Angelenos aren't strangers to the works of British street artist Banksy. His participation in MOCA's street art show was a (predictably secret) given, and the man plastered L.A. during the run-up to the Oscars, inspiring residents of Westwood Village to petition for his works to remain. And don't get us started on the career of Mr. Brainwash, Bansky's special present to our fair city. LA Weekly photographer Colin Young-Wolff just got back from a tour of Europe, and he sent over a photo from Occupy London that is reputed to be a Banksy sculpture and has since been tagged over.
A blogger at ArtLyst explains: "The downside of leaving this amazing work of art in the middle of the grounds of St Paul's unprotected is that other protesters have drawn graffiti all over the sculpture to highlight their own particular brand of causes. Banksy has never been concerned with creating lasting or permanent works of art."
True that. The piece was made to be vandalized. But at least Colin got a great pic before it happened.
3D painting in Chongqing creates Guinness World Record (2011-02-23). The giant 3D painting covers an area of 892 square meters. It took Qi Xinghua, Chinas first 3D painter, a month to finish. The painting measures 32.2 meters long and 23.3 meters wide. The wall in the 3D painting is 6.09 meters high. It created a new Guinness World Record and became the latest and the largest 3D painting in the world. It was certified by Guinness authorities on December 17, 2010. ?
Using decaying plaster on old walls as a canvas, street artist Alexander Farto (aka Vihls) makes large detailed portraits by carving with hammers and chisels. His works give new life to decrepit buildings, while helping them retain a timely character at the same moment. Often his works leave chipped away plaster at their base, tipping off observers as to how the piece was created. Farto’s work has made an impact far and wide, with examples in many European cities and New York.
For more on Alexander Farto and his many works in many mediums (from graffiti to motion graphics) see his website alexandrefarto.com.
Take a look at Adam Nilsson's "Robo-Rainbow," a fantastic short video depicting a "complicated technical solution to aide in simple acts of vandalism." It should appeal to fans of robotics, street art, and/or rainbows.
pxleyes.com— Cranio is a very talented artist we recently discovered. He approaches art in a manner that is hard to frame, not traditional but not modern either.
Once just associated with street hoods and breakdancers, graffiti has taken on a whole new fan base in the past few years. Artists like banksy and Alexandre Orion have garnered international acclaim for their work, and their street art is recognized the world over. And some even say they’re making money while they’re at it.
Here are some amazing examples of graffiti art found all over the world.
As long as there has been civilization, there has been crime, and it’s up to the police to help bring criminals to justice and stick them where they belong. Jail, prison, house arrest…it doesn’t matter to a good cop, just as long as they’re off the streets. The hard-edged cops in our new series “Central Division” know a thing or two about throwing the bad guys in the joint. But what happens to the perps once they’re behind bars? A few enterprising inmates use their scant resources and overflowing free time to create fascinating works of art. Here are a few of our favorites. And remember: Don’t mess with the law, or you might have to find some new hobbies.
1. The Sailor
Most inmate art logically depicts the artist’s feeling toward the very concept of incarceration. Perhaps dreaming of an escape, this inmate hand-painted an idyllic sailing scene on an administration-building window at the Montana State Prison.
2. The Courtyard Mural
Sometimes prison artwork is a collaborative effort. Several inmates contributed to transforming a wall of Australia’s Fremantle Prison courtyard into a beautiful mural.
3. The Fiery Horizon
Shortly before it closed in 1990, Fremantle allowed prisoners to decorate the walls of their cells. This inmate mainly used black, yellow and red for a fiery sunset effect.
4. The Micro Cell
Using popsicle sticks and other odd items found within the prison walls, this inmate created a miniature cell. The attention to detail is stunning, from the tiny bunk beds to the miniature toilet.
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5. The Makeshift Postcard
Because they have limited access to art supplies, prisoners often have to get creative with the materials they use to create their work. Even a mailing envelope can serve as a blank canvas.
6. The Pin-Up
It helps to have an artistic eye when your resources are limited. Using pre-existing cracks in his cell wall, this prisoner created a detailed portrait of a woman.
7. Dinner And A Mural
At quick glance, it may look like someone hung a painting, but this landscape portrait was actually scrawled over the tiles in the cafeteria of the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville.
8. The Wall Bible
Many inmates use their time behind bars to grow spiritually. This illustration from a cell in a New Mexico state prison is evidence that, even when a hard copy of the Bible is not available, a cell wall can become one.
9. The Spanish Lady
It takes a lot of talent to draw on just about any surface, but the attention to detail in the illustration scrawled onto this rough surface in a Madrid prison is particularly impressive.
10. A Car On Crack
Where most people would only see a cracked wall, some inmates see a blank canvas. Here, prisoners from Costa Rica’s San Lucas Island Prison made innovative use of the cracks in a wall to create a surprisingly realistic illustration of a car.
11. Stained Glass, Prison Style
Most prison chapels lack the ornamentation of a more traditional church. But inmates of a prison on the coast of French Guiana took matters into their own hands, painting this beautiful mural on the wall of theirs.
12. The Cavity Search
This wall illustration, found in the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in WWII Germany, has more than one meaning. Cartoon vegetables represent the kitchen in which the painting resided, but also depicted is the humiliating cavity search that all incoming inmates had to endure.
13. Mini Log Cabin
The most ideal art projects for prisoners are those that will help pass time. This miniature log cabin, built by an inmate in Louisiana’s notorious Angola Prison, undoubtedly fits that bill; it must have been quite labor-intensive.
14. The Wood Train
Renato Norelli made this train during a “lockdown,” and his cellmate did all the painting and chose the color scheme. Knowing how limited inmate artists are, this astoundingly detailed train is all the more impressive.
15. The Wood Chopper
Miniature versions of large-scale objects certainly seem to be a trend among artistic prisoners due to extra down time and limited materials. Using only wood, Larry Sabo crafted a finely detailed miniature motorcycle. It’s going for $240 at prisonart.org.
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
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