GRAFFITI: STREET ART & CORPORATE VANDALISM

.............................................................................................................................

As old as the Ancient Greeks & Romans, as fresh as Banksy, Shepard Fairey & Pure Evil, the art of graffiti keeps on living on, fighting on, and well hell, moving on. The argument isn't relevant any more. The high society that once rejected the indecipherable scrawlings and imaginative bombings of a marginalized youth, have succumb, swallowing up commissioned pieces like the commercial juggernaut it represented even way back when. But what does this success imply? Money, fame and immortality? At the price of your street cred? Your uniqueness? Your soul?

Just look at the prototype: SAMO a.k.a Jean-Michel Basquiat, Brooklyn's very own artistic phenomenon turned tragic premonition. At first they called it the lowest of the low in criminal activity, then the height of modern day creativity. Then finally Basquiat got 'THE' label - Neo-Expressionist. His works travelled the globe in a whirlwind of media frenzys, crashing social circles and taking the art world by storm. Backed by big money he started to pick up pace... But as I'm sure you know, living the fast life doesn't always mean you're moving forward. There's always sideways and backwards. On August 12th 1988, he was found dead from a heroin/cocaine overdose aged 27.

I'm not saying death will come to all those who 'sell out', as I don't believe Basquiat did 'sell out'. It serves as a metaphor for the commercialisation of art, of originality and rebellion. It represents the artwork auctioned off to a select few, the graffiti used in advertising campaigns, and the corporate trend in selling our culture back to us for a profit. What we can't ignore is the large price tag that comes with this kind of blank check, the uncertainty of what happens next. Those at the forefront of 'urban art' have had to reclaim the streets, they've had to fight back for their identities. Timeout calls him the 'Scarlet Pimpernel', we know him as Banksy, and he's all about sticking it to the man. His recognisable and memorable pieces get the point across humorously. Political rhetoric in the shape of a placard packing rat, kissing coppers and florist terrorists, all aimed at you. You the pedestrian, you the citizen, you the human. And even with mass media attention and fame he still wants to stay anonymous, and free. For sure these guys sell a shed load. Shepard Fairey has OBEY, Banksy and Pure Evil exhibit their work and shift prints & canvases, but its the streets where their true value lies. Its the streets where they can express themselves and their opinions. And its dissatisfaction with the streets that drives the art on. Like the graffiti artists of Ancient Greece and Rome, the writing's on the wall, and its the authorities and corrupt systems that serve as subject matter. Graffiti was always an act of expression and rebellion, and nowadays its moving on to outrun those who want to capitalise on its success. Just look at Banksy's 'One nation under CCTV' to see where we are now. I want to sign off with some examples of artists who have turned this idea on its head. Re-innovating and re-creating. Playing them at their own game. Enjoy.

.............................................................................................................................



...........................................................................................................................


...........................................................................................................................
ALSO CHECK OUT: BANKSY SHEPARD FAIREY PURE EVIL BASQUIAT DR. D POSTER BOY ART OF THE STATE & NELLY DUFF
...........................................................................................................................

BACK TO THE FUTURE

...........................................................................................................................


...........................................................................................................................

IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW

...........................................................................................................................


...........................................................................................................................

AN EXERT FROM FOREST OF BLISS

...........................................................................................................................

Whilst at uni I watched 'Forest of Bliss' (1989) by Robert Gardner, a Visual Anthropologist. I thought it was brilliant & have been looking online for the full version ever since. Here's an exert I found on youtube and my views on his work:
...........................................................................................................................


...........................................................................................................................
'Gardner is a purveyor of highly cinematic film, strong visuals and stylistic aesthetics. His ability to establish a distinctive sense of art in his work has gain him cult status amongst visual anthropologists. He has a formulaic process to his film making; themes of death and violence occur regularly in an attempt to answer universal questions such as; 'how do people deal with death?' To achieve what he sees as an authenticity to his research he avoids taking a 1st & 2nd person accounts, like participant observation, instead choosing not to involve his subjects in the terms of a narrative i.e. dialogue etc.

Located in Benares, India, the film begins with a sunrise and ends with a sunset. Throughout there is no English dialog, voice-overs or subtitles; everything is visual. Meticulous looking shots, framed and executed to the finest detail, show how extensive storyboarding has help seemlessly move one shot to another. The subject matter, Benares itself, is remarkable, shocking, dirty and beautiful: funeral processions, kite-flying children, thousands of marigolds and dog fights are but a few items in this “fly on the wall” documentary.

We see the integration of people in the wider community, no singular character dominates, but a few people going about their daily lives. Through Gardner’s use of symbolism we see themes of death reoccurring. For instance the dead cow that is usually held in such reverence to Hindus, is dragged down the stairs with its head ricocheting off each step. I interpret this scene as no matter what incantation our soul takes, through death, plant, animal or man go through the same process. He is very subjective and makes no apology for bringing different ideas and themes together in this unique style of authorship. Therefore his audiences end up interpreting the film in many diverse ways.'
...........................................................................................................................
How do you see it?!
...........................................................................................................................

BEING BRITISH: SOCIAL CHANGE & CULTURES OF RESISTANCE

...................................................................................................

'Give me back me language and me culture. Dey push dem from out of Africa, my poor father he was a witch-doctor. Dey say he was a damn fool and now dey have to push him in school.' (Count Ossie & the Mystic Revelations of Rastafari: Give Me Back)

Dick Hebdige’s 'Cut’n’Mix' begins by contrasting the romantic image of Jamaica in a travel brochure (swaying palm trees, white sandy beaches & turquoise seas) with the reality of a failing socio-economic state facing identity crisis in the 20th century. Poverty is rife, as are crimes of muggings, armed robbery and murder. Rural & city life are at breaking point. Shanty towns made of cardboard and salvaged scrap; Bob Marley 'concrete jungle' are crumbling down. And Hebdige links all this back to British colonial rule in the 1655, where the roots of black Jamaican experience is born.

As most know, the ever growing imperialism and economic competition between developing nations across Europe established the slave trade at the end of the 17th century, and with it the many colonies of the Caribbean. Western Africans were captured and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to be put to work on plantations. The harsh working conditions and ill treatment of slaves created unrest and disdain amongst the ranks. The basis for rebellion was clear, and nowhere more so than Jamaica do we see the markings of revolt. Groups like the Leeward and Windward Maroons, escapees living on the interior of the island, waged war on their captors for 50 years. Figures such as Queen Nanny, Sam Sharpe and Paul Bogle, led uprisings which eventually helped to abolish slavery in 1833. These national heroes have shaped the island's sense of identity; a uniquely African yet British society born from resistance.

After heavy losses in World War II Britain was in great need of labour boosts. Offering West Indians well paid, skilled and semi-skilled employment, they often referred to England as the 'mother country'. However upon arrival all that was left was menial jobs such as cleaners, porters, bus and train drivers that the British didn’t want. Not only did this seem like 'neo-slavery', they also experienced great hostility from the white public. Housing was either refused to the West Indians with racially prejudice signs hanging outside, or they were exploited and made to live in horrendous, overcrowded conditions. Therefore they were drawn to poor areas and stuck together out of necessity. These close-knit communities spanning all major cities of the UK felt persecuted, as their forefathers had at the hands of slave masters. They turned to culture; to notions of fashion, style, food and most importantly music, in order to face adversity, in order to resist.

As Hebdige states 'social and economic problems can be traced back directly to the old plantation system : poverty, unemployment and racial and social inequality'. These serve as the foundations for reggae a.k.a. 'Rebel Music', drawing from great suffering and celebrating it. In Jamaica music became an integral way to make a living and express yourself. Sound systems and carnivals grew up all over the island and the Caribbean, crossing over the Atlantic like the slave ships once had, back to the UK. The large West Indian population brought these forms of celebration to the streets. The Notting Hill race riots of 1958 when several white youths attacked West Indian men and households due to racial tensions in the area, definately spawned the Notting Hill Carnival in 1959.

However poor socio-economic factors and racial relations in the late 70s and 80s caused more riots in Bixton, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. Teenagers started to feel like outcasts and rebelled against the system and the National Front. British made Reggae (and punk too) now sprung up everywhere as a result. Music, but also the growing popularity of the Rastafarian faith became a means of escapism from the harsh realities of everyday life. The rise of Ska and multiracial bands like The Specials illustrated a new optimism. A politizied youth now sought to overcome social issues by using the medium of music and popular culture to send out messages of hope. The 'Peaceful Protest Against Racism' was a sign of the push for equality amongst the races. Yes there was police brutality and the murdering of innocent people, but it brought them closer. Under Thatcher’s government public spending was diminished so local constituencies had less money to spend in deprived areas. This social change added to the difficulties of adjusting to a British identity, and therefore minorities moved furthur away from the government and the ideals of a sovereign state. But in its place was born an extraordinary alternative. A culture of resistance to the fundamentals of Imperial Britian. Against the brash and racist views of the old traditionalists of yesteryear, we now see those who want change. Diversity benifits those who want to learn from different cultures, just look at London.

Yesterday I went to Notting Hill Carnival and saw all faces, races, ages and classes skanking together. It wasn't a black thing, or a West Indian thing. There is nothing exclusive about carnival goers, and anything and anyone goes. Those who want to get involved can, and do. I saw groups of friends from all over the UK, from LDN to MCR. From old school mates to exes, everyone has come out to celebrate it West Indian stylee. And its all down to some healthy rebellion! Can't we see that this has all been for a reason. The struggle, the uprisings, the fighting and the condeming. It has led us to this point, hasn't it? It seems the wear and tear of history has shaped the way culture is experienced today. Just look at popular culture, sub-cultures, and the underground. Music has been a social and cultural commentator expressing the views of the people for years. It keeps record of the ups and downs, the ins and outs, of the perpetual motion of humanity. Look at Hip Hop, all the elements have become so widespread and enseminated in society that you have presidents and prime minsters making references. So its now that I am reminded of what it means to be British. Look at Reggae and modern music, look at the meeting of European and African traditions that result in a harmonic infusion of rhythm and melody. It makes me think of what society is capable of. If music reflects society then what Count Ossie states about pushing his father back into school, forcing ones culture on another, makes sense. Being British, or any other nationality for that matter, isn't about learning the ways of the country and going through the motions. No siree, its about your own interpretation, seeing what you rebel against and respond to. It's about finding your own path and taking some from here, and a little from there. Just look at your the selection on your iPod and you'll understand

...................................................................................................

THE POWER OF THE WORD

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

AYAHUASCA: THE COSMIC SERPENT & DNA

................................................................................................
I just finished this book by an anthropologist called Jeremy Narby, Ph.D...

He spent several years living with the Ashanica peoples of the Peruvian Amazon, cataloguing their use of the rainforest & indigenous knowledge. The aim was to help combat ecological destruction. His experiences with local shamans (healers) led Narby towards a hallucinogenic jungle brew called Ayhuasca. During his drug induced research he witnessed the impossible, images appearing out of thin air, multicoloured illuminous serpents, 'a green leaf with its veins, then a human hand... a woman with twenty breasts'. His account and those of many more were collected for evidence and after returning back home he got to work putting these findings into order. Beginning with the Peruvian Indians' claim that their knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants were acquired through these hallucinations, he starts to connect the dots and researches shamanistic traditions all over the world. From South America, Africa and Australia, he sees that ancient indigenous people have known for millennia-and even have drawn-the double helix structure, something conventional science discovered only in 1953. He also suggests that DNA and the life it codes for at the cellular level, has a consciousness, and communicates to the shaman when under the influence. DNA is represented by the Cosmic Serpent, who reveals how the material world around us appears immaterial when we open our minds to its influence, educating our hiegher SELVES. This book really made me want to try Ayhuasca the traditional way, as an apprentice to a shaman deep in the Amazon. If anyone knows a shaman then drop me a comment! Check out http://www.spiritpathperu.com/ for an idea of what's out there.

...........................................................................................................................

would u want to try it???!
...........................................................................................................................

Who Be We? We Be The G.T.H on The B.L.O.G S.P.O.T. Ya See?!

...........................................................................................................................
Gather the Hunted is an anti-social network of individuals working towards a heightened sense of cultural awareness & relativism. Using multimedia mediums such as the arts & literature, we aim to address all kinds of issues and happenings, from what's going on in the jungle to the boardroom, your corner to the world wide web...

We thread articles in social realism and community unity, informative & truthful, alternative but current and useful.
We do not align ourself with any political outfits or ideologies...

"HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY"
...........................................................................................................................