November 21, 2010
Visual communication and the urban landscape
Urban essentially refers to “inner city” and all the cultural and physical references that living within it entails. The term urban could mean a variety of things when art is involved. The city itself is art. How visual communication and language are expressed within it is truly impressive and fascinating.
I have always been incredibly drawn and heavily influenced by urban landscapes. The stand out characters being, the everyday elements that make up a city i.e.: train stations, parks, street lamps, pavement, post and phone boxes. The diversity of these elements is the key perspective on urban landscape. This landscape can and is modified by urban art. Having grown up in a very metropolitan city, if not one of the most artistic in the world, the constant exposure to urban “art” has always fascinated me. If Barcelona could be described in one word, it would be art. Barcelona is both rich in architecture, fine art and most definitely street art. Some examples of “Urban/Street Art” with landscapes are video projection, graffiti-murals/walls, sticker art/light posts/trash bins stencil/pavement, tagging/bridges/trains etc.
The Urban Art movement, if one may refer to it as such, has expanded into a variety of styles, purposes, mediums and messages. There are many art expressions that we are constantly exposed to; the one that makes the most profound impression on me would be that which is commonly known as “GRAFFITI”. Graffiti has changed in recent years taking on a completely different look and feel. Once upon a time, graffiti was known for gang signals and or straight vandalism. Graffiti has always been an enormous influence and directly tied to hip hop, dance and of course pop culture. This form of “Street Art” would probably the most recognised and at times the most controversial. Graffiti can easily break the landscap, provoke conversation and controversy. At times known for it’s destruction more than actual art. Street artists in New York City changed all of that. One famous street artist was none other than New York born Jean-Michel Basquiat, who became an international star and famous for his mixture of words and graffiti in his paintings.
The beauty in street art is the variety. Like the great masters of the past the distinct styles are easily recognized and very different in style. Banksy would be a perfect example of this and is without question the most famous proponent for urbanism within the arts. Other popular “Street Artists” are Shepard Fairy, most known for his propaganda like style and his poster of Obama . Mark Jenkins known for his “Tape People”. JR known for his 100ft high mural on the side of the Tate Modern of a man pointing a gun at the camera called Ladj Ly.
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of travelling to American and visiting Los Angeles. Having never been to the United States much less Los Angeles, I was taken back by the incredible amount of street/urban art. One always thinks of California as Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Disneyland etc. It was however, rich in architecture, culture and tons of art. This ranged from modern to old school graphic typography of local gangs.
My selection of images come from photographs taken this past August while on holiday in L.A.
The first photograph is that of a mural painted on a brick building that so happens to be a Hotel from the 1940’s, it is located on the infamous corner of Hollywood and Vine. The Redbury hotel is located in the heart of Hollywood, CA.and was redesigned by the mighty sbe group and uber hipster/producer Mark Ronson. The hotel is itself a gorgeous mix of both classic 1940’s hollyglamour and 1970’s California porn. Which is perfect, Hollywood being in fact a work of art on it’s own with of course all of it’s filth, drama and glamour. In this photograph the most impressive thing that stands out is the illusion the mural gives. At first glance you do imagine that the painting to the extreme left are actual windows, as you move across the building you seem to think that a curtain is being drawn. With 3d being so popular now, one thinks it may move or you can actually open a window. This is exceptional in my eyes, no movie making no special effects. Paint, canvas and imagination are here. Visual communication at it’s finest, in my opinion. The colours, imagery mix perfectly with the deep colour of the brick of an actual building background to give it life. The car park too adds to the façade of seeing the building from the front, when in all actuality it is the backside. This is a perfect example of what I would consider modern urban “Fine Art”. The use of the building as a canvas evokes a “1940’s old Hollywood feeling.
The second photograph is that of a pedestrian signal on a street corner in historic downtown L.A. “Broadway West”. Which was to rival Broadway in New York, to my understanding. The signal is covered in sticker art. At first glance one would dismiss this as a complete mess. Especially with a backdrop of a beautiful building with incredible detail in it’s architecture. One is taken back in time to what was then. The flawless detail in it’s window’s arches,perhaps? What master sculpture might have done this work, that now sits in the center of this massive city?
Having had time to evaluate everything in my view, I found myself looking at the messages in the sticker art and which left me suddenly in deep thought.
In this small square on a famous Los Angeles street corner, I was suddenly thinking of all the artists that had been involved in creating these small stickers with their messages. Here we have an ode to the famous basketball team of Los Angeles, The Lakers. The mighty team of basketball players that seemed to be composed of super humans. Another image that clearly stands out is that of the “Joker”. Being a huge fan of animation and comic books I instantly recognized this. Batman is one of my favourites to say the least. A childhood hero. I then start to think of the actor Heath Ledger, and of course his tragic death at such a young age. One instantly wonders what could have been, such talent…gone. I suddenly find myself a bit sad and quickly move on the something else. Then there came the sticker of a woman holding a camera which reminded me of how much I love photography. This is why I found myself wondering the streets of downtown Los Angeles on sunny California day. My mind then races to the documentary based on Banksy, “Exit through the gift shop.” If one is familiar with the doc. you will know what I am talking about, the style in this sticker is very similar.
The most profound sticker was that of a Mexican wrestler with the words “The Uprising”. I knew about the infamous Mexican wrestling known as the “Lucha Libre” and it’s circus like cult like following. Lucha Libre has been around for many years in Mexico and with the film Nacho Libre became popular in the United Sates.
Thousands of people enjoy this sport on an almost religious like level. The Lucha Libre is most recognized by the colourful masks it’s wrestlers wear as part of a costume. What I didn’t know was the term “The Uprising” written on the bottom of the sticker.
For a minute I thought to myself perhaps the Lucha Libre wrestlers want to take over the world. Then I asked.
The Uprising: a movement that started in Los Angeles, when racism showed its face in a horrible way. In 1992 the Los Angeles Riots were started when white police officers were acquitted of beating a black man after a high-speed pursuit. I clearly remember hearing such things as a child of 12 years. How could this happen in this so-called great country of “freedom”? Needless to say, I became angry and confused. Racism? In this day and age? My family had always been open and liberal and I had always assumed the rest of the world was the same. This was not the 1950’s and 60’s. I wanted to know more and read everything I could about the riots and it’s effects both on a society and on a culture. This kind of sticker art provokes the need to educate your self unconsciously.
This is art. Art is everywhere. Thought provoking, emotional, controversial and most importantly educational. Art has most definitely gone to the “streets” and I for one could not be happier. The most incredible thing we could give to future generations is art and art that creates awareness. The fact that everyone can have access to artists and their art is powerful tool. Art should not have to be expensive or out of reach. Art that is accessible to everyone is the most profound to me. Art makes me happy.
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