We just came across this artist, OaKoAk, a French street artist who isn’t really making major statements, just a few really, really clever little statements that is making him/or/her one of our favorite street artists in the game right now. The blog is a bit confusing in that we think they are all done by OaKoAk, but you never know. Just enjoy them.
From The Citrus Report
Interview Magazine is getting on the Art In the Streets vibe, maybe not as much as Juxtapoz and their full special issue, but they have MOCA director Jeffrey Deitch speaking with legendary Fab 5 Freddy and curator Aaron Rose. Its a pretty solid read, as Fab 5 Freddy is such a valued part of the graffiti and culture story when it comes to this MOCA show.
From The Citrus Report
We always get mixed messages with graffiti, and this story pretty much sums it up. Shepard Fairey’s mural in Philadelphia was graffiti’d over, and it made Lauren Cassady so pissed she buffed the illegal graffiti off the wheatpaste. The article doesn’t really state whether Fairey’s piece was legal or not, but it looks like it may have been legal.
As the article mentions, “After seeing photos of the tagged mural, Cassady, a professional art conservator, volunteered to come to the corner of Frankford Avenue and Norris Street two days per week to remove the graffiti.
To remove the spray paint and marker used to make the graffiti, Cassady sits on a bucket in front of the mural, slowly dabbing the tagged portion of it with a solvent-soaked Q-Tip.
“It’s a very slow process,” said Cassady. “You can’t use a lot of solvent at a time, or else you will harm the original work.”
She won’t be able to remove the tag completely, but hopes to get the mural as close to its original state as possible.
From The Citrus Report
Penis non grata…A lonely bathroom graffiti penis has a much better time once he’s wrapped up; and so will you.
From The Citrus Report
We forgot to post this video of INSA’s time in SF painting the wall at Oak and Scott. You can also see a bit of the lights in his work up at FIFTY24SF until Feb. 28th.
INSA at FIFTY24SF from AK on Vimeo.
From The Citrus Report
It is so awesome that we are in a city of just complete lunatics, crazies, and near shithole conditions, but we still want to spend $280,000 on paint a year to remove graffiti. And it is so awesome that the person in charge of graffiti removal in SF’s parks lives in Richmond. Which, in the rest of the nation/world speak, is like being the graffiti removal person in Los Angeles and living in Anaheim.
But, regardless, this is an interesting article on SF graffiti removal, as told by the man in charge of graff removal for the city’s parks. Our opinion has always been we don’t see the difference between graffiti and Verizon ads wherever we turn. Those ads are invasive to us, so graffiti at least to us seems like the counter to corporate interest. You can argue with us all day long about, we know that is not the majority opinion, but that is our opinion nonetheless.
But take a read of this Chronicle article.
From The Citrus Report
We have never been to Wales, but now, besides Stereophonics, we have a reason to go. Phelgm, who does some really nice work, did the side of this old Russian Sukhoi jet. Nice touch to some Cold War history.
From The Citrus Report
Posted by FIFTY24SF Gallery
Noise Pop x FIFTY24sf present PEZ “Louder Than Bombs”. The title “Louder Than Bombs” is in direct reference to The Smiths compilation album released in 1987, the band, and Morrissey, being a personal favorite of the artist. As a long time Bay Area staple PEZ’s hand style and graffiti has been seen most places you’ve looked—but his record covers and limited edition zines have reached cult status over the last few years and this exhibition reveals what makes the underground music, art and culture of the Bay Area so special.
About the Artist: PEZ is widely recognized around the world as one of the earliest sticker taggers in the history of graffiti, following in the footsteps of the legendary and infamous graffiti artists, Cost and Revs. He documented his experiences in with his Nikon FM2 35mm camera, and continued to post his stickers and other printed work around NYC. Today, Pez continues to make stickers and publish photography zines. Pez has exhibited in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Tokyo.
