S.F.: 'Graffiti Huddle' to discuss tagging woes

from the SF Chronicle's "City Watch"

Jonathan Curiel

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Brand Che: Revolutionary as Marketer’s Dream

Che Lives!

Not just in the hearts of revolutionaries, Marxist insurgents and rebellious teenagers, but on T-shirts, watches, sneakers, key chains, cigarette lighters, coffee mugs, wallets, backpacks, mouse pads, beach towels and condoms. He’s not only been used by politicians like the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, to promote their own agendas, but he’s also been employed by merchants to sell air fresheners in Peru, snowboards in Switzerland and wine in Italy.

The supermodel Gisele Bündchen pranced down a runway in a Che bikini. A men’s wear company brought out a Che action figure, complete with fatigues, a beret, a gun and a cigar. And an Australian company produced a “cherry Guevara” ice cream line, describing the eating experience like this: “The revolutionary struggle of the cherries was squashed as they were trapped between two layers of chocolate. May their memory live on in your mouth!”

I'm catching this conversation late; the initial discussion about fair use began in December 2007. Where the hell was I? Well, Fairey had yet to make any ripples with the Obama HOPE piece, so I had no reason to throw this into the Legal Dept. Now that Fairey and AP are battling out the legalities of "fair use" (I use quotations because codifying things can always be a bit sticky), Phantom Street Artist has also thrown his hat in the ring on this, bringing another angle to the onging narrative of re-use, street art, advertising, capitalism, etc.

I admit that I miss things here and there. I'm not online enough!

I'm trying to keep my opinions to myself. Blame it on my journalistic integrity. I can say a few things: I'm glad that people are bringing up these issues, though Fairey has been re-using images and icons for years. I've never compared and contrasted the original radical/political art side-by-side with Fairey's work until now, and am a bit disappointed at how uncreative he comes off. And, like you all don't know this: Fairey is an A Number One Hustler. So much so that OBEY is now a booming brand and he's one of the most famous street artists in the world. I heard that he makes people pay to sign the Obama HOPE posters. ka-ching!

OK, enough of my opinions. How about some thoughts from other folks*:

Mark Vallen wrote this in Dec. 2007, before things REALLY blew up for Fairey. Lincoln Cushing, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez helped him.

Josh MacPhee commented further after Vallen's post over on Just Seeds

Here's a re-telling of Phantom Street Artists's beef(s) with Fairey in March 2009

*I also encourage you to read all the comments at the bottom of these posts. Someone in France wrote about it, and other artists had things to add to this ongoing conversation.

Janet Bike Girl
Open Studio Show and Sale

Friday April 24 2009
Sat April 25 2009

Friday May 1 2009
Sat May 2 2009

noon until 6 pm

Bicycle Stencil Art, Bicycle T-Shirts for the whole family, and Bicycle Buttons !

Janet Bike Girl
401 Richmond St West,
Studio S-26, basement, follow the bicycle stencils
Toronto, Canada

Greets one and all. In Davis, CA today, along with thousands of revelers. No, they aren't here for the Stencil Nation presentation (steep competition last night but Sacramento will be better tomorrow). They're here for the 96th Annual Picnic.... which looks like a college party all over the place!

Tasty jpg treats for you all today, from across the globe (mostly California):

Stencilada pics (showing the process of making my two panels)

Stencil Nation (thanks Janet Bike Girl for a Pages window display)

In SF

• Haight and Divis
• The Mission
• Valencia St
• Clarion Alley
• SoMa
• an SF Protest pic

SF Artists

• Above (thanks to Wooster Coll)
• Tara Villian (NEW)
• Eclair
• Romanowski

Other Artist Updates/New

• Larry Cyr
• Banksy (thanks Chris)
• Leckomio (more great monuments)
• puma34 from Croatia (NEW)
• Tiago

Other Locations

• Arcata, CA
• Oakland/Berkeley, CA
• Los Angeles, CA (thanks Submit)
• Asheville, NC (thanks Rachel)
• Virginia
• UK (thanks again Chris) 

PLATFORM magazine presents an exhibition of STF. Selftaught, found of rock’n'roll culture, cutting and color, STF will give his distorted perception of a universe shifted with a work based on the recovery and the recovery of images, posters and materials. STF is an artist worth discovering for his unique style and his use of types, and this is even the opportunity to meet him at the opening because the guy lives in Marseille therefore passing through Paris.
You will soon see more about on SHX with pictures from the show and an exclusive interview of STF

Opening on April 17 with acoustic concerts Droue & the Candy Kid and Maria Anything followed by a DJ set by William Geslin
La Bellevilloise
19-21 rue Boyer 75020
from 17th April to 03rd May 2009.

Link to May Class (Classes also available in June and July).... for a fee.