Pretty City

Bof Brigade Street Party Video

2006-08-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

BORFYOU Street Art Party/Video Communique (via GRL)

decoy hits iceland

2006-08-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

City to City: Interview with Allyson Alapont (Porto Alegre, Brazil)

2006-07-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

How did you get started into street art and what do you enjoy most about putting your work into public space?

I have been doing street art since last month. I have finished a course about stencil art and after that I started to think about my own projects. What I really enjoy on putting my art into public space is the fact that maybe I will never know what people will think about it and what they say to another person when they see it. This curiosity is even better when you put something on the street and it disappears.

How would you describe Porto Alegre as a city for making public art?

I would say Porto Alegre has a lot of nice places to make public art, but there are a wave of vandalism on the city. Grafitti art you can see everywhere, we have lots of good artists in this area. As natural, the old citizens are not acostumated with street art, they generalize all of them and they say that's all vandalism. But a big part of the young citizens really enjoy art and accept it, so they are our mean public. What my friends and I are trying to introduce on the city is an art that plays with people, making them confused or suprised, because for years they walk looking the same walls, the same streets and places and then an artist goes there and changes something on that area. The results are amazing and it makes people change their thought about that area.

Are there a lot of artists there who put work up?

As I said, there are lots of good grafitti artists and they came from the suburb of Porto Alegre where the hip-hop culture is very big. In these days I have seen a stencil that shows a child disappered, actually the child is not disappered and it is spread all over the city.

Have you put up work in other cities?

I just get into street art, so I didn't have this opportunity yet. But of course I have plans for another cities, like Caxias do Sul, São Paulo,Manaus and Montevideo.

The stencil w/the hanging dog is really amazing but with the boy holding it up is even better. What inspired this piece for you?

I could say that it cames from Brazil's reality, a huge country with the third biggest social difference. I made this stencil on a poor area and they don't even know what is stencil and they don't even know how a "real" fox can be showed on the wall. So the results are exciting, because they stay excited with this kind of work. About the fox is an idea of mine to spread it on the city, just for fun. The antenna on its head is my own mark, and the antenna is nice because it makes people imagine more about it that it really is.

What are your future plans?

I'm only 18 years old, so I got lots of things to do. I'm going to make a web site, where everybody will have access to see my work. I have already started with a project, it's called SUPERCONDENSADOR, it consists of do stencil art in the homelesses' and crazy street people's clothes. They are really enjoying it. With this project we can show the Brazil's reality and how these slaves of system survives.

decoy and kelly

2006-07-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

SHISHA FENCE

2006-07-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

location: AM tennis courts
medium: hooka pipes

DECOY

2006-06-19T07:35:00.001-07:00

Artist Interview: DECOY

Q. How did you get started putting works out in public space?

i had started making t-shirts for two local bands, people chasing people and the monorail. back then i would make my own stencils for the shirts. at the same time i also made a few stencils to put up around town.

Q. Where does the moniker "decoy" root from?

decoy began with a shirt too. the whole thing started out as a project. i had made myself a shirt that read DECOY on the back. i got a lot of feedback form that one shirt. more than most. so i started making DECOY shirts and giving them out to people. i wanted to create a name or label that didn't really exist. a decoy shirt like a gap shirt, but there was no decoy store that you could get it at. i've probably made and given out at least 4-5 hundred shirts over the past two years. i've mailed them to strangers, given them out to friends, given them as gifts to people...etc.

exactly how it began:

one day my friend and i were making shirts with cut out iron on letters. we didn't have many left and we didn't know what to spell on the shirt. she opened the dictionary and pointed to a word. the word she pointed to was way too long. she looked down at the rest of the page. she said what about DECOY. i thought it was a hot word. we made the shirt. that's how it bagan.

Q. I think your characters really connect with the city. Are you trying to interface them with the people who live here?

yes and no. my work is about who i'm with and where i'm at. it's about me and my surroundings and my life. and i live in washington dc. this is my home. i hope my work connects with the city. and some pieces do more than others. i think when the environment and the art really work together that's when you get an amazing piece.

Q. I saw one of your drawings, a small two-headed character, on U St. almost a
year ago and then recently a larger version of it. Is there a story behind this character?

when i had first moved here i had met this amazing group of people that were my age and pursuing something similar to what i was searching for at the time.

my best friend and i had gotten really close to one person in particular. until one day we recieved a letter in the mail saying that we were selfish people and together we were a two headed monster. it was a very confusing time.

the two headed monster image is one that i feel very close to. i usually draw from a model or from another image of some kind. there are only a few drawing that i've done where i didn't use a model, this is one of them. the actual painting has more to it. it's yellow and red and large. it reminds me of a flag. that painting is a reminder of a very specific time in my life.

i like this painting because i think it can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.
despite the specific meaning behind the painting for me, i find this image to be very universal.

Q. How do you feel about showing your works in galleries vs. public space. Do the two relate for you or are they separate?

the two relate for me. one's inside and one's outside. i love doing both. i love to see my
paintings hanging in a gallery where the room and the space work together with my paintings. i love to see a great artshow. but i equally love to walk down the street and come across an amazing piece of art. art is art. i'm not really sure if there's one place where art is suppose to be. if i come across a piece of art and it effects me in some way, if it alters my day, good or bad, if i remember it and tell others about it, then it's done it's job as a piece of art. it doesn't matter to me if i find it at the national gallery of art or walking to work.

66 (VA)

2006-05-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Thundercut in DC

2006-04-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

thundercut

Wooster Hits DC--Sun April 26

2006-03-14T04:51:00.000-08:00

Panel discussion on street art w/Marc Schiller (Wooster), Faile, and Kelly Towles

around 9th downtown

2006-02-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.borfsupport.blogspot.com/

2006-02-15T05:29:00.000-08:00

BORF Support
Wooster piece: Borf Heads Off To Prison

BORF interview on Visual Resistance (3/12/05)

braddock rd. fairfax va

2006-02-02T03:51:00.000-08:00

14th st

2006-01-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

realize this isn't exactly street art but its close...and an interesting pic

bus stop by the mall

2006-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

i like the syringe.

stickman

2006-01-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ust

2005-12-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

Saw this work back in May on a smaller scale.

adams morgan -- katsu

2005-12-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

adams morgan

2005-12-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

16th st--KATSU

2005-12-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

related: check this one: (courtesy VR)
more Fi5e GAP project here

Georgetown

2005-12-04T04:03:00.000-08:00

14th - URANUS

2005-12-04T04:02:00.000-08:00

Columbia Heights/AM

2005-11-29T03:41:00.000-08:00

cobra

2005-11-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

DC Tracks cont'd

2005-11-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

Conneticut Ave

2005-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

This one is just down the street from the zoo and has been up for ages (in street art years). Seems no one has the heart to harm this flower.

Flying at the Radar

2005-11-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

Interesting Washington Post piece on Ethan Shoshan's 'Paper Bombs' and Camo Flag Public Space Art Project

hello my name is

2005-11-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

saw this up on wooster:

PROJECT HELLO

from their site:
Project Hello aims to build awareness of the world's growing homeless problem. To create discussion and a platform for solutions. To give homeless individuals a name, and in the process, encourage others to treat them with dignity, respect, and compassion. To use our mass communication and problem-solving skills for the forces of good. And to inspire and assist others in creating more selfless, random acts of kindness.

exist / chaos

2005-11-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

MESK

2005-11-04T04:35:00.000-08:00

tracks cont'd

2005-11-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

train tracks (NW-near D and 12)

2005-10-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

Demolition

2005-10-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Middle piece is Steelman's and was put up this past summer. Bottom piece is Katsu and also below it on its side, a Towles piece that used to be on the sidewalk fencing in a tree. Update: saw the other day a new wall going up right against this, and so this katsu tag will be embedded/preserved in there til it falls.

Hand Made T-Shirts (Columbia Heights)

2005-10-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

U st.

2005-10-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

14th : KOMA -- BORF

2005-10-10T04:16:00.000-07:00

NORES- - A HIgh School Mural (Howard)

2005-10-10T04:10:00.000-07:00

BORF (by skatepark)

2005-10-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

6th St, Downtown, NW

2005-10-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Adams Morgan

2005-10-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

Crafty Bastards B-boy Battle

2005-10-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

(Past Saturday) Toys beat Flash for the prize. This event rocked. But Isiah should have won.

6th NW (Downtown)

2005-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

NY AVE - NE

2005-10-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

11th - NW

2005-10-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Columbia Heights

2005-10-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

your art here

2005-09-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

14th st NW

2005-09-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

City to City: Vancouver Street Art Interview (by Storker)

2005-08-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Over the past weeks, I've been getting to know the street artist weakhand through Flickr and then too, I got into checking out the whole Vancouver (Canada) scene which I've been seeing up on Wooster. It led to doing this interview with the Vancouver-based Street Artists nokin, the dark, weakhand, and Office Supplies Incorporated. It was all done via email and I'm really happy with it. I think the group interview really works too to get a bit of a feel for Vancouver (Canada) and its Street Art scene. I'm hoping maybe too, for it to act as a kind of mirror on DC's scene, showing the differences and similarities between the two cities, and maybe inspire new people to jump out there and start putting up works.

Q: How long have you guys been doing Street Art?

nokin - For about a year and a half.

Office Supplies Inc. - I put up my first few posters in 97'. I was pretty steady for a bit then left for while, came back and have been semi-consistent since.

the dark - I've been putting stuff up on the street for a little over two years.

weakhand - For about 3 years, initially with spray-paint under a different alias. I have been seriously focused for about the last year.

Q: How did you get into it?

nokin - My first stab at street art was in grade 1. I was 5 and living in Montreal. My friend Matthew dared me to write TIT on the side of the school. I didn't actually know what TIT meant but i think I knew writing on brick walls with chalk was not something good kids did. My mom reprimanded me for using a naughty word.

nokin

Office Supplies Inc. - I was talking to a friend about this the other day and I really don't know. I had seen Obey Giant, but only small stickers and I thought it was a skate company. I just found this image one day and decided to put it up. Rather odd really.

the dark - I saw the stencil graffiti book by tristan manco and was inspired. and this girl dumped me and i got all stalkerish and started putting stencils up in her neighbourhood.

the dark

weakhand - Partly anger and frustration, a growing interest in streetart, and people i was meeting during that time.

Q: What is your favourite piece? Where and Why?

Office Supplies Inc. - The dumpster with the rust and grease on it is I suppose one of my favorites. It looks great how the city seemed to rot over it. Not my favorite poster I have done but great looking once the city got done with it.

Office Supplies Inc.

The other fav I would suppose is the billboard, just for the fact that we planned, plotted, got our shit together and did it. Not the best thing I have done, I'm not crazy about it. But it seems like one of those things that you pipe dream about and never get done. It's a symbol that we can do whatever we want if we work hard enough.

Office Supplies Inc.

the dark - havent put it up yet. its a 7 ft by 5 ft 3 layer of an old man.

weakhand - Among a few including the billboard I would have to say The Pope. It was a matter of timing, they went up 2 days after his death.

weakhand

Q: Have you put up work in other cities?

nokin - I have one or two stencils in alleys around Seattle. But they've probably been buffed.

Office Supplies Inc. - No, it's all about Vancouver. I put up a few stickers on a trip to Montreal, but it just didn't seem to work. The context of the city made me start, in another context I just don't know if it would work as well. Besides, I am not trying to make some other place into something. I am doing this to make Vancouver a better place to live with the limited tools that I have.

Vancouver is a young city. People always say that. But as it is young, it has the potential to become whatever it wants to be. Who controls the city? The people living in it. So it is up to us, every one of us in Vancouver, to do the best we can to make it into a grown metropolis. Every time I travel to a big city in the world, it seems like its identity is already engraved in stone. Everyone there is just following the vibe and style that has already been developed. We are in a unique position to actually sculpt a city. And let the city sculpt us in its image. It's circular, the city influences us, that influence goes through our minds then comes out of us in physical form, which influences the city. And so on.

the dark - yup. toronto, winnipeg. i brought some stencils to d.c. but i was too chickenshit to put them up.

weakhand - No, I'm largely focused on Vancouver but I can see it happening in the future.

Q: What if any are the reasons you want to see Street Art grow in Vancouver?

nokin - I enjoy seeing other talented street artists' work. I think it would be great if the streets and alleys around Vancouver were covered in art. I'd never be bored walking around. Seeing other artists' work inspires and encourages me to get off my ass and make something. Especially new artists, I'm always on the lookout for new work by new artists on the street.

nokin

Office Supplies Inc. - We are a city that is extremely dry for public art. We have parks and green areas all over, but a serious lack of public art. As I don't have the cash or influence to change that, I use the little resources and impetus that I can pull together to do the best I can.

Graffiti in this city is getting very tame and controlled; city hall is very smart and has a very effective plan for regimenting graffiti in Vancouver. You just can't find the quality of public work you used to be able to; a lot of the people working with city hall are just uninspired. There are exceptions of course, but it seems the majority of it is just Graffiti Font #5 with b-boy characters, the odd dragon and a background. And the city is paying out large cash to these guys, who just have to co-operate and they will get paid. The ones who bomb keep bombing or fade out and the good peicers stick to trains and walls in the middle of nowhere because the city has made it obvious they are not welcome here.
And so it goes. Things will get tame and more controlled, the city will clamp down. I think that street art (a really loose term granted) is going to be the new free style. The chance for anyone, for better or worse, to produce a truly Free style. A style of art that has no real rules or restrictions in format or materials. No preconceived ideas or limitations. Any size, shape or form. It just has to be outside. And so, a lot harder to control. It may sound corny but it seems to me like the last honestly free art form left.

the dark - Its pretty much about five or six people that regularly put up work
here and we've set the bar really high. i think people are a little too
conservative here and arent willing to take the risk. but it would be great to see some
more quality stuff. i know people want to do it but maybe just need
encouragement.

weakhand - To overcome City Halls crack down on streetart, and that there is a huge lack of public art to combat the insessent corporate advertising. There are a lot of talented artists here in vancouver, new street art is lacking and new people need to be putting stuff up. I love seeing my work and my peers work up on the streets, but I seldom see anything else by other people with a few exceptions.

Q: You all have your own original styles, but I see that there is some similarity in the feel/theme behind your works. Do you feel you influence each others works? Do you ever collaborate with each other on ideas for imagery?

nokin - What similarity? I guess some of our works have what you could say are similar themes, but I think more important to note is the similarity that we share just by being human. We all feel the same things in one way or another and I suppose our imagery varies based on our styles to express these ideas or feelings. When I'm creating a new piece I almost never think about anything besides what I am trying to convey. I try to keep my work free from other's influences but naturally this is an almost impossible task.

nokin

Office Supplies Inc. - No, we don't consciously influence eachother or get together on imagery, but I think that there is a theme. That theme revolves around the darkness (no pun intended) of Vancouver. Myself and the dark especially have a connection in one way or another to the downtown eastside of Vancouver, it just seems to be where our hearts are. The concentrated drug market, the extreme poverty and the open suffering you see on a day to day basis makes it a bit of a stretch to be making buttercups and Smurf posters and acting like nothing is wrong. The contrast between that and the "most beautiful city in the world" rep that we seem to have is a big drive for me personally.

BRDN or Road Rage in particular are people who I see as recognizing that in our city, maybe unconsciously. They seem like the next real Vancouver styled artists and I think that they will have a larger long term impact than some of the Pop Tart kids I see.

The darker work outside just seems to work better, in my opinion for these reasons. I see some newer people doing happy stuff or silly things and it just doesn't seem to work here. Even our graf roots are more towards hard lines, sharp points, thorn looking letters. It's part of the city and it seems odd that some of the newer faces out there are not naturally leaning in that direction. It's so cheesy to do dark artwork, black is the new Gap, "I am so hurt and misunderstood", Satanist are as scary as Britney. But we are dark people. I'm not some 16 year old kid trying to piss off my parents. I am a grown man for fuck sakes, this is who I am.

Office Supplies Inc.

the dark - its the vancouver vibe. i attribute it largely to the influence of the
downtown eastside. i live just on the cusp of it and its really harsh
sometimes. it makes me sad and angry to see people suffer so much for
drugs.

the dark

weakhand - Seeing work by my peers is always inspiring, and it push's me to do more myself. We have used each other before as sounding boards to bounce an idea around, but aside from that I think the influence on our works comes from our own perspectives. I believe that a lot of it for myself stems from having lived in and around the Dowtown eastside for so long, it gets to you and you can never avoid it. It hardens you in a lot of ways.

weakhand

I think there are a fair number of people who have experienced the bad sides of this city, including ourselves which is where if anything that a similarity may have formed.

Q: Do you take part in a lot of gallery shows or do you prefer to just stay on the street? What was your most recent show?

nokin - I have been in some gallery shows. But yes, I prefer to be out painting on the street. My most recent show was as part of the group show, Diminished Congress at Misanthropy Gallery with Char Hoyt, the dark, weakhand, Everett Nolan, OSI, Theola Wong. Previous to that the dark and I did a collaborative show at El Kartel called Dead Empire.

Office Supplies Inc. - I just got a chance to do a mural in a punk bar in a run down hotel owned by the biggest slum lord in the city and I accepted without even thinking about it. Like, throw me a couple of bucks for some mistints and I'm there. Right after I say that I don't want to do any inside work, I get offered to do a booze can mural and I'm all over it. If I got offered the same thing in an upscale gallery, I would turn it down now. I am getting an understanding of where my stuff works, which is a great feeling, for better or worse.

I have done a few things in gallery situations, but it doesn't seem to fit. And why do they want me anyway? I'm not really that good, there are way better people to do those places than me. I build a bit of a rep outside and now I'm popular with those people. Seems like a bit of a scam to me, I don't know who is getting scammed harder, them or me. The whole thing seems odd. A booze can on the ground floor of a skid row hotel seems more fitting for what I do somehow.

The best thing I got to do is the Misanthropy closing show, of which I have flicks of on my Flickr site. I got to work with a lot of friends and people I look up to, and collectively, in all my humbleness, we fucking killed it. I have a show with Weak Hand next year and I am hoping we can do half as good as that.

the dark - many many shows for me in the last couple of years. at last count it
was over twenty group shows and three solo shows.i dont want to do it
anymore. id rather put the energy into stuff for the street.

weakhand - I have taken part in a number of shows since 2003, the most recent being "The Diminished Congress" Closing Ceremony's for Misanthropy Gallery(www.misanthropygallery.com ).
I'm more focused on doing work in the street. I'm not opposed to gallery shows, but I'm not hustling to get them...if they come up I'll decide then.

Q: In Vancouver, are there a lot of Street Art Fans? Busts by the Police and how do they treat street artists? Also are there Street Art Festivals/Exhibits for the public at large?

nokin - I have met quite a few street art fans. Never been busted by police. I'm more worried about private security. There is the occasional city-sanctioned "graffiti" event, but nothing close to the sort of street art exhibitions that go on in places like Brisbane, Australia.

Office Supplies Inc. - I think there is a lot of people looking and not enough doing. Every once in a while someone will come up and do something good, then stop. Never to be seen again. The consistency is missing. Once we get about 20 people working all year round, we will be able to really see things change. I have my own issues with consistancy, it's hard with the rest of your life going on to stay on top, I understand. It's just disappointing to see something good, then nothing else.
I think street art is very well received. Especially people like the dark and Weak Hand who are just good anywhere they put their work. They are giving gifts to the city in my opinion and it damn well should be appreciated. Their quality is very high for street work. I have to work twice as hard just to keep up with these dinks, and I've been doing it longer! But I think that people like what is going on.

the dark - I think the general opinion is that traditional graff is "destructive vandalism" whereas the street art, posters, stencils ect. is more accesible to the masses and therefore more acceptable. and the big press for banksy and clothing lines by obey help with public recognition. the city of vancouver has this "spread the paint" for graff writers which is basically a sting to get photos and ids on all the writers in the city by bribing them with free paint and lucrative mural projects. the last competition i was at was crawling with undercover cops . it was really lame.

weakhand - There are a lot of Street Art fans here, but not enough street artists. Definitely busts by the police, although I have yet to be busted I have heard of many. Don't get busted, I've heard of artists facing fines and court hearings, and I know of one person that they drove out to the middle of nowhere and left on the side of the road and worse.
The closest thing i would say is The Fringe Festival once a year, they have a Grafitti Art Pit over the course of the festival...it is more a highlight of the weekend long event then a focus on Street Art. A Slient Auction happens all weekend where the works can be bid on.

City Hall occasionally hosts Graffitti events, but i steer clear as they use it as a way to put a face to the art. Police Constables and City Hall Officials are always present. The artists are usually censored in what they can do for imagery, or their working through a theme created by City Hall. Ultimately I think the saddest part is that if the public, or a buisness owner like a piece of work City Hall could care less, they are more concerned about shaping the city based on their views instead of listening to the publics. I don't believe in their public poll surveys, as holding a survey can be contained and controled within a certain public mass to provide the statistics they desire.

Q: I checked out the Vancouver Graffitti Pool (on Flickr) and read about the Vancouver Street Art Day you are organizing for the 15th of August to hopefully jump start more street art in Vancouver. It looks cool, but I was wondering if you are concerned that the cops might get the tip off and be on the lookout to bust artists putting up works?

nokin - I really don't think the cops are gonna be a problem. Whether it's representative of the VPD's attitude toward street art or the areas in which I paint they never seem to care a whole lot. I've had cops walk right by me while painting. Getting busted obviously is still a real possibility, especially with the new Graffiti bylaws that Vancouver has passed allowing them to fine the artist up to $5,000. Either way, the benefits of putting up art far outweigh the risks of getting arrested and/or fined.

Office Supplies Inc. - That is for the people who go out to figure out. It is intended to light a fire under the ass of a lot of people who have had an idea and have had no idea how to get it off the ground and no reason to. Set a date, chose a goal, make it happen. Starting something new is hard. A bit of a push in the right direction will help a lot of these people get out, even if just for one night. It will give them a bit of an idea of the process and what goes into it, so they can understand it better.

Basic street art is like the Japanese game of go. Anyone can learn how to play, but it takes a lifetime to master. I would just like to give some people the board and the pieces and let them see if they like it. It's not for everyone. But get off the bench.

the dark - i really dont think the cops are going to worry about a bunch of upstart art kids having a day. they are too focused on graff as a problem and anything that doesnt look like a tag or throwup isnt going to be as much of a concern for them. i ve had cops stop me in the middle of a stencil and tell me that its cool art and i should be getting paid for it. they did ask me to pack up and go but in a very nice way. they didnt even get out of their car. its just basically up to the participants of the day to do their best to put up whatever they want wherever they want purely in the name of narccisitic self-expression.

weakhand - That hadn't even crossed my mind untill I read the question. I think it is unlikely, but you never know. It seems to be safer putting up posters and stickers instead of a throwup or bomb. I've had police roll right by me before while putting up a poster. The City's focus is mainly on "the vandalisim problem" graff. I think the police don't take as much notice mainly because postering is a common thing for events, bands, and advertising. I'm just another person putting up a poster, the real heat will come doing larger work. Like when myself and Office Supplies Incorporated hit the billboards about 2 months ago. I hadn't felt that heaty in a very, very long time.

You can view more works on each of their Flickr photostreams.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53192189@N00/ - nokin.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/officesuppliesincorporated/ - Office Supplies Inc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedark/ - the dark

http://www.flickr.com/people/one-weakhand/ - weakhand

Rock Creek

2005-08-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

National Mall

2005-08-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Ecko Block Party (NYC)

2005-08-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Fecal Face has a good piece (lots of pics) on the Ecko graffiti block party in NYC -- check it here and Charles of Your Mind Better Be Blowing Soon has got some great photo up too.

Arlington

2005-08-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Rock Creek Park

2005-08-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Adams Morgan

2005-08-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

Columbia Heights

2005-08-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

MT PLEASANT

2005-08-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

2005-07-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

in search of new life...

2005-07-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Location: Annandale, VA

katherineA

2005-07-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

i missed the dupont BORF event but katherineA has some good shots on her flickr

Also check: Your Mind Better Be Blowing and Soon for a downloadable BORF face.

16th street

2005-07-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

artist Faces

BORF

2005-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

BORF: Commentary in Sunday's Outlook Section in Wash Post

Quick Art (revisited)

2005-07-25T04:12:00.000-07:00

Chris Stain

Billy Mode

Adam Stab

Baltimore (near MICA)

2005-07-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

stencil packets by mail: Myfirstgraffiti.com

2005-07-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Wooster Collective a couple days back did a feature on Myfirstgraffiti.com-- a site that will send to you a readymade hit the streets stencil package.

Read Wooster piece >>

post-copeland-and borf

2005-07-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

libby copeland wrote the post piece on BORF. and now the dialogue has taken to a more public forum (outside washpost building):

read DCArtNews piece

Towles on ALEXANDRASILVERTHORNE

2005-07-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Alexandra has a good mini-interview w/Kelly Towles on her site. Check it out here.

Quick Art

2005-07-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

These are some photos of Chris Stain/Billy Mode's Quick Art Tent -- a street art exhibit that's part of Baltimore's Artscape. They're just getting started working on the walls. Next weekend everything will be peaking.

Kelly Towles

Adam Stab

Baltimore Shots

2005-07-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

APES bust Pittsburgh Live

Walking around Baltimore yesterday took these shots. Lots (and lots) of great street art there.

James Bailey: Temporary Anti-Public Art Project (TA-PAP ™)

2005-07-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

The experimental photographer/littoral artist James W. Bailey is pleased to introduce Temporary Anti-Public Art Project (TA-PAP ™).

TA-PAP™ is a Littoral Art Project that attempts to reposition found objects as temporary sculptural creations in an environment that is extremely hostile to the public.

Project Location: Dulles Toll Road Interchange at Hunter Mill Road in Reston, Virginia.

Project Description: This Temporary Anti-Public Art Project (TA-PAP ™) consists of concept development for aesthetic improvements at the interchange of Hunter Mill Road (Route 674) and the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) in Reston, Virginia. The project involved the relocation of cut tree limbs and arrangement of same in the form of a sculpture for temporary placement at the above location underneath the overpass.

Funding Considerations: The project is funded completely by the artist James W. Bailey. The total fully audited costs for design, development and construction of this project are $11.23. 87% of the project costs were expended for gas, food and drink for project assistants.

Project Timeline: Notice to Proceed was issued by James W. Bailey to the project assistants at 11:30 pm on July 09, 2005. The project was completed on time and on budget by 1:30 am, July 10, 2005. The project will remain available for anti-public viewing until removed by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

TA-PAP ™ Core Mission and Philosophy: TA-PAP ™ seeks to render unsuitably hostile anti-public environments as principal territory for aesthetic improvement. TA-PAP ™ intentionally bypasses the conventional public art context and practice of artist created/government sanctioned collaboratively approved taxpayer financed public art projects by asserting art in the anti-public sphere with no government approval or funding. TA-PAP ™ encourages viewers to risk their comfortable public art viewing patterns by stepping into hostile aesthetic terrain. TA-PAP ™ is inspired by the dearth of public art in the anti-public suburban space. Phase 1 of TA-PAP ™ is designed, planned and engineered to create and manifest art in the hostile anti-public bleak aesthetic suburban realm of Northern Virginia.

How Can I View a TA-PAP ™ Sculpture?
Upon completion of a TA-PAP ™ sculpture, viewers will be provided with the location of the art object in question on the TA-PAP ™ web site.

All TA-PAP ™ sculptures are intended for temporary display (for the most part they will be constructed on space that is anti-public by definition of being difficult, hazardous or dangerous for public access).

Interested viewers of the TA-PAP ™ sculptures will be encouraged to visit the disclosed sites ASAP prior removal by regulatory agencies and/or authorities that have legal jurisdiction over the space where the sculptures have been constructed.

All completed TA-PAP ™ sculptures will be photographed for archival purposes.

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

James W. Bailey

Force Majeure Studios

11196 Silentwood Lane

Reston, Va 20191

Cell Phone: 504-669-8650

Email: jameswbailey@comcast.net

Artist URL: http://jameswbailey.artroof.com

TA-PAP ™ URL: http://temporaryantipublicartproject.blogspot.com

Quick Art

2005-07-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

Quick Art (www.quickart05.com) -- a street art exhibit that's part of Baltimore's Artscape (www.artscape.org) is this weekend. Kickoff is friday til around 8 or 9. Chris Stain and Billy Mode are the organizers. Their tent is at 1600 Mt Royal Ave. by MICA (right by the Light Rail Stop). I made some tape pigeons and Towles (www.kellytowles.com) is contributing a limited print edition. Baltimore is one of the best cities to party in in the summer so make it out if you can.

Borf Arrest - Wash Post Piece

2005-07-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/13/AR2005071302448_2.html

Great mask.

6th St NW (Downtown/Chinatown)

2005-07-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

Warehouse

2005-07-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

Shots from BB...

Truck

2005-07-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

I've seen this truck around the city a couple times.

16th - Mt Pleasant

2005-06-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

Fairfax. VA--Braddock Rd

2005-06-21T03:27:00.000-07:00

MOre shots from 7th and around

2005-06-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

New shots...(7th street m& around)

2005-06-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

graffiti / streetart (tag exports to Technocrati)

SMK and Mac McGarry

2005-06-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Party yesterday at Club 5 for DC PULSE Magazine's first issue with a mini half pipe. And they were giving out free AXE arm deodorant.

First (free) issue features interviews with graf writer Scratch Master K and Mac McGarry from It's Academic.

DC Pulse is online at dcpulsemag.com

--mark

QUICK ART

2005-06-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS QUICK ART?

A simulated quick mart well stocked with the vibrancy of work the revolves around the culture of street art and how it's produced. Inside you'll find four rooms:

* Shop - Browse the available items at Quick Art by a variety of artists from all over the world.
* Gallery - View works from artists worldwide.
* How To - Learn the techniques to make art of your own.
* Freewall - Once you've learned the craft, try out your skills on our freewall. Open to all to show the world what you can do.

WHAT IS ARTSCAPE?

Baltimore's annual celebration of the arts featuring national and local musicians, artists and performers. This year ArtScape is July 16-24, 2005. You can get more information at www.artscape.org.

WHO IS "IN THE DREAM"?

In The Dream is a Baltimore born arts collective with a strong foundation in the urban folk arts. To find out more about In The Dream, visit their website, www.inthedream.com.

We are currently seeking submission from the international street arts community to help fill our store and gallery.

Send us your posters, stencils, photos, graffiti, stickers, postcards, etc., by July 1, 2005. Please include the following with your submissions.

* Name
* Title of Work
* Price

All proceeds will benefit the charity for the arts. Submissions will not be returned.

A Quick Art zine will be compiled in September 2005, please include your address so that we can send you a copy.

WHERE SHOULD I SUBMIT MY WORK?

Please send your work to:

Quick Art
c/o Gary Kachadourian
B.O.P.A
7 East Redwood Street
Suite 500
Baltimore, MD 21202
USA

STILL NEED MORE INFORMATION?

Contact us via email at stainitd@yahoo.com.

Liberation in Paris Asks For Your Support to Save the Lives of their Colleagues

2005-06-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

FROM WOOSTER:

Earlier today we received an amazing email from Marie, a French journalist at the newspaper Liberation in Paris. As you read below, and if you decide to participate, please let us know. Also, be sure send us photos of your work when it goes up so that we can place them up on the Wooster site. We support this idea, and do hope that as many of you as possible, from the smallest to the largest cities and countries, all participate.

Marie tells us that their reporter Florence Aubenas and her guide Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi were captured in Bagdhad on the 5th of January and they are still missing in Iraq. A Defense Committee has been created and they trying to organise events that will raise awareness of the situation of Florence and Hussein and lobby for their release.

So on July 5th, they are organising a worldwide event by inviting all graffiti artists, street artists, and muralists to participate.

Already a group of prominant French artists have agreed to participate including Zevs, Andr�, Invader, and Eko.

So here's the info you need:

"Paint their walls away"
July 5th: dozens of painted walls in support of Florence and Hussein

French newspaper reporter Florence Aubenas and her assistant Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi were reported missing in Iraq on January 5th, 2005. This upcoming July 5th will mark their sixth month of captivity since they disappeared in Baghdad.

Florence Aubenas arrived in Baghdad on December 16, 2004, to cover the Iraqi elections for Lib�ration, one of the three leading French national dailies (with a circulation of 150,000 copies a day). She sent several articles to the paper just before her disappearance on the afternoon of January 5th. At this date, she was reported missing along with her guide and interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi. Florence Aubenas had previously traveled to Iraq in September 2003. She was one of a handful of Western journalists who returned to Baghdad in order to inform the French public on the reality in Iraq (for further information, go to www.pourflorenceethussein.org)

I am appealing to you today on behalf of the Defense Committee that was created in the days following their abduction in order to raise awareness of their plight and to lobby for their release. The French public is currently widely informed and supportive of their cause. But as time goes on, and the hostages remain captive, our anger increases. We feel it is time to go one step further and to alert the international public opinion as to their intolerable fate.

For this reason, we would like to ask you for your help. On July 5th, we are organizing a worldwide event, inviting all graffiti artists, street artists and muralists, of all styles and obedience to participate. The idea is simple: find the wall with the best possible exposure in your town, obtain legal permission and invite the press for the best possible media coverage. Then let your imagination do the rest.

Make sure you keep us informed on your participation so that we can organize the buzz around it on an international level. Why are we making this appeal to graffiti and street artists? Because it offers an alternative, and vividly visual, political point of view. Because we think it represents an aspiration to freedom that can be expressed in many ways but with the same message around the world, from Los Angeles to Bamako, from Berlin to Tokyo, From Bogota to Moscow. We are counting on you because we appreciate and respect you and your work. So fire up your spray paint to free Florence and Hussein.

For the Florence and Hussein Defense Committee,
Laurent Carpentier
laurent.carpentier@chello.fr

More shots from BB (BORF, MC Chicken,...)

2005-06-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

11th St NW

Alley near Mission on 14th St

streetart from technocrati

14th and Q

2005-06-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sighting/Photos by BB

BORF SHOW @ Capital City Records

2005-05-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

FROM BETTER THAN YOURS BLOG:

RELOADED: A DECADE OF DESTRUCTION...DC natives if you've seen the word of BORF and his crew around check out more work from BORF and his crew running from May 15th to June 15th @ Capital City Records located @ 1020 U St. Nw....this is that good sh-t people...go check out some dope work and buy some records!!!

BORF and graffiti work at better than yours

Bear Wanna Be

2005-05-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

This was part of the St Ex(stallation) Boys vs Bears.

>>>SHAW PICS FROM BB PAZ<<<

2005-05-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

"took this tonight, in my hood 'shaw' all taken between 8th and 11th
and p' and n...more to come" -bbbaby

>>WE ARE HERE<<

2005-05-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

14th St -- Sweet Tits

2005-05-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

Corcoran St.

2005-05-14T04:55:00.000-07:00

12th and R

2005-05-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

14th St.

2005-05-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

14 th St

2005-05-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Bloody Borf

2005-05-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

18th St- Adams Morgan

Lights Out

2005-05-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

16th St, NW

Corcoran St.

2005-05-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Mr Eggs hits DC streets...

2005-05-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

Mr Eggs of Manchester hits DC streets...

Snake Eyes -- 14th St

2005-05-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

Stikman at the Hirshhorn

2005-05-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

Flirty Hydrant

2005-05-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

14th St.

2005-05-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

BORF

2005-05-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

66 E into DC. Still Up. More BORF