Showing posts with label street art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label street art. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Book: Arabic graffiti


 "Arabic Graffiti" coauthored by Lebanese typographer Pascal Zoghbi and graffiti writer and publisher Stone aka Don Karl Zaza, has been released in April 2011, by the publishing house "from Here to Fame". They called on contributors who have worked on the subjects extensively (Houda Kassatly, William Parry, Huda Smitshuijzen Abifares, Rana Jarbou, Tala Saleh) .

The Arab countries are now in a positive flip: revolutions, protests, public expression, demands of liberties and freedom. The book will attract attention internationally as the world needs to see what is really happening in the realm of creation and arts. 

Monday, 28 March 2011

United states of Palestine / Khalil Rabah in Kuwait/ gorilla style

Art in an unusual venue. Not in a gallery, not in an art fair. This installation, by Khalil Rabah, will be part of the World Travel Expo, Kuwait 2011, Mishref, international fair grounds, from Tuesday 29th march 2011 to April 1st from 10 am to 1pm, and 5 to 9 pm. 
The travel expo has a clear mission : "Unlock the business potential, bringing exhibitors with tour operators, leisure buyers and the industry's most influential meetings, incentive and corporate buyers".
So tour operators, travel agents and the industry's who's who, have all scheduled to be at the trade fair, see what's new and mingle with potential clients. 
Then they'll walk up to booth A6 and read: United States of Palestine Airlines. It looks real.
They'll react. 
What is it?
Who's airlines?
Where does it fly to?
Is it a joke?

Now that is art! In the most unexpected, in the least predicted manner, the viewer will take a second to pause, or not.
Gorilla art, street art, art for the people.
Art away from collectors and fancy, flashy, posh connoisseurs.
Art that triggers a series of questions, unsettle our routine and conventions, surprises us.

Sunday, 2 August 2009

Legal and illegal art

Street dance in Paris is not legal. Feisal, Ibrahim and friends, some from Tunisia, others from different part of the world, perform in the tourists' zones. Under thirty years, they decide to get together to earn a few coins in the summer, entertain the crowds, and sometimes they get police intervention on the spot.
What is the sanction in France to dance in the street? probably not as much as in other countries where public dancing is punished highly, music and singing must be state controlled.
Does it stop the dancing?

On the same note, Flash Mob dancing has become a fad in many countries. In an anonymous manner, a group of dancers get on the floor of high traffic area, usually a train station, a big mall etc.. and perform together during a song to give the impression of a random event. The use of a web camera, youtube, twitter, facebook etc.. promotes the success of the pre and post event. In the past month, around the world, spontaneous flash mob dances have been organized as a tribute to Micheal Jackson.
In Kuwait, it was reported by fellow bloggers that a silent non dancing tribute to Micheal Jackson on the beach ended up being dispersed by the police.
Does it stop listening to Jackson's words :
"We are the World, we are the children ... We'll make a better day, just you and me..."
and let's start dancing!

link to flash mob dance : Montreal
Stockholm