Art Leaks
POST GRAFFITI 2.0
…Bond Truluv coins himself. He isn’t an ordinary writer but a digital leaning inventor – artist. Not only he creates incredible gadgets but also applies augmented reality, 3D, NFC and all forms of technology when writing, paving the further step for the art of graffiti. His graffs are optical and mind teasing, that blurr the border between the virtual world and real life.
Hacks and gadgets!
Vitaly tech assembled a dot painting spray adaptor using drone pieces and other materials. From the looks of it, the distance between each dot is adjusted by the propeller speed. They also invented a circle maker where you paint in circles, wow. You can see some neat stuff on their youtube.
A graffiti Pokémon?!
Great news for the writing community in the digital world. The graffiti movement has spread so much in our own right that even Nintendo had top give us some space. This so called Grafaifai that appears in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, apparently tags trees in their habitat and the colors they produce (secrete? like sweat) depends on their diet.
Good bye Jordi…
The one and only Montana Colors from Barcelona Spain’s visionary founder Jordi Rubio Rocabert has left the leading spray paint brand after 29 years. His contribution to the graffiti culture through the course of the quasi-three decades is immeasurable. If you jump to Montana’s website there is a letter written by himself. Thanks, Jordi.
The King of Kowloon
Since 1956, calligraffiti in Chinese by Tsang Tsou-choi blossomed on ruined walls in Hong Kong as a protest against the loss of his motherland to the British. He carefully chose his canvas, only writing on government property. He continued his protests until the early 2000s and died in 2007 of a heart attack. In 2015, due to a strong rain, his letters which were previously buffed by the Hong Kong authorities resurfaced, catching instant attention of citizens who grew up with these letters of peaceful protest.
Writers will always be stronger than repression.
Talk about history!
In Pompeii, Italian historians are excavating ancient ruins and graffiti are popping up everywhere. Here graffiti, means traditional inscribed writing (because the word graffiti comes from Italian graffiare, to scratch). The messages are as contemporary as they can get. For instance, “Rufio painted this”, “Satura was here on September 3rd”, “Cruel Lalagus, why do you not love me”, “ If you don´t believe in Venus, gaze at my girlfriend” and more. I guess the graffiti and vandalism that is practiced today should be considered a contemporary adaptation of the traditional, better yet, an ancient form of art??
ABC: BLACKBOOK
The Blackbook is a writer’s marker, spray, cap or whatever essential tool to be one. It is that vital as one keeps everything there. From practicing their tag to sketching a masterpiece. An album where they can see how they have progressed through time. Blackbooks are also often exchanged between vandals to record each others’ graffs.
A graphic documentary of a graffiti writer.
Croatia’s first ever…
| Croatian graffiti scene gathered and published for the first time as Blackbook Croatia! When traveling is not on your side turn to books, yeah! |
The art of buffing?
| Now this is niche. Matt McCormick’s short film “the subconscious art of graffiti removal“ is dedicated to buffing. Actually, the documentary, rather than “removing” focuses on masking tags, where many times mean covering them up. Leaving the footprints of the graffiti completely visible and questionable if covering up was better for the aesthetics. Eventually, the narrator quite surprisingly starts to compare historical artists with these removals and takes an analytical approach to these buffs. Interesting… |
SHUTTERS
Recently in London, UK there was an exhibition of shutters painted by artists for the occasion. Could some gallery gather the actual pieces of old shutters off the streets with the writers’ tags and throwies? Now that would be even more cool!
Graffiti coz we care
| In Kofele, Ethiopia researchers and artists have teamed up with the help of organizations to create a “plant graffiti”. A tree nursery in the shape of a lion. The green national animal will be visible from space (and hopefully via earth’s aerial image capturing softwares) and is aimed to sensitise/ tackle climate change and promote Oromo Culture (the region where the graffiti is located). True public art by the public for the public. |
MARTHA COOPER
The mother of graffiti, a living legend, the documentary photographer who spread to the world the graffiti hip hop movement: Martha Cooper. It wouldn’t be an overstatement if we said that nearly all the writers and street artists we know today do what they do thanks to her. In the 70s, a then insular underground movement was documented by her, which lead to co-publish (with Henry Chalfant) the graffiti bible: Subway Art.
Bursting Urban
Urban Spree in Berlin, Germany is the hub of urban creativity. Gallery, artists’ residencies, gift shop, foot court, concert hall and many temporary activities/ events take place. What happens in the 1700m² space is organic, independent spirited, and true. Admission is free so wander through the Urban Spree and get a taste of German urban art.
New York!
NY, the birth place of graffiti has an awesome attitude. A writer was tagging a water tower and the police deployed an entire army, OK not really but a dozen police officers to catch him. Followed by an hours-long stand off even a chopper was called in. The neighbours commented “So much police for such a trivial thing” and “Total misuse of police force”. The next day a lady even let the writer in her house so he could take a pic of the piece, adding “a nice touch for the neighbourhood”. Go NY!
Unofficial Banksy
A Banksy exhibition was called off as it didn’t contain enough authentic works of the artist. First of all, Banksy has stated that many exhibitions around the world are un-official without his consent. Second, the exhibition had many recreations and due to the massive complaints by the visitors the organizers were cornered to refund them. Very funny.
Graff Leaks
Metal Lovers New Video
One of the most waited video has dropped on Spraydaily’s Youtube! Metal Lovers is the Italian crew MLS’s new video. In the footage you’ll witness tons of train rolling and action you just can’t miss. Most of then are whole-cars and top-to-bottom! Now head to that channel!
1UP Short Movie
After some time since the release of the book by 1UP in collaboration with Martha Cooper and Ninja K, the famous German crew has decided to publish on their YouTube channel a short film that documents the footages that lead them to making that book! A concentrate of adrenalin you just can’t miss or what!? What are you waiting for!?
BONNIE AND CLYDE
Dubbed the Bonnie and Clyde of graffiti: Utah and Ether. These writers from the United States have tagged trains and buildings in over 30 countries. Some of their most adrenalin pumping bombings are definitely the Probation Vacation series, featuring their trips to countries in Asia. As the name is self-explanatory, they left their native country to go on a vacation from their probation (which was a sentence for their previous vandalic acts, naturally). The paths they take to reach those spots are just meticulously insane and make you lose your breath.
LUXURY X VANDALISM
SO, we’re sure that all of you have at least heard about the Balenciaga AD campaign that implies child pornography, right? The Spanish luxury brand is being sacked from all directions at the moment. Here is where the vandalism community comes in. An activist vandalised their flagship store in London, UK, daubing the store windows with the words that penalize their collection’s promotion: “PEDOPHILIA”.
Brandalize!
Artist Banksy has accused GUESS for using his works for a capsule collection without his permission. He posted on his channels encouraging shoplifters to do the same thing to GUESS. Leading the flagship store in Regent street London, UK to temporarily close down.
…and it doesn’t stop here. Some are even pointing out that Banksy has done the same to another artist what the US fashion brand did to him…and that all this is marketing… : /
City Cleanup Corps
To combat the graffiti “issue”, New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he will hire 10,000 people for his new cleaning program: City Cleanup Corps. New Yorkers, soon it will be full of new spots.
The fun in writing…
Some while ago, at the birth place of graffiti New York, USA, the Police Benevolent Association of Police Officers posted a tweet about a whole train (an entire train covered in graffiti). Despite their bitterness towards the multiple end to ends (a wagon filled with graffiti from beginning to the end) the New Yorkers seemed quite pleased about it. Some even said that the City should officially employ writers to paint on trains, but that just takes all the fun out of writing doesn’t it??
The price of writing…
What is the highest price you can pay for vandalism? Ending up in jail? Paying a hefty fine? Serving community service? None of them….it’s buffing your own pieces…under the supervision of your MOM. This is what exactly happened to a 16 year old in Louisiana, USA. Our thoughts are with you dear teen vandal.
Call them billboard spot consultants
On the national highway in the UK several safety message graffiti have appeared on bridges such as: “keep left unless overtaking”, “don’t drink and drive”, editorial favorites are “Why are you a middle lane moron?” and “Hey you, middle lane moron, get over” (remember in the UK you drive on the left?). Even though these vandalistic posts were welcomed by the highway users, since they caught TOO much attention and could have lead to accidents they were removed. Just another anecdote that vandals are the authentic experts in finding the most eye catching surfaces. You’re welcome for the free billboard spot consulting by our fellow vandals.
And the winners are….
The #MTNXVANDALEAK contest has come to an end…and the lucky prize draw winners are…@enser129, @misterhir, @skepticisme, @_B3gone_ !!!!!
Thanks to everybody who participated, and last but not least the one and only MONTANA COLORS!! Keep on writing to all vandals!!!!
ABC: BLACKBOOK
The Blackbook is a writer’s marker, spray, cap or whatever essential tool to be one. It is that vital as one keeps everything there. From practicing their tag to sketching a masterpiece. An album where they can see how they have progressed through time. Blackbooks are also often exchanged between vandals to record each others’ graffs.
A graphic documentary of a graffiti writer.
EXTRA! EXTRA! #MTNXVANDALEAK CONTEST
We are extending the MTN X VANDALEAK Contest till the 14th March! So share those Vandaleak trains!! Wooohoooo
#MTNXVANDALEAK CONTEST!
VANDALEAK: the one and only place where a digital vandal can live the real graffiti experience has teamed up with world’s leading spray paint brand Montana Colors for the MTN X Vandaleak Contest!
Use the MTNXVANDALEAK coupon to gain 1000 credits for free, gear up your backpack from STORE, paint your name on a Vandaleak train from BOMBING, make sure to take a picture. From GALLERY choose the graff pic and select the MTN logo button to share on your instagram including the #MTNXVANDALEAK hashtag to participate in the contest. You can participate as many times as you want!
Simple as that!
4 lucky winners of the draw will receive a Montana Colors products pack and Vandaleak credits.
Contest runs until March 5th! Now get up and writing!
Writing in times of a pandemic
| Just like Auckland, New Zealand, Philadelphia, USA has witnessed a soar in graffiti and tags since the beginning of the pandemic with a nearly 20% rise in request for graffiti removal. Officials from the community encouraged writers to take part in a public mural program, but it’s just not the same!!! |
NINJA K
A hard core photographer called NINJA K teamed up with the living legend Martha Cooper, and they documented one of the most anonymous, elusive and secretive crews of our times: 1UP. The photos in the book, ONE WEEK WITH 1UP capture their breath panting speed and adrenalin bursting. The two photographers knew exactly what they need to do when taking pictures that do justice to vandalism of excellence.