Early into Spring, Uno, an African American graphic artist working – last seen here – got into the Banksy business and unleashed a flurry of stencils pasted in parts of downtown. Most have been taken down by now. The stark work of lush ink featured African American iconography, mostly historically significant individuals although my favorite was this “Gangsta” (he’s “er” adverse) that had a guy with a dog on an elaborate change. I though the dog may have been an actual panther, but I believe it is a pit bull. He looks like a Pan African guy, celebrating the an idealized hunter & gatherer African culture – a pre-slavery, primitive idyll offering the possibility of a more authentic life than our 21st century materialism makes available. Yet, the intricate chain leash on the designer pit-bull reveals that this might be a more current fantasy – a post-apocalyptical inner city survival strategy? A blending of pop culture, cultural ideology and a Ghetto-Fabulous Mad Max scenario? A fun way to promote a new show? Poster Art lived for a little while at least in this fun blast of street expression.
No comments:
Post a Comment