2 minute read
When the Street is your Canvas
WHEN THE STREET IS YOUR CANVAS
STREET LOGO A street logo is an icon that is used to represent the character and personality of each street artist. It can be symbolic or allegorical and goes from being just a “tag” to being a personalized signature etched on the urban landscape, a sign which identifies him to others and in which he identifies himself, as a kind of brand.
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The street logo shows a recognizable style, which results from a subversive act; that of flouting the law by “signing walls”. Everything else is a question of imagination, of inventiveness, synthesizing ideas and styles to arrive at something that represents the artist.
The famous street logo “Adelita” is known around the world and can be seen on the streets of every city, country and continent. Sometimes it is the artist himself who puts it there, other times it is placed by artist friends using the “paste up” technique. One day when waiting for inspiration to strike, with the “C” of COLP, he created such a simple yet complex entity; a ‘signature’ that defies nationality, race or social strata; a “being” that lives between life and death. An emblem that retains a spirit of rebellion, and through which, COLPONE will leave his mark for the coming generations. He identifies with the logo, and at the same time, it identifies him.
WHEN THE STREET IS YOUR CANVAS
MURALISM This is a powerful artistic movement that grew up at the beginning of the 20th Century. At this time, in Mexican culture after the revolution, various artists used large spaces to transmit their messages, their politics, and where possible to spread their ideals.
Placing images on walls has been a tradition for centuries in the history of art. During prehistoric times man painted on stone, depicting all kinds of subjects, normally relating to daily life. Now, this kind of art is created in the urban landscape, where walls around the city are the canvas for this type of artistic expression.
Town Halls encourage Muralism in an attempt to use art to counter vandalism. There is an unwritten law in the world of urban art, and that is to respect the work of graffiti artists. For this reason, we don’t tend to encounter the tags, logos or graffiti of other artists on top of existing murals.
