bringing the creation to life.

The group all attend Idle Hands Art Collective, working on graffiti and street art, which meets at the University.

Their work shows a woman’s face looking down on The Gateway and leading into the life of the University, showcasing subjects from sports to drama.

Students were invited to do the work by Ian Hunter, Director of Estates and Facilities, and designs were also approved by Vice Chancellor, Ruth Farwell.

Mr Hunter said: “This is really how our students see the University and it looks great.

“The University sponsored the work, with contributions from Estates and Facilities, Marketing, the Faculty of Design, Media & Management, and the Student’s Union.

“This is a great opportunity for the students to bring to life the way they see what we do here.”

Student Rupert Butcher said it was "fantastic to express yourself”.

He added: “It’s good to get out of the classroom and produce something that is going to be seen by everyone visiting the University.”

Keep Australia Colourful

2010-05-03T08:52:00.002+01:00

Campaign thwarts Premier's anti-graffiti drive.

The graffiti was going up on Sydney walls as fast as the Premier and about 1000 volunteers could scrub it off.

As Kristina Keneally removed graffiti in her Pagewood electorate, she announced anyone convicted of vandalism could also find themselves cleaning walls to pay off the fine.

Under the new clean-up orders program, courts will be able to insist that ''suitable'' graffiti vandals pay off their penalties by cleaning up graffiti at a rate of $30 an hour, the NSW Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos, said.

Defacing property with graffiti attracts a fine of up to $2200 or 12 months imprisonment or, from today, up to 73 hours of scrubbing.

''Making vandals do the costly and tedious work of cleaning off graffiti is a way to drive home the message that their behaviour is unacceptable,'' Ms Keneally said.

The announcement was made in conjunction with Keep Australia Beautiful's Graffiti Action Day yesterday, during which graffiti was cleaned up across the city.

Meanwhile, over at Foveaux Street, Surry Hills, pro-graffiti activists were holding their own ''Keep Australia Colourful'' day, painting new legal graffiti artworks in protest.

Putting the finishing touches on a piece emblazoned with the slogan "they keep painting, we keep painting" graffiti artist "Numskull", 30, said tough graffiti policies did not work.

"They keep getting rid of our stuff and we keep doing it again. It's a pointless process," he said.

Fellow artist "Beastman", 30, said punishing graffiti artists encouraged more people to do it because they liked taking risks.

He said the government should create more spaces for legal graffiti and give young people who tag - write basic names or signatures - the chance to develop their artistic skills.

"If you encourage more legal spaces it increases the quality of the work because kids can spend all day and improve their technique," he said. "[The government is] never going to make it go away so they should try to make it better".

Cameron McAuliffe, a fellow at the centre for cultural research at the University of Western Sydney, said he helped organise ''Keep Australia Colourful'' because he was concerned the state government's campaigns against graffiti were criminalising people who did legitimate work.

"Many people who do graffiti in Sydney do legal work, commissioned work and even do corporate work," he said.

The government says graffiti costs the NSW economy and taxpayers more than $100 million a year.

Exit Through The Gift Shop - First 5 minutes of the film

2010-04-30T16:26:00.003+01:00

The film starts out as a documentary by a video camera-obsessed Frenchman named Thierry Guetta — With a love for street art, and connections into the scene, Thierry sets out to capture the most elusive street artists Banksy.

Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. Exit Through the Gift Shop tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner. The film contains exclusive footage of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Invader and many of the world's most infamous graffiti artists at work, on walls and in interview. As Banksy describes it, "It's basically the story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable. And failed"

London Burners

2010-04-30T16:14:00.004+01:00

Try not to make us sound like criminals, OK?" says a graffiti writer, who doesn't want to be named, speaking to me about London Burners, a new book about train graffiti, published today. Put together by Jete Swami, also a former graffiti writer, what makes this book stand out from all the others is that it has quotes and stories from 15 or so graffiti artists who regularly risk prison to break into train yards at night for their art.

There are tales of crazy missions gone wrong, the close calls when they have nearly been caught, and the lengths that the police have to go to, to try and stop them. They are dismissive of "tourists" (graffiti writers that don't live here but come to England briefly to paint) and legal writers who do straightforward artwork, perhaps on a wall on a street, and who don't break through fences to "beat the system".

Whatever your views on graffiti, the book, which even has photographs of some of the graffiti artists in action, is honest. Trains are mostly cleaned up straight after a graffiti hit so it's Swami's aim to bring this underground art form to the attention of a wider audience.

"They'd rather delay a train service than run a train with graffiti on it," says Swami. "People are allowed to advertise on trains for free but we're not allowed to put our message up. In the book, we want to show something that the average person who gets on the Tube doesn't see. They don't realise what happened the night before to the train they travel on everyday."

So why do they do it, when, as the anonymous graffiti writer tells me, the police sniffer dogs have even been trained to react to the smell of spray paint? Is it really worth the risk? "It's pretty addictive; you get more of a rush than you would from doing drugs. You wake up in the morning and feel like you've achieved something and you just want to do it again, bigger and better."

'London Burners' by Jete Swami is out now (Prestel) £14.99

UK Graffiti Artist Jailed for Causing £50000 Damage to Trains

2010-04-30T16:09:00.004+01:00

A graffiti artist who caused £50,000 of graffiti damage on trains across the country, including at Westbury, has been jailed for 18 months.

Thomas Stanley, 20, of Silver Hill, Tenterden, Kent, was found guilty on all 12 charges put to him. He was convicted after painting trains over a three year period from between December 2005 and September 2008 A train at Westbury was targeted by Stanley on May 5 2006 whilst other attacks were recorded at Folkestone, Faversham, Ashford, Redhill, Surrey and at Manchester Piccadilly.

Stanley’s art came to a halt when he was arrested by British Transport Police (BTP) and his Tenterden home was searched. Pictures of the peaces he had painted were found to have been posted on the internet using his home computer and graffiti items were recovered from the property.

Stanley gave answers of no comment when questioned by investigators and later, in court, declined to give any testimony when summoned to the witness box.

Detective Constable Will Livings, of BTP’s Graffiti Unit, said: "Those who commit graffiti offences often believe that their work is art – sadly when the chosen canvas is railway property it cannot be considered art and is nothing more than wanton damage that costs thousands of pounds to clean up.”

"Writing graffiti on the railway or elsewhere is not a harmless pastime and we will continue to work closely with train operating companies, Network Rail and other police forces to crack down on these criminal acts."

A Southeastern trains spokesman said: “Not only does this vandalism have a financial implication but it also means that the trains have to be taken out of service to be cleaned.”

Melbourne Banksy Painted Over

2010-04-30T15:59:00.002+01:00

Oops... Council orders anti-graffiti team to paint over priceless Banksy street art in Melbourne.

Blundering Australian bureaucrats made the cock-up, leaving tourists and the local community in uproar, by paining over the renowned artist's work in Melbourne.

Melbourne Council accidentally daubed grey paint over what is believed to be the only remaining street art stencil in the city by the world-famous British artist.

Tourists and local artists flock to the area to view the mass of street art that has made the district famous - with many visitors going out of their way to get a glimpse of the obscure Banksy image.
The street art used to show an image of a purple rat falling in a parachute and was displayed on the wall of an old council building on Hosier Lane.
But two days ago the wall was 'improved' by a thick layer of 'battleship grey' paint by an anti-grafitti squad 'cleaning' up the city streets.

Daniel Waugh, the manager of nraby Misty Place cocktail bar on Hosier Lane, was 'deeply distressed' by the council's actions.
Waugh, 31, said: 'No one is happy with the council at all.

'It was naive of them really to not approach anyone in the area to ask about the street art.
'It is part of Melbourne's culture and it's a slap in the face to the artists and businesses in Melbourne.'
The council's mistake only two days to create an uproar in the local community, with groups of tourists already demanding answers as to why the prized Banksy is no longer there.

Waugh said: 'This was the secret one that people would hunt to find. It was a rarity and it has been there untouched for at least four years because everyone knew it was a Banksy.

'I do not understand why they painted the lane-way when the entire lane is a tourist attraction.

'The Lord Mayor just recently posed for a publicity picture in front of the street art. Now he's gotten rid of the most valuable bit of art on the lane.'

The last Banksy piece to disappear from Melbourne was in 2008 when vandals splashed paint over the stencil of an old-fashioned diver wearing a trench coat displayed on the intersection of Swanston Street and Flinders Lane.

Melbourne Council CEO Kathy Alexander said despite the council's knowledge that the rat stencil was a Banksy original, the cleaners were unaware of its significance and removed it because it was surrounded by graffiti tags.

She said: 'The removal of the rat stencil was not an error on the cleaner's behalf as they were under instruction to clean all unapproved areas and were not made aware of the significance of the artwork.'

Graffiti Artists Want More Walls

2010-04-19T16:02:00.002+01:00

Artist Corey Mills can spend hours designing a piece of work before another eight to 12 hours ‘putting brush to canvas’, or in his case spray can to wall.

There is only a handful of graffiti, or street, artists in Lismore but with just one wall near the river where they can legally paint, their work is regularly repainted before many people have an opportunity to enjoy it.

The high-school trained artist, who recently picked up the aerosol can again, would like more people to be given the opportunity to enjoy his work and that of his fellow graffiti artists.

“We’ve got walls in town that have been scribbled on (tagged) and it doesn’t look good for the city,” Mr Mills said.

“Perhaps if you have the council commission graffiti artists, it would make areas of the town look a lot better and people could see there are good artists out there using aerosol cans and not just brushes.”

However, Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell said she would be reluctant to see more graffiti walls around town – legal or otherwise.

She said she had previously believed that graffiti art walls reduced the number of people tagging, or scribbling on, buildings.

However, she has reconsidered her position as more evidence has emerged that it doesn’t reduce tagging.

“I don’t think taggers respect graffiti walls,” Cr Dowell said.

“The issue needs to be looked at very carefully in conjunction with crime prevention police and building owners.”

The State Government has also launched a crackdown on graffiti as part of Keep Australia Beautiful and has designated May 1 as ‘Graffiti Action Day”.

Police minister Michael Daley said the campaign aims to get the community involved in reducing graffiti asking them to report instances to Crime Stoppers.

“The best defence against graffiti, and the best way to help police drive down graffiti crime, is members of the public picking up the phone to report both the vandals, and the vandalised site,” he said.

“This is about reclaiming our streets, our laneways and our public spaces that have too often become ugly no-go zones that people try to avoid due to fear or perception of crime.”

Wonder Walls: The Graffiti Art of Philadelphia

2010-04-19T15:51:00.003+01:00

The Market-Frankford Line, Philadelphia's east-west commuter train, feels like any large city's underground: a necessary evil of dull metals and unyielding seats, democratising all in its cacophony of late arrivals and unpleasant noises. The line becomes elevated on entering 46th St Station, four stops out from the skyscrapers of Center City. One rides at rooftop level past the once-prosperous terraced houses, half-shuttered shopfronts and vacant lots of Market Street, as the city's principal high road courses through the area known as West Philly.

Among the great northern cities of the United States, Philadelphia has a fairly low reputation for its treatment of its underclass and ethnic populations. That reputation can be hard-earned, as in 1985, when police firebombed a radical black activist group in its West Philly rowhouse, killing 11. More often, that reputation is earnt passively in an ongoing neglect: the elevated train, for example, took over a decade to complete, all but closing down sections of Market Street – the lifeblood of the community – for close to a generation.

The low-rent neighbourhood looks particularly dun on a recent rainswept afternoon. Literally dun: a decade ago, the city painted over hundreds of building faces and rooftops which had been steadily covered by graffiti since the early 1970s, using a shade of paint charitably called "chestnut brown". That changes dramatically two blocks out of 46th St Station, where 50 rooftops and buildings have become vibrantly coloured graphic messages, turning the skyline into a 15-block pop art canvas.

IF YOU WERE HERE ID BE HOME NOW reads a three-storey wall, whitewashed like a refrigerator. Its 5ft letters, replicating the block shapes and nursery colours of fridge magnets, run haphazardly down the right side of the wall. A clump of other letters, from which the message has been culled, cover the wall's left. REMEMBER, reads a 20ft yellow Post-It spraypainted on a wall, SOMETIMES IT HURTS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. Written in flamboyant white script emerging from a sky-blue building face on 48th Street is FOR WHAT I WANT, I'LL WAIT 4800 YEARS IF I HAVE TO. And four blocks up: MEET ME ON FIFTY-SECOND FOR FIFTY SECONDS.

Philadelphia is a city of murals. More than 2,800 have been commissioned by the civic Mural Arts Program, which itself grew out of the city's Anti-Graffiti Network. Typically, murals here celebrate ethnic traditions or Philly mainstays like jazz, or basketball legend Julius "Dr J" Erving; but these messages are far closer to graffiti, their boldness drawing attention to their huge words and whimsically postmodern cartoons and motifs. Unlike traditional graffiti, however, where the message is often simply the artist's street-name, these are consistently positive and amusing, equally thought-provoking and eye-pleasing.

They are romantic, too: for the next four stations, one is riding through a billet-doux. A Love Letter for You is a collaboration between the Mural Arts Program and Stephen Powers, a 42-year-old artist who emerged on West Philly walls and rooftops 25 years ago, under the street-name ESPO. As a 17-year-old hoodlum then, Powers was inspired by Cornbread, the seminal graffiti writer who covered Philadelphia with his name to catch a girl's attention. Cornbread spraypainted not only walls but police cars, the visiting Jackson 5's private jet and an elephant in the city zoo. Love Letter reads like a series of notes left on a bedside table or refrigerator – if the lover happened to be Keith Haring or Marcel Duchamp.

Powers (and ESPO) relocated to New York City 15 years ago. Love Letter, ostensibly to his wife, Maryann, is clearly a paean to Powers's childhood neighbourhood as well, to the buildings and rooftops that were his original canvasses, and to the Market Street businesses so vital to the enduring community. A number of walls denote businesses and services within the buildings: I GOT DAYCARE MONEY AND CARFARE HONEY (for a day-care centre on 61st and Market). ILL SHAPE UP reads a black razor and electrical cord on the wall of the Heaven Barbershop on 6223 Market. CO-SIGN ON OUR LIFETIME on a 62nd St bank. On a particularly bleak corner, 52nd and Market, the message is meant simply, Powers explains, "to activate the area": enormous letters reading OPEN YOUR EYES I SEE THE SUNRISE.

The project, boosted by a $263,000 grant from the Philadelphia-based Pew Center for the Arts, took the best part of six months. Some 40 artists, as many as 25 at a time, painted through Hurricane Bill last September, and December's "Blizzard of '09", which dropped 18in of snow on the city. "That was during Bill," Powers points appreciatively to a building whose letters bleed noticeably, even as the train hurtles from station to station. We stand at the front window of the first car: the messages are on both sides of the line, half read best as we head west, the other better for eastbound passengers. "Our paint didn't have time to temper in the rain," Powers says. He will often savour the fact that pigments are already faded by sunlight: "Red goes first," he says, "then yellows. Black lasts longest." More important is the sense that these images are testament to the forever-young dedication of the street-artist. "It shows we were willing to write into a hurricane," Powers says.

While the project seems so much to be his, Powers insists he can take authorship of no more than 50%, even of the murals' ideas, which he would communicate on scraps of paper and cocktail napkins to painters – a mix of established graffiti artists, professional signpainters and locals. "Many of these guys started as kids in the pitch-black of a rooftop, trying to squeeze out a painting in the course of a night," he says.

Powers is grown-up now. His work shows worldwide, is mentioned in the company of Robert Crumb, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, and his graphics grace New Yorker stories. His job description, aesthetic and provocateur attitude, however, remain fiercely underground: shortly after relocating to New York, he was arrested for protesting against the then mayor Rudolph Giuliani's decision to close a controversial Brooklyn Museum exhibition. His Guantànamo-inspired Waterboard Thrill Ride, a faux peepshow in a disused storefront on Coney Island, uses mannequins to simulate torture.

Powers drew down $12,000 of Love Letter's grant – a quarter of the 20% artists typically take for such projects – and he returned $2,000 at the end, though work continues. He spends an increasing amount of time in his studio, but says he's still "most alive" when painting outside, particularly some wall or billboard he's not necessarily supposed to be painting. Or on a rooftop, buffeted by wind and rain, like the one he and I find ourselves atop toward nightfall, at 4548 Market St. West Philadelphia's chief historical landmark, the building was once home to the legendary TV show, Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Despite protection from a massive rooftop satellite dish, a 4x8ft painted aluminium panel that read I BEEN has been blown away by the storm. "Probably some aluminium collector's $12 find," muses Powers, as he examines the torn rivets where the panel once adhered to the first of three adjoining walls. It began the longest of Powers's love notes: I BEEN A RACONTEUR TALKING MY DREAM /I BEEN A SABOTEUR KILLING MY DREAM /NOW I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR LIVING THE DREAM

"I was under orders to get the word entrepreneurship up there, to promote that dream among West Philly, where the neighbourhood is so dependent on small-business ownership. I really just wanted to get the word saboteur up there, you know," he says. "And entrepreneurship is 16 letters. That's tough for a graffiti writer to fit in."

"But you are something of an entrepreneur now, aren't you?" I ask. "And this project reads to me like you're coming of age."

Powers isn't comfortable with any of that. "Things change," he'll allow. "I started out wanting to be an aberrant signal, and ESPO was my signal that everything was out of control, and that it probably should be. If I've learnt anything, over time, it's the difference between doing that from the centre of the community, broadcasting out, rather than just heckling from the periphery."

http://www.aloveletterforyou.com

A Paint That Keeps Walls Free of Graffiti?

2010-04-18T15:14:00.002+01:00

They say necessity is the mother of all invention. After nearly five years of research, a Saudi Arabian company has come up with a novel idea to support an ongoing campaign to combat graffiti in the GCC kingdom – with a paint that resists efforts to write or draw on it.

Al-Jazeera Paints announced the new discovery at a company conference in the capital, Riyadh on Tuesday, but said the new paint alone would not eliminate the long-standing phenomenon of random drawing and writing on walls.

The new product, called Al-Jazeera Rival, is intended to fight what the company described as "uncivilised and unethical" practices by children and other persons tarnishing walls and "damaging the image of buildings".

"Al-Jazeera Rival represents the final chapter in the phenomenon of writing and drawing on the walls. This uncivilised phenomenon is alien to our civilisation and society," the company's General Manager, Abdullah Al- Rumaih, said.

"Who doesn't resent such random writings, scribbling and drawings? They distort the image of our schools, gardens and our homes.?This phenomenon unfortunately has become a common practice despite its negative dimensions. Those involved in such practices and behaviour are indeed violating the most basic moral values and social norms of our country."

He said Al-Jazeera Rival is resistant to writing and drawing on walls and has the ability to eliminate all wall smear in a short period of time. "Al-Jazeera Rival plays a major role in tackling visual pollution and in preserving the cultural and aesthetic appearance of the streets of our cities as well as minimising the costs of repainting the walls," he said.

Rumaih noted that his company, based in the southern town of Abha, has embarked on the production of this type of paint in line with "its ethical and professional responsibility to promote a constructive role in community service and provide effective solutions to this worrying problem. He said the process of research and development to manufacture this product started in 2005.

"We have participated in several campaigns and awareness programmes along with other parties in the kingdom to eliminate this negative phenomenon but we have not made real progress," he said. "So we decided to work on the development of this resistant coating, which is really very effective in removing wall writing and drawing easily without the need to repaint the wall."

Moscow's Graffiti Artists Come Out in Summer

2010-04-18T13:37:00.002+01:00

After a long winter, Russian graffiti artists have come out to change Moscow's eternally grey urban landscape into something brighter even, if it is illegal.

Winter in Russia is a dead season for graffiti artists because the paint does not cover the surface properly and the artists risk freezing their fingers off.

'It is almost impossible to paint at one spot for a long time when it is one degree below freezing. The spray paint can turn very cold, regardless of the gloves you are wearing, and the paint starts leaking, blocking the aerosol nozzles,' said Ivan, a graffiti artist.

Ivan said that in summer it is another case. Graffiti artists choose mainly 'legal places' where nobody interferes with the process and so it is easier to concentrate on the sketch. One full-fledged graffiti piece can take up

to several days to complete.

Graffiti, considered contemporary urban art all over the world, has become an official street decoration in Moscow after city authorities asked graffiti artists to revive the look of ugly industrial facilities.

Moscow's graffiti subculture usually divides urban artists into writers and bombers. Writers are law-abiding creators choosing authorized sites for painting. They devotedly draw the details spending days and nights working

on one piece of art.

Bombers, unlike writers, are the art extremists. They break the social norms by creating their graffiti in public places where the paintings can attract a lot of attention.

'As far as I know, only in Russia legal graffiti and bombing are separate. These are two different sides of street art. I know of some examples when an artist can be both a good writer and a bomber, but such cases are rare,'

Ivan said.

In Moscow, there are practically no authorized places for graffiti. Many law-abiding artists paint garages along railway tracks, and various building walls are particularly favoured by artists.

'In graffiti slang we have the expression for the 'legal' spot - the Hall of Fame. We can call some abandoned buildings and construction areas halls of fame. When the place is abandoned, when there is nobody there, no police,

and no passers-by, we can paint there. Though it is actually illegal,' Ivan said.

He said Moscow authorities have a growing interest in graffiti. They do not go out into the streets with the spray paint; they just ask contemporary street artists to refresh some industrial objects. In 2009, graffiti

appeared on the walls of boiler heating facilities, illustrating Russia's landscapes, cartoon characters, pop idols and futuristic scenes.

Graffiti On Rio's Christ

2010-04-18T13:33:00.001+01:00

It is the first time the 130ft statue, which towers over the Brazilian city, has been defiled since its inauguration in 1931.
Mudslides triggered by recent heavy rain have damaged roads around the site, preventing tourists from reaching the landmark.
But daring graffiti vandals managed to scale the scaffolding in place around the monument, which was put up for maintenance work.

In black spray-paint they painted phrases on the statue such as, "When the cat's away, the rats will play".
Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported the vandals also made apparent references to Rio residents who were killed or who had disappeared in recent crimes.

Mayor Eduardo Paes was quoted as saying: "Those criminals will pay for what they've done. They will go to jail.
"Rio de Janeiro and Brazil do not deserve this."

The company renovating the monument has since removed the graffiti.

The Art Market: Meaty Graffiti Prices

2010-04-04T09:51:00.001+01:00

There is still some life left in the urban art category, judging by the solid results made in Paris last week at Artcurial, France’s third-biggest auction house. Its “graffiti and street art” sale raised €383,000 (£340,400) for 80 lots sold, with the top price going to a work by Speedy Graphito, “Mandala” (2009), which sold for €35,200 (est €20,000-€25,000). The artist had consigned the work himself, as well as a two-metre-tall sculpture, “King Size” (2009), the cover lot, which sold for an over-estimate €21,600. “Generally we don’t sell works directly from the artists, but there are exceptions in the urban art category,” says sale specialist Arnaud Oliveux. The house also scored with older works, setting a new price high for US graffiti artist Futura 2000, whose 1984 “Baby Formula” made €34,000.

These levels are a far cry from those made by Banksy, the best-known street artist. In 2008 his defaced Hirst spot painting, “Keep it Spotless” (2007), showing a maid sweeping up in front of a spot painting, made more than $1.8m (£1.2m) at the charity Red sale in New York. But, says Oliveux, “Banksy is a one-off phenomenon, and his prices don’t reflect others in this field.” But recent Banksy prices have tumbled: a version of his stencil-on-canvas “Lenin on Rollerskates” (2003) sold for £16,800 at Bonhams in London last month, while comparable pieces made almost £50,000 in 2007 and £36,000 in 2008.

Ltd Edition Graffiti Spray Can Pendant

2010-04-03T20:04:00.002+01:00

For all of you graffiti fans, this peice of jewelry is for you.

A funky miniature spray can on a chain for graffiti artists and admirers.

Hand crafted in sterling silver by Darkcloud Silver.

The coolest part? If you shake it, you can actually hear the mixing ball rattle.

Yep, the artist actualy built one in to keep it authentic. Fun huh?