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Oh, the idea. That's where his hand is on. Yes, the idea, nice. But the idea comes from Oldenberg, Warhol, Banksy, Duchamp, Hopper, a little Mike Kelly, etc. etc. and throw graffiti all over it and theres the idea...Done. Sold.
I must confess that some of it was cool, like the photo-shoped pictures with Run DMC. And I can recognize some of the graff artists.
So...oh yeah, one might say that Andy Warhol had hired help, but
his concept was original. Jeff Koons also had help to create his work, but they were
his concepts! Duchamp was controvercial and avant-guard. Yes, controversy makes sales, and thats whats going to happen all the way to that bank. Lets see if the artists get their share, and that is how it goes. I wonder what my college art history teacher would say if she saw this show? Because that is the only person that I trust to cut the BS and not kiss ass just to say something PC or nice and happy.
Last semester I had a very talented student that liked graffiti, and he also drew amazingly. I submitted his work into contests, had him do a large painting for auditorium. I planned to give him a very large sketchbook and a card. He did not show up 2 days before because he was feeling sad and down that he was not graduating on stage. I told his friends to tell him to come because I had that for him. On the last day he came to just say hi to me. I asked him if his friends told him, he said no, he just wanted to say hi and thank you. The card read (from what I can remember), "You are a talented person and I have know a lot of people that write (do graffiti), some have gone down the right path and are artist in their own right and some have gone down the wrong path and died or gone to jail for it. I hope you will keep it positive and establish yourself as an artist and make a living doing what you love, Art". Thank you for everything.
My point, I have mixed feelings about graffiti. I don't like tagging aspect. The tradition of graffiti is street based and illegal. The artist of this medium start as kids. It has become popular and graffiti artist have established themselves. My college paper was on "Twist", I saw him at the Hammer museum. Now there are legal walls, but some of the more popular "Venice" are difficult to do pieces on. What is Mr. Brainwash should think about where this medium comes from and the people that rack their brains coming up with an original idea. Nowadays, it's hard to have an original idea because almost everything has been done.
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LA TACO's responce and
Neu BlackWhere some of the artist respond also. Ok, I'm done.