This might be the dictionary definition of irony: “The Splasher” a so-called revolutionary in the battle against artistic commodification of street art. His or her m.o? Unceremoniously splashing (hence the comic-esque moniker) existing street art pieces, especially those by Swoon, Banksy, and Shepard Fairey…artists that have not only attained a level of ‘street cred’ but who also have successful careers.
It is worth noting that in Streetsy’s (www.streetsy.com or nymag.com/news/features/32388/index8.html) images, the splashes are clearly not in any way an aesthetic statement…they are meant to deface the image in question.
Read the article here: nymag.com/news/features/32388/
4 comments:
It is interesting the hatred some "purist" street artists have for Swoon and the rest. Even Margaret Kilgallen has caught flak. I assume they feel they have sold out or something, i really like how they are using street art styles in new ways. And as to their use of the gallery as well as the street I think it all should be thought of as the same. The fact that they do things in different contexts is just being smart and aware artistically as far as I am concerned.
I don' tknow, I am not an art critic, but I think it is totally just disrespectful to splash shit on someone else's work, no?
I agree, I mean if you put your art out there, that's a tacit agreement between you and the viewer/larger public. Of course, there's also the understanding that it is transitory...but I think it is especially regretful when a community has explicitly embraced a piece (i.e. the Banksy that was splashed).
It's one thing to cover up street art with another piece of art or to modify it, it's another thing altogether to wholesally revile these artists because of a perception that they've so-called "sold-out." I mean, one can only be expected to work at Starbucks for so long if their talent and creativity can take them farther.
I propose that is one is truly riled by consumerism, one might begin by splashing/bombing/defacing the corporations that promote this sort of consumerism (Wal Mart leaps to mind) or even luxury good purveyors...not honest artists making astatement and a living.
So, yeah, Steph and Mark, I tend to agree with you both.
great article. so glad you found it for me.
really made me think. you have a point though. street art is transitory, so why would someone get pissed if it's painted on or painted over?
seems to go against the whole principal.
byron
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