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stencil art
I've just been trying to find some information about the Stencil Art festival fetsival on the City of Melbourne website. It has two references to stencil art that seem to contradict one another.
One is a positive event notice for the festival - they are a major sponsor so this is to be expected.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=75&pa=2025&pg=2083
The other is this:
If the City of Melbourne is trying to have it both ways, what could the reason be? The Stencil Festival occurs at the North Melbourne Meat Market, in gallery- like surrounds to judge from the media kit photos. Is the council trying to get stencilling off the streets?
This would be a pity, as the whole point of stencil art (for me) is that it is public, uncensored, free, and engages with the city. Street and stencil go together. As the recently arrested Montreal artist ... says,
I have a bit of... trouble with the over-stencilling of inner city laneways. A lot of this is lower quality stuff that doesn't have anything to say, except that the stencil artist has nabbed this space. I guess I've always preferred the solitary, unexpected stencil. Repeating mediocre ideograms all over town wherever space can be found makes these stencils about as interesting as old style sprayed signatures (tagging).
That said, the en masse stencilling (e.g. Hosiery Lane) does carry a new energy - it's a visual cacophany that makes it unlike any other experience of space in the city - especially if you get there after dark. .
Tagging doesn't appear to be included in the event. Could this be because it is uglier/ more common/ more suburban/ less art? Or just because it doesn't involve paper templates?
These issues and more will hopeflully be addressed in the forums being held throughout the festival, like "Sold Out? The Future of Street Art" (March 6th)
http://www.stencilfestival.com/
http://stencilrevolution.com/
http://www.stateofflux.com/
http://www.deviantart.com/
UPDATES
March 9th, 2005
The Age investigates the legitimacy of 'street art' by hanging out with some taggers.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/03/09/1110316091792.html
One is a positive event notice for the festival - they are a major sponsor so this is to be expected.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=75&pa=2025&pg=2083
The other is this:
Graffiti is a common problem in many cities and has a negative impact wherever it appears.
The City of Melbourne is committed to maintaining the clean and welcoming atmosphere of the city and has taken a positive lead with its graffiti prevention program by:
* quickly removing graffiti from own buildings and infrastructure; and
* providing advice and resources to help residents, property owners and managers prevent and remove graffiti themselves.
Placing graffiti on someone elses property is a criminal offence. If you see someone placing graffiti on property call the police immediately on 000."
"Graffiti comes in various forms including tagging, stencilling and pieces or graffiti art. Examples of different types are shown below.
Tagging:
Words or numbers that are the calligraphic signature of individuals or groups of graffiti writers.
Political/social comment:
Slogans used to advertise issues of concern.
Piece/graffiti art:
Illustrations in graffiti-style painted on large surfaces.
Stencilling:
Pre-formatted template design sprayed on to a wall.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=145&pg=1150
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=145&pa=1150&pg=1151
If the City of Melbourne is trying to have it both ways, what could the reason be? The Stencil Festival occurs at the North Melbourne Meat Market, in gallery- like surrounds to judge from the media kit photos. Is the council trying to get stencilling off the streets?
This would be a pity, as the whole point of stencil art (for me) is that it is public, uncensored, free, and engages with the city. Street and stencil go together. As the recently arrested Montreal artist ... says,
"I guess I'm dealing with language, the nuts and bolts and foundation of the language of the street... The symbols on the street are a method of communication, but in a dry, utilitarian way, so I wanted to inject a little poetry, for lack of a better word. There's this banality and predictability to city life, and that's enhanced by urban planning and the way our movement is directed. I wanted to play with that."
http://www.montrealmirror.com/2005/012005/news2.html
I have a bit of... trouble with the over-stencilling of inner city laneways. A lot of this is lower quality stuff that doesn't have anything to say, except that the stencil artist has nabbed this space. I guess I've always preferred the solitary, unexpected stencil. Repeating mediocre ideograms all over town wherever space can be found makes these stencils about as interesting as old style sprayed signatures (tagging).
That said, the en masse stencilling (e.g. Hosiery Lane) does carry a new energy - it's a visual cacophany that makes it unlike any other experience of space in the city - especially if you get there after dark. .
Tagging doesn't appear to be included in the event. Could this be because it is uglier/ more common/ more suburban/ less art? Or just because it doesn't involve paper templates?
These issues and more will hopeflully be addressed in the forums being held throughout the festival, like "Sold Out? The Future of Street Art" (March 6th)
http://www.stencilfestival.com/
http://stencilrevolution.com/
http://www.stateofflux.com/
http://www.deviantart.com/
UPDATES
March 9th, 2005
The Age investigates the legitimacy of 'street art' by hanging out with some taggers.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/03/09/1110316091792.html
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