The Inter-Location Project

I wrote a post last November about Love Hate Love, and how I was searching for who this might be and that for all my efforts all I had found was an Indonesian Street Artist, which whilst cool, was clearly not the artist I was looking for.  Except that today I am told that he was.  This answer has led me to a most excellent blog with a truly amazing premise: The Inter-Location Project.  This project basically seeks to 'build a bridge' between a city in Indonesia, and our very own Melbourne Town.

I haven't been this excited about this global world we occupy since I started following a Russian Photographer via Instagram.  Do not think about this concept too hard if you have had some whacky, but it does blow me away that we can now see right into someone else's world.  As much as it blows me away that you can be or know anybody in social media, and yet at the same time, have no idea who you are or who you know.  But that is another post...

Toy Soldiers

The street is a harsh and violent critic.  It is a complex species.  It is homeless and Bourgeosie.  It is Queer and homophobic.   It is public school and private.  It is Bogan and Hipster.  It is male and female.  It is legal and illegal. It is gender fucked.  It is a battlefield where rules of combat collide with anarchy.  So it is a brave soldier that ventures into the street, and a war weary warrior that emerges.

(R)evolution

What a week in street.  I must start this post with a shout back at the good Snyder, who has seen us through rose colored frames at a time we have needed it the most.  An awesome post.  Everything on me is crossed for a solo show over here.  Okay enough pissing in that pocket.  

I give a nod to those who contacted me following my last post and reminded me of the importance of evolution.   I have paused on this idea all week and come to this conclusion: that response is part of the evolution.  Action:Reaction.  Think "Fuck off Toy", "Not Your Wall", "Art Fag", "You Sold Our Lifestyle Out" and "Only Tools don't leave Tags".

The pics I have chosen for this post are from the 'white wall' .  It began with an Urban Cake Lady.   Then followed I and the Others.   Next came Kaff-eine, Ishi One, Shida, Klara, Ruskidd, Precious, s701A, Frankie and Sikel Fried.  This was followed with a spectacular tag and 2 Baby Grrls.  More recently it has seen the arrival of Bubbles, Burg and Yoka Boka and at around the same time a heavy critique by capping.  It's like the wall expanded beyond its capacity and popped.  Evolution, (r)evolution.

  
   
       

                           

                                             

Community Service Announcement

I have been loathe to comment on what's been happening lately in Fitzroy because I never want to discourage anyone's creativity. I always maintain that art is an action.  So whether good, bad or indifferent the act of doing street art IS art to me.  Graff in tall places, clever placement, mass bombing: these all make me look twice.

Unfortunately lately there has been some slacking off of standards.  I won't name names, nor pass judgment on anyone reading this who may feel this is directed at them.  I therefore will not attach photos either.  But PLEEEAAAASE people.  Fitzroy built it's reputation as a street art Mecca on the back of hard work.  Exacting work.  Think, among hundreds of others, of  HaHa, Everfresh, Awol, Aeon, Tres, iKool, TV Crew, Ghost Patrol and Miso, Lister.  These people are Giants. They made our reputation.

So with apologies for my arrogant opinion, condescension and paternalistic take, I implore every enthusiastic participant in the New World Order to:

1.  Stop pasting over other people's work - be it throw ups, pieces, or legendary stickers such as Ghost Patrol.  It pisses everyone off.

2.  Use good wheatpaste. No-one wants to look at creases or watch a paste up half hanging on a wall.

3.  Only put your good stuff up.  Say something, reflect, opine.  Give something.

4.  Look at a wall before tagging it to determine if any respect is due.

5.  Learn the history and context your work, today, is positioned within.

Thanks for allowing this self indulgent community announcement.  I have said it and now I will move on.  I still live to observe everything new that comes along.  I embrace the evolution of Fitzroy.  I just fear it's demise!

Dicknose: I'm that type of guy

I heard a rumour last night that Dicknose died.  On Sydney Road.  I cannot verify this, so I will assume nothing, and give him the shout out I never wanted to before.  I loved to love AND hate his work. I loved watching other people hate it.  However before anyone starts to think about their retort I should warn you that I won't be publishing any defamatory remarks.  This really is a tribute.

Dicknose certainly made an impact and therefore made a contribution to our streets. Far greater impact than some of the 'nice art' ever will.  I first recall seeing his tag here and there in early 2011.  Then suddenly it was everywhere.  I had to post about him.

If Dicknose did anything, he ruffled feathers.  Below is a past comment on my first post about the man:

"Fuck DN. Dude from the states, Hep C, Junkie loser..Probably still living in shitty backpacker hostels after all this time.  I know exactly who is is, and every time I see his shitty fucking tag around, I want to throttle his fucking neck."

I should say that I don't condone criticism of a man because of his Hep C status, nor because of his drug use patterns.  I do love that his tag evoked such vitriolic response, however.  This, I would have to say, was resoundingly DN's effect on people.

I believe Dicknose made contact through my blog just last week.  It may not have been him, but I was tickled by the possibility that it was.  Whoever it was, they signed off as anonymous having found an old post by googling "dicknose graff".  The post was You Sold Our Lifestyle Out. There was a dialogue about Dicknose in the comments on this post.  His response (or at least I believe it to be his response) was this:

"to quote the man himself "anyone that thinks im cutting edge is an idiot, im the type of guy thatll steall your paint fuck your girl and ruin your peice...im putrid"

Post script: since writing this piece I have been repulsed by the work of one blogger, if you were unfortunate to have read his post and you are a friend or acquaintance of dicknose I apologise for your experience of that and offer you my condolences. And I refer you to a lovely post by the very smart, wise and fair blogger who has been writing about street art for years, Images to live by.

Series: Fuzzy 'round the edges. Part 1: Brunswick

It felt vaguely familiar.  I strode confidently along Lygon St and slid quietly, somewhat optimistically into lanes, over cobblestones hit by sun and cut in half by shade.  All the while I wondered if I might need to pull my passport out.  The differences whilst subtle were significant.  It was a bit like being in a Mall in Hong Kong.  You could almost be at Chadstone but for the occasional Hawker stall.  There were definitely a few more weeds squeezing through the back of yards in Brunswick.  That's where the differences began.  I walked farther and there were backyards created with landscape in mind.  This surprised me.  Odes to the original Eucalypt the new owner couldn't bare to cut down (or perhaps couldn't by Council regulation).  I imagined I would find more Nonna yards full of Heirloom Vegies.  The kind thriving from seeds smuggled in their jacket pockets as they set sail for the promised land.   I know we still have them in Fitzroy, in the North at least.  I believe them to thrive in Brunswick, just not in the part that I found.  Next time...

What I did find that made me feel right at home were some TV Crew tags, some early Doctor, which I wistfully ran my finger along.  Beside this, of course, early Kaff-eine.  I paused and felt a twinge of longing for the good old days.  I also found some figures I did not recognise, which pleased me, because, after all, I had travelled all this way...

Some familiar names, with bold pieces, were probably the highlight of this soiree, alongside the historical Above, Kaff-eine and Doctor of 2010/1.   I found a Snyder (covered splendidly by Melbourne Art Critic and the fabulous Arty Graffarti) split banana, thankfully, so I can now say I have found two.  I digress but rumor has it he will exhibit here soon!