Flash Mobs & Graffiti vs Vandalism

As I watched the News they started to talk about Flash Mobs as a group of young teenagers getting together in huge groups beating people up and mass robbings in stores and just flat out vandalism. I was happy that they made a short and brief comparison to what Flash Mobs are with groups of people doing Freezes and breaking out in dance and things towards the more peaceful end of it.

This got me thinking. Mostly about how I read a person’s comment on a news paper article in Portland Maine talking about a local Mosque getting slurs and other things spray painted all over it. The comment was something like “How is that vandalism when I will be fined if I don’t clean graffiti off my walls, why isn’t that vandalism?” (The rule of cleaning your building or getting fined in Portland ME is a big thing right now  -listen to the talk I taped on here http://actsofrandomart.blogspot.com/2011/04/talk-on-graffiti-in-portland-me.html.

These things got me thinking. Some of it is not the problem people have with it, but the education of the differences. It is also how vandalism is easily tied to public, street or gorilla art. I think that there needs to be some clarification of these and graffiti would be the hardest to fight with. That is because there is a true art to graffiti. Then there is the doing things on peoples property with out permission. To me though a true difference between vandalism and graffiti, is that vandalism is when people put insults, slurs, racial comments and the like along with taking a can of spray paint and doing it just to do damage. Graffiti, on the other had is more thought out, and never to do it just to do damage. It is done with the thought of making something look better to the writer -making it colorful and interesting. As much as people say graffiti is for other graffiti writers it’s also very public and for everyone. I’m sure that people would not be happy with those comparisons though. And some would say that there is no difference. 

For Flash Mobs, I put that on the media and city officials who are calling the mass violent, vandalism groups a Flash Mob. Because that is not what Flash Mobs are about - it’s another art form that is for the public and the reason for it is to make something interesting different happen in the everyday. This can be people breaking out in dance to music or to have lots of people all of a sudden stop in their tracks, or for some way for a large group of people to do one thing all at the same time. This sometimes weird’s people out, makes them laugh and just all around have a different experience in everyday life.

Now the other “Flash Mobs” the media and city officials are calling “Flash Mobs” is a problem for the people who are out trying to do artistic Flash Mobs. Violent groups need to be called the violent mob that they are - just like protests that break into fights are usually started by people that just want to start a mass fight. Let’s figure something different for the media to call them. Flash Mobs are for fun. Don’t take that away because others just want to cause problems.

Apologies and International Yarn Bombing Day!

Hello everyone, very sorry for the lack of posting any messages of late. At the same time, I would like to wish those of you who are Knitters and Crocheters Happy International Yarn Bombing Day!

Now that would be part of the reason why there has been a lack of writing. I have been busy taking part in preparing for today, then out late last night and getting pictures and video. So check out the Flickr group for Acts of Random Art and see what was hit in Freeport Maine by the Maine Street Stitchers! It was a fun night!

The other reason is because it has been extremely nice weather out here in Maine. We have been having a rough start to the spring and summer so I have been taking advantage mowing and spending time outdoors. I’ve also have been getting new photos of all kinds of public art. Again, namely right now, graffiti and today’s Yarn Bombing. With some crummy days ahead, I plan to sit and work on some writings.

Now, I hope everyone has been hard at work doing some form of art of their own. If so, please feel free to share with A.o.A.R. on facebook, twitter or flickr! And below is a link to the A.o.R.A. video made from IYBD. Enjoy!

Snail Mail Event! - Bring Back the Stamp! #1

First Acts of Random Art event! And it was more then just local but an international event on it’s first try! What a fun project. Postcards were sent off yesterday and I started getting postcards in return that day!

Now, I know that there are people that are all about sending snail mail as it is. But I was surprised how many people jumped on board and so impressed that I will be doing this a couple more times over the year. I will let you know as soon as I catch my breath. There is another event coming up on June 11th. Which is not an A.o.R.A. event but, A.o.R.A. is taking part in and really encourage others to do the same. This is International Yarn Bombing Day 2011. So look it up and join the fun! Keep your eyes open for random art and more events to come!

Next Snail Mail Event! - Bring Back the Stamp! will be announced shortly.


http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Yarn-Bombing-Day-June-11th-2011/104441312968198

Frustrating the Art World

Graffiti has been in and out of the main-stream art world to the fashion world to advertising. It’s everywhere now. You can’t not see it. In the smallest of towns you’ll find it, to the busiest and largest cities. I think, at times, that it frustrates the academic art world. They want to control it but they never will. It’s a form based on the street and will always be on the street. It will also, always now be in every other part of pop and academic world, never to be controlled.

And The Project Grows

This has been a fun project I started almost two months ago. Going and hunting down graffiti, stickers, and other random public art. I will admit I have been lacking on some of the more traditional public sculptures, but I’m working on getting those into my pictures. I do personally find old painted add-on brick, graffiti and more untraditional work to be more fun to hunt about. 

It’s also been fun working on some of my own works to leave behind. I’m not just taking part as an observer but also as a participant. Personally, my methods are sculptural and more along the lines of non-damaging works. I got making little men with camera heads out of clay. Down the road I plan to grow them in size and number. It is the three dimensional version of my logo.

The other thing is Yarn Bombing. It is something I had heard of over time. I know someone here in my town that had started doing it last year. Now I’m hooked on doing that too. It’s a lot of fun. It is a form that doesn’t actually damage anything. If someone does not like it, well they can cut it off and toss it. Or if it is something people do like they may cut it and take it home. That is something I enjoy with public art. It takes on a life of its own. For example I put a small camera man in a place in Portland ME, then someone added another little clay critter. That is something that could easily happen with Yarn Bombing. People adding things to things people already put up and so on. 

It has been a lot of fun watching this project grow. And A.o.R.A. has now become one of the two founders of the Yarn Bombing group Maine Street Stitchers (MESS). This project has been a fast growing one and pretty surprising. Now, I’m curious to see where it will go in the next few months? Projects and events are to come. Keep your eyes open and follow on facebook and twitter to know what kind of things are going on. Some will be local to A.o.R.A. Freeport ME, and others will be global like the first Snail Mail Event - Bring Back the Stamp!

Keep your eyes open and let’s all make this the summer of art and fun!

Follow up thoughts on allowing graffiti

One person says, “Okay, you can do graffiti on the walls of my building”. But what happens when that is allowed? It’s usually a neighbor who doesn’t like it. That is something that needs to be addressed. One person the property owner is good with it, and says “I like graffiti, please use this wall, and if it is good I will respect it.” Then what happens is the person next door, who may or may not directly see the wall says, “I do not like graffiti. This is not art to me, therefore I do not think you should be allowed to have it on your wall. It bothers my sensitivities.” This is where I think there is a problem. Now I don’t think that that is only a graffiti problem. That is a public art problem across the board. I’m sure that not everyone has liked statues that have been built, monuments have been fought over time and time again - the Vietnam Wall is one of the best known modern examples of that. Look at all the arguing going on about what and what should not happen at the World Trade Center’s location. So don’t always think that graffiti is hated by the property owner directly. Sometimes it’s the person who lives down the street and might not see it all but the idea that it is there, that is what bothers them.

http://actsofrandomart.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-can-happen-when-graffiti-is.html

Art School, I’d expect more Public Art

When I was in college, at a Liberal Art School with an art department, we learned about and were assigned public art projects. What surprise me with now with Maine College of Art in the center of Portland and and USM just down the road, along with a community college just over the bridge, is the lack of random art popping up. 

There has been an increase according to some about graffiti, I’m sure there is some truth to that, but I also  think it has to deal with people connecting to it because they have run out of things to complain about. It may be part of the cycle where it is a city problem about every 10 years or so. 

But where are the Random Art projects by students? I know when I was at college, we took part in public art. Granted the way our campus was spread out we did more directly on campus. We put up signs for an assignment and rather then making flier size posters I made little drawing scanned it, made a sheet of it, photocopied them, cut them out and taped them all over the place. I made a tail end of a missile and left it on campus.  I put up miniature street signs which I played with words changing “Stop” to “Flop” and more. A friend and I painted bed sheets and put them up. I did mine where an old score board was and only the support rods where still there. We went out to two old unused billboards and draped his over them.

So where is any of that in Maine, Portland of all places? I do sometimes think that there are too many people forgetting about the fun part of art. As I was writing this list I will say “Yarn Bombing”, more flash mobs, sculptures just appearing. Where is that from the students? Better yet where is that from the Maine Art community? 

I’ll admit I haven’t been doing the best on my end and it’s time to pick up on that. At the same time I have been starting to leave little men with camera heads randomly about. They are a little harder to find, because they are only a couple inches tall. Sometimes small is the most fun, it’s a little harder for people to find. I would like to see this kind of thing showing up more. There is way too much seriousness going on in this world right now and we need more then one Royal Wedding for a day to cheer us up. So go out leave a surprise for people to find and make them smile. It was the summer of love in 1967. Let’s call the summer of 2011 the Art Attack!