July 09, 2004
Swoon: New York Street Art
Swoon, a New York graffiti artist talks to the New York Times about what she loves about creating street art. This is a short Flash slideshow that demonstrates how street art can be a dynamic influence on the community.
Street art is an outgrowth of the graffiti movement of the 1980s. While graffitists wer using spray paint to create huge abstract images and lettering, the contemporary street art is more delibrate, controlled, considered. The accompanying NY Times article focuses on the street art movement. The techniques run the gamut: "At one end of the spectrum are doodles, icons and designs, often drawn or printed on stickers, a medium that allows for pre-strike preparation at home and quick, furtive execution in public.
Others are using more complicated art techniques, such as the meticulous printing and paperwork preferred by Swoon, ceramics, lithography, silk screening, painting , leathersmithing and woodworking. Some have even used welding torches, notably the once-ubiquitous New York graffiti writer known as Revs, who has installed three-dimensional versions of his stylized name, or "tag," around the city. Darius (also known by his graffiti tag, Verbs) and Downey, a Brooklyn tandem now living in London, turn old street signs into sculptures or small billboards for provocative messages and reinstall them, often in the plain light of day. "We're using the city against itself," Downey, 23, said in a recent interview."
Why do they do it? For the best of all reasons in creating art: "to reawaken a sense of wonder about one's environment."
Gammablablog features an interview with Swoon and lots of photos of her work.
Images by Swoon - originally photographed by Michael Natale of Gammablablog.
