Global street art: Shanghai to Sydney

An enormous amount of street art is shared on blogs and social networks every day; a virtual gallery where artworks live beyond the confines of weathered reality. Forever. This has fostered a global community in which artists receive wider recognition for their work - finding audiences they otherwise would not.

But what about sharing art between cities, rather than hard drives? Ben Frost found success with this idea through his Pastemodernism projects, inviting hundreds of artists around the globe to submit posters for exhibition. After corresponding with Shanghai-based artist Clive for close to a year - during which time I interviewed him and blogged his paste-ups - I thought of bringing some of his work in Sydney. So I asked him to send some pieces.

I contacted Sydney artist Fukt and asked if he'd like to join the project. He was interested. Clive hand-painted the posters and sent them to me.

A few weeks later I received a package from "Hugh Jass". WTF, I thought. But sure enough, inside it were Clive's posters, tinged with the smell of paint and cigarette ash. I handed them over to Fukt as he painted the IKEA stencil not long ago. You can see that here.

In the photo above, you'll see one of the posters in Camperdown as of Thursday last week. Fukt thought a good spot to paste was along Parramatta Rd - one of the busiest, most congested roads in Australia.

See below for more. And let me know if you want to see more projects like these.

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■ Wheatpasting with Clive
■ Clive interview
■ Shanghai subway posters
■ Fukt IKEA stencil
■ Best We Forget stencil

Takie street art

I recently got acquainted with Melbourne artist Takie after bumping into one of her paste-ups while buying groceries in Camperdown.

Originally from Sydney, she creates colour-soaked psychedelic drawings using a tapestry of geometric shapes. Check out some of her work below.

How much do you love Takie?

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■ Component stencil in Melbourne
■ Invader in Melbourne
■ R2D2 stencil
■ Newtown street art

Aboriginal poster art in Sydney

Feeling kinda Sad today. Got this heaviness in my heart because I'm a White guy with a digital camera made by working-class people in Thailand. I use it to prove that being Creative is more than just a hobby, that I have artistic integrity. Middle-class guilt is heavy Dude. I just want to feel happy about living under a Welfare State. I believe the annual tax confessions I pay money for absolve me of Guilt.

Do you reckon the NT Intervention is working? I don't have an answer to this. I have few Answers. I have lots of love though. Sometimes I cry to Myself. I'm a social outcast living Vicariously through illegal art made by other social outcasts/inmates.

For $1 a day you can make a Deference.

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■ Lana Del Rey: Born to Cancel
■ Happy Australia Day!
■ Jumbo and Zap posters

Street art in Newtown, Sydney

OK so now Sydney Mardi Gras is over we can all get our lives back on track. Did you have a good time? I was chasing dragonflies.

I've previously published street art located along this stone wall facing Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. It's been raining a lot in Sydney and that gave these photos a soft blue hue.

This roller graffiti is (obviously) by Trap. In the background is the spire of St Stephen's Church.

Haven't seen these around, but possible that 'Anza' pasted it up. This was around the corner from the park.

My research shows that one in every one people who visits the park smokes weed there. They usually travel in groups.

This one looks like Scribbla.

You might like:

■ Newtown Street Art
■ Newtown Perspex Etching
■ Slug Graffiti
■ Newtown Street Art and Posters

Sydney street art

There is a wall covered in street art and graffiti at 184 Broadway in Sydney. It's right next to the Telstra "International Telecommunications Centre". Read about that here. The wall is directly beneath a CCTV camera.

This Fukt stencil of Michelangelo's 'David' is a little worn/covered in poo. Maybe it's better this way? I struggled with this idea at first, you know, resenting vandalism of street art, but then I realised "we're all bro's here". Every last 1 of us.

This satirical/dead serious stencil of Newt Gingrich by Blue Chip is scary. Getting a dictator vibe from this one. Reminds me of the Hitler depicted in a new Australian retro-comedy Danger 5. Here's a trailer:

 


Like it? Me neither :(

Hitler again. Scared. Hang on ////////////// ////////////// //////////// //////////// /////////////// OK...just spent ~45mins curled in the foetal position in a bathtub. I don't know whose tub it was. Just woke up there :'(

Caged rainbow tiger. Not sure who did this stencil, but looks like Blue Chip. Get in touch if you know bb.

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Sydney laneway art (Fukt)

Audrey Hepburn stencil (Blue Chip)

Lana Del Rey: Born to Cancel

I don't normally publish fly-posters because they are part of the advertising machine that is polluting the streets.

There was one time I did though.

But I thought these Lana Del Rey posters were funny, considering the US pop star cancelled her first Australian tour this week. The posters were pushing her debut album Born To Die, but it makes you wonder - are they trying to quell the backlash from dumping her Australian fans?

I think these posters are funny because A) Del Rey has big, fat, fake, sexy lips, and B) This is either a failed advertising exercise or the machine monetising her 'brand' wants to help you forget about it via lips/marketing products/sexual juggernauts.

Do you think Lizzie Del Rey is sexxi? Should Acid Midget give her 8/10? Or does canceling her tour knock it down to 7.99/10?

These posters were up on Great North Rd, Five Dock, in Sydney's inner west this morning.

Did you buy tickets to Del Rey's Melbourne and Sydney concerts? Or were you too busy reading street art blogs? Tell me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or comment below bb.

Pictures: Fistful of Sound, Global Grind.

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Sydney Hipster Poster Ads

How to wheatpaste like Clive

Street artist Clive recently completed a sojourn around Southeast Asia where, aside from soaking some sun, he got a few of posters up.

He sent over photos of a wheatpasting lesson with kids in Cambodia. More below.

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Acid Midget interview: Clive

Happy Australia Day!

I found this poster while looking for a pub in Chippendale last night. I walked in the rain, alone, because I have trouble maintaining meaningful friendships.

When I saw this poster, all I could think about was the wasted idea of the "Australian Dream". I thought that owning a big house and living the good life was impossible for young urbanites. Sydney cost of living = your soul.

Sydney is a good city. Australians are good harmless lukewarm people. But on Australia Day, when a lot of beer and animal muscle is consumed, the very premise of a 'dream' to aspire to is almost hopeless.

I'm going to drink a lot of alcohol now. Brb.

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Anthony Lister: Bogan Paradise

European debt crisis needs miracle

(Source)

Europe is currently facing a huge debt crisis which threatens to undo financial stability across the Euro Zone, with probable run-on effects for the US and other continents.

Greece has racked up an enormous sovereign debt - because the government has too many credit cards - and without a solid financial backbone investors are avoiding the nation.

As this situation worsens while France, Germany and other EU members propose a bailout package, the entire European continent faces infection as Greece drags down the Euro currency.

The classically-styled poster pictured above is interesting on three levels:

1) It signals God/Jesus/Michael Jackson pushing their hands down to earth to pray for Greece's financial recovery.

2) The hands are upside down, hinting the world is 'screwed'.

3) It represents an accurate line graph of the world's finances since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008.

Artist: Tristan des Limbes

(Rue Garreau, Montmartre, Paris)

I saw these Tristan des Limbes paste-ups while I was in Paris a couple of weeks ago.

Their simple yet polished look fit well on the aching apartments lining Montmartre's cobbled paths.

At the top of Montmartre is la butte - the hilltop - where I found the Sacre Coeur. It's a beautiful white church with broad views of Paris.

(Place Emile Goudeau, Montmartre, Paris)

I didn't expect to see street art along the walk. Now Acid Midget is a street art blog made in Paris.

And I've half guessed that Tristan des Limbes might translate as "Tristan in Limbo".

Shyeah, you wouldn't think it from looking at these posters. Maybe Tristan watches Salad Fingers too much:

Clive posters in Shanghai

Acid Midget has been quiet during the past few weeks. I've been blog-time poor while travelling around Europe. I'm currently in Barcelona and nursing a hangover.

When I find a free moment here, I post street art on our Facebook page. I try and update this every day, so keep a look out to see what I've found.

Also, thanks to everyone for the emails. You've sent some great photos. And speaking of which, I blogged a Clive wheatpaste not long ago and he liked it enough to send over his own photos.

Clive does these trippy wheatpastes around Shanghai. This one, and the one above it, were stuck to an iPad advertisement outside Jing'an Temple Station.

I'm not sure who Clive is associated with, however, he appears to be linked to the Salted Planet Collective.

If you know more about his work please comment below.

And if these posters make you miss Madonna music videos circa 1991, please get in touch.

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Shanghai Subway Poster Art

SHANGHAI: Subway poster art

(Zhongshan Park Station, Shanghai)

Acid Midget reader A. E.E. Collier sent this beautifully grainy photo of three posters by an artist named Clive.

They were found in the busy subway in the middle of Shanghai. As you could imagine, they probably stand out quite a bit.

Darlinghurst street art, Sydney **UPDATED**

 (Langley St, Darlinghurst, Sydney)

The back streets of Darlinghurst often reveal exciting pieces of street art. Exciting because you might not expect them as you turn a corner or step out of a window.

The angel in this wheatpaste masks its face in shame. Sad.

 

This one is from Sydney artist Ears. Haven't seen much by Ears lately, although there are plenty of his pieces at retail outlets and cafes around Sydney and Melbourne.

 

I've seen this dashing duck before but can't remember who does them. If you know please get in touch and I will update.

**UPDATE: This is by Numskull. Thanks to Colin for the heads up.

 This is a collaboration between Beastman and Ears. What I'd like to see them create one beast. What would that look like? What's your biggest fetish? There, you have it.

This one is apparently by Sam Aja. It reminds me of a body tracing on Denison St, Newtown in this post.

I'm not sure who did the next two, although it's probably obvious to you. Let me know the name if you do.

**UPDATE: Thanks again to Colin for letting me know these cone head pieces by Max Berry.

 

Do you sometimes dream images likes this? Does it remind you of when you were young?

Another one from Ears. Are his masked characters just like us? They have multiple faces/personalities. They look unhappy.

Thank you for watching.

End.