Daily Art Fixx

visual arts blog, painting, drawing, sculpture, illustration and more!

Dante Horoiwa: Brazilian Street Art

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In the world of street art, Brazilian artists are getting a lot of attention these days and I can see why. Brazil has a vibrant street art scene and it is widely accepted by the public.  The quality of the art has changed the view on “graffiti” and it is no longer seen as vandalism, but as a genuine form of contemporary art.

Dante Horoiwa is a 21 year old artist from Sao Paulo who began his career as a commercial illustrator at the age of fifteen. Sao Paulo is considered the centre of street art in Brazil, particularly murals, so it was no surprise when Horoiwa became involved in street art using the name “Musta”.

Horoiwa’s influences include Brazilian culture, philosophy, history and the art of his Japanese heritage.  He is an avid reader of the poetry of Paulo Leminski’s Zen teachings and the Samurai philosophy. This has had a major influence on his work and life.  The subject of loneliness is a predominant theme in Horoiwa’s work which can be seen in the detail and emotion conveyed in all of his paintings.

This summer, Horoiwa is participating in R.U.A – Reflexo on Urban Art – Lines, Colours and Forms of Brazilian Urban Art – a street art exhibition taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The event is sponsored by Caramundo, a non-profit organization that supports local, grass-roots initiatives and projects of young talented people in Latin America.

For more information about Dante Horoiwa, visit his online art journal at Horoiwa.com.

Sources: RUA Festival, No Comply, Horoiwa.com

Paper Girl Art Project: Berlin 2009

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Papergirl Berlin Papergirl Berlin Papergirl Berlin

Recently, I came across the Papergirl Art Project, a unique idea that, in the style of American paper boys/girls, rolled art pieces are randomly distributed by bicycle to unsuspecting recipients in the streets of Berlin.

The initial concept began in 2005, after the city of Berlin began tightening laws and fines on anyone pasting posters in public spaces, equating the act with graffiti. Aisha Ronniger, then a first year art student, brainstormed with her fellow students about new ways to bring art into urban spaces without breaking any laws. The idea of passing out art in the streets by bicycle was suggested and the Papergirl Project was born.

Now in its fourth year, the Project consists of a two week exhibition followed by the “aktion” (distribution of the rolls of artwork). Anyone can participate in the event by submitting their artwork or by helping with the distribution. Each roll contains 10-15 different works in different genres and formats.

Papergirl is non-commercial so the art rolls cannot be sold or subscribed to.  The distribution is a spontaneous act and chance plays a big part in who receives the artwork. The Papergirl motto is: “Anyone who picks up a roll is lucky, and money can’t buy luck. Such as giving something is most fun when you don’t expect anything in return!”

The Papergirl Art Project has gained international attention and branch projects have been started in Albany, NY, Northampton, MA, and California.

For more information on how you can get involved, and to view past events, visit the Papergirl Berlin website.


Joshua Allen Harris: Inflatable Art

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New York based artist,  Joshua Allen Harris harnesses subway exhaust to make his inflatable creatures come to life. Harris tapes his creations to sidewalk grates and vents and the air expelled by passing subway trains animates his animals.

In 2008, Harris, who is a fine arts student at the School of Visual Arts in New York, worked with  the Environmental Defense Fund to create a commercial that promotes the  use of public transportation to fight global warming. You can view the commercials at Fight Global Warming.com.

Paul Curtis: Reverse Graffiti

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Reverse Graffiti Project Reverse Graffiti - Smirnoff Ad Reverse Graffiti - Ad for Crisis (charity)

For the many who think that street art is vandalism, plain and simple – consider reverse graffiti.

Reverse graffiti (aka clean tagging, dust tagging, grime writing), is a method of creating art in public spaces by removing the dirt from its surface. Early forms of reverse graffiti include writing and pictures drawn on the dirty windows of cars and shops.  In the last several years, a more advanced method has emerged where art is created by cleaning dirty surfaces with stencils, detergent, and a high powered pressure washer.

Reverse graffiti does not make use of paint or ink so it is difficult to call it vandalism.  In fact, in many areas, it is considered legal and is known as “streetbranding”. Streetbranding has been used by corporations such as Smirnoff, Microsoft, and others in their advertising campaigns.

UK artist, Paul Curtis (aka Moose), is a pioneer of reverse graffiti and has been working for the last ten years to perfect his craft.  In 2008, Curtis teamed up with Green Works to make San Francisco’s Broadway tunnel a little more beautiful (see the video below).

At times, Curtis has been in the press for being a vandal but no one has ever been able to make a case against him because as he says, “No one owns the dirt.”

For more information about Paul Curtis, visit the Reverse Graffiti Project online.  For more information on reverse graffiti, visit the Environmental Graffiti website.

Sources: Reverse Graffiti Project, Wikipedia

Street Art 101: Banksy

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Banksy - Let Them Eat Crack

Banksy - Let Them Eat Crack

I have to admit, I don’t know much about street art except to utter “cool” as I walk by a work that I like. I’ve recently discovered however, that street art, (aka graffiti, sticker art, guerilla art, street installation, etc), is a sophisticated sub-culture that warrants taking a closer look.

The term “Street Art” refers to any art developed in public spaces and usually refers to unsanctioned art.  A large amount of street art is activist and subversive but one common thread is that it allows artists, to reach a much broader audience than traditional art venues usually permit.

Many street artists have become internationally known, and their art is highly sought after by collectors who are willing to pay large sums of money to acquire their works. One of the most famous of these is the artist known as “Banksy”.  Banksy, like many street artists, has managed to keep his identity a mystery. Some information about the artist however, is widely accepted: he was born in 1974 in Bristol, UK, and got involved in street art in the early 90s, and by 2003, had gained widespread notoriety.  Over the years, many people have come forward claiming to know Banksy’s identity, but none have ever been verified.

His paintings, stencils, sculptures, and other art pieces have appeared in cities around the world and are often humorous and satirical, tackling political, cultural, and ethical issues of the day.  Banksy also likes to make social commentaries in the form of practical jokes.  He once replaced hundreds of Paris Hilton CDs with his own and has sneaked his own artwork into major museums.

Banksy’s work is heralded by some and scorned by others.  Some see the work of a great artist who has found a way to present his art (and opinions) to the largest number of people possible by using the street as his canvas.  Others see street artists as criminals, vandals, nuisances that the taxpayer has to clean up after. I am personally moved and impressed by Banksy’s work, but that’s just me.  Judge for yourself by visiting Banksy.co.uk, or by reading the fantastic eight part Banksy series on Weburbanist.com.

Banksy - Maid

Banksy - Maid

Sources: Banksy, Weburbanist.com, Wikipedia, Wikepedia – Street Art