Bristol street to be transformed into Europe’s biggest street art project (via Bristol Politics)

By Sam Rkaina – exclusive A DRAB street in Bristol city centre is set to be transformed into one of the largest outdoor art exhibitions in the world next month, the Evening Post can reveal. More than 20 of the world’s most successful street artists will be painting almost every building in Nelson Street with huge murals in a bid to create Bristol’s next major tourist attraction. Organisers say it will be the biggest permanent street art project i … Read More

via Bristol Politics

Stolen Invaders

As I was (finally!) uploading some long dued pictures to Flickr, I came across the photo of a beautiful Invader placed somewhere in Belgium. Somewhere very obvious actually, although for some reason most people seem to walk by without noticing it. However, I guess it’s probably better so, as it looked just great and fortunately still complete. Or perhaps Belgian people are simply a bit more respectful than whoever walks around Amsterdam these days stealing …bathroom tiles? I tell it that way because, in my opinion, that’s basically what this person is doing.

Here’s what happened: Space Invader seems to have been recently leaving a number of his creatures in different locations in the city – some more accessible than others. Sadly, some pieces have already been destroyed. But even sadder it’s the fact that it clearly wasn’t even the people’s intention to destroy it, but to steal it.

That makes me wonder: First, if this person is a fan of the artist, shouldn’t (s)he know about his concept, the maps and therefore that moving the Invader -even if it was possible- actually kind of kills the whole concept? I’m not even getting into what changing context means for the artwork, as I guess that’s slightly too subtle for someone who tries to pull an Invader away from the wall on that way.

Secondly, of course all (s)he ended up with, was a bunch of tiles of the same kind one could buy in the nearest DIY store. But thanks to this clueless try, the piece of street artwork is now so good as destroyed. And, ah, wouldn’t it be nice if it had been left to decay gracefully, losing tiles like an old animal loses his teeth?

C215 / Street Artist by Jerome de Gerlache on Vimeo

A portrait of C215/street artist, a short video by Jerome de Gerlache:

…

…A couple of months ago I asked Christian Guémy some questions around ephemerality and preservation.

Here’s an extract from his answers…

…on ephemerality: There is nothing eternal and outdoor works disappear naturally.

…on buffing: I feel light and I am accepting it completely. People have to look quick for the pieces when done.

…on preservation by the community: Why not ?

…on being consulted about it: I think artists should not participate in the conservation process.

…

In his desire to remain open to the world, Brassaï spent his life outside fashionable coteries, steering well clear of their petty concerns.

In the simplicity of graffiti he found a stunning modernity. His whole life through, Brassaï would hunt down these mysterious or playful marks on walls, on trees, even on the ground.

He was often in the habit of wandering around Paris, with a preference for working-class districts – the areas harboring the most old houses, their walls eaten away by damp – a happy hunting ground for graffiti.

In the notorious fourteenth arrondissement, on rue Medeath, rue Vandamme, and others, he would inspect long, chalky walls covered with deeply carved signs. There, he would take pictures of Aztec masks and impaled hearts. It was near Saint-Ouen that he stumbled across his Roi Soleil.

Often he would make a quick sketch of the discovery in one of the little notebooks he had for the purpose, recording the address of the building whenever he could. He preferred to wait until the lighting improved or for a certain effect before taking a photograph. Smoking cigarette after cigarette, he would wait with infinite patiente for the right moment to strike.