de boat be sailin' mon!

The most recent ARTnews (February, 2006) is the spark behind this post. They have a great article on the top 10 trends in contemporary art. I like lists; they're interesting to read, and argue over when you don't agree. But this isn't the reason behind the post, so screw off if you're "above" numerical lists, this isn't for you! I'm interested that they've included street inspired art showing that it's definitely gaining ground in the artistic mainstream. This is near to my heart as much of my art has been flavored, or shown the influence of graffiti and the related. Problem is, I've continuously faltered to achieve a sustained body of work since graduating from the Corcoran; which means I haven't shown anything outside of people seeing my work in my own home. I can't help but to feel as though I'm missing the boat on this movement, and that my work will no longer stand out as it once did. That being said, I can't let these thoughts prevent me from producing work and progressing from the point I'm at now.

While I enjoy much of the street styled art that I've seen, I don't think that it should be strictly focused on just different variations of graffiti and such. I honestly think that there needs to be a healthy understanding of art history, and in the context that such art exists. Graffiti is beautiful in it's inherent visual nature, but is hindered by a concept that is much maligned and misunderstood by the general art public.

Now, if you're one of those, "F@%k art history, f@%k concepts, f@&k the public, and f@%k you toy...", then this obviously isn't for you, and you can stay on your writers forums and play gangster there. Toy is a graffiti culture term for nOObs, newbies, or new unskilled writers. Unfortunately it's usually most quickly used by toys themselves so they can sound gangster. This is a stance usually taken by those "keeping it real"; vowing never to take graff from the streets to the gallery. Now while that allegiance is commendable, it is only to a point. Most writers mature and if they stick w/ graff evolve it into another venture; while those that continue to keep it real, end up telling stories about their jail-terms.

Until recently, most graffiti (I've seen) painted under the guise of fine art has been nothing but a cleaner/simpler version of their street work. Very few artists have pushed what graffiti could be on the fine art front. For it to be accepted into the canon of art as a legitimate movement, there has to be more to it than a commodity or even worse a skilled craft to be replicated on demand. Those that have pushed that boundary (that I'm aware of) would be artists like Barry McGee (TWIST), Shepard Fairey (OBEY), Stephen Powers (ESPO), Brian Donelly (KAWS), FUTURA (site moving), and Doze Green, among many others. All these artists understand and practice true graff culture but have seen the light, producing true multi-dimensional works of modern art. While I may not always be interested in what it is they're trying to convey, the work still resonates unlike any other at the moment.

Being truly the lowest of the "low arts"; having evolved from the street level and still being highly illegal; the inherent cliché of it's grittiness and what I feel is desperation, are the catalysts for that resonation. Good God that was a loaded sentece! You can tell I went to art school. Pretention so nice!