College student Derek Dipietro fell for some stencils by French Street Artist C215 on his recent trip to Amsterdam. The stenciled images are most likely of people who live in the area, as C215 likes to photograph neighborhoods’ residents, frequently the marginalized among them.  The artist considers his stencils to be a gift to the community, and a way for a locality to retain its individual character. Dipietro was so impressed by what he found that he began to play with and alter his photos using image software called Aperture, and in the process began to create new interpretations.

Derek’s orginal photo of some stencils by Street Artist C215. Below are two re-interpretations of the boy stencil he made using Aperture. (photo © Derek Dipietro)

From working with C215 to create his most recent monograph, we know that the artist encourages photographers to interpret his work in any way they wish, so he no doubt would be pleased to see this youth from North Carolina State University learning how to tweak photos of his work.  Since we like to celebrate the creative spirit, we’re excited anytime somebody wants to share his or her creations too.

C215 (photo © Derek Dipietro)

It’s also part of technological and cultural literacy for us all to understand the new tools that are employed to alter imagery throughout the world today, and to appreciate and respect the power that we all wield with creative mouse clicking. Similarly, we have to consider our responsibility to attribute authorship and how to protect it, and when. In the wrong hands, an artist’s work can be abused or appropriated for profit, which is where the grey areas get defined.

Keep up your studies Derek and thanks for sharing your work and your interpretations of the work of C215.

C215 (photo © Derek Dipietro)

Dipietro’s original photo above and his re-interpretation of the image below.  (photo © Derek Dipietro)

C215 (photo © Derek Dipietro)

Derek also sent this photo of a house he took in Santa Cruz, CA. By using the same process he used for the C215 images, the house is quickly transformed. © Derek Dipietro

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