Street Art

Art is the most intense mode of individualism

that the world has known.

-Oscar Wilde

My kiddo attended an art camp last week at the Dallas Contemporary.

Their focus for the week was on Street {Graffiti} Art.

Every day would build upon what they had learned the previous day. Artists {who have had or will have exhibits at the museum} volunteered their time and worked with the students. They spoke to them about the technique behind the art form. About expression of oneself through the medium. They provided them with awesome support and encouragement.

At the end of each day, my kiddo had pride in showing me what he had painted. They practiced on large cardboard pieces and sprayed painted their masterpieces in preparation for Friday.... the day they would paint on a REAL building!

In April of 2013, the city of Dallas released a building that was a free canvas for Street Artists. It's called a "Free Wall". Therefore, it is legal for graffiti to be painted here --- for street artists to express themselves.

That is what these pics are of.... that public place to legally spray graffiti art. You can read more about it here. If this is successful, they plan to open up other locations around the city.

Here is my kiddo working on a piece.... his Street Tag is "Tomar 101".

And he tagged the building in....

SEVERAL locations.

As I conversed with one of the Street Artist, he shared with me that these "Free Walls" have a very temporary life-span for the artists' creations. They can be covered over very quickly by another piece of art in a matter of days.... or is some cases minutes. Which was evident when several students accidentally painted over other students' pieces which were painted only minutes earlier. Oops! Oh well, that's the way things roll. And for the most part, people don't mind. It's the fun in the freedom of expression that counts!

I'd love to here your thoughts on this:

Do you consider Graffiti as art?
What are your thoughts on "free walls"?

I'll end this post and start the week with one final quote:

Art enables us
to find ourselves
and lose ourselves
at the same time.
-Thomas Merton