Car Culture

Graffiti meets environmental and social activism in Peter Gibson (a.k.a. Roadsworth)’s literal take on street art. Frustrated with the lack of safety provided for cyclists in today’s cities, the artist began (illegally) spray painting extra bike lanes onto the streets of Montreal in 2001. It wasn’t long before he began to branch out and address other civic and environmental issues through his cutting brand of creative imagery. Intended to address many of the confining conditions of living in an urban environment, Peter Gibson’s work treats these topics with a sort of wry humor that doesn’t dull their urgent message.

"Underground Lasso"

"Territorial"

"Wishful Thinking"

"Female"

"Exclusive"

I apologize for posting so many, but I think they are all hilarious and thought provoking. ••••

Olympic Graffiti

For those of you who haven't noticed, Crew Design has Olympic Fever. We just can't get enough of the design, the sports, the glory... and even the controversies. From that poor little buck-toothed girl who wasn't "cute enough" to sing the national anthem, to the debate raging on over the ages of the winning Chinese women's gymnastics team, this summer Olympics has had no shortage of scandal. But the more serious and politically charged controversies have been playing out in an arena other than the media: street art around the globe.Print magazine and the Guardian both had interesting online articles about the Olympic-inspired graffiti (both pro and con) being made around the world. Beijing has created a 200-foot long mural, referred to as the Olympic Culture Wall, as a state-endorsed celebration of the games. The wall, perhaps the longest piece of graffiti ever made, is covered in images of the cuddly Fuwa, caricatures of athletes, traditional Chinese masks, "Love China" hearts, and more. The mural has been embraced by locals, but the Western media is somewhat perturbed by the amount of government supervision that presided over its creation, calling it a "propaganda" piece.The Chinese Communist party typically keeps a tight reign on this type of public expression, and even the seemingly harmless Fuwa have an underlying political charge (one of them is a Tibetan antelope). In pieces created by graffiti artists opposed to the games being held in Beijing, discussion centers around China's control over TIbet (and its inclusion as a scheduled stop along the torch relay route), freedom of speech for the press, and the rights of the Chinese people in general. The graffiti works above are found in Prague and Milan (respectively) and the work below was created in London by the renowned British street artist Banksy. ••••

Street Art

Oddwall.com is a site dedicated to that art found on city streets. The photographers take pictures of everything from graffitied walls and painted buildings to heaps of 'junk' and political propaganda. They all share a common theme of challenging the idea of what art is and where it can be found. I've always been a huge fan of graffiti (when it is tastefully done), and I love the idea of seeing it in a modern art museum one day. ••••

Found in San Francisco: Haight-Ashbury

Historically known as the center of the 1960s hippie movement, San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district is still one of the most colorful and diverse areas. Today, the Haight continues to absorb the bohemian culture created over 40 years ago. Walking around the Haight-Ashbury district you will find numerous colorful buildings often covered in artful graffiti and storefronts with unique signage. In the few blocks surrounding the intersection of Haight and Ashbury is an abundance of independent local businesses including restaurants, hooka bars, music and book stores, and clothing boutiques. The collection of photographs I have taken in and around the Haight represent the architecture, art, and lively culture of this purely unique San Francisco district. ••••