Happy 78th birthday Robert Moog

Google's amazing design team have turned it up for Robert Moog's 78th birthday! How much time did you 'waste' cranking up and recording your bedroom funk?

The Hole NYC presents FAFI book signing

In Los Angeles, you could find FAFI, the acclaimed French artist, at spots like Nucleus Gallery, Sixspace and La Brea art wall (remember her Tinkerbell piece?)

Next Wednesday May 23rd, FAFI returns to the US, but this time to New York City's "The Hole" on Bowery for her "Carmine Vaults" book signing. She will be joined by  apparel collaborators, Married To The Mob.

See below for a video discovered on Arrested Motion of FAFI ( I presume) narrating her book! Kinda saucy!

"Until now, Fafi (www.fafi.net) has been famous for her sexy, colorful, female characters : the Fafinettes. For her very first comic, she has developed a story based on another of her key characters : Birtak. One day, Birtak decides to become a ballerina dancer after a trip to Earth.This new extravaganza is not to please his fellow companions more used to hustle everyday in the Carmine Vault. This graphic novel tells how Birtak is going to attempt to live his dream and how dangerous it can be to become yourself. The hero takes you by the hand deep inside into the Fafinettes world -not so cute actually-You’ll meet such mean gals and no-limit behaviors, a hostile and gorgeous wilderness you’ll never want to go there." The Hole

Fafi: The Carmine Vault Book Signing & Reception
May 23, 2012 7-9pm
Cocktails courtesy of Belvedere Vodka

Contact rsvp@newyorkartdepartment.org
21 and over please

The Hole Shop

312 Bowery

New York, NY 10012

Graffiti by Google Maps (Cache, Los Angeles)

Cache graffiti, Melrose Ave/Heliotrope (credit: Google Maps)

As I was looking for an address online, I spotted that Google Maps had immortalized a mural by Cache outside 20 Bicycles, a store in this local neighborhood close to the I-101 S freeway entrance.

I've created "mash-ups" of my Bristol graffiti photos on Flickr and mapped them into a walking tour of part of the city. Imagine what you could do with Google Maps?!

With phone camera pictures (usually) automatically linked to GPS coordinates, there is a global library of pictures from graffiti art events and mural walls. They just need a place to single place to congregate and be published.

That would be an awesome project. I don't use the "awesome" phrase lightly... :)

Xpression Graffiti, 13-part TV series coming in Fall 2012

My YouTube channel picked up a new fan this week. Stevio is getting his one minute of fame in a new (French) Canadian graffiti documentary titled, "Xpression Graffiti," which airs in September, 2012 and will have web teasers later this month.

My video clip of Cornbread and Taki183 filmed at "Art in the Streets" (at the Museum of Contemporary Art) will be featured in Xpression Graffiti> It's an ambitious 13-part TV series with a web spin-off produced by Québec-based ECP Television Group for French Canada's educational and cultural broadcaster, TFO. Even if you don't speak French you can get the gist of things from the video preview below.



Just for you guys I've also done a translation of the website:

"Xpression Graffiti is a documentary series of 13 episodes that takes us into the unknown, and often despised world, of graffiti and street art. Artistic phenomenon or social evil, art or vandalism? Beginning in September 2012 broadcasting will be on TFO and ARTV.

Xpression Graffiti will also offer the ability to access short capsules simply giving a voice to the project via the website at Monday, May 21, 2012." Xpression Graffiti website.

 I hear that you will be able to catch it online outside of Canada, just keep an eye on Canadian TV channel TFO's website. And "Like" Xpression Graffiti at its Facebook page.

Sold Out...INSA "LA Papers"

It started with an email blast from INSA entitled, "MISSION TO LA," and ended with me collecting one of INSA's 12 customized paintings from the trunk (boot) of his Lincoln motor in downtown Los Angeles. Hustler style!

Here's what went down  INSA's goal was to paint a huge (over 4,000 sq. ft. correction from INSA: 9,300 sq. ft. surface) arts center building in downtown LA which was organized by Daniel Lahoda of LA Freewalls. Could this be the largest mural in Los Angeles?

Before and After @ the corner of 4th and Hewitt (credit: Stevio)

The challenge and plea for help from INSA was "to raise the basic costs of flights, car hire etc."  He added, "I want to fly and paint next week!"

"MISSION TO LA....

I have a new mission and i WANT your help!
I am a strong believer in keeping art free, or more precisely making money to re-invest in art and not just for profit. And i am always trying to involve those that follow my work (YOU GUYS) in new projects. Some good examples of this are the SWAPSHOP from last year and the recent 'SELF REFLECTION' installation, where all the work was given away.
So now i have a new experiment and it relies on 12 people getting behind it and supporting the mission!"

Mission Possible 

"Here is the mission: I want to see if I can raise all the funds for this trip and fly within the week- THIS WEEK!
I could of course just pay for the flights myself or coincide it with another trip out there- but then that would be no fun.
So here is how i hope to raise the funds:

• Spray-paint and ink on 350mgs paper.

And NOT ONLY that, perhaps more importantly the supporters will get:

• their names painted on the final LA wall as a thank you
• a photo of their name and a hand written thank you letter for their support.
• a goodie bag with t-shirt, postcards and stickers

Not bad huh?!?!" INSA email letter

INSA's car trunk stash of LA Paper paintings and t-shirts awaiting collection.

The Lucky 12  On Monday, April 23rd at 9am PST / 4pm GMT 12 lucky people got to buy one of INSA's LA Papers prints and a t-shirt online. In return, INSA got to raise the cash to travel knowing that his fans all want to pitch in and support something extraordinary. When I spoke with INSA about what he'd created literally overnight, even he was surprised: "I got messages from people who missed out, who still wanted to get involved and contribute something to my artwork projects."

Here are the pics from my visit to downtown LA on May 3rd, which was day two of INSA's painting. He was probably half way through when I left the hood and he had two more days of painting before heading home to the rain in London!

Update The final mural will feature a list of all the 12 sponsors, but rather than tags, INSA, LA Freewalls and the ARTshare organization wanted a more official "plaque." A digital vinyl stencil will add all the names to the wall. I'll try to post pics of the finished wall. That's just icing on the cake!

I'm a fan I've been a collector of INSA's work since around 2007 (when Fedex damaged my canvas somewhere between London and LA) so it was nice to catch up with him and add a new, historic piece to the collection. Thanks INSA!

Happy 54th birthday Keith Haring!

Google search bar on Keith Haring's birthday