Until this weekend, I’ve been an observer in the world of street art - a watcher, an archivist. Now I’m a participant.
I didn’t make my own art. But I helped out an artist from another part of the country who wanted to get up in New York. I got to know him through Flickr, and offered several months ago to put up a few of his pieces in the Big Apple. He sent me a couple and they sat under my kitchen sink for months as I debated where and how to do it. They began to seem like a huge burden.
Finally, yesterday, I went out and put two of them up in the early morning. Then I put two more up in the afternoon in a different part of the city. I was careful to put them in places where they wouldn't do damage and no one would be angered, yet where they would be seen. I picked popular street art locales.
The act itself was kind of exhilarating, knowing that I was giving the city an artistic boost. (And knowing that what I was doing was technically illegal, even if dozens and dozens of people had done similar things in the same spot already.)
Still, I’m glad it’s done, and I don’t think I’ll offer to do it again. It’s such a relief to have the obligation fulfilled. But as it turns out, when it comes to street art, I would much rather just watch!
(Photo: East Village, March 2008)
Dennis is proud of you.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can post a picture of them sometime.
ReplyDeleteMerle: I considered it, but I think it might be legally unwise!
ReplyDeleteVery cool!
ReplyDeletekimy agrees with dennis!
ReplyDeletewith respect to art the maxim 'resist much, obey little' always applies! now if I found out there location and posted a picture, you would be clear of any complications, n'est ce pas?
(definitely had a good chuckle over the picture accompanying the post!)
blogger ate my comment- argggghhh. But I was also encouraging you to go back to the scene of the crime to grab a pic for posterity/other bloggers. Who's to know you were the initial perp?
ReplyDelete