They say Detroit is the Wild West of graffiti. Or at least they used to. Suffering decades of economic blight, stocked with a hundred thousand vacant buildings, and a police force with bigger problems on their hands, Detroit has become known worldwide as a street artist’s paradise. As the city depopulated, more walls became available for murals, tags, wheat pasting, stuffed animals,… Continue reading The Grit and Soul of Detroit Street Art
Tag: street art
The Street Art Uprising of Occupy Central’s Umbrella Revolution
You probably haven’t been keeping tabs on Hong Kong’s ‘Umbrella Revolution‘ orchestrated by Occupy Central activists demanding democratic rights to freedom of assembly and the right to open elections. And why would you? There’s been an almost complete media blackout here in the US as the Ebola/ISIS/Dept. of Fear 24/7 “news” cycle does its diligent job… Continue reading The Street Art Uprising of Occupy Central’s Umbrella Revolution
Coloring Outside the Lines: a Photo Collection
Last week, my cycling comrade Meg Brennan and I sat down to record our second drunken bike pod cast. The conversation tended to ramble into territory concerning cultures of community resistance to things like capital-driven gentrification. We also discussed how different forms of sanctioned and unsanctioned street art can play a roll in building strong… Continue reading Coloring Outside the Lines: a Photo Collection
The Autonomous Necessity of Graffiti
This article was originally published by the Portland Street Art Alliance. It’s been a depressing month for street art. Snagging national media attention, the buffing of legendary graffiti destination 5 Pointz in Queens, New York shocked artists and art critics alike. Even Portland bloggers noted the injustice that had been committed by developers Jerry Wolkoff and… Continue reading The Autonomous Necessity of Graffiti