I attended the 'Art in the Streets' member opening and I really didn't know what to expect. A few days ago I saw a lot of the media pics of the art before hand (outdoor murals and the art being exhibited in the Geffen) because I wanted to see if the show should have been titiled, 'Watered-down Art in the Streets.' After the incident with Blu's mural months prior, I wanted to see if that censorship was applied indoors as well. And it was. But of course it would, it's a MUSEUM, not the actual street. People seem to forget that museums are a business and at the end of the day, it's about that all mighty dollar, not depicting the rawness of the history of graffiti and it's growth throughout it's lifespan in the urban environment. I mean, California and the nation for that matter is still fucked right? It sure seems that way to me right about now. Money talks in this world. And on that note, we'll just get back to the topic at hand...........art. So museums want and need money, so of course censorship exists. That was my rant to all those posts/reviews/articles being said about the FIRST major exhibition thats finally documenting graffiti to current urban art and how it's still not "keeping it real." Give it time, one day a museum may replicate the rawness of the urban environment. (But is that what you would want to see, a replica of the world we live in? Or would you like to be entertained/captivated in some way? Hmm. Oh, and would you also like to be given a feeling in one way or another.....cause in reality, that's what art supposed to "provide" right.....some type of feeling) That was my little plug there, my bad. It's just the aspect of me that reflects on the relationship between art and life.
But back the review. Just walking up to the museum provided a new experience. I don't know about you but I generally attend a museum as a daytime activity, so walking up to the MOCA surrounded by the darkened skys and hearing the old school hip hop sounds was new to me. You know, that old school hip hop true DJ and MC combination. Which also included the b-boys pumpin those power moves on the floor. And 'Risk('s)' old school graffiti lettering style bus was parked outside. (I say lettering style cause, the fill-in and background spray use contemporary methods of spray painting). But his classic letters mixed with today's spray painting possibilities is great. A perfect example of how an old school (LA based artist I might add) has developed his style but still keeping true to art throughout his life. So ya, his bus was dope. Pieces on the sides and bombs on the front and rear. The bus kind of seperated the spaces from lunch table chillin' area with alchohol readily available to museum entry (which took around 30 minutes to get in due to the long lines, I kinda lost track of time cause some of the hip hop classics were blasted by the DJ's, so I didn't even mind waiting in the line. Oh, which brings me to another topic I could go on about. The crowd. Like I said earlier, I didn't know what to expect with the attendace of an exhibtion about an artform that transitioned my childhood enjoyment of art to loving it. But it is LA, it is a contemporary museum, it is graffiti, and so the crowd ranged WIDELY. People excited to attend, some had no idea of any of the artists, some just talked shit, some really liked, some could care less but they were all exposed to a 'museum' created vibe of the history of graffiti from the murals around the city to all the nighttime festivities and art. And for that attempt I applaud. I see it at an attempt as being socially accepted as a legitimized artform. Getting people to view the art in a setting where it is seen as "art" and not vandalism. Cause it is art. And it is vandalism. It's both. It's a very dynamic art that develops and grows as our urban environment develops and grows. And it will continue to develop even further.
Of course I liked the art inside, all of it, no. Of course not, we all have our own reasons why. So with that being said, make time for a museum trip that you will truly enjoy if you like graffiti/street/urban art. Local aritsts and international artists are exhibited. The show doesn't have all the artists of course, some chose not to participate and lets be real, you can't have everyone in an exhibition. Especially one where the nature of the art is here one day and gone the next. So you'll see art, installations, cars, canvas, stickers, prints, all kinds of goodies. I chose not to show pics for two reasons, 1. you can Google it and get hundreds of pics instantly and 2. Go see and experience the art for yourself. I'm not trying to promote and make MOCA's bank account larger but go get a little history and see some good, bad, and great art. It's a descently, good, first museum documentation of the history of graffiti art that I highly recommend to check out.
On to the freshly sprayed piece.
Title - Crown & out
Medium - Spray paint
Location - Downtown LA @ the Graff Lab
For those that know, they may get it right away but for those who don't know me the reason for the title is my father enjoys his Crown Press' and well sometimes they don't turn him into the dancing machine party animal but simply provide a nice little nap. This is one of those assited naptime moments provided by the Crown Press. I just wanted to combine those memories with my name. That's it. Plus I wanted to practice doing a portrait. I would have liked to make a more detailed piece but the combination of the delayed start and need to finish it in one day (had to make it to the 'Art in the Streets' exhibition I described above), so the lettering had to remain simple. I'll be posting more about this day and the artists that were painting that day as well, but I'll save that for a new post. The pics...
seze
