Month: December 2016

In the mind

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So just thinking about the mind and the place of the world within it. Summed up well below.

“No created thing remains upon a single state in this world, the next world, and what is between the two, neither spirit, nor soul, nor anything other than the Essence of God. Rather, each continuously changes from form to form, constantly and forever. And imagination is nothing but this…. So the cosmos only became manifest within imagination…. It is it, and it is not it. “(Ibn ‘Arabî, al-Futûhât, 1911 edition, 2:313.12)(https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ibn-arabi/)

Then writing about it in below excerpt. Kind of turning it around.

He didn’t realise that the graffiti on the streets was just a reflection of his mind and other minds. A chaotic reflection of collective well being. The repetitive staccato was all over the uneasy streets. They lived within a world built for other purposes. It was functional. Things moved through the spaces. They though were dysfunctional but never the less were still moving through the functional streets. Looking to be known through their respective journeys. Hoping not to be completely forgotten. They had been forgotten before. Life is busy and nobody has time for those that drop by the wayside. They kept reminding people but people didn’t know what the reminiscence was? What had been forgotten were the people who fell through the cracks. They were ghosts now. Visible but invisible. They moved through the streets existing within them. This was what they had imagined.

Painting details

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The dialogue in Zapgalaxy’s paintings help us understand the complexities of cultural exchange. The negotiations and constant unfolding of possible conflicts and resolutions is not unlike the world we live in. This comic universe is filled with wonder, possible cataclysms and the meeting points of cultures. There is always a sense of different cultures in the guise of distinct looking aliens. Foreign entities seem destined to not just appear but challenge us and challenge each other. Zap galaxy is probably the most accurate painter of Australian multiculturalism. Rather than just painting from his own vantage point as an immigrant he paints the many cultures as a representation of what he sees as a whole universe of attitudes in the world. It is important to note the word ‘attitudes’ as these seem destined to inform our representations. Attitudes change, or at least we hope they do. This is important if we consider Australian immigration policy and its threat to the success of multiculturalism. These days though it seems to depend on who you ask but there is no denying the attitudes prevalent. These attitudes seem hinged on ignorance and fear. Where Zap’s paintings come into this is the unfolding of drama in the universe of attitudes we live in. One dialogue could be an observation pertaining to ‘energy’ or another the slavery of ‘apes’ from an inhospitable foe.

Words

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Just thinking about characters and their own understanding, for instance how they use words to either escape or get caught. It has religious connotations but I don’t mind that.

He had never considered his own thoughts but he understood the power of words. Even if only through street poetry which was still an underground phenomenon at this stage. Many of these artists would never become household names even after the form became popular. Words were the only thing holding him back. Words were like a prison and the only way to escape words was through words. Words could imprison you or set you free. It took him a long time to figure this out. The question really was would he realise this in enough time? Would he find the words to get out of the mess he was in? Mostly his recourse was lies to dodge a charge from the police. The truth though wasn’t necessarily the answer either. It depended on the situation. It was manipulation but if that helped you then you have no choice but to do it. Many were destined for a physical prison only because they couldn’t think of any other way to be. Words could free them though. The words that would help them understand their situation and make a plan. A plan that worked for them and others.

 

Paze and Rexzy possibilities

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Just thinking about visual work. Not very interested in doing much at the moment but the following sums up my situation.

Working with Paze is difficult because I am not really an established consistent painter whereas Paze is. It just doesn’t feel right as well. I have worked to be a painter on the edge of the field and working with him brings me into the fold. I prefer to remain difficult and on the outside. Paze is largely underground but has a lot of support from people in the know. Me working with him is like working with Stylz another consistent painter. These types of things are not meant to happen and shouldn’t.

Paze harks back to early graffiti in Sydney. He was established and a highly skilled painter early on. He always kept working but underground. Finding his work was a matter of chance as he painted in places not many people knew of. He and Zap recently painted and it was a great wall. My own feelings about painting are tied up into my style which is largely rebellious and disjointed. It works with Zap for some reason. Possibly because Zap’s style anchors the wall visually.

This doesn’t mean I can’t work with anyone. There is a possibility my approach could work with Rexzy a more visually explorative painter. Also Rexzy saw my work and really liked it on a day he came past while I was painting. It seemed to connect with him.

 

Spilled into reality

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An excerpt. Looks like 2017 will be busy.

Not only did they visit established sites such as museums but also places dedicated to the less fortunate. His father had been a practicing social worker and had an interest in people from all walks of life. They would play ping pong in centres for the homeless or substance dependent people in the inner city. Mostly these excursions were uneventful but some became rather strange. One such strange visit was to one of his Dad’s friends. After a rather long walk in unfamiliar territory they arrived at this friends home. Dad’s friend talked of quite strange events which the little boy was unsure of. He talked quite extensively about the moon and signals that were being broadcast. It was the first the little boy had heard of it. The boy didn’t really understand what Dad’s friend was getting at and thought it was quite strange but nevertheless interesting. 

Dad’s friend was a little monotonous in his descriptions and this made his claims a little too otherworldly and less convincing. His Dad’s friends name was Steve and he wasn’t really trying to convince anybody of anything. Maybe that was why the boy found the whole adventure somewhat like a picture book or a TV show that had spilled into reality. 

 

Prins and his graffiti influence

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In the 1980s many people started doing graffiti in Sydney which of course was prepackaged from the United States. Graffiti art was a burgeoning subculture which in many ways was flexible enough and innovative enough to capture peoples attention. Getting your own work noticed was the name of the game and many have tried and failed. In some cases people not only learned the ropes but innovated in highly sophisticated and creative ways. This turned what would have been a fad into a vibrant and exciting art form. In 1986 I went to Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD and happened to bump into one of the most revered and respected graffiti artists in Sydney. My friend, another young creative hopeful who had met Prins before was lucky enough to receive an outline from him. Which by the way found its place onto his bedroom wall. There were a few highly cited graffiti artists in the mid 1980s and Prins was one of them.

As a younger graffiti artist meeting other artists who were well established such as Rexzy, Paze, Rama, Best and Prins to name a few was exciting. The term of course was ‘Kings’ and they were revered as such setting a high standard that others like myself could only hope to aspire to. As others retired from graffiti in the late 1980s it seemed Prins had only just gotten started. Innovating in new ways that set new standards coming into the 1990s. There was no doubt that he was established in the subculture setting the course for many artists. In the 1990s as I found myself making a name for myself in graffiti I visited Prins with friends to see his new work in the hope that his innovation would maybe brush off onto me. I definitely stole ideas as his style was too good to ignore. Thankfully I found my own voice eventually but unfortunately didn’t hit the same league as Prins. People would travel to the north shore just to see what he had been up to and really it was rite of passage.

I spent many hours under bridges or other sites which in some ways had become sacred just through the skilful application of aerosol paint by Prins. The fact is he was highly creative and inventive. Eventually he started exploring his own ancestry through carving. His importance in graffiti was paramount and still is. The fact that he broadened graffiti through his carvings as well as through aerosol techniques established Prins as one of the most innovative artists. Graffiti has been one of the most important art forms of the twentieth century and still holds influence and importance today. Prins found many ways to innovate with it and made an indelible mark.