Land of the Lost

We are not convinced that all the Banksy work in Chicago has been discovered, and we are constantly prowling new areas in search of it.  Recently our travels took us off the beaten path, and we stumbled upon an alley that has not been buffed since 2005.  Ever wonder what would happen if Mayor Daley's Graffiti Busters suddenly stopped slathering the city in monkeyshit brown paint?  Behold... 

You can view the entire alley in its overgrown glory on our new Flicker set Land of the Lost.   Its five years of classic bombing plus a few spectacular failures.  And be sure to check out our other sets for more recent street art in Chicago.

"encounters with the terrible sublime" / why we love Tom Sach's SPACE PROGRAM

We have been big fans of Tom Sachs since the late 1990's when he first popped into onto our radar with his cardboard and thermal tape constructions of designer branded objects like the Prada toilet and the Hermes value meal.  Since those days his constructions have become more ambitious and his staging has grown to mythic proportions.  One of our favorite Tom Sachs moments of all time is captured in the movie above.  In 2007's Space Program Sachs recreated a lunar lander, all the associated astronaut gear (like flight suits and equipment)  and a mission control center.  Then he and his staff recreated the moon shot from lift-off, to moon landing, to splash down, all with breathtaking attention to detail and a wicked sense of humor.  As the press release for the project summarizes:

In addition to the huge, intricately built lunar module that is the centerpiece of SPACE PROGRAM - replete with such classic Sachsian features as a fully stocked booze cabinet, toolkit, and soundtrack necessary for survival on an alien planet - visitors will find a fully functioning mission-control unit. On a grid of monitors, the liturgy of space exploration unfolds in a live demonstration by Sachs and his team, involving countless rituals and procedures, from instrument checks to moon-walking and sample-collecting to splash-down. Thus the gallery becomes a sort of reliquary of both the material traces and special effects of the artist's encounters with the terrible sublime.


Learn more about Tom Sachs on his website www.tomsachs.org.  While you are there be sure to check out the art goodies in his store, including the Stanley Kubrick Tape Measure which made us smile.
Video and press release from tomsachs.org.

the best alley in Wicker Park vol. III

We have once again posted some recent pictures of the best alley in Wicker Park on our Flickr.  You can see for yourself how it has morphed over the past few weeks.

Nick Adam and We/Us=USA

A few weeks back we started noticing green and red posters around Chicago emblazoned with the slogan "Nothing We Can't Fix". They caught our attention with their hand lettered embellishment's contradictory philosophies and their uncanny ability to blend into the visual landscape. In a recent blog post we mistakingly linked the messages of two of the pieces which had been placed on Chicago Avenue. Viewed through political myopia, we took them at their face value as divisive political discourse, and thereby missed the true essence of what was at work here. Luckily the artist who created the prints, Nick Adam, was kind enough to contact us and provide us with an overview of the project he has titled: We/Us=USA. Pieces from this series have been installed in Washington D.C. as well as Chicago, and it turns out Nick Adam is not attacking a mere political or social viewpoint, but instead is probing at the visual world you take for granted, the messaging that inhabits said world, and the means by which that reality is delivered to you throughout your day. You can read Nick's statement below.

"The piece is entitled We/Us=USA. It highlights the un-united state of politics as well the diversity in beliefs now held by citizens and leaders. The statement "Nothing We Can't Fix" summarizes America's inflated ego as well it's perceived equity. This is visually reinforced through an authoritarian aesthetic and iconic appeal. The statement can be read as well as a romantic motivator, stating that "it's going to take us... both you and I". Having a state-sponcered look provides accountability towards both a longer public life and a greater probability in social interaction. The prints were created to visually mesh with our environment through utilizing the public's understanding of patriotism and public messages. The "multi-partician" message provides an ease in adaptability allowing any person or group the opportunity to express their own thoughts. Showing the individually hand altered works is an act of provocation... to encourage the public to agree or dissent. My hope is not to bring about a fight or to offend but to increase communication and bring about understanding."

Top photo Washington D.C. / all others Chicago. Photographs courtesy of Nick Adam. See more of Nick Adam's work on his Flickr.

Fake Banksy

We knew it was bound to happen in Chicago sooner or later...

See more street art on our Flickr.

why we love Faile

The last time we saw this image it was part of an original called "Falling Ecstasy" that was included in a print drop on Faile's website back in December 2009. We remember thinking that the piece was amazing, despite the oddly styled right hand. To be fair, maybe it's not the whole hand as much as the excruciatingly long thumb that gives it a decidedly claw-like feel. In any case we overcame our fear of the claw and attempted to score the piece. We were unsuccessful, but due to a technical glitch three other people all thought they had purchased the unique original piece. Two proved to be very unhappy campers...

We have been hopeful that this image would make it into an edition ever since. The new version at Paper Monster is titled "Ecstasy" and is a 12 color acrylic and silkscreen ink print with substantial hand painted Faile goodness. It is a 25" x 38", signed, dated and numbered edition of 175, and is available from papermonster.net.

In other Faile news, there is word from the Patricks that upcoming Faile releases will dump the Native American imagery from Lost In The Glimmering Shadows, in favor of "moving into the new images we've been working on this year". Bring on the visual madness of Deluxx Fluxx! Both of the "Deluxx Fluxx Arcade" installations were spectacular, and full of images we would love to see realized as prints. Dare we wish for some sort of Bast / Faile collaborative effort as well?!

And lastly, next month in Portugal the Patricks will finally debut their Faile Temple at the PortugalArte10 Exhibition. This "large-scale sculpture project that emblematizes the iconography of Faile" was originally slated to open a year ago, but was pushed back. We envy the lucky souls who will be there from July 16 - August 15 and who will be able to view the "full-scale church in ruins in Praça dos Restauradores Square in Lisbon". We will have to settle for pictures of this one...

You can read the complete press release about the Faile Temple project here, check out the new print "Ecstasy" on Paper Monster and keep an eye on Faile's website at faile.net.

on the walk to work...

is this the face of Banksy?

Recently, the elusive Mr B. once again updated the "outdoors" section of his website. The last time he did this, we here in Chicago discovered that we had Banksy art in the Windy City. No such luck this time, though pictures were added further documenting the recent spate of Banksy street art that popped up across North America in conjunction with his movie "Exit Through The Gift Shop".

Then there is the picture above. It is posted in the "outdoors" section as well. The photograph next to it on the site shows a masked man sitting for a street portrait in Times Square in front of the Viacom headquarters. It is undoubtedly the same masked person in both the sketch and the photograph. We are led to assume that the sketch is the result of the street sitting. Are we to believe that this is Banksy in the drawing, hiding in plain sight?

Is this tongue in cheek performance art or political statement? Is it a commentary on anonymity or fame or terrorism or simply an homage to Chris Burden's 1971 performance "You'll never see my face in Kansas City"? And if it's not Banksy in the pictures, who is it and what is his connection to the artist? So many questions, and as usual no answers from Banksy.

View the pics for yourself on Banksy's website: banksy.co.uk.
Read about Chris Burden's astounding performance art of the 1970's including "You will never see my face in Kansas City".

CRO: Killing Chicago Soflty

When Ray Noland (aka CRO) heard Mayor Daley's statement "Welcome to America. Americans kill each other every day..." it prompted him to create an image. The resulting print, "Daley Riot", features the scowling Mayor in full riot gear emblazoned with the phrase "Welcome to Chicago" on his chest.


The picture above was taken recently on the street and appears to be Noland riffing on the same theme in the public arena. We love how the menacing face of Mayor Daley perfectly fits the scale of this ad, and how it comically delivers subtle reinforcement of the Mayor's inflammatory and unnerving statement. Killing in America is as ingrained in our society as movie posters are. Welcome to Chicago. Chicagoans kill each other every day.

Ray Noland's upcoming solo show: Sweet Tea & American Values has its official opening on Friday June 11th from 6pm - 11pm at the newly renovated Chicago Urban Art Society in Pilsen. For now you can check out Noland's website Creative Rescue Organization where you can peep his blog, see behind the scenes pics of the show installation in progress and purchase the print "Daley Riot".