Relocation and Amalgamation

This post marks the amalgamation of demofoto and apparent overdose into a single web log. Both will remain up and on the air with much of their content being republished at the new app OD.

Aberdeen, 2144

I've seen the future and I've left it behind

DO iT!

Scenarios of the Revolution

Jerry Rubin

Daddy's Little Princess

Who's gonna save you?

Dear Bethany,

Dear Bethany,

I’m writing to you on behalf of my relative, Street Art. I am his cousin Bombing. You are accurate in your observations and as one who has seen the perils of mainstream exposure leading to exploitation through a seductively paved route of adoration from enamoured females like yourself, I can to relate to this predicament.

I have had several flirtations with the mainstream too, none more important than those early days of the 1980s when graffiti artists such as Dondi, generally oblivious to Fine Art, rubbed shoulders with the likes of Andy Warhol as the subculture exploded out of New York along with hip hop music and breakdancing. At this time Street Art also had some luminaries in Keith Haring and that guy they made the movie about, Basquiat. But Street Art was always into another thing. He was either being pretty or making a statement.

In recent years, Street Art has had its biggest romance with commercialisation, as your letter suggests. Artists like the featured Banksy have had a huge impact on the mainstream audience, as well as the fringe dwelling student and suburban working types, many who have taken up the medium themselves. In this aspect Street Art has always been more promiscuous/slutty than myself. Anyone can cut out a stencil with a smart comment and spray it on a wall or paste up a paste-up, but not many have the patience, or the audacity, or the confidence to take on Bombing. The raw use of spraycans in a tightly coded language that requires time to execute, as well as many hours of practice to perfect is much more challenging.

It is for this reason also that ‘those who bomb’ are generally outsiders themselves, usually with little interest in Fine Art and with a general distaste for the often less technically challenging Street Art. The Bomber is a suburban ruffian, a lad, a chav, a schemie, a homeboy. He has his own fashion subculture: Nautica polos and Nike Air Max and he despises the trendy aspirations of Street Artists, who have no particular fashion style at all. Simultaneously, the Street Artist usually has no understanding of the strict subcultural coding of the Bomber, and often also lacks a proper understanding of the hierarchy of the Graffiti family in general. Street Art is full of ambition and passion, but naïve, and generally unsophisticated. Bombing, while thuggish, is immediately more self assured and confident of his own potency, while also less concerned with impressing everybody else. Bombers keep to themselves while Street Artists try to make friends with everyone.

It’s silly, you talking to Los Angeles about this, I mean, LA doesn’t really care about the situation and is by no means an authority. She is just another of Street Art’s hoes like London or Melbourne. An exhibition of Street Art in the LA Museum of Contemporary Art doesn’t mean he is institutionalised, shit, he’s just getting some dollars and some ass. He needs to eat too, Bethany. I would actually say that LA is grabbing hold of some of the last days of this fame you speak of, rather than this being some new found infatuation.

Let’s face it, Street Art is pretty over-played these days, with every other bar and café having a bit of the old Street Art somewhere on its walls. My last flirtation with fame, commercialisation or institutionalisation (if you must), in Sydney, was in the early 2000s with writers like Dmote finally getting some much deserved respect from a greater audience. After a while the buzz wore off, as it always does and Bombing went back to slumming it in the suburbs.

My point, Bethany, is not to fret for Street Art, he will kick on, fashionable or not, simply because of the primal urge for people to write on walls. Like another cousin Political Graffiti, his existence does not depend upon fans to survive. In fact, all of the Graffiti family can be controversial and offensive and collectively unpopular. It’s ok, we’ve been here before and no doubt will be again. Personally, I’m happy that your interest in Street Art is under question, simply because I don’t think you are really that into him anyway.

I’m glad you did your first tag, you should keep that up. See how long writing a word maintains your attention. I’m guessing not very long.

Take care,

Bombing

Lice

App OD [version 1.0]