Mustashion by Dana McBean

Fashion

Editor

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Dear Readers, Hi my name is Dana McBean a City Girl from New York. This is the First Edition Of A Brand new Kind Of Magazine where I Bring my love of graphic design and Fashion, Music and Urban Style to life. This Mgazine was made to apeal to you as an individual ranging between the age of 16 -25. Rather you are from the city or the suberbs. This is where you can discover your unique style with the many insparations of “whats in” news and “whos doing what” So sit back, put your feet up and discover the world of Music , Street And Fashion,

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Why Mustashion

Mustashion (Music . Street. Fashion) Well its a funky unique abbreviation for Music, Street (style, art) Fashion. With in this magazine you find common Trends, New and Up coming artist you love, and street style and art that ties this uniquely different magazine all together.

Contents Dana McBean Dana McBean

FASHION 8 Music meets Fashion Volcom 14 18 RiRi “River Island”

Urban 24 Graffiti/ 5 pointz 30 10 contraversal Artist 54 Urban Wear

Credits Dana McBean

Cover / Bq Cover Photos taken by Dana McBean Cover/ Bq Cover Model Lexsis Walters Pg 57 Model Jovanie Napoleon Pg 17, 29, 40,52,53 Models Styling class Group LV

Music 20 Kenton Jamal 22 Kevin White

Backgrond Brushes Dana McBean All Other Photos and Content were taken from Internet sorces they are not my own work

Music Meets

Fashion

...collaborations allow creative industries to survive commercially by Emma Segal Music and fashion. Like love and marriage, if Sinatra is to be believed, they are inseparable. And, like any creative industry, they find innovative ways of surviving, and thriving, through collaboration. The most obvious manifestation of the collaborative spirit can be found in Catwalk shows. Musical accompaniment to collections is nothing new. In most instances, the perfect song has the power to convey the aesthetic of a designer’s work in ways which presenting the collection on its own cannot. Speaking to the New York Times, Prabal Gurung highlighted the importance of music to his shows, saying ‘each season we want to tell a story for 10 minutes…the perfect harmony between clothes and music allows [this]’.

All photos by Dana McBean

presentation of Florence Welch last season, for example, made one forget for a brief moment that it was clothing which was the main attraction. By contrast, Dior Homme’s use of indie outfit These New Puritans provided a lesson in ‘Collaboration 101’. Producing a new song and accompanying score for Dior’s A/W 2007 collection (titled ‘Navigate, Navigate), the marriage of The Puritans’ work and Hedi Slimane’s designs received countless positive reviews. The use of so-called ‘super DJs’ has also become a prevailing trend in recent years. Take Leigh Lezark, for example. Not only an ambassador and muse for Chanel (brought

in under Lagerfeld), the model is also part of acclaimed DJ trio ‘The Misshapes’. If you are in need of another example, who could forget Yves Saint Laurent’s use of James Murphy (aka LCD Soundsystem) in its A/W 2010 collection?

The relationship between fashion and music is further cemented by members of each respective community ‘job hopping’ to the other’s. The term model-slash-[insert actor or singer], far from being seen as derogatory, is now something to be celebrated. It is not surprising that such transitions occur. In essence, both fashion and music celebrate and encourage creativity and the expression of the self. Furthermore, in today’s world of celebrity, the ability to multi-task is considered noble. This is the reason why, despite achieving ‘supermodel’ status, models such as Agyness Deyn, Carla Bruni and Kate Moss all strive to appear as guest vocalists (or indeed, solo artists in the case of Bruni) on artists’ albums. Kate’s choice was Primal Scream whilst in the case of Agyness, it was the 5 O’Clock Heroes. If singing is not a model’s strong point, there’s always the time honoured tradition of appearing in music videos. One incredible contemporary example of this is Agyness’ cameo in Woodkid’s video for ‘Iron’. (NB: If you’ve yet to see the video, type ‘Iron’ to Youtube immediately!)

Fashion

In recent years, however, the tradition has been, literally, amplified. Live music is adding to the glamour and spectacle of runway. The shows of many major fashion houses now seem like concerts. However, there is a danger in pushing the connection too far. Chanel’s

Conversely, in a world of pop and indie musicians being seen as celebrities and icons, it makes commercial sense for musicians to explore their designing and modeling talents. Like modelsturned-musicians, it appears that the degree of success depends on the individual concerned. Far be it for a reputable fashion e-commerce site such as ours to commend the works of (say) Jessica Simpson. Yet, few could deny the success of Victoria Beckham’s critically lauded collections (created with advice from the likes of Mouret and Jacobs, but for the most part by herself). Similarly, artists such as Lana Del Ray, JLS’ Marvin Humes and One Night Only’s George Craig turning to modeling has enabled them to work with some great fashion houses. Not every attempt made by models or musicians to carve a name for themselves in the other field will be successful. But we should not be overly and immediately critical of such moves either, when they can sometimes produce great art. The muse has been in fashion for as long as music has been played on catwalks. In this field too, musicians have greatly influenced designers. This extends from the inheritors of rock royalty, such as Frances Bean Cobain (one time muse of Slimane), to bonifide pop royalty. Lady Gaga’s

influence on, and collaboration with, Mugler’s Nicola Formichetti has produced some undeniably controversial and interesting works of fashion. In addition, Prabal Gurung cites rapper Rye Rye as one of his muses, and Alexander Wang has previously used Santigold in his campaigns. Finally, in the digital age, the connection between fashion and music becomes increasingly important in the context of fashion film. Extending the principles of the use of music in catwalk collections, the fashion film further allows a designer to express their aesthetic and influences. Jordan Askill’s holistic design approach (a remnant of his sculpture design background) created one of the most exciting animated virals last year, in a video that ostensibly advertised a silver cuff. In collaboration with These New Puritans, the video for ‘Horse Wave’ is again a must see. Another fine example is Nick Knight’s collaborative work with the likes of Lady Gaga and Gareth Pugh. It is in this avenue that the collaboration between designers, filmmakers, set designers and musicians is newest and most exciting. No doubt countless examples can be drawn to demonstrate the existence and importance of a connection between the worlds of fashion and music. In these difficult economic times, the developing of such a connection is vital. It allows the creative industries to survive commercially, rather than stagnate. This is undeniably why initiatives such as the 2012 Fashion Music Week Showcase (which encourages members of both industries to network and foster relationships which are mutually beneficial) are becoming increasingly prevalent.

Volcom

c n e i c s n o C a h t i w g othin

Urban Cl

The urban community may have evolved from the cities but it is incredibly concerned with the environment. Many urban sports take place in the wild landscapes of the world from the big surfing waves of Australia through to the stunning snow-capped mountains of Canada. The urban lifestyle brings people close the realities of modern living and how

much impact it is having on the world around us. This is why many immersed in urban culture make an effort to reduce their impact on the environment by making their lives and businesses more eco-friendly. Environmentally Friendly Fashion from Volcom Volcom truly is an urban clothing brand with a conscience. Volcom works actively to support the environment and also communities living in urban surroundings. This leading urban clothing brand is heavily involved in the urban community and is one of the few successful urban labels that has stayed honest and true to its roots.

Eco-Friendly Clothing Volcom have looked carefully at their clothing design and manufacturing processes to see where changes can be made to reduce the carbon footprint and support the environment. This includes innovative measures such as:

Recycled Materials waste is a huge problem for countries all around the world. Volcom has been looking into ways in which waste can be reused. They have come up with an innovative new way to produce clothing from recycled materials such as waste plastic bottles.

to help reduce waste in the first place Volcom has also reduced its packaging across the board and scaled back the materials used for displaying and transporting Volcom products.

100% Organic Cotton cotton is one of the most intensive crops on the planet in terms of pesticides and land usage. Volcom has introduced the V.Co-Logical Series into their main product line. This uses only 100% organic cotton which is much better for the environment than the intensively farmed option. Also Volcom have introduced 5% organic cotton into all their slim Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, one of the only urban clothing brands to do this.

Volcom also gets involved in a number of community support projects. This includes the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Let the Kids Ride Freeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; grass roots project. This offers free skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding competitions for young people of all ages. This allows them to enjoy the sports they love and experience the thrill of competing against others in a safe environment.

Ethical Suppliers Volcom makes a dedicated effort to only source their cotton from ethical suppliers. This helps to improve working and living conditions in countries all around the world.

Customer Education Volcom also likes to keep their customers up to date on environmental issues such as pollution, landfill reduction, recycling and so on. There is lots of useful information on the website and blog dealing with issues on environmental awareness.

Cultural Conscience Volcom also has a cultural conscience. As well as designing and selling fantastic quality urban clothing and looking after the environment

Fashion

Reduced Packaging

DJM jeans Love The Way it Fits

23.00 Jean Jacket 35.50 Pants

Dana McBean Dana McBean

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Rihanna’s Fashion Collection: A ‘Slutty’ Disaster or Triumph? Rihanna debuted her first-ever fashion collection as part of London Fashion Week, and depending on who you believe, it was an unmitigated disaster or a triumph of young, streetwise style. The presentation of the collection, a joint venture with the British brand River Island, was presented Saturday night in a decommissioned post office on London’s New Oxford Street, and lasted just nine minutes, according to the British paper The Sun, which said that the show got underway 50 minutes late because Rihanna was tardy. The Daily Beast called the 120-piece collection “hideous,” lacking either “panache or style.”

The website’s critic also labeled Rihanna’s clothes “unsurprisingly slutty and yet tiresomely predictable,” and suggested that if a guy were to meet a girl in a bar wearing one of the looks, he might think she was a prostitute. Furthermore, the critic slammed Rihanna’s latest project as a “cynical marketing exercise entirely devoid of inspiration or authenticity.” Ouch.

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However, Elle UK praised the collection, saying it was “an ode to all things high fashion,” describing it as “Eighties Norma Kamali meets Alexander Wang luxe sportswear.” Among the standout pieces, according to Elle: a black jersey column evening dress, a bra top, a navy cropped sweatshirt, a denim jumpsuit and a jersey skirt with a silk shirt attached. “Rihanna really does have a great eye for fashion and the attention to details and styling elevated the collection to proper collector’s item status,” concluded the magazine. While the British paper The Observer predicted that Rihanna’s designs were “sure to be a hit with River Island customers,” and said it would be “a winner” when it hits stores in March, ultimately, the paper said the collection “undoubtedly fell short” for those fashion fans who look to London for innovative ideas. But MTV.com was a big fan, describing the collection as a mix of “girly 90s grunge and streetwear,” praising a two-piece denim ensemble, a two-piece black bodysuit with an oversized parka and thigh-high boots, a tie-dye off-the-shoulder cropped top and flirty skirt and the “very ’90s floral pattern” she put on blouses, shorts and dresses.

Rihanna’s co-designer, Adam Selman, told Vogue UK that the singer was “heavily involved” in all the designs. “This collection is very based upon Ri’s style and her mood — so it’s evolved a lot,” he said. “This all comes from her — it’s very personal. She’s at the top of her game right now in terms of her career and in herself. She’s in a really good place.” He added that the collection was “urbaninspired, unfussy with a hint of uptown” and is targeted at “cool hip girls who aren’t super thin”. The collection of clothing and accessories will launch internationally at River Island stores online on March 5. Since River Island is a U.K. brand with no stores in the U.S., you’ll be able to buy it in the U.S. and in Japan at Opening Ceremony, an online and retail fashion destination.

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Up Coming Artist : Kenton Jamal A Man of many names hold many talents. This poet/rapper/singer/songwriter was born in Queens, NY. Living to make a living. RIP to your confidence, it took long enough to gain mine. “Its not about what you do, its about why you do it” A talented writer since the 8th grade and started recording freshman year of college. With a lot of changes this artist found himself within his music, not to be compared as a rapper but a creative mind and performer. There is lots to come from Kenton Jamal and the upcoming ent. Man on Campus. Stay tuned because good is’nt enough. God bless

For more info on Kenton Cheack Out his music & Vidieos

https://soundcloud.com/a-class

www.youtube.com/user/TheQueensMosiah

Music

“A mind of a writer and a heart of a singer” -Kenton Jamal

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“Dreams become dreams when you’re awake, not sleep.” -Kevin White

Up Coming Artist : Kevin White Kevin White, a native of Brooklyn, New York, has been rapping since the age of 14. Inspired by the artistic styles of Jay-Z and Biggie, Kevin has developed an extensive fan base and supporting entourage with his unique approach to the rap game. He is a part of the Dream Street movement, a revolutionary entertainment group that continues to expand its horizons. Boosted by the support of this group, Kevin has been working hard, performing in various colleges and towns. But don’t be fooled by the high accolades; he’s got a lisp but bars and deliveries that will sting. His mixtape will be coming soon. Money-Master-Music is his motto, as he continues to master music with interest.

Music

For more info on Kevin Cheack Out his music & Vidieos http://www.youtube.com/user/RealKevinWhite

https://soundcloud.com/reakevinwhite

MIX TAPE MONEY MASTER MUSIC http://www.datpiff.com/mixtapes-detail.php?id=326517

It’s Bigger than Hip Hop:

The Graffiti Story Hear the word ‘graffiti’ and you’re likely to picture either African-American or HispanicAmerican males in oversized clothing spraying their pseudonyms on the sides of walls, buses, trains and other forms of private and public property. This is because graffiti is associated with Hip Hop, which originated in the boroughs of New York and specifically the Bronx. Although ‘Hip hop’ is often used interchangeably with ‘rap music’, it actually has several cultural pillars: the verbal aspect, MCing; the physical aspects, breakdancing and b-boying; the rhythmic aspects, turntabalism and beatboxing; and the visual aspect, graffiti. Graffiti is deeply rooted in and widely associated with hip culture. However, its earliest forms date as far back as 30, 000 BC. Anyone not convinced that graffiti came after the 1970s is probably also mistaken in thinking that this art form is limited to materials such as markers or spray paint in aerosol cans. However, consider the Oxford dictionary definition of the word graffiti: “writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.” Based on this definition, even the hearts and initials etched

by lovesick lovers in the bark of a tree are considered a form of graffiti. And, since we’re on the topic of love, legend has it that the first modern graffiti writer, Cornbread, started tagging the walls of Philadelphia in 1967 in order to get the attention of a girl that he was interested in. There is an ongoing debate on whether modern graffiti began in Philadelphia or New York. Some writers purport that the modern graffiti was inspired by the notorious Taki 183 in New York City; whilst others insist that it actually began in Philadelphia. Although graffiti is widely recognised as being a product of New York, careful research has revealed that it actually began in Philadelphia sometime during the mid to late 60’s. As a modern art movement, graffiti is credited to Cornbread and Cool Earl. Top Cat, a student of Cornbread who later relocated to NYC, may or may not have been the one to have inspired the movement in New York. In 1971, when the graffiti art movement started to flourish, The New York Times ran an article called “Taki 183 Spawns Pen Pals”. Taki 183 was the pseudonym of a Greek teenager who grew up in Manhattan. The article explains that he had got into graffiti by writing his name on ice cream trucks the previous summer. Tagging, which refers to marking private or public

Urban Art

property with one’s initial, symbol or alias, is the simplest and quickest form of graffiti. For a while, graffiti writers were considered “masters” based on the number of tags or pieces they had done; however, by 1972, style wars had emerged and writers began competing on skill. By the late 70’s and early 80’s, many graffiti artists had moved away from the culture due to the hostile climate that surrounded it. Gang violence and drug dealers had made the streets extremely unsafe places to be. What’s more, prosecution of graffiti artists for vandalism was on the rise. Racking

(stealing) or even buying spray paint also became harder to do because, by law, paint cans in stores had to be stored in locked cages so they could not be sold to minors. Nevertheless, the diehards remained and as a result graffiti was not completely stamped out. In fact, by the late 80’s the public was more interested in the art form than ever before, and it was uncovered in several movies, documentaries, books and magazines. Today graffiti is still widely discussed and can be found in practically every country across the globe.

5 pointz 5POINTZ: THE INSTITUTE OF HIGHER BURNING 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center, Inc. is an outdoor art exhibit space in Long Island City, New York, considered to be the world’s premiere “graffiti Mecca,” where aerosol artists from around the globe paint colorful pieces on the walls of a 200,000-square-foot factory building. The name 5Pointz signifies the five boroughs coming together as one but, because of its reputation as an epicenter of the graffiti scene, the industrial complex has actually

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united aerosol artists from across the world. Legendary writers from Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, Brazil, and all over the United States have painted on the building walls, including Stay High 149, Tracy 168, Cope2, Part, and Tats Cru. Over the past decade, the striking, graffiticovered warehouse has attracted several hip-hop and R&B stars, including Doug E. Fresh, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Kaz, Mobb Deep, Rahzel, DJ JS-1, Boot Camp Clik, Joan Jett, and Joss Stone.

MISSION STATEMENT 5Pointz gallery curator, Meres, plans to convert the five-story, block-long industrial complex at Jackson Avenue and Davis Street into a graffiti museum. He is currently seeking a 501(c)3 certification for 5Pointz to confer tax-exempt status and allow tax-deductible donations.

On any given day, 5Pointz visitors can expect to find prominent artists, musicians, deejays, Emcees (rappers), and B-boys (break dancers) on site, in addition to filmmakers, photographers, and entire tour buses full of admirers soaking in the more than 350 Technicolor murals. The gallery curator is graffiti veteran Jonathan Cohen, best known by his signature tag, “Meres One.” His goal is to convert the five-story, blocklong industrial complex at Jackson Avenue and Davis Street, formerly the Phun Phactory, into a graffiti art museum.

In addition, he plans to open a school for aspiring aerosol artists, complete with a formalized curriculum that imparts lessons in teamwork, art history, and entrepreneurship in addition to technique

ABOUT THE CURATOR “MERES ONE” The founder of 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center, Inc. and curator of its outdoor gallery is graffiti

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veteran Jonathan Cohen, best known by his signature tag, “Meres One.” The Flushing native adopted his tag in his teenage years after determining that M, R, and E were his best calligraphic letters. Meres took an interest in graffiti at the young age of 13 after seeing an aerosol-based painted Smurf on a wall and flipping through a few graffiti

books, and started the The Deadly4Mula (TD4) crew five years later. By the mid-’90s, Meres had studied art at the Fashion Institute of Technology, sold a few paintings, and was transitioning his craft from tagging and throw-ups to piecing. He produced hundreds of aerosol art murals throughout all five New York boroughs, along the East Coast, and even in Holland.

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Fashion LEFT To RIGHT Clockwise: 24.00 Arcimusciist etur sant. Us.Udaeri 25.00 comnimaion nobitio nsequas itectus, as utest ex 34.50 evellan duntese quatumendae est, 29.00 sitiorro deleni ullorerchil explatustio. 20.00 Odi omniae saped et ut ha

10 MOST

Controversial

Urban Street Artists

To the government and local councils, urban street art is seen as nothing more than a nuisance. Graffiti has evolved in recent times though with modern street art now becoming more political, controversial, and opinionated than ever before. People have grown more of an appreciation of street art and celebrity couples such as Brad and Angelina openly seek to purchase original works of modern street artists. Urban artists have now developed their work into a whole range of forms: paintings, sculptures, posters, street performances and stenciled pictures are just some of those discovered around the world. Below is a list of ten of the most controversial urban street artists who stick a middle finger up to society and bring our streets to life.

Marc Jenkins (born 1970 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American artist most widely known for the street installations he creates using box sealing tape. In addition to creating art, he also teaches his sculpture techniques through workshops in cities he visits. He currently lives in Washington, DC. What started off with figures made of clear tape found around Washington and Rio de Janeiro in urban environments (ducks in puddles, people on traffic lights, a huge giraffe in a park!) between 2003-2006 soon evolved into life-sized, fullydressed figures found all over the world in all sorts of positions. These include a pair of legs sticking out of a huge fountain in Bordeaux, France and a drowned figure with balloons attached discovered in a river in Sweden. Other new locations to have been hit by Jenkins’ art include Barcelona, Seoul, Prato, London and the Canary Islands. One more speciality Jenkins has introduced: secretly filming the people on the streets reactions.

Philosophy Jenkins’ practice of street art is to use the “street as a stage” where passersby become actors. Many of his installations have resulted in intervention by the authorities whom he also regards as actors. Most of his early outdoor works were non-commissioned.

Urban

Shepard Fairey MANIFESTO The OBEY sticker campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. Heidegger describes Phenomenology as “the process of letting things manifest themselves.” Phenomenology attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before their eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation. The FIRST AIM OF PHENOMENOLOGY is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment. The OBEY sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the product or motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with the sticker provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because OBEY has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and the nature of their sensibilities. Many people who are familiar with the sticker find the image itself amusing, recognizing it as nonsensical, and are able to derive straightforward visual pleasure without burdening themselves with an explanation. The PARANOID OR CONSERVATIVE VIEWER however may be confused by the sticker’s persistent presence and condemn it as an underground cult with subversive intentions. Many stickers have been peeled down by people who were annoyed by them, considering them an eye sore and an act of petty vandalism, which is ironic considering the number of commercial graphic images everyone in American society is assaulted with daily.

Another phenomenon the sticker has brought to light is the trendy and CONSPICUOUSLY CONSUMPTIVE nature of many members of society. For those who have been surrounded by the sticker, its familiarity and cultural resonance is comforting and owning a sticker provides a souvenir or keepsake, a memento. People have often demanded the sticker merely because they have seen it everywhere and possessing a sticker provides a sense of belonging. The Giant sticker seems mostly to be embraced by those who are (or at least want to seem to be) rebellious. Even though these people may not know the meaning of the sticker, they enjoy its slightly disruptive underground quality and wish to contribute to the furthering of its humorous and absurd presence which seems to somehow be antiestablishment/ societal convention. Giant stickers are both embraced and rejected, the reason behind which, upon examination reflects the psyche of the viewer. Whether the reaction be positive or negative, the stickers existence is worthy as long as it causes people to consider the details and meanings of their surroundings. In the name of fun and observation. Shepard Fairey, 1990 Springing to fame in 1989 with his ‘André the Giant has a Posse’ sticker campaign, Shepard Fairey has carved out a strong following for himself. The campaign led to ‘Obey Giant’, which can be found stencilled on walls all over the world. His most recent work includes the politically generated poster campaign for Obama – ‘Hope’ – above, recognised around the world. Last year he gained even more notoriety when he was arrested for tagging property in the USA with graffiti. Said to be an inspiration for Banksy.

JR Born 22 February 1983 is the name of a photographer and artist whose identity is unconfirmed. He has described himself as a “photograffeur”, he flyposts large black-andwhite photographic images in public locations in a manner which is similar to the appropriation of the built environment by the graffiti artist. He states that the street is “the largest art gallery in the world.”He started out on the streets of Paris. JR’s work “often challenges widely held preconceptions and the reductive images propagated by advertising and the media.” JR’s work combines art and action and deals with commitment, freedom, identity and limits. French-born photographer/artist of eastern European/Tunisian origin, JR began his artistic venture at the age of 17. His most famous projects include the ‘Face 2 Face’ artwork. Huge close-up images of smiling, cheerful religious leaders and locals was erected on to the wall that divides Palestine and Israel. The idea was to send a message that we are all equal and can unite. His projects have taken him all around the world, from Kenya to Brazil. Most recently he created a 100ft mural for the Tate Modern in London of a man menacingly holding a video camera in front of the photographer as if it were a gun

Life and career JR began his career as a teenage graffiti artist who was by his own admission not interested in changing the world, but in making his mark on public space and society. His graffiti often targeted precarious places like rooftops and subway trains, and he deeply enjoyed the adventure of going to and painting in these spaces. After finding a camera in the Paris Metro, JR and his friends began to document the act of his graffiti painting. At 17, he began applying photocopies of these photographs to outdoor walls. JR later travelled throughout Europe to meet the people whose mode of artistic expression involved the use of outdoor walls.

Then, he began wondering about the vertical limits, the walls and the façades that structure cities.After observing the people he met and listening to their message, JR pasted their portraits up in the streets and basements and on the roof tops of Paris. Between 2004 and 2006, JR created Portraits of a Generation, portraits of young people from the housing projects around Paris that he exhibited in huge format. This illegal project became official when the City of Paris put JR’s photos up on buildings.At the beginning of his projects, JR wanted to bring art into the street: “In the street, we reach people who never go to museums.” In 2007, with Marco,JR put up enormous photos of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight Palestinian and Israeli cities on either side of the Separation Barrier. Upon his return to Paris, he pasted these portraits up in the capital. For the artist, this artistic act is first and foremost a human project: “The heroes of the project are all those who, on both sides of the wall, allowed me to paste the portraits on their houses.” In 2008, JR undertook an international tour for Women Are Heroes, a project in which he highlights the dignity of women who are often targets during conflicts. JR calls himself an “urban artivist”, he creates pervasive art that he puts up on the buildings in the Paris area projects, on the walls of the Middle East, on the broken bridges of Africa or in the favelas of Brazil. During the pasting phase, community members take part in the artistic process. In Brazil, for example, children became artists for a week. In these artistic acts, no scene separates the actors from the spectators. After having exhibited in the cities from which JR’s subjects came, the photos traveled from New York to Berlin, Amsterdam to Paris As JR remains anonymous and does not frame his huge portraits, he leaves a space for an encounter between a subject/protagonist and a passerby/ interpreter, and this is the essence of his work.

Blu Italian street artist Blu has painted walls all over the world with his distinctive, surreal art. Often viewed as a little disturbing he has created a loyal fanbase for himself. Like JR, Blu also created a huge mural for the Tate Modern in London. Renowned for his self-promoting stunts as well as his paintings, he once printed 6,000 magazines in Germany, anonymously, containing pages of his drawings with no further explanation and then proceeded to hand them out to people on the street for free. If you were given one of those magazines then it could now be worth a bit of money! Blu is the pseudonym of an Italian artist who conceals his real identity. He lives in Bologna and has been active in street art since 1999. Blu’s fame began in 1999, thanks to a series of illicit graffiti painted in the historical center and suburbs of Bologna, the capital of Italy’s EmiliaRomagna region. In the early years of his career his technique was limited to the use of spray paint, the typical medium of graffiti culture. His characteristic style appeared in 2001, however, when Blu started painting with house paint, using rollers mounted on top of telescopic sticks. This new solution allowed him to increase the painted surface area and convey a stronger intensity to his visual vocabulary. Huge human figures, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes dramatic, who looked as if they were borrowed from comics or arcade games, began appearing along the streets of Bologna around this time. Another aspect that influenced his early career was the practice of a shared artistic action. Artists such as Dem, Sweza, Run and, above all Ericailcane,[1] were his companions during nocturnal raids where an anonymous creative participation overcame the need of signing their pieces. Also, during those years, Blu started experimenting with digital animation and he

created short interactive video clips that were used as a visual contribution to the live musical performances of the collective OK NO. The collaboration with Ericailcane had its best results from 2003 to 2006. The two personalities complemented each other; while Blu was painting his characteristic human figures Ericailcane made his typical animals. The two artists, friends in real life, continue to work together although less often. Starting in 2004, some art galleries noticed Blu’s artistic value and invited him to take part to one-man or collective shows. Yet Blu, throughout his entire youthful career, attempted to limit his presence within the official art world, preferring other kinds of territories. Since his major pieces, outside of his videos, have been immovable murals, the survey below of Blu’s work is geographical rather than chronological.

Faile Faile was founded in 1999 by friends Patrick McNeil (Canada) and Patrick Miller (U.S.) who’ve known each other since their teens. Based in New York, the pair’s stencilled art is instantly recognisable and can be found on fictionalised posters on walls around New York and other major cities in the world. They often collaborate with Aiko Nakagawa from Japan, whose distinctive art of the female form fits in well with Faile’s views on pop culture. Famously controversial posters include Audrey Hepburn’s Tiffany being attacked by a maniacal cat and a saucy image of a topless Manga girl being caressed by miniature Buddha’s! FAILE (Pronounced “fail”) is a Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration between Patrick McNeil (b. 1975, Edmonton, CA) and Patrick Miller (b. 1976, Minneapolis, MN). Since its inception in 1999, FAILE has been known for their pioneering use of wheatpasting and stenciling in the increasingly established arena of street art, and for their explorations of duality through a fragmented style of appropriation and collage. During this time, FAILE adapted its signature mass culturedriven iconography to a wide array of media, from wooden boxes and window pallets to more traditional canvas, prints, sculptures, stencils, multimedia installation, and prayer wheels. While FAILE’s work is constructed from found visual imagery, and blurs the line between “high” and “low” culture, recent exhibitions demonstrate an emphasis on audience participation, a critique of consumerism, and the incorporation of religious media and architecture into their work. If FAILE’s career can be viewed on a spectrum of “street art” and DIY-products to gallery-ready “fine art,” then the first half of the aughts tilts more fully towards street practice. Although FAILE has always shown in galleries in one form or another, and still puts work on the street, these early years were spent deploying work in

cities around the world and honing a distinctive style of wheatpasted and stenciled work that recalls both the shredded commodity collage of midcentury décollagistes Mimmo Rotella and Jacques Villeglé, and the pulp-cultural appropriations and comic books sensibilities of sixties “pop” artists such as Richard Hamilton, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein. These influences were intensified in FAILE’s work by the rapid fire splicing and re-assemblage of sampling, and the direct-to-audience urban raids specific to the golden age of graffiti. Although FAILE’s style can be located in these art historical legacies, their style and idiosyncratic vernacular make FAILE’s work distinct and recognizable. During the early years of their career, influenced by contemporaries Shepard Fairey, BAST, and WK Interact, FAILE generated both a process of assemblage and urban circulation, and consistent visual cues and themes. One such example is the Challenger spaceshuttle, which crashed shortly after its launch in 1986. Not only does the shuttle appear in various forms in much of FAILE’s work, the year “1986” is appended to their pieces as a signature that both invokes their specific use of the shuttle image, and also a reminder to their audience of the event itself, of its role in their personal history. “1986” is both indicative of a populist or dialogic impulse in much of FAILE’s work, and also an example of the characteristic ambivalence or dualism in their practice. Recurring themes of binaries such as love/hate, peace/war, triumph/calamity, satiation/desire are all prevalent in work that seems to assimilate the global urban landscape but tenders only oblique opinions about that landscape.

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Nunca Brazilian street artist Nunca is one of Brazil’s most popular urban artist’s. His work was displayed in a documentary called “Talking Walls” and aired on Latin American TV channel I.Sat. His deeply colourful artwork stole the show and captivated audiences. He’s since brought his work to the walls of the Tate Modern, above, alongside the likes of JR and Blu. Although he may not be popular among the authorities in his home country, his detailed artwork influenced by his family roots and the richness of colour used has gained him a massive following and influenced the urban art scene in Brazil. Francisco Rodrigues da Silva (“Nunca”) is a prominent Brazilian “grafiteiro” artist who uses a graffiti technique to create images that confront modern urban Brazil with its native past. His “tag” Nunca (“Never” in Portuguese) is an affirmation of his determination not to be bound by cultural or psychological constraints - “Nunca para as limitações culturais e mentais”. Nunca’s works are described as narratives that tell often complex stories. Significant features of his art are a critical figurativism, the use of the city as a dynamic medium and an absence of the “pop art” influences characteristic of the mainstream of graffiti art. Despite international recognition his work has come under criticism at home in Brazil because of the alleged betrayal of his cultural roots and philosophy that his gallery work and commercial design commissions Represent

Artistic philosophy Asked how he would distinguish a talented graffiti artist from an ordinary tagger, Nunca insists that he is not an art critic but he believes that what determines whether a piece of art is good or not

is a combination of the aesthetic quality of the piece and the artist’s commitment to his work, and, in the case of graffiti, the artist’s knowledge how to make active use of the city as a medium. Nunca has referred to graffiti art as a political act that binds the artist’s interest to something concrete, “creating counterparts for the colonization to which Brazil has been subjected”. He sees the simple act of painting in the streets as a “gesture of risk” in all senses, referring to the artists who have been shot and killed by the police or fallen to their deaths from buildings they had climbed in order to paint. He claims not to follow set rules in the way he uses the city in his art. His work is figurative and he likes exploring the “decorative” aspect but more important is how he sees the site (the wall), how he feels, and the particular aspect “impression painting”, tagging, graffiti - he wants to emphasize in the final result. He also maintains that the theme of a work may be more important than the act of painting itself. Nunca argues that the essence of graffiti art is the fact that it is located out in the street, completely autonomous and uncommitted. In the past he has maintained that when the language and experience of graffiti is used outside the street context for commercial and/ or other purposes, it ceases to be graffiti. Artists who regard themselves as graffiti artists but lack first-hand experience, may use the language of graffiti but they cannot master it. When someone without direct experience uses the language in order to exploit the “look”, the art of graffiti is trivialized.However his recent work for the sportswear manufacturer Nike has attracted criticism for its alleged betrayal of loyalty to street culture.

Cyclops & Sweet Toof Tag-team duo Cyclops and Sweet Toof, like so many of their peers, liked to work anonymously. Hailing from the trendy part of London, Brick Lane, the pair of trained artists have taken their attention to the streets in their area. All around east London, and certain other parts of the country, you’ll find the trademark features of their work: teeth (or tooth), a skull, and a character called Lenny. Fed up with seeing so much advertising in public they set out to reclaim the streets and bring humour to the locals. Cyclops is now working on solo campaigns and has revealed his identity as Luc Prince. Sweet Toof is the pseudonymous name of wellknown United Kingdom graffiti and street artist. Sweet Toof works as both a solo artist and in collaboration with others, including in the “Burning Candy” crew, (including crew-mates “Tek 33”, “Cyclops” and “Rowdy”).

Meaning of Mouth, Teeth and Gum imagery According to an account by Olly Beck, Sweet Toof looked at himself in a looking glass “in crisis after a messy break-up”, with the enlarged and distorted imagery of the “crescents of teeth”, the “visible part of our skeletal frame” as a reminder of mortality. Beck relates Sweet Toof’s concerns and imagery with the 16th Century Northern European “Vanitas” tradition of reminding of the transience and vanity of life, and to the Mexican celebration of skull imagery to accepting, honouring and celebrating death as part of the life trip. Sweet Toof’s own comments seem to uphold this interpretation, in which the artist comments, “To get one’s teeth into things, before it’s too late.” Elsewhere he notes, “Teeth can be really sexy, or

aggressive, but they’re also constant reminders of death. They’re how we get recognised by police when there’s nothing else left. According to an interview, he began tagging at age 13, saving up 50 p (pence) lunch money and buying cheap spray cans to go out at night, before evolving to the more distinctive work for which he has become well known, and eventually going on to study and graduate from the Royal Academy of Arts, with a Master degree. There has been some speculation that Sweet Toof may be the artist Martin Lea Brown, with Sweet Toof and Martin Lea Brown featured side-byside in an exhibition and book alongside Sweet Toof in a “Double Billing” exhibition at Sartorial Art Gallery in 2009, but Sweet Toof refused to be drawn on the question in an interview (with journalist Jess Holland) and insisted that “Martin Lea Brown’s a very close friend”

Cyclops Cyclops is an artist who also works under the name of Luc Price, whose works can be found predominantly on the street as well as finding their rightful place in galleries. His iconic works can be identified from Paris to London. Price’s tribal fury combined with photo realistic imagery creates an impressive style of his own. His work is a self confessed struggle between the loose and the tight, order and chaos. Referencing his contemporaries, the language of hip hop and the random esoteric genius of such forgotten luminaries as Tony Romanoff, Cyclops’ work contains both acerbic wit and the broken rhythms of modern life.

Sickboy Sickboy has created a signature slogan for himself across the streets of London: “Save the Youth”. In a rare interview with a British newspaper he said: “It’s not that I’m trying to ‘save the youth’. It’s just a line from a Northern Soul tune.” His paintings now sell in galleries and online making him one of the more welloff street artists. Like many other street artists he’s an opinionated character. He went on to tell the newspaper, “If anything I’d rather be seen as a graffiti artist, as I come from a graffiti background. Graffiti has a stronger subculture; anyone can be a street artist.” Sickboy is the name of a street artist from Bristol, UK, known for his temple logo and his ‘Save the Youth’ slogan. Sickboy moved to London in 2007 and his street art became prevalent particularly in the East End boroughs of Shoreditch and Tower Hamlets. It is claimed Sickboy was one of the first UK graffiti artists to use a logo instead of a ‘tag’. Sickboy originally trained in Fine Art and, as well as painting graffiti on the street, he also paints on canvas and exhibits conventionally in art galleries. He has been painting street art since circa 1995. In recent years Sickboy has become known for painting his ‘temple’ logo on wheelie bins, which can then be worth up to £50,000. In a 2011 article The Guardian newspaper asked five international street artists to name their favourite artist; Sickboy was one of those interviewed. He named Spanish street artist La Mano as a major influence. “At the time, graffiti was mainly seen as letter-based, but [Le Mano] just used a logo and repeated it... I’d never been a big fan of stencil work, which is where a lot of people think graffiti crosses over into more acceptable street art. La Mano stuck more closely to the graffiti aspect, which I try to adhere to now. I like the freehand, grab-a-tin-of-spray-paint approach”

Banksy Undoubtedly the king of British street art and man who revolutionised urban art and the public’s perception of it. With clever and original artwork of characters found all over the country, and now the rest of the world, Banksy’s “graffiti” is instantly recognisable. One of his signature character’s is a rat. He has remained anonymous for the last ten years since his artwork first began to make public appearances. A film made by the artist called Exit Through The Gift Shop was released in March this year. It has been billed as “the world’s first street art disaster movie”. Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique. Such artistic works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. Banksy’s work was made up of the Bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. According to author and graphic designer Tristan Manco and the book Home Sweet Home, Banksy “was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England.The son of a photocopier technician, he trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s.” Observers have noted that his style is similar to Blek le Rat who began to work with stencils in 1981 in Paris and Jef Aerosol who sprayed his first street stencil in 1982 in Tours (France), and members of the anarcho-punk band Crass, which maintained a graffiti stencil campaign on the London Tube System in the late 1970s and early 1980s.However Banksy claims that he based his work on that of 3D from Massive Attack, stating, “No, I copied 3D from Massive Attack. He can actually draw.”

Known for his contempt for the government in labelling graffiti as vandalism, Banksy displays his art on public surfaces such as walls, even going as far as to build physical prop pieces. Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti directly himself; however, art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.Banksy’s first film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, billed as “the world’s first street art disaster movie,” made its debut at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.The film was released in the UK on 5 March 2010. In January 2011, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary for the film.

D*Face You could say D*Face is the Sex Pistols of street art. His work is recognisable for the graffiti over artwork of people such as Marilyn Monroe and the Queen, as well as his takes on other forms of pop culture. He takes his art very seriously and approaches it with real professionalism (he even has an assistant!) He started his career as an illustrator but was frustrated by the lack of freedom he was given and so took to graffiti. Also regarded as a bit of a joker: after New Year’s when people were going back to work, he painted the words “CALL IN SICK” in giant letters over three billboards which commuters could read whilst driving to work! D*Face is an English multimedia street artist who uses spray paint, stickers, posters, and stencils. “D*Face”, a.k.a. Dean Stockton, grew up in London and had a childhood interest in graffiti. He credits this to Henry Chalfant’s coverage of New York subway graffiti in Spraycan Art and Subway Art, later as a teenager skateboarding and in particular Thrasher magazine’s coverage of skateboard deck graphics led his interest in stickers and the DIY mentality associated with skate and punk fanzines. He attended an illustration and design course and worked as a freelance illustrator/designer whilst honing his street work. Influences included Shepard Fairey’s “Obey Giant” art campaign, Jim Philips, hip hop, punk music, and popular animated cartoons. He held his first major London solo exhibition, Death & Glory, at the Stolenspace gallery, which sold out in October 2006.[2] Since then, his exhibitions have included a solo show, Eyecons, at O Contemporary in Brighton in March 2007, again a sell out show. This featured new paintings, an installation and two prints — of Kurt “Kant Complain” and Cli-Che.

D*Face was the owner and curator for the Outside Institute, London’s first contemporary art gallery to focus on street art. In 2005 the Outside Institute moved and re-branded to become the Stolen Space Gallery. In 2010, he collaborated with Christina Aguilera, on her album cover of Bionic. He completed a degree in Illustration and Design and worked as a freelance illustrator/designer at an agency whilst honing his street work. D*Face is the owner of Stolen Space Gallery, which has been at the forefront of the London contemporary art scene for the past few years. His aim is to encourage the public not just to ‘see’, but to look at what surrounds them and their lives. One of D*Face’s most celebrated icon is the D-Dog, a bomb like figure with two tiny wings on the sides. Recent examples of D*Face’s satirical and dark humour include his chosen “collaboration” with H.R.H Queen Elizabeth II on a series of bank notes and the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI to commemorate his instatement.

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Perfect Urban Fashion .. Urban fashion is all about reflecting your personality with your clothing. Attitudes to clothing have become increasing more relaxed over the last 50 years. Once people were very much limited in terms of wealth and availability, when it came to making fashion choices. Now there are a huge variety of different styles and designs of clothing available at prices to suit all budgets. This means you should be able to choose the perfect urban fashion look for your wardrobe.

Modern City Lifestyle The modern city lifestyle is very busy. People want clothes that look great and also work hard. This is why urban fashion is designed not only being stylish but also durable and hardwearing. If you want the perfect urban city look then you can start your wardrobe off with these 4 essential items.

1. The Classic Urban Jacket A good quality urban jacket will last you for years. There are some great hardwearing designs out there and if you choose a classic style then it will transcend seasons and ensure you look great no matter what the latest trend is. Great options for urban jackets this season include the durable and stylish waxed canvas Thamsherku Dos Jacket from Volcom and also the cosy Goose Duffel Jacket from Addict.

2. Trendy Jeans Jeans never go out of fashion but the styles and fits do change. The latest jeans are a must-have for any urban fashion wardrobe and can be very versatile. You can smarten them up with a fitted blazer and shirt for an evening out on the town or dress them down with a casual t-shirt for an afternoon in the park. Vintage washes are really trendy right now and all the big name urban brands such as Addict, Volcom, LRG and Dickies have great vintage examples in their denim lines.

Urban Fashion

for the Modern City Lifestyle 3. T-Shirts T-shirts are one of the ultimate expressions of urban living. These are blank canvases on which you can display images, messages, symbols and slogans about urban living. T-shirts can be very personal choices and the graphics you choose to display can say a lot about you and your personality. You could opt for basic t-shirts in this season’s top colours of slate grey, olive or sand. Alternatively you could express yourself more dramatically with one of the ‘in-your-face’ t-shirts on the shelves such as the FSAS X REBEL 8 range.

4. Urban Caps Hats and caps are very much back in fashion. These are more of a design statement than practical wear these days and displaying big logos and vivid graphics is bang on trend. New Era is one of the biggest names in urban headgear and this brand has collaborate with a number of other big urban clothing designers to bring you the very latest styles. This includes Famous Stars and Straps (FSAS), DTA Clothing, Rebel 8 and more. There are some great designs to choose from and as well as looking great caps keep the sun out of your eyes and the rain off your hairdo. Practical and stylish!

How To Get the Latest Look With Urban Wear Urban wear has been very popular in the last few years for the youth market. This trend for modern smart casual wear is now firmly established in the high street and there are many top brands and looks to choose from. You can get the latest fashion look with urban wear. This is a very current style trend that can be worn casual for everyday use or jazzed up for a hot date. Urban wear is affordable and very trendy and can be adapted to suits many different shapes and styles.

Latest Urban Fashion Trends Urban wear fashion is a fast moving industry and many styles come and go. The latest trends for autumn/winter season include: Hats Casual hats for both men and women are big news at the moment. There are a range of styles available rom trendy New Era baseball caps through to Volcom knit beanies.

Shorts and Tights A few years ago shorts and tights were a big no-no. However these days ‘short shorts’ are bridging the gap between the sexiness of mini skirts and the practicality of keeping warm in winter. For the latest urban look short black shorts over thick patterned tights are a favourite teamed with some cute ankle skimming boots or chunky heels. Laddered tights are also a big fashion look this season but can be tricky to pull off.

Hip Hop Wear urban wear hip hop clothing is that latest fashion success story and many top hip hop lines are big sellers such as New Era, Famous and The Wild Ones. Hip hop clothing is all about combining casual street clothes with top of the range luxury items so make sure you ‘bling’ up your baggy track suit with some chunky gold accessories or some killer heels.

Chunky Knits knit wear is big each winter season and this year chunky knits have made a strong comeback. Look for heavily texture styles and be brave with your colour choices as strong tones such as burnt orange, aubergine and bright red are popular trends this season.

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Transparent clothing transparent shirts teamed with a light camisole and trendy jeans are a big look for winter. Opt for nude colours to get that cutting edge fashion style and team this with chunky knitwear to keep you warm when you are out and about.

Vintage or Retro Urban Vintage and retro urban clothing is also a great look this season. Top looks include that classic 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s denim miniskirt and the ever popular leather jacket which can look great whatever style you are wearing.

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