I'm one of the artists featured in this exhibition. I collaborated on some large vinyl murals a few years ago with famed artists Xu Bing, Chaz Bojorquez, and others. Now they are going to finally exhibit them. I'll try to dig up some pics of the murals to post up a sneak peak. If you get the chance, definitely check out the show.
Here's the info:
Calligraffiti: Writing in Contemporary Chinese and Latino Art
Sept. 17, 2009 – Jan. 17, 2010
In the Changing Exhibition Galleries
Guest Curator: Collette Chattopadhyay
Calligraffiti: Writing in Contemporary Chinese and Latino Art addresses issues of power, culture, and universality. The process of writing in art is a central theme, permitting the exploration of correlations between the elevated form, calligraphy, and its historically devalued twin, graffiti. Suggesting that these visual practices mirror each other, the exhibition presents works that critique or parody social and artistic frames of reference.
Premised on the idea that art is a game that mirrors the realities of life, the works in this exhibition suggest that through “calligraffiti” (calligraphy + graffiti), knowledge can be constructed that simultaneously embraces the elevated and debased, intention and chance, reality and myth. Layering languages, histories, and philosophies, the works collectively trace evolving paradigms of artistic thought and practice to enhance greater respect and understanding of social and cultural multiplicity and difference.
Artists featured in the exhibition include: Chaz Bojorquez, Vince Cavallo, Cre8, Desi W.O.M.E., Duce, Fung Ming Chip, Gronk, Gu Wenda, Julianna Hernandez, Keo, Leo Limon, Man One, Minette Lee Mangahas, Sano, Scud, John Valadez, Vyal, Xu Bing, Zhang Dali, Zheng Chongbin, and Zender.
Sponsored by Pasadena Art Council, and Rene Balcer and Carolyn Hsu.
www.pacificasiamuseum.org
www.ManOne.com
*
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
OUR LIVE ART BAND: UNIFICATION THEORY ON INDIGO PLANET
PLANET PROGRESS - Vibin' to Unity: Unification Theory from iNDIGO PROjECT on Vimeo.
Get the full story here..
www.Indigo-Planet.com
Thanks to Leyna and the crew!
*
Monday, August 24, 2009
INJUNCTION ON TAGGERS...A HORRIBLE IDEA
This story came out on the LA Times yesterday and has really bothered me.
The LA city attorney has come up with a plan to have injunctions on taggers much like they are doing on gangs in certain areas of LA.
This is so against our rights as citizens of this country, I can't believe this guy is serious! Stopping vandalism and enforcing laws is one thing, but not to be able to gather with others who "might be" considered taggers and can lead to arrest? We might as well be in Nazi Germany.
Here's the LA Times story..
'Tagging' or just hanging out -- busted either way?
By Scott Gold
As a result of the story I was asked to talk on a radio show today to discuss this issue, here's the link:
Bagging Tagging--Gone Too Far?
Unfortunately, I didnt get enough airtime to really cover all the points that make this idea so wrong but here are a few:
1.Racial Profiling:
-who will distinguish what a tagger looks like?
-can he (or she) be white and from the West Side? Or only low income, minority areas will be targeted?
2.Innocent Until Proven Guilty:
-here you are guilty by association, they don't even have to catch you in the act of doing graffiti, just talking about it is enough. Can you say "thought police"?
-what if you are photographing graffiti? Are you guilty as well?
3.Won't Work As a Deterrent:
-in Brazil police shoot to kill at graffiti taggers, tagging hasnt stopped.
-harsh punishment already exists for graffiti in LA (its a felony) we don't need more.
4.Further Criminalization of Our Youth:
-so we will begin to throw more kids in the system for non-violent offenses and further burden our already broken system of jails and services?
I can go on and on..but please take the time to let your voice be heard and let the city attorney's office know that we won't stand for this kind of short minded way of thinking.
Carmen Trutanich,
City Attorney
* Office of the City Attorney
City Hall East
200 N. Main Street, Room 800
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-978-8100
Fax: 213-978-8312
*In this economy we need more jobs not jails!
(Where have I heard that before?)
*"NO" to punitive ways of dealing with social issues:
immigration, graffiti, etc..
Enough is Enough!
*
The LA city attorney has come up with a plan to have injunctions on taggers much like they are doing on gangs in certain areas of LA.
This is so against our rights as citizens of this country, I can't believe this guy is serious! Stopping vandalism and enforcing laws is one thing, but not to be able to gather with others who "might be" considered taggers and can lead to arrest? We might as well be in Nazi Germany.
Here's the LA Times story..
'Tagging' or just hanging out -- busted either way?
By Scott Gold
As a result of the story I was asked to talk on a radio show today to discuss this issue, here's the link:
Bagging Tagging--Gone Too Far?
Unfortunately, I didnt get enough airtime to really cover all the points that make this idea so wrong but here are a few:
1.Racial Profiling:
-who will distinguish what a tagger looks like?
-can he (or she) be white and from the West Side? Or only low income, minority areas will be targeted?
2.Innocent Until Proven Guilty:
-here you are guilty by association, they don't even have to catch you in the act of doing graffiti, just talking about it is enough. Can you say "thought police"?
-what if you are photographing graffiti? Are you guilty as well?
3.Won't Work As a Deterrent:
-in Brazil police shoot to kill at graffiti taggers, tagging hasnt stopped.
-harsh punishment already exists for graffiti in LA (its a felony) we don't need more.
4.Further Criminalization of Our Youth:
-so we will begin to throw more kids in the system for non-violent offenses and further burden our already broken system of jails and services?
I can go on and on..but please take the time to let your voice be heard and let the city attorney's office know that we won't stand for this kind of short minded way of thinking.
Carmen Trutanich,
City Attorney
* Office of the City Attorney
City Hall East
200 N. Main Street, Room 800
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-978-8100
Fax: 213-978-8312
*In this economy we need more jobs not jails!
(Where have I heard that before?)
*"NO" to punitive ways of dealing with social issues:
immigration, graffiti, etc..
Enough is Enough!
*
NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS POLICY
A Comprehensive Neighborhood Arts Policy for the City of Los Angeles
(DRAFT 5.12.09)
Introduction
The City of Los Angeles is a global leader in art, creativity, and entertainment. The arts community contributes billions of dollars a year to the local economy—this includes computer graphics, public art, architecture, the fashion industry, advertising, art exhibits, recordings, in film, radio, TV, and more. According to the “Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region” (2008, Otis College of Art and Design/LA County Economic Development Corporation), the Creative Economy generates $3.8 billion in state tax revenues, employs a million people in LA and Orange counties, and accounts for $100 billion in sales/receipts in LA county.
Much of this is concentrated in Hollywood, downtown, at theme parks, and the ocean front. We need these, of course, especially as catalysts for tourists' dollars. However, over the past years the city has lost resources, cultural spaces, independent bookstores, and murals in its extremely diverse and far-flung neighborhoods. There are now whole communities without bookstores, art galleries or movie houses.
We have to expand our imagination about the arts and how it can cultivate, renew, and regenerate our economically and culturally strapped communities. We are committed to the reality that the arts are the most powerful means to revitalize the economy in hard times. And the arts are the best way to keep communities and local businesses viable for the long haul. This Neighborhood Arts Policy is focused on safeguarding, sustaining and expanding all the arts in every Los Angeles community by action of the Los Angeles City Council, in conjunction with city departments such as the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Community Redevelopment Agency, and biding on all city administrators.
Initiatives
1. The generating, sustaining and restoring of public art projects, including murals.
1.
• Ideas include having one percent of billboard space be given to public artists, including one percent of the 600-800 digital billboards.
2.
• Percentage of tourist dollars can help restore historical murals and to generate new projects, including approval of new wall space and public art spots.
3.
• Consider new public art projects, including digital arts models, to capture the generations of technology-trained young people.
2. The incorporation, training, and support for new and current graffiti art projects
1.
• As a means to keep unwanted tagging and marring of private property while providing the skills and opportunities for young artists to create new works that beautify and enhance communities.
2.
• Before any young person is arrested or punished for marring property, they must be given opportunities to train and turn their art into positive contributions to community.
3. The safeguarding and maintenance of cultural spaces.
1.
• These include independent bookstores, art galleries, cultural spaces, cultural cafes, Open Mics, and cooperative and nonprofit performance spaces from the vagaries of the commercial real estate market.
2.
• Support through combinations of rent subsidies, grants, tax write-offs, city property, and development funds.
3.
• Utilize any federal, state, county, and city funds designed to stimulate or recover the economy.
4. Maintaining the local flavor of community.
1.
• By assisting, training, and providing start up funds for new culturally-driven and culturally-focused establishments in neighborhoods.
2.
• This includes efforts to provide literacy, computers, arts education, studio space, music studios, exhibit space, and performance space/theaters for non-profits cultural organizations as well as storefront arts-focused businesses.
5. Ongoing arts programming for youth.
1.
• Such as the recently enacted mentor-to-artist “Summer Lights” program, in all neighborhoods, including public art projects, mural restoration, skate and art parks, literacy and performance arts festivals, arts block parties, community stages, music concerts, and arts workshops/education.
2.
• This should involve at-risk youth, gang members, probation youth, and troubled students working with existing institutions in healing/restorative initiatives. This should not be seen as a privilege for a few, but a right for the many.
6. Local directory of neighborhood arts establishments and programming.
1.
• Open Mic nights, spoken word/performance venues, theaters, cultural cafes, independent bookstores, public art projects, and more for tourists and Angelenos in collaboration with the Visitors Bureau.
2.
• Include once excluded South Central, East LA and San Fernando Valley areas in official tourist maps, guides, websites, and presentations.
7. Support of independent broadcast, Internet, and print ventures – and a green environment.
1.
• To find support, resources, outreach, and sustainability through training, funding, and spaces.
2.
• This includes new digital technologies as they expand and develop. This should also include means to keep green policies intact and to connect the arts to natural and healthy green concepts and actions.
8. Local Arts Policy Collaborations.
1.
• The process and aim of any neighborhood arts policy should be collaborations between parents, children, youth, mentors, schools, colleges, universities, faith-based organizations, art institutions, city/county/state governments, businesses, parks, foundations, venues, and non-profits.
Final Thought
The arts have consistently proven to be the most effective means to lift the most desolate areas and to bring together fractured communities. Economically the arts gathers creative energy and allows for new visions, new ideas and expanded imaginations to stabilize neighborhoods and extend economic potentials. Through the visual arts, dance, theater, media, writing, and music, whole communities, in particular youth, connect to the inexhaustible possibilities that exist in their immense capacity to be creative. The arts are vital to having an imaginative life, especially for those caught in the grips of violence. It is the main source of abundance and transformation in a person. By tapping into the arts, one taps into purpose, meaning, and gifts—into callings. The arts help people live fully realizable lives—therefore, the arts must be wholly and adequately integrated into the educational system and any prevention, intervention, and re-entry projects. The City of Los Angeles must be a pioneer in establishing real and widespread neighborhood arts initiatives. To have an economically, socially and culturally sound and healthy environment, the arts have to be at the heart of this.
More info:
Neighborhood Arts Policy
(DRAFT 5.12.09)
Introduction
The City of Los Angeles is a global leader in art, creativity, and entertainment. The arts community contributes billions of dollars a year to the local economy—this includes computer graphics, public art, architecture, the fashion industry, advertising, art exhibits, recordings, in film, radio, TV, and more. According to the “Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region” (2008, Otis College of Art and Design/LA County Economic Development Corporation), the Creative Economy generates $3.8 billion in state tax revenues, employs a million people in LA and Orange counties, and accounts for $100 billion in sales/receipts in LA county.
Much of this is concentrated in Hollywood, downtown, at theme parks, and the ocean front. We need these, of course, especially as catalysts for tourists' dollars. However, over the past years the city has lost resources, cultural spaces, independent bookstores, and murals in its extremely diverse and far-flung neighborhoods. There are now whole communities without bookstores, art galleries or movie houses.
We have to expand our imagination about the arts and how it can cultivate, renew, and regenerate our economically and culturally strapped communities. We are committed to the reality that the arts are the most powerful means to revitalize the economy in hard times. And the arts are the best way to keep communities and local businesses viable for the long haul. This Neighborhood Arts Policy is focused on safeguarding, sustaining and expanding all the arts in every Los Angeles community by action of the Los Angeles City Council, in conjunction with city departments such as the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Community Redevelopment Agency, and biding on all city administrators.
Initiatives
1. The generating, sustaining and restoring of public art projects, including murals.
1.
• Ideas include having one percent of billboard space be given to public artists, including one percent of the 600-800 digital billboards.
2.
• Percentage of tourist dollars can help restore historical murals and to generate new projects, including approval of new wall space and public art spots.
3.
• Consider new public art projects, including digital arts models, to capture the generations of technology-trained young people.
2. The incorporation, training, and support for new and current graffiti art projects
1.
• As a means to keep unwanted tagging and marring of private property while providing the skills and opportunities for young artists to create new works that beautify and enhance communities.
2.
• Before any young person is arrested or punished for marring property, they must be given opportunities to train and turn their art into positive contributions to community.
3. The safeguarding and maintenance of cultural spaces.
1.
• These include independent bookstores, art galleries, cultural spaces, cultural cafes, Open Mics, and cooperative and nonprofit performance spaces from the vagaries of the commercial real estate market.
2.
• Support through combinations of rent subsidies, grants, tax write-offs, city property, and development funds.
3.
• Utilize any federal, state, county, and city funds designed to stimulate or recover the economy.
4. Maintaining the local flavor of community.
1.
• By assisting, training, and providing start up funds for new culturally-driven and culturally-focused establishments in neighborhoods.
2.
• This includes efforts to provide literacy, computers, arts education, studio space, music studios, exhibit space, and performance space/theaters for non-profits cultural organizations as well as storefront arts-focused businesses.
5. Ongoing arts programming for youth.
1.
• Such as the recently enacted mentor-to-artist “Summer Lights” program, in all neighborhoods, including public art projects, mural restoration, skate and art parks, literacy and performance arts festivals, arts block parties, community stages, music concerts, and arts workshops/education.
2.
• This should involve at-risk youth, gang members, probation youth, and troubled students working with existing institutions in healing/restorative initiatives. This should not be seen as a privilege for a few, but a right for the many.
6. Local directory of neighborhood arts establishments and programming.
1.
• Open Mic nights, spoken word/performance venues, theaters, cultural cafes, independent bookstores, public art projects, and more for tourists and Angelenos in collaboration with the Visitors Bureau.
2.
• Include once excluded South Central, East LA and San Fernando Valley areas in official tourist maps, guides, websites, and presentations.
7. Support of independent broadcast, Internet, and print ventures – and a green environment.
1.
• To find support, resources, outreach, and sustainability through training, funding, and spaces.
2.
• This includes new digital technologies as they expand and develop. This should also include means to keep green policies intact and to connect the arts to natural and healthy green concepts and actions.
8. Local Arts Policy Collaborations.
1.
• The process and aim of any neighborhood arts policy should be collaborations between parents, children, youth, mentors, schools, colleges, universities, faith-based organizations, art institutions, city/county/state governments, businesses, parks, foundations, venues, and non-profits.
Final Thought
The arts have consistently proven to be the most effective means to lift the most desolate areas and to bring together fractured communities. Economically the arts gathers creative energy and allows for new visions, new ideas and expanded imaginations to stabilize neighborhoods and extend economic potentials. Through the visual arts, dance, theater, media, writing, and music, whole communities, in particular youth, connect to the inexhaustible possibilities that exist in their immense capacity to be creative. The arts are vital to having an imaginative life, especially for those caught in the grips of violence. It is the main source of abundance and transformation in a person. By tapping into the arts, one taps into purpose, meaning, and gifts—into callings. The arts help people live fully realizable lives—therefore, the arts must be wholly and adequately integrated into the educational system and any prevention, intervention, and re-entry projects. The City of Los Angeles must be a pioneer in establishing real and widespread neighborhood arts initiatives. To have an economically, socially and culturally sound and healthy environment, the arts have to be at the heart of this.
More info:
Neighborhood Arts Policy
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
LIVE PAINTING FOR TOM'S SHOES
Artists Participating:
Man One
Brooke Reidt
Theo Hetherington
Cheech & Chong
Time & Date:
Wednesday August 19th: 8pm-12am
Location:
Viceroy Santa Monica
1819 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.ManOne.com
www.TomsShoes.com
Friday, August 14, 2009
MAN ONE / CREWEST ON VIMEO
Thanks to Favi and Reed for putting this together!
Enjoy!
www.Crewest.com
*
Enjoy!
A Survey of Artist Spaces: Crewest Gallery from Reed on Vimeo.
www.Crewest.com
*
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Hanging with the best of them @ our Love and Guts show
Our Love and Guts show opening nite was incredible. If you're a skateboard fan I know you wanna check out who was in the crowd!
Me and Steve Caballero...
With Christian Hosoi...
Chatting it up with Daryl Hannah..
World champ Eric Dressen..
Legendary Lance Mountain..
"Block" Montano, Steve Olson, and yours truly..
And yes...I got autographs...
Check out the rest of the art and party pics on our Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crewestman/sets/72157621902477714/
Thanks Vic for the great pics!
*
Me and Steve Caballero...
With Christian Hosoi...
Chatting it up with Daryl Hannah..
World champ Eric Dressen..
Legendary Lance Mountain..
"Block" Montano, Steve Olson, and yours truly..
And yes...I got autographs...
Check out the rest of the art and party pics on our Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crewestman/sets/72157621902477714/
Thanks Vic for the great pics!
*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)