Street Art as Culture
“There’s too much culture. How can you sift through of which all?”
– Dan Quinn of This kind of parish
of which statement begs the question of what ‘culture’ is actually along with because the word is actually the 24th most common on Merriam-Webster.com of which would certainly seem of which no-one is actually quite sure, although some academics have tried.
Manifestation of Culture at Different Levels of Depth
Taking a more simplistic view, I would certainly suggest of which there are two acceptable definitions.
Firstly, most folk have a deep-rooted desire to ‘belong’, to be seen as socially acceptable. They therefore subscribe to the characteristics of particular groups of people, defined by everything coming from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, the arts, to the buying of branded goods. This kind of group could be termed ‘culture vultures’.
Excluding hermits along with ascetics who deliberately opt out of societal pleasures, there is actually a group which I feel is actually of much greater interest because their cultural values lie outside the mainstream, apart coming from the herd. What they do is actually highly individualistic, is actually undertaken outside the boundaries of social mores along with going where few bold folk have been before. These folk are often labelled as eccentrics or, more likely, anti-social, although I prefer to call them pioneers.
They have something in common with another form of ‘culture’: organic growth which is actually found in a laboratory’s petri dish left overnight, such as penicillin, or on a mouldy loaf. The mainstream eventually discovers of which some seemingly anarchic activities have a political or entertainment value along with adopt them.
Morganico – London urban artist (along with my ex-stepson)
“Graffiti is actually one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. along with even if you don’t come up which has a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”
– Banksy, the anonymous street artist who today commands outrageous prices for his art.
I first became interested in street art inside the late sixties when on my way to work I passed a corner house in north London. On the wall which ran beside the garden was just one word painted neatly in metre-high letters.
of which was a pleasant word to greet the day.
Buttercup, a re-imagining
coming from the mouth-blown spray-painted cave paintings of some 40,000 years ago…
Cave paintings c. 40,000 BC
… to the many-pencilled Kilroy of World War II …
Kilroy was here
… along with to the spray cans of today, graffiti has been about leaving a personal mark.
In my loneliness
Some have used blank walls to take community action …
Recycle – Tangerang
… others to protest overtly…
Jakarta Protest
… or with satire
Man in bottom – East Timor early 2000
This kind of image is actually found inside the Dili suburb of Vila Verde. of which dates back to early 2000. More humorous than different images produced at of which time, This kind of picture serves as a metaphorical description of Indonesia’s occupation, with East Timor assuming the role of the squashed figure inside the bottom of the hulking yellow individual who could possibly be the Javanese wayang character Semar. (fr. Inside Indonesia)
Others make us blink along with look again…
… so keep your eyes along with mind open.
Indonesian Street Art links
– Inside Indonesia: http://www.insideindonesia.org/feature-editions/graphic-resistance/all-pages
– Tembok Bomber http://www.tembokbomber.com/ is actually a street art community website.
– Jakarta Street Art http://jakartastreetart.blogspot.com/, a short-lived blog.
– Guggenheim article http://blogs.guggenheim.org/map/street-art-in-indonesian-social-along with-political-life/ with comments
“An emphasis on change is actually consistent with Indonesian street art’s origins, although even after a period of reform, the scene continues to expand.”
– Art in Jakarta’s Streets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-pp1m7mp3k (video)
– Gallery of Indonesian Murals http://www.indonesiamural.com/en
– Indonesia Mural-art Design Gallery http://www.indonesiamural.com/en
Culture is actually something you don’t have to do.
– Eno
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Street Art as Culture
Street Art as Culture