(Berlin) Wall Project - Berlin to Los Angeles

Berlin/L.A. Wall, 2009 (credit: Wende Museum)

The Berlin Wall fell in November 9th, 1989. Twenty years later, on November 8th, 2009 a section was permanently resurrected on Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles by Los Angeles' Wende Museum. Watch the documentary below to hear from Germans what happened in their country.

Fast forward to to 2012  Driving along Wilshire near LACMA and it's easy to forget that the Wall installation is the largest piece of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany. These 10 sections of the Wall are nearly 40-foot long, but are easily blocked by food trucks lined up opposite the LACMA.

During a visit to the LACMA "Through the Mic series," I had a chance to walk around the Wall. On the street side, you see sections of wall painted by different artists. None of them instantly recognizable to me.
On the opposite side, the Wall reveals three other artists. All of whom are world-renowned street artists: Herakut (Germany), Retna (Los Angeles) and DFace (London.) And overshadowing the Wall is a glass-fronted building with a new installation from Retna. To see it at night, glowing from the lights, is memerizing.

Wall Project and Retna building, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

The Wende Museum
Open to the public Monday - Thursday by appointment only from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. (except on holidays). To schedule an appointment, call 310-216-1600 x305 or e-mail ccuevaswolf@wendemuseum.org.

The Museum is open without appointment on Fridays from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and a tour of the Museum’s vault is offered every Friday at 3 P.M. Admission is free.

Group Visits
For visits by groups of ten or larger please call to arrange an appointment: 310-216-1600 x305

5741 Buckingham Parkway, Suite E
Culver City, CA. 90230

Complex magazine names the 50 greatest street artists

Complex is braver than I am by publishing its list of Top 50 street artists. Ok, it was actually drawn up by Vandalog's young Editor in Chief, R.J. Rushmore.

What will happen? For sure some folks named will let it go to their heads. Others will continue with their work undistracted.  Let's hope those that needed recognition got it.

Complex's Top 50 street artists

For me, it was good to learn the names of some new artists. Enjoy the list here.

Bristol does it again - "Best Kept Secret" graffiti summer jam

This Saturday in South Bristol's Bedminster area is a community art space turned graffiti hotspot.

This summer jam won't be a worldwide affair like last month's Speak No Evil, but the lesser known "College Project" will be hosting some of Bristol's best graffiti talent for one day only event...see the list on the flyer below. (Thanks to Peoples' Republic of Stokes Croft for the heads up!)

See a sampler of graffiti from Soker, Cheo and Mr. Jago...

Soker  Cheo (credit: Graffiticity.co.uk)

Cheo (credit: Graffiticity.co.uk)

Mr. Jago collaboration (credit: Fatcap) 

"The College Project is an independent project of ArtSpace LifeSpace, which is an artist led initiative that recycles vacant, under-used and problem properties into thriving active creative resources.  

The project is maintained by volunteers and everyone else who has signed up for the project in any form. A group of permanent site managers help co-ordinate the different areas of this vast 6 acre site together with a large group of dedicated people.  

The College Project is home to a huge variety of artists, illustrators, puppeteers, set-designers, graffiti gods, creative blacksmiths, bicycle conjurers, musicians, painters, theatre performers and community interest companies."

Best Kept Secret

Saturday 8th Sept. 2012

9am-9pm BST.

The College Project information is here.

A map can be found here.

adidas Originals x KZK x Footpatrol

Tomorrow, the U.K. launches the latest revival in adidas Originals, the KZK x Footpatrol x Campus. This collaboration has taken this 80's suede ball-front low-top sneaker that paired so well with fat laces and amped it up.

My grey ones I picked up from New York in 1988 might be the real original, but the yellowing rubber sole and modest greyness doesn't stand up to this week's release.

The newness of crisp white rubber is contrasted with a solid black upper. Or, for the the more flamboyant b-boy, there's mustard yellow or aqua blue. Add some faux snakeskin heel action and a ribbon heel-tab. Bob's your uncle! No word of pricing at this time.

Check out more Campus love at Crooked Tongues. And remember..."We are all Originals!"

KCET brings legit graffiti art to your TV screens

L.A. Free Walls (credit: KCET)

Later today is the second chance to see Niche.LA's graffiti documentary following "Art Battle LA." Tune into KCET at 1.30pm today (or on Weds 5th Sept. at 12am midnight) if you are in the Southern/Central California region.

The Los Angeles vs. London graffiti face-off took place in May 2012 and is brought to the TV screen by KCET’s "Open Call" TV arts and culture series. Read more about the battle in my earlier posts here and here.





The BritWeek sponsored competition is the subject of Eric Heights' documentary as he follows two of Los Angeles' graffiti pioneers, Mear One and Man One, during a week together painting murals all over the city. They are joined by Inkie and Eine, household names from England. The tour was organized by LA Freewalls to support Hollywood Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to helping emancipated foster children living in the streets by teaching them employable arts skills.

“I wanted this documentary to reflect the new generation of artists emerging through graffiti art culture with a compassionate narrative structure that brings exclusive discussions on modern street art to a new audience.” Eric Heights, director.

Art Battle LA premiered on August 30th, 2012 on KCET, but will be repeated Sept. 3rd at 1:30PM and Sept. 5th at 12AM PST.

Over-The Air 28.1
Charter 309
Time Warner 412
DirecTV 28
Dish Network 28
AT&T U-verse 1028

America's poppin' and lockin' talent 2012

America's Got Talent 2012 on NBC tonight was jam packed with hip hop dance moves.

Scott Brothers from Las Vegas broke out with their poppin' and lockin' moves packed up in a mannequin electro showroom scene. It was creative and tight, but the Howie, Sharon and Howard were haters. Seen it, done it.

But, the next popper, Turf, got a standing ovation from Howie "you, to me, are the best dancer in this competiton!"