Community Art Program

Reading the comments made by the panel below illustrates how hideous this process really is. The decision of whether or not keep a piece is purely a matter of discretion, with no standards in place. There is no requirement that the committee be at all versed in the aerosol culture nor do they consider the property owner’s request that the pieces remain. There is no consideration to the historical relevance of the artist or the piece. Instead you have comments…

DADO is truly a special artist with a deep history. One of the original aerosol writers in Bologna, DADO and partner RUSTY had a major impact on Italian writing culture. DADO built a strong relationship with aerosol pioneer P.H.A.S.E.2 and studied the original history of writing. P.H.A.S.E.2 had a powerful impact on DADO’s style which you can see reflected in the complexity of DADO’s work. DADO recently hosted CRP artists Desi W.O.M.E and RELEASE, who were in Bologna to create a…

This is is a really interesting article on Toronto’s new policy toward the protection of “graffiti.” On one hand, we can commend that Toronto is stepping up to create protections for artwork that may not have been authorized, but that the community and the property owner want to keep. We strongly commend them for this goal. It is common sense that artwork that a property owner wants on their property should be protected from city vandalism and removal. Vandalism should…

Looking at the powerful new works from the San Juan Street Art Festival tells the tale that the world is in a Renaissance of creativity. Everywhere you turn, entire districts of new artwork are being created in urban centers across the earth. Seeing the works in San Juan, Miami, Valparaiso, Barcelona, Auckland, Toronto and Bologna shows that power that murals can have to help define and redefine community. Politicians and city officials with intelligence have recognized the power of artwork…

Howard Mallory was an early pioneer in the modern public art movement in Chicago and an important player in the Black mural movement that happened on the south and west sides. He participated in the painting of the Wall of Respect on 43rd and Langley, a pivotal piece in Chicago’s public art scene. He was also well known for his sculptures, masks, pots and ceramics. Back when “Power to the people” and “Right on” were part of a new lexicon…

This article is an interesting combination of both the beauty and difficulty found in the mural movement, not just in St. Petersburg but throughout the US and the world. On one hand, murals are becoming more accepted and acknowledged as benefiting the community and aerosol writers are being recognized as for their contributions to neighborhood beautification. On the other hand, aspiring muralists are working for cheap or free to create their works and their personal contribution of time and labor…