Friend or Foe?
I pass by certain areas and I see what is (to me anyhow) the obvious destruction that someone has done to a person’s property. Then, I walk down the street and see something that has been scrawled on the street that brings a smile to my face or makes me think. To someone else, both images mean the same thing. For me, one is art, the other vandalism. Where do you draw the line? Quite often, you can’t. In fact, I think it can be both. Whose to say. For me, I like simple, yet expressive art. The type that evokes a response without it being hateful. It might not be appropriate for all ages, but we don’t live in a “G” rated world.
Having gone to school in Rome, Italy for some time, I saw my fair share of art. From the traditional stuff in heavily guarded museums to the elaborate chalk drawings done on the streets. I also remember seeing a number of propaganda posters hung in alley ways. As Italy’s government changed so often, there was no shortage of ideology art all around. Some of it a diatribe of word text, others, elaborately designed with graphics to draw the viewer in.
Unlike the stuff that sits in musuems or hangs on people’s walls, urban art has a limited time span. It is not usually meant, nor, can it withstand being outdoors. It gets removed by humans or nature. The people that create it are many times breaking the law in order to express themselves — either with words or graphics. I helped start Righteous Outlaws because I wanted a way to share this artwork that was made available “for a limited time only” with others. Like many of the Pop artists from the 60’s and 70’s who incorporated commercial imagery into their work, I look to this art that can be found in public view. Unlike the Cambell Soup can that Andy Warhol used, more often then not, the artists behind urban art aren’t known. Their creations are anonymous and meant to remain that way. When possible and feasible, we look to compensate artists for sharing their creations with us. They were the outlaws, and I believe righteous ones should be rewarded for their expression and contributions.
