Spring
Table of Contents Author’s Notes
p. 3-4
Street Art as a Tool
p. 5-8
Green Graffiti
p. 9-10
Eco Graffiti: Grow
p. 11-12
Interview: Anna Garforth
p. 13-14
Author's Notes By Tyler Schuppert
I wanted to add this
since the early 2000s have the two
section to the zine in order
been combined. It offers a unique
to clarify a few things. I also
look into our societies response to
wanted to simply complain
recent trending and how politically
about the coverage my subject
stimulated art is.
has gotten and how rare any
sort of complete and competent
nuances of what make art and any
journalism is regarding green
sort of philosophical discourse
graffiti. It saddens me that such
regarding our society I want to
an interesting and fairly unique
say that this new addition into
form of interdisciplinary work has
the art world is fascinating. Even
gone unnoticed. Contemporary
the street-art phenomenon is
graffiti has been around for several
intriguing, but the field’s inside is
decades, and eco art has been
just as diverse.
around for even longer, yet only
p.4
Without delving into the
I want to establish that I
am in no way encouraging graffiti
disputing if painting on someone
or illegal street-art, but i want to
else’s property should be illegal.
acknowledge its effects. Taken
It completely should be. But in
by itself street-art and graffiti
its illegality it should still be
offer something no other art form
considered for its diversity and as
does. Although these forms are
an art form.
completely illegal I think we should keep watching out.
As a reader you are
completely entitled to your own opinion, but I hope that the articles I have compiled may at least open up the possibility of you considering giving something that is illegal a second chance. Im not
p.5
Steet Art as a Tool
By Kristina Marie Gleaton
Street art serves as a tool
as an arena for expression and a
for advocacy as well as a reporting
sounding board of sorts for the
forum. It functions socially as
marginalized. Whether the art form
it helps to shed light on events,
is sanctioned or unauthorized,
identify key players, provide social
it is exemplified by expressive
commentary, and even to articulate
thought directly communicated
political agendas and present
to its audience through the use of
visions (8). It plays a role that is
an “economy of words and ideas,
often in direct opposition to the
and rhetorically simple discourse�
media, by offering its commentary,
(9). Rarely are the messages hard
criticisms, and probing questions.
to decipher. Instead, street artists
Partisan in nature, the art form is
rely on simple, concise messages
not obligated to remain neutral
and a fusing of thoughts, ideas and
or unbiased, but instead works
commentary to initiate a political
toward advancing a cause or
dialogue. The ever-changing
idea. Street art is accessible to
political sphere forces street art
everyone regardless of point of
to be highly adaptable; as issues
view, and by its very nature acts
arise, the art form’s themes alter to
p.6
reflect current problems. Reflected through graffiti, murals, stickers, and posters, unsanctioned art communicates thoughts on pressing issues that are political, social, economic, and cultural in nature (9). As street art breathes life into the walls, a community dialogue is sparked as people begin to ask questions. Passersby, now forced to reflect on what it is they see, become aware of the presence, and viewpoint, of an active underground resistance movement. Street art, in direct opposition to commercial advertising, seeks to
p.7
neutralize the themes and
(Lewisohn 30). One must assume
“ideological discourse of the
that street art is an effective
streets” (19). Thus, a question of
means of communication; if it
control is raised: who controls
were not, the general response to
the streets? Is it the capitalists or
eradicate the art form, specifically
socialists? The art form is a power
from those is power, would not
tool for inspiring, energizing,
be so great. From its inception,
generating morale, and raising
modern day unsanctioned art was a
the spirits of its public, which is most “pronounced
reflection of the
“People consume information as it is available to them...”
at times of
turbulent New York political situation. Through
crisis, war, [and] revolution” (20).
style and content, the art form
People consume information as it
presented images of a nation
is available to them, and it is street
undergoing civil- and women’s-
art that is utilized as a means of
rights movements, power
transmitting messages that help
outages, a serial killer on the
to supplement the availability of
loose, and “staunch racial issues”
information and ideas (23). The art
(38). Acting as stimuli, these
form acts as a “framing device”
factors combined with “pictorial
for its communities around the
influences” to produce “overtly
world, as a “parallel voice of the
political messages” through art
city, and as a modern primitive
(38). Lee, an innovator of the New
art” that can be found all around
York subway graffiti movement,
for those who wish to look
mentions that the “political
p.8
atmosphere is ripe for people who
multi-faceted nature of the art
want to listen to art as the first
form, which remains unbound
word of a collective consciousness.
from the “layered editorial
People know what’s going on, but
complicity” the public experiences
they need to see it in the arts to
so heavily in the media (93).
confirm it” (79). Street artists are
Street art and graffiti will always
influential not only in the number
retain a sense of authority that will
of people their work reaches, but
forever be “relevant in terms of
also the number of artists inspired to make work of
representing
“... artists’ work is presented directly to the viewer....”
their own. The
the outside, non-edited view” because the artists’
art form is “a visual language that
work is presented directly to the
incorporates the world around it”
viewer with no curator in between
(39). Jeffrey Deitch, a modern and
to dictate what it good and what
contemporary art dealer, states that
is not (131). The communicative
street art has “become the most
power of
influential cultural innovation of
street art lies in the fact that there
the past thirty years” (30). Some
is just one editor—just the artist,
street artists rely on guerilla tactics
directly initiating a dialogue with
to deliver their messages, and a
the viewer. It is the mix of “social
few have even
activism, social outrage, and
taken to “corporate sabotage” as
creativity” that enable the
the main element of their work
art form to deliver a strong
(81). This further exemplifies the
message in the most “beautiful [of]
p.9
Green Graffiti By Abigail Doan
Eco-minded street artist
turn touch you in the playful ways
Edina Tokodi is putting a new spin
that her animated installations
on green guerilla tactics in the
call to mind a more familiar,
trendy art enclave of Williamsburg,
environmentally friendly state
Brooklyn. Tokodi’s site-specific
in the barren patches of urban
moss installations of prancing
existence.
animal figures and camouflage
Tokodi believes strongly that the
outgrowths are the talk of a local
reactions of passersby (or the lack
urban neighborhood typically
of any reaction at all) is really
accustomed to gallery hype and
an indicator of a deeper malaise
commercial real estate take-
that we need to pay attention
overs. Unlike the market-driven
to and reseed with “mentally
art featured in sterile, white box
healthy garden states” and direct
galleries, the work of Tokodi is
interactive engagement.
meant to be touched, felt, and in
The artist states:
p.10
“I think that our distance from
leave them alone, or if they want
nature is already a cliché. City
to, take care of them or dismantle
dwellers often have no relationship
them. This is what makes my
with animals or greenery. As a
work similar to graffiti, although
public artist I feel a sense of duty
I am searching for a deeper social
to draw attention to deficiencies in
meaning and a dialogue with
our everyday life. As a cultivator
memories of the animals and
of eco-urban sensitivity, I usually
gardens of my past in a small town
go back to the sites to visit my
in Central Europe. I believe that
“plants” or “moss”, sometimes to repair them a bit, but nothing more
if everyone
“The reactions of passersby is really an indicator of a deeper malaise that we need to pay attention to...”
generally as
had a garden of their own to cultivate, we would have a much more balanced
they tend to get enough water from
relation to our territories. Of
the air, condensation, and rain–
course, a garden can be many
especially in certain seasons. I also
things.”
like to let them live by themselves.
Edina Tokodi studied graphic
From the moment I put them on
art and design at the Hungarian
the street they start to have their
Academy of Fine Arts and also
own life. For me, the reaction
completed urban design course
of life on the street is also very
work in Milan, Italy. Her work
important. I am curious about how
can be seen on the streets of
people receive them, if they just
Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
p.11
Eco-Graffiti: Grow From the Inspiration of the Nation team.
The amazing Eco-graffiti entitled “Grow”
by Anna Garforth is already famous for it’s innovative design and simple yet very powerful Eco message. The phenomenal art work “Grow” is made out of moss, a new medium for street art, that grows easily and has none of the environmental detriments of spraypainted graffiti. Anna Garforth works with a diverse range of materials and skills to create unique and experimental art. Her Wartworks have been used for public events, community projects, workshops, campaigns, publications and exhibitions. With a strong background in design and illustration, she
p.12
is able to transform moss into beautiful lettering, playing with the design, the typography and the language to make amazing art works.
I love the way she can combine the language
and the visual arts without effort, and the message is so crystal clear that I don’t need to explain it, it becomes obvious from the fist glance at her art work. As an artist with a strong ecological message, she uses mostly recycled or natural materials and turns them into art. She is a genius in both words and design, as she was able to send such a powerful sustainable and social message using juts one simple word: “Grow�. Take a look at this amazing art work, it will surely become one of your favorites.
p.13
Interview with Anna Garforth
Conducted by David Brier
Anna, give us a quick snapshot of yourself.
I grew up in a leafy part of the world and spent most of my childhood imagining worlds and constructing things out of nature. I moved to the city where I studied art and design and developed a strong affinity for the urban forest. My respect for the wild merged with my love of the city and as a result, the essence of my work is inspired by the juxtaposition of urban and natural environments.
p.14
What began your obvious
work often features orchard
love affair with typography?
pruning’s, park debris, and other
Stefan Sagmeister. Up until the
natural materials that are screwed,
point I set eyes on Sagmeister’s
doweled or bolted together to
work, I didn’t know that
form constructions and type. Andy
experimental typography existed.
Uprock is a street artist that came
There was a particular piece of
up with the concept ‘cuprocking’
his that started it off for me, a
he creates beautiful lettering and
giant billboard stacked with 7200
patterns in fences using plastic
bananas! Green bananas were
cups. Andy Goldsworthy has
used to spell out “self-confidence
been a longtime favorite and
produces fine results” - a message
inspiration of mine; he works
that couldn’t have come at a
solely from nature to create mind
more pertinent time. I set sail
blowing site specific installations
into experimental waters and
and sculptures. There are so
discovered a whole world of 3D
many people that encourage and
typography, since then I’ve never
motivate me by their creativity
looked back!
every day, I am never stuck for
incentive.
Does anyone currently
inspire you to experiment with
What inspired you to
new materials?
merge environmental elements
A whole bunch of artists inspire
with typography?
me and I am always discovering
Quite simply, my love of being
new designers that make me push
outdoors and submersed in nature.
my ideas further. To name a few,
(Look at the way Anna created
Gyonky Laky. Her sculptural
these two signs below on fences
p.15