LA Weekly: Sight UPN

I have to give it up to Sight Upn who just got featured in this week's LA weekly. He was always a very anonymous and definitely one of the humblest cats I know. He went  through a lot in the graffiti world, so check out this rare interview with him .The article also features Sand One, Vyal, Man One and Rime.

Los Angeles' War on Street Artists

Fish Fried Graffiti

South Central walking tour

Defiant Chronicles: Saturday, April 30, 2011

Defiant Chronicles is the  documentation of  the rusty and  beautiful concrete layers of the city. The unwanted streets tell us history while the broken structures  breed color into art.

From Museum website:

The Museum of Latin American Art presents “Defiant Chronicles,” the second exhibition organized by MOLAA for its new satellite space called The Collaborative. Co-curated by MOLAA Curator Idurre Alonso and Slanguage Founders Mario Ybarra Jr. and Karla Diaz, the exhibit focuses on representing current strategies for artistic production derived and influenced by urban and street art including graffiti, stencil and stickers. The exhibition is comprised of two multi-media installations by artists aka, Acamonchi from Tijuana, Mexico and Los Angeles-based artist aka, Perl from the graffiti female collective FDS (From the Streets). The invited artists share a similar concern for utilizing artistic tactics of research-based projects, documentation and investigation. The exhibition challenges the traditional approach to street art/graffiti as a practice that is meant to be singled-out from its place and context, exclusive to an insider audience and contradicts the perception of urban art as a male dominated art form that rarely addresses gender issues in its content. May 1 through July 24.

Opening Reception April 30, 2011

7 p.m. - 9 p.m

Show runs till

July 24, 2011

Location:  The Collaborative,

 421 W. Broadway, Long Beach.

Phone: (562) 570-1930

Swapmeet Chronicles will be participating in the show with photographs documenting the forgotten streets of Wilmington and South Central. 

"Dino's"

"Drink and Wash"

"lonely virgin"

Scaling the Wall Opening Reception: Friday, March 18, 8 – 11pm

Cella Satellite Galleries presents

Scaling the Wall

“…It’s me yelling to the whole world…I exist. I’m here.” – Wel, from Graffiti Verite


Los Angeles — Cella Satellite Galleries, is pleased to present Scaling the Wall. Curated by Trina Calderón and Miah Jeffra, the exhibition features graffiti and graffiti-influenced works by a diverse group of writers and artists in California.

Scaling the Wall comprises large-scale bombs by four of Southern California’s best female writers, and a white-wall display featuring six artists straddling the worlds of street and gallery institution, through various media.

Inspired by the groundbreaking MOCA street art retrospective, Art in the Streets, opening later this year, Scaling the Wall attempts to act as complement to Art in the Streets’ largely male roster of artists, while also discussing the complex and evolving relationship between street art and the arts institution.

Artists featured are PERL FDS, JERK, OPIA, KUTA ONE HEM BWS, ROOTSYSTM, ogdarthvader, LOVER ONE, C.1, Proto and Alberto Aviles Molina. The bombs, thrown up on bifurcated wood panels, will be auctioned on opening night, then divided at the close of the exhibition. Proceeds will benefit ArtStorm, an aerosol art non-profit organization that provides self-sustaining world-class Urban Art and LifeSkill programs for at-risk youth in Los Angeles. Aerosol paint for the bombs is provided by Montana Store Los Angeles, in Echo Park.

The opening reception will be Friday, March 18, from 8 – 11pm. The evening will feature live painting by Collective Aesthetics. Sound equipment to be provided by Looport and DJ Mixter Ed will spin records for the opening event.

Cella Satellite Galleries is located at 10816 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood. Gallery viewings are by appointment. For more information, please contact Shannon Currie Holmes at 213.291.7908 or info@cellagallery.com.

EXHIBITION AND GALLERY EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Press Release by Trina Calderon

Black Roses In the City of L.A: This Saturday, March 12, 2011

Land Mark, Inc. & Opia proudly present:

I am also pleased to announce this art exhibition is being curated by my comadre, Opia FDS please come down and support all her efforts in putting this show together. This event is featuring different generations of female graffiti artists from Los Angeles as they get together in collaboration for this special event. There will also be all female DJ's mixing some tight beats  and vendors selling one of a kind merchandise. If you need supplies make sure to support Landmark shop pick up some stuff. Save the date! see ya there!


Saturday - March 12th, 2010

10:00am - 6:00pm

Location:
Land Mark, Inc.
6709 S. San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90003

"Black Roses...in the City of L.A."

A live graffiti art event showcasing blossoming female talent in the Los Angeles and surrounding areas. The title of the event is symbolic for the rarity of artists themselves within a male dominated sub-culture. Each artist represents her own mysteriously unique style that stands out as does a black rose within a throng of red roses.

Event photography by:

www.AmayzunLA.com

Eris (www.HuskeyRadio.com)

Merchandise Booths:

Ezabel Jewelry

Rotting Fresh

Rebourn Jewelry

Sand One Silkscreened merch.

Opening Set:

DJ Sweet (10 am - 12 pm)
DJ Madame X (12 pm - 2 pm)

Closing Set:
DJ Michelle Q (4 pm - 6 pm)


http://www.blackrosesinthecityofla.blogspot.com/

www.twitter.com/blackrosesla

www.landmarkinc.net

www.lagraffitigirls.com

www.huskeyradio.com

www.twitter.com/teamhuskeyradio

San Pedro: Peck Park Pool circa 1986

News-Pilot, April, 4th 1986......Now 25 years ago (click on photo to enlarge) 


Peck Park Pool in San Pedro is a childhood/teen landmark for those of us who grew up in the area. Generations of kids have visited the pool during summer break. I started going to Peck Park pool around 1996 before that I used to go to Gaffey pool but when I moved I started coming here.  My friends and I would "mob" up Summerland to get to the pool. During that time is was the awkward years for my friends and I.  The boys started to become interested in girls and the girls in the boys. However, the boys acted a bit more immature about it. My friends and I would wear T-shirts because if we dared go in our swimsuit it was boy drama. Most of the time our peers went to the pool to check out that certain boy or girl of interest. It was not surprising to find couple kissing in the canyons after the pool closed. During the years I was going I never seen graffiti in the pool. By that time there was a heavy duty steal fence and censored lighting. The photo above was from a 1986 News-Pilot article. During the mid-1980s graffiti was at its early stages in Los Angeles and in San Pedro. The pioneers of graffiti where themselves starting out experimenting with bombs and pieces. 


My memories of graffiti in San Pedro started during the late 1980s. I would see full blown pieces and characters in alleys around my neighborhood. Down the street from my house there was also a huge wall across from train tracks that graffiti artists would paint on.  I can not recall many of the names from back then, however, there were a few talented artists that came out of San Pedro as well as out of towner's coming to paint the tracks. 


The article was about the problem that was happening with the pool constantly being vandalized. The methods back then failed because it was such a new problem. They tired leaving the graffiti up instead of buffing it in order to prevent more, that equaled to failure. They thought about barbed wire fencing however, worried about liability issues if someone got hurt climbing the fence. Here is a good quote from the original article:

"Graffiti is a reality and if we cover it before someone sees it we're not doing ourselves a favor"

Back then it seemed like a losing battle, from what I can read some of the work is pretty legit for that time period. Some of the most legible is.
Smurf
Dream On
PWL= Park Western Lomas which was a local gang in the area
RSP 3rd= Rancho San Pedro Third Street, established local gang 




Peck Park Pool lives on for a new generation of kids, minus the graffiti. 












Peace,




DJ

Brace Your Self Sticker Art Show Saturday, July, 17th 2010

All you sticker fans come down and check out this all sticker exhibition presented by Sticky Rick!
This year there will large format stickers being displayed with a theme. Here is the what " Brace Your Self" stands for by Sticky Rick.

“BRACE YOURSELF!” speaks to the condition of our world both locally and globally through the eyes of the artist.  Economists, scientist, and environmentalists have given their warnings about the economy, jobs, healthcare, environment, etc.  As responsible individuals we feel it’s important to address what is going in around us and PEEL back the layers of Disinformation we are being fed by the media to understand the realities of the condition we are in as a people. 

Saturday, July, 17 2010
6:00 p.m. to 11 p.m

Self Help Graphics & Art
3802 Cesar E. Chavez Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90063 

Bring stickers to trade and put up!

The Grimy Streets

I have not posted graffiti flicks in a minute mostly because there are so many blogs posting graff flicks as soon as the spot is painted, but I will post up occasional  shit I run into old or new fuck it represent the calles!

 

Swoe FDS,777

Trak

Besto

Prame ( I guess) 

2006 Tank NBC

Fin De Semana Art Show!! Sat June 20, 2009

Please join us as LoveGalo & Jun-Keez proudly present:

FIN DE SEMANA

Art exhibit & photographic journal of an FDS Collaborative Piece Production


Featured artists
Envy, Krys, Kween, Opia,Perl, Secret, Suny, Swoe, Yikes


PhotographyEriberto Oriol

Music/Live Performance

DJ 215 aka Charles XThe Leeches (7PM)

When Saturday - June 20th, 20095PM - 9PM

Where Jun-Keez3908 Tweedy BoulevardSouth Gate, CA 90280

Info (323) 569-4020

LA Graffiti King "Chaka" First Art Show April 25 2009

In the graffiti world we all heard of ” Chaka LOD” the infamous tagger who killed LA and beyond. His tags and throw-ups where seen all over in the late 80’s early 90’s. Even everyday people have come across hearing his name. He made news back in the days with being sought after for fucking shit up. Almost twenty years later he is having his first gallery art show displaying his work.

Mid-City Arts

5113 West Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90019

7 p.m -9 p.m

Juxtapose article

Chaka One Website

Mid City Arts Website

Check out the news article on " Chaka" circa 1990

Suspect in `Chaka' graffiti charged

Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA) -
Thursday, December 13, 1990
Author:
Marc Igler

A man believed to be the
king of Southern California graffiti was
charged Wednesday with 20 criminal
counts of vandalism for allegedly
tarnishing thousands of buildings and walls --
including many in the South
Bay. Authorities say they believe Daniel Ramos, 18,
is responsible for
spray-painting the name "Chaka" on up to 10,000 locations
throughout
California, causing at least $500,000 in damage. "The extent of the
property
damage makes this the worst case of graffiti vandalism we have seen in
Los
Angeles or heard of anywhere else in the nation," said Los Angeles City
Attorney James Hahn. In the South Bay, investigators said Ramos' distinctive
graffiti stained several walls along the beach as well as overpasses and
ramps
of the San Diego and Century freeways. Wednesday's charges bring to 48
the
number of misdemeanor counts filed against Ramos since he was arrested
Nov. 28
in Lincoln Heights while drawing his name on a traffic pole. The
Boyle Heights
resident, who lives in a local housing project, allegedly
proclaimed, "I am the
famous Chaka!" when he was arrested, police said.
Ramos has pleaded innocent to
the 28 initial charges and is being held on
$10,000 GRAFFITI/A6GraffitiFROM PAGE
A1bail. Each count is punishable by up
to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Arraignment on the new charges is
set for Dec. 20. Hahn said prosecutors want
Ramos to be sentenced to jail,
then receive a substantial community service term
that would focus on
cleaning up graffiti. Deputy City Attorney Peter Shutan, who
is handling the
case, said Ramos is not a gang member but was part of a group of
teen-agers
known as a "crew." "They're basically a bunch of taggers who go
around
putting their names on everything they can find," said Shutan, who
specializes in gang -related cases. "That's what a crew lives for. It's
their
raison d'etre." "There's no question Ramos was the most prolific
graffiti artist
in that crew and is the most prolific we've ever seen. Most
of the sitings of
his handiwork are in central Los Angeles, but there have
been many from the
South Bay area." Ramos apparently selected the word
"Chaka" as his graffiti
nickname from a character on the television show
"Land of the Lost." "It's a
children's show. I guess he just liked the
character," Shutan said. "Chaka"
graffiti ranged from simple scrawlings on
utility poles to elaborate,
multicolored murals that took hours to complete
on the sides of buildings and
freeway retaining walls. One of Ramos'
favorite victims was Southern Pacific
railway cars because they carried his
moniker hundred of miles to distant
cities, Shutan said. Southern Pacific
officials estimate the alleged vandal
caused about $30,000 worth of property
damage. In addition, authorities in
Fresno are investigating "Chaka"
graffiti that caused $6,000 damage to a water
tower. The same name and
distinctive bubble letters also appear on fixed
locations as far south as
Orange County and as far north as San Francisco.
Section: NEWSPage: A1Index
Terms: NEWS; GRAFFITI. VANDALISM.Record Number:
0000318415Copyright (c)
1990, Daily Breeze, All Rights Reserved

His moniker is classic in graffiti and he remains a legend with
graffiti artist in Los Angeles. He now turns a new leaf with his art
displayed in his first show.

Constant Elevation Show:, Saturday March 28, 2009

( I could not make flyer bigger just click on it)



Check out video

http://vimeo.com/3511779

New Location!!!
KGB Studio
1640 N Spring Street
Los Angeles, Ca 90012
$10.00
7 p.m to 2.am
18+ 21+ Cash Bar

Two Great Collaborations: Sat Jan 31th 2009

This Saturday two inspirational artist unite. Chaz Bojorquez an old school legend will be celebrating 40 years of being involved in the graffiti game with his known cholo style arte. He is also proudly celebrating his 60th birthday. Chaz is a pioneer with Los Angeles spray can arte. He started spraying his placasos in the 1960's.

Gregory Bojorquez runs Mug Shot Photography is an LA photographer that captures the rawness in his photos. This show titled “ The Sun Raises in The East” features images of life on the Eastside of the River or better known as East LA.

January 31, 2009

7-10 p.m

01 Gallery

530 South Hewitt Street # 141

Los Angeles Ca 90013

(Show runs till Feb 15)

Adventures around Wilmas

Wilmington Ca a port town, an industrial playground a forgotten concert flatland. The town has not changed too much over the years, it has kept much of it's raw grittiness over time. Wilmas has gotten a little safer and cleaner but it still holds much of it's historical value. Art stays up a little longer and it can sometimes make you feel like a throwback to a different era. I displayed various posts on this overlooked area portraying much of it's old style charm. The area reminds me somewhat of downtown LA 12 years ago and beyond. This was before downtown was so gentrified and the walls and alleys held glorious destruction. Wilmington might not have lofts and luxury penthouses but it has a sense of lonely realness.
This dive bar is a great place, cheap beer, open patio, no hip crowds, and cool bands playing on the weekends. It dates back to the 1940's and you can also spot old cement scribbles inside the bar dating to that time. It is nicely hidden behind rusty corrugated fences. The sign shines just like it's printed meaning " Stars in The Sky" which is named after the owner's initials "Sis" a cool gal indeed.

The fence next door is a bunch of old parts from a boat and pier all tied together to make a really awesome way to keep people out. It reeks history.
The sky lights up at night
The bands rock on
A look down Avalon St you see Guy Nelson Chiropractor and Hotel Del Mar with whoa! Color T.V that used to be exciting at one time.

Across the street is Union Electric Tattoo they got a nice vintage neon glow going there.

Left alone
" Be Not Drunk With Wine But Be Filled With The Spirit" this sign names sense there is about six other dive bars and a few liquor stores within a few blocks. So I am very sure they knew this would be a perfect spot to paint this sign. Pinches winos!
Not to far down the way art work shadows over walls.


Wilmington also displays nice features like the Banning House and well kept Victorian and Spanish style homes.
Photo from Flickr

More great photos of Wilmington and San Pedro soon. There is so much to see in this part of Los Angeles the fresh ocean air, the foggy mist and mysterious charm bring out the best in these towns.

Peel Here 2008 Sat Dec 13

Peel Here 2008 is here presented by Sticky Rick.

Last year the show was a hit it was a good turn out with some great art displayed. This Year there will be just as many stickers and great artist painting live.

Check out a couple of pre-party posts on this years event.

LA Eastside: Peel Here The Art of the Sticker

LA Taco: http://www.lataco.com/taco/peel-here-2008-the-nomad-art-compound

My Photo coverage from last year's show Peel Here 2007

Peel Here 2008 at The Nomad Art Compound
1993 Blake Ave. Los Angeles CA 90039.

6:00 P.M - 11:00 P.M

Does this make sense?

"Highland Park owners had a mural painted to deter taggers. But the city painted it over and the taggers are back.In today's installment of Read It and Weep: Your Tax Dollars at Work, we visit a besieged Highland Park mom-and-pop grocery store owned by the Antonio family. The Antonios can only guess at the number of times they've begun their day with a can of paint brushing over fresh graffiti left on the side of their store by taggers."Maybe 70 times," said Jacob Antonio Jr., 27.His father, Jacob, begged to differ."More than 100 times," he said with exasperation"
Read rest of story here
by Steve Lopez


The LA Times reported this story in today's news regarding the removal of a mural on a Highland Park mom and pop shop called " Los Paisanos"
The city served the owners an “Order to Comply” letter to buff out the mural on the side of their grocery store because of so called “excessive signage”
The work was done by popular artist Playboy Eddie and “ Ezra “ Cervantes ,their bold and bright work did well deterring tagging for the time it was up. Prior to that the owners where constantly painting over tags.
Then the voice of haterism came out when a single complaint got it buffed.
How ridicules this lady who complained sound, she says it gets her “nervous” just to pass by it”, “it is gang looking”
I know that Highland Park is undergoing gentrification as well and this lady who is from “Historic Highland Park neighborhood Council” did not like the work ,so strived to get it buffed and succeeded.
Now I love historical societies and what they are about but why go too far and complain about a mural? and one that deters tagging?
I am sure she seen that since other shops in the area changed that problem with a murals by those artists. They much rather have a beige wall with tags and mis matched buff spots on it then a mural right?

So now that they buffed and right away it became a target to get tagged on, who must feel stupid now?
They now seen it did help with the headaches of tags but too late after they spent time and tax money removing it.
Now they want to go off and say maybe another mural will do
BUT with the acceptation that they have to agree on the work and make sure ol lady over there does not get to scared. I say that lady or city pay up for the next installment since they got it buffed and made the Antonio family lose $3.500.
What will they complain about next!

Update 08/14/08

This morning I seen this coverd on the Fox Good Day LA news coverage, here is link to the video Fox LA

Slashed

I find it funny when I see gangsters use alternative when crossing out the enemy neighborhoods much like this sign I seen in the parking lot on Echo park blvd, They got the word Diamond st programmed to be hated and unfortunately this Diamond towing company is going to get their signs crossed out because of that.

Ruins

Yet another burned down building this time in the LA area, but of course it got blasted with some pretty cool pieces and bombs...



These kids where playing in the yard when we got there I talked to them a little bit I guess their dad works behind the place. They reminded me of when I was a kid always getting messy and playing in abandoned places.
They said I was nice!

The words from the past

For me there is nothing like seeing an old graffiti landmarks, weather it's a faded tag, bomb or piece it's always cool to see something that has been running for years.


Below is a couple of bombs by Solo and Boots. this spot is not to old but that duo goes way back.I remember seeing them around Downtown LA as far back as 1996. That guy Solo had some pretty nice spots,but he was one of the first I noticed do fresh black fills and white boarders, it was pretty ill seeing that at the time. Even though these guys don't paint like they used to its cool to see old names pop up here and there.
Now Oiler Coi was already an old school legend when I got introduced. I remember seeing old oiler spots that were already faded like in 97.
Check out this Haven off the 710 signed 1993, now thats a true running landmark.I yet to find one from the 80s, but that would be definitely fresh!
Now aside tags by writers, I love tags from random normal people much like this one "Lil Martha"

Bomb It Dvd Release Party

Next Sunday June 22 check out "Bomb It"dvd release party (12PM) @ 33third los angeles

5111 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 Map
Check out link for more info.