All posts tagged: General Howe

Images of the Week 08.30.09

Images of the Week 08.30.09

ur Weekly Interview with the Street

Black and White against blue backdrop
Summer Geometric Abstraction (photo Jaime Rojo)

C215
C215 with an OverUnder flyby (photo Jaime Rojo)

Deekers
Who holds the key to this Tainted Lovebox? (Deeker) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sacer as interpreted by Deitch
Sacer as interpreted by Deitch (photo Jaime Rojo)

Gats and Gaia
Gats and Gaia (photo Jaime Rojo)

Double Cows Gaia
Double Cows (Gaia) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Haculla
Reminds me of that classic Dead Kennedy’s song (Haculla) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Haculla does Operah
Haculla has raunchy time with Britney and does Oprah the following Thursday (photo Jaime Rojo)

I Love NY
I Do Too!  (I Love NY)  (photo Jaime Rojo)

Ink
I Wanna Rock-n-Roll All Night!  (Ink) (photo Jaime Rojo)

King Kess
If you say so…. (King Kess) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Momo
(Momo) (photo Jaime Rojo)

NohJ Coley pays tribute tot he late Dash Snow
NohJColey pays tribute to the late Dash Snow (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
And if that’s not enough, I’ve gotta take the kids back-to-school shopping! (OHM) (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
The Lion King on Crack (OHM) (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
OHM (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
Do you know the way to Rockefeller Center?  I got cut-off from my tour group during a rainstorm in 1998 (OHM) (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
OHM (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
OHM (photo Jaime Rojo)

OHM
OHM (photo Jaime Rojo)

Pink lipstick on a Red Nose Pit Bull
Pink lipstick on a Red Nose Pit Bull (Tazmat Red Nose) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Bishop 203
I see you and my heart takes flight… (Bishop203) (photo Jaime Rojo)

C215
Welcome to the entrance, now tell me the secret word, you fool, and kiss me!  (C215) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Celso
(Celso) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe
Battle of Bushwick! (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe
Guarding the Graffiti Kingdom (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe
Halt!  Don’t move.  Hand over that Snickers Bar before we call in the rest of the troops. (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Images of Week 07.05.09

Aakash Nihalani
Aakash Nihalani (photo Jaime Rojo)

Part of the India Sreet Mural Project, a neighborly welcome from Skewville, Chris Stain, and Logan Hicks (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Part of the India Sreet Mural Project, a neighborly welcome from Skewville, Chris Stain, and Logan Hicks (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Red Nose Peru Ana
Tazmat Red Nose & Peru Ana (photo Jaime Rojo)

Shark Toof Passenger Pigeon
Yummy ocean snacks (Passenger Pigeon) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Skewville
Skewville SideB (photo Jaime Rojo)

Submarine
Submarine (photo Jaime Rojo)

Tada is the Coolest
Tada is the Coolest (photo Jaime Rojo)

Tea Time
One lump or two? Tea Time (photo Jaime Rojo)

We Heart Cake
We Heart Cake (photo Jaime Rojo)

Cake
Cake (photo Jaime Rojo)

Veng RWK
A thin strip of Veng RWK (photo Jaime Rojo)

Passenger Pigeon
Passenger Pigeon (photo Jaime Rojo)

Bird's Nest and Hercules
KH1, Bird (photo Jaime Rojo)

Skewville Side A
Skewville Side A (photo Jaime Rojo)

Cake's Lungs
The brain-lung connection (Cake) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe
Soldiers Bones (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

"So Long Krissa" Passenger Pigeon
“So Long Krissa” Passenger Pigeon (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Images of the Week 06.07.09

Aakash Nihalani_Poster Boy

Summer Action Adventure Staycation (Aakash Nihalani, Poster Boy) (photo Jaime Rojo)

look for artist's name

Fitful growths of irregularity (Pork) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Aakash

Less boxy, more planular (I made up that word), Mr. Nihalani is experimenting with new abstractions. (Aakash Nihalani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe

On the lookout for incoming battalions of duncery approaching in their cargo shorts and Abercrombie t-shirts (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent

Hey everybody! Come look at this new Jack Black movie! I won't bite, promise (Hellbent) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Herakut

A needed Herakut (photo Jaime Rojo)

KH1

Boy, the way Glenn Miller played.... (KH1) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Nine Flies

Its a Revolution! (Nine Flies) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Nomade keeps good company

Nomade keeps good company (photo Jaime Rojo)

Roof top art

Roof Pork (Pork) (Photo Jaime Rojo)

Space Invader

Which way? I'm always getting lost in this part of town. (Space Invader) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sexy Blossoms

Sexy Blossoms of Wisteria only this time of year (photo Jaime Rojo)

Akash Nihalani Poster Boy Passenger Pigeon

Akash Nihalani, Poster Boy, and Passenger Pigeon become far out and psychedelic (photo Jaime Rojo)

Dein

Welcome back to the hideout (Dain) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Leif Mcllwaine EllisG

These beer-swilling men, they're all flat and grey to me. I need someone with excitement, know what I mean? (EllisG, Leif Mcllwaine) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Shark Toof

Shark Toof flies the friendly skies (photo Jaime Rojo)

Unknown

Sometimes we have no idea what is on the wall. One of the many mysteries of the street art scene. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent

A great dislocation (Hellbent) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Images of the Week 04.19.09

Images of the Week 04.19.09

Nomade
The Army of the Creative Spirit must be continuously on guard for the minions of mediocrity! (Nomade ) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe
“Where’s that durn Tea Party?” (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Agony and the Exstacy
A stunning carved piece of Totemic import! “The Agony and the Ecstasy” (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Faile
The spinning tale of Faile (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Faile
“The Agony and the Ecstasy” (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Spring is Here
The magnolia trees are in bloom in BKLN (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mosstika
Looking for a lodge perhaps. (Mosstika) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mosstika
Echoes of Easter on the street. (Mosstika) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mosstika
Insidious corporate branding? (Mosstika) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mosstika
Smells nice out here (Mosstika ) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Vietnamese Punk
Generation Gap (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Week in Images 02.22.09

Week in Images 02.22.09

We’ve been a little busy on that “Street Crush” KRAZEE-ness for a few weeks,

so we thought everyone should just take it easy, and not put up any work on the street until we could get back out there and take a look around. Well, that didn’t really work very well, did it? What the heck?

Specter

Remember your patriotism being questioned at every corner a couple years ago? Specter would like to continue the conversation apparently. (photo Jaime Rojo)

artzososhinshin

Don't know where Zoso is going with this, but Shin Shin is surrounding it with spring flowers (photo Jaime Rojo)

aakashnihalani1

Oh, you are like, such a square. I mean, like you are so square you are like a cube, or whatever. (Aakash Nihilahni) (photo Jaime Rojo)

aakashnihalani2

This was on a floor, which means it is probably destroyed by now. (Aakash Nihilahni) (photo Jaime Rojo)

blanco

Dreaming of Brownstones and affordable mortgages. (Blanco) (photo Jaime Rojo)

c215

I'm watching you. (c215) (photo Jaime Rojo)

chris

Someone needs a bib (Robots Will Kill) (photo Chris)

chris

The Amish Robot (Robots will Kill) (photo Chris)

chris
chris

All tied up (Chris from Robots Will Kill) (photo Jaime Rojo)

unknown

unknown (photo Jaime Rojo)

Ellis G.

Ellis G. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Gaia

Can't tell if he's petting it or snapping it's head off (Gaia) (photo Jaime Rojo)

General Howe

Obama and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth at Arlington Cemetery - on a gravemarker covered with lace. (General Howe) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Art Goons C215

Like my new Stoll? Filene's Basement of course! I know, PETA would probably have a fit, but it was 40% off. (Art Goons, C215) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Art Goons
Art Goons

Damn! Forgot my gloves! (Art Goons) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Haculla

Siiiiinnngggiin in the Rain, Just Singing -- In the Rain!! (Haculla) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent

I used to live in this apartment on the upper east side near Gracie Mansion, and sometimes at night a golf-ball sized cockroach would run across my bed and thump onto the hardwood floor and run away. I kid you not. (Hellbent) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hope

Hope, expressed as a garish, heavy pyramid-like sculpture. (unknown) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Imminent Disaster

Imminent Disaster (photo Jaime Rojo)

I want a Divorce
Keely

Keely (photo Jaime Rojo)

Keely

Keely (photo Jaime Rojo)

MBW

That famous kiss by two of our visionary leaders (MBW) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Momo

Momo (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mr. Afternoon

Sometimes the right hat can just MAKE the whole outfit. (Mr. Afternoon) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sex

A temple to Sex. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Deeks and Stikman

Deeks and Stikman on a corroded wall (photo Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company

The Dude Company honors Dr. King (photo Jaime Rojo)


Unknown

Bishop 203 (photo Jaime Rojo)

Unknown Collage
Veng

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Veng from Robots Will Kill) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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“Street Crush” coming up Feb 13 at Alphabeta

Whassup Brooklyn!

This show is going to be off the hooker.

It’s for all the fans, that’s you. 42 artists, that’s all we gotta say, and lots of fun because it is all about community, and creativity, and love.

You’ll be hearing more about it as we get closer – in the meantime read all about it here in the calendar.

And In Preparation for Street Crush…

And for those of you who will want to be practicing up on yer def mooves for the Ladaays of the Eightaaays – here is an instructional video below. Stand up in front of your computer please and practice according to the directions.

I only needed like two minutes and I totally got it. Some other people (no names please, people) may want to view it in it’s entirety.

“Street Crush” Press Release Here

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“Street Crush” Street Art Show at AlphaBeta

STREET CRUSH:
Sexy New Work from the Street Artists
You Have a Crush On.

A Show for the Fans.

“Street Crush” a Brooklyn Street Art show and party, featuring brand new work by 42 street artists, 4 dazzling Street-Tart burlesque performers, and a Kissing Booth will be thrown at AlphaBeta in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Friday, February 13th, 2009.

BROOKLYN, NY-BrooklynStreetArt.com and AlphaBeta are thrilled to be hosting a timely and sexy show of brand new art by veteran and rookie street artists who are on the scene today redefining our ideas of street art. Working around themes of “Love, Sex, and the Street”, well-known street artists like Aiko and Jef Aerosol dig deep for fresh takes on gritty street ardor alongside relative whipper-snappers like Cake and Poster Boy.

In addition to a salon-style show, the opening party will feature live art collaborations and installation.

Full Press Release HERE

THE STREET ARTISTS You Have a Crush On

An unprecedented killer lineup of many of 2009’s best in one Brooklyn location, “Street Crush” will run from February 13 until February 28 and will feature work from an artist list that includes:

Aakash Nihalani, Abe Lincoln Jr., Aiko, Anera, Bortusk Leer, Broken Crow, C. Damage, Cake, Celso, Charm, Chris Uphues, Creepy, DirQuo, Ellis Gallagher A.K.A. (C)ELLIS G., Eternal Love, FauxReel, FKDL, General Howe, GoreB, Imminent Disaster, Hellbent, Infinity, Nobody, Jef Aerosol, Jon Burgerman, Matt Siren, Mimi the Clown, NohJColey, Pagan, PMP, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Pushkin, Chris from Robots Will Kill, Col from Robots Will Kill, Veng from Robots Will Kill, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Stikman, The Dude Company, Titi from Paris, and U.L.M.

STREET CRUSH SHOW OPENING INFORMATION

Friday, February 13, 2009, 7-12 pm
Press Preview by appointment

Location: Alphabeta, 70 Greenpoint Avenue
Greenpoint Brooklyn, New York 11222
Suggested Donation: $8

For more information on Brooklyn Street Art and to see images of the “Street Crush” artworks in the days before the show please visit http://www.BrooklynStreetArt.com

CONTACT: Crush@BrooklynStreetArt.com

THE PERFORMERS

To entertain the Opening Party street art fans, exotic passions will be alerted with Street-Tart Burlesque performances by 4 of today’s award-winning NYC burlesque artists – thrilling, titillating, and Twitterpating the audience in the back-room gallery at AlphaBeta. The rollicking rollcall includes Nasty Canasta, Clams Casino, Harvest Moon, and your MC, Tigger!

THE KISSING BOOTH

A funky loveshack built by artist and set-designer J. Mikal Davis and lorded over by Madame Voulez-Vous, will awaken furtive crushes in the crowd AND raise funds for Art Ready, a mentoring program created by SmackMellon Gallery to serve NYC High School students who are interested in the arts.

For more Information about the Art Ready program for New York City high school students, please visit: http://www.smackmellon.org/education.html

MUSIC

Live DJ sets by DailySession.com will be pumping and streaming live from the “Street Crush” event over the internet all night.

The featured Street Crush DJ will be Jessee Mann, a Williamsburg hottie and self-professed music nerd who plays weekly at Bembe and has mooved booties all over the whirl.

Look out for a special performance by electronic drummer Kamoni, who flagellates the street-sin out of you with a solo live audio collateral collage of beats, sounds, and samples on stage. yeow!

AFTER PARTY AT COCO66 NEXT DOOR

Immediately following the “Street Crush” show opening, guests are invited next door to continue celebrating their new found love at Coco66 and the 68 bar/restaurant, where the booty-shaking music continues and site-specific installations by 2 Brooklyn projection artists, SeeJ and SuperDraw, will blow minds with their original forays into the next horizon on street art.

BIOS OF THE PERFORMERS

DJ Jesse Mann

Jesse’s musical style encompasses all that is soulful and funky, incorporating familiar sounds with obscure forgotten classics and upfront remixes. In a single DJ set he can travel effortlessly between vintage funk and disco to Afro-Latin grooves, house, techno, hip-hop, and everything in between.
His DJing career has taken him far and wide in the last nine years; Paris, Berlin, Vienna and England, to San Francisco, Miami, and Puerto Rico. He has played at many of NYC’s biggest and most revered clubs, its most chic and exclusive lounges, and its most intense underground parties. Favorites include APT, Cielo, Limelight/Avalon, Love, Sullivan Room, Hotel QT, Socialista, Goldbar, Lunatarium, 3rd Ward, Cabaret Sauvage (Paris), Batofar (Paris), Watergate (Berlin), Roxy (Vienna). Currently Jesse is resident DJ at Bembe weekly with the BodyMusic party.

Download his mixes at:
http://www.jesse-mann.com/mixes.html

Live Electronic Drumming

Kamoni
Kamoni is a Brooklyn based sound designer, live performer and sonic experimentalist. His work encompasses everything from live electronic shows to commercial music production and sound library development. Kamoni has acquired numerous credits on TV, film and animation soundtracks while consulting with music software pioneers such as Ableton and Native Instruments. He launched Puremagnetik in 2006 and his work has been featured in Electronic Musician, Sound on Sound, XLR8R, Remix, Computer Music, Knowledge, Keys and numerous other publications.

See an example of Komoni’s work here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBPSRJAaubg

Street-Tart Burlesque Performers

Tigger!

Tigger! (the MC) is The Original Mr. Exotic World! – Best Boylesque 2006 at The Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. Winner of Four Golden Pastie Awards including “Performer Most Likely to Get Shut Down by the Law” and “Most Unpredictable Performer.”, and “the King of Boylesque.” The New York Times called him a “hysterical and acrobatic man in drag,” Next Magazine called him “the taboo-defying dynamo,” and San Francisco tried to ban his striptease.

Tigger! has a MySpace page here:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=16832866

Nasty Canasta

Nasty Canasta is the co-producer of Pinchbottom (“Best Burlesque in NYC” – NY Magazine, “Most Innovative” – Miss Exotic World Pageant) and the impresario behind Sweet & Nasty Burlesque. Her performances combine classic burlesque, pop culture, and a theatrical sensibility to create a dazzling mummery of perplexing proportions. The reigning Cheese Queen of Coney Island, Nasty is, quite possibly, too damn clever for her own good.

Nasty Canasta can be found here:
http://www.nastycanasta.com/

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon otherwise known as the Sultry Siren of Burlesque has been sauntering on burlesque stages since 1995. She has performed in Sydney, Paris and many cities in the US. She is founder of award-winning troupe, The Cantankerous Lollies. In the summer of 2008, Harvest toured the Netherlands and Italy in a special showcase of American Burlesque “Cabaret New Burlesque”. From her homebase in New York City she continues to push the frontiers of modern Burlesque with each new act.

Miss Harvest Moon’s website is here:
http://missharvestmoon.com/

Clams Casino

Clams Casino has been called a “Burlesque Queen” by the New York Times, and is the proud winner of the awards for Most Comedic and Most Innovative at the 2008 Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas. Clams is the co-producer of the Gameshow Speakeasy at the Slipper Room, AM Gold at Coney Island, Killer Queen Burlesque and Borderline Burlesque:Midnight Madonna Madness at the Zipper Factory, and many other pop-culture obsessed burlesque shows around New York City and the Eastern Seaboard.

Miss Clams Casino can be found here:
http://www.missclamscasino.com/home.html

PREVIOUS EVENTS from BrooklynStreetArt.com

An on-going celebration of the creative spirit, BrooklynStreetArt.com presents “Street Crush” as the 4th street art event thrown in the last 10 months.
Previous events include;

* April 2008: a benefit street art auction of work by 27 street artists at Ad Hoc Art in Bushwick that raised money for the youth and family creative arts and mentoring programs of Free Arts NYC (www.freeartsnyc.org) and launched the book “Brooklyn Street Art” published by Prestel worldwide and authored by Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo.

See highlights on Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP3by_SolwA

* May 2008: a street art showcase of 10 street artists at Fresh Kills in Williamsburg also benefiting Free Arts NYC,

* Sept 2008: “Projekt Projektor”, a first-ever curated show of projection artists as street artists in a live show by 6 projection artists on the side of the Manhattan Bridge and the Pearl Street Triangle during 2 nights of the Dumbo Arts festival on September 26 and 27.

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Year in Images 2008

Year in Images 2008

Paradigm Shifting and Cave Writings

Looking back at the powerful changes in ’08,

it’s not hard to see their reflection on the Brooklyn streets, which may serve as tea leaves revealing the messages swirling around us and in us. Each individual act of creating is of significance, yet it is the cumulative effect of the groundswell of new participants that seems so powerful, so hopeful in it’s desire.

Naturally, at the beginning of this selection of images from 2008, we are featuring the most visible street art piece of the year by Shepard Fairey, which appeared here on the streets of Brooklyn and transcended mediums to reach millions of people. Shepard’s graphic design style and his images of the man who would be president helped many to quickly glimpse the character and message of Barack Obama.

A Winning Campaign (Shepard Fairey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

A Winning Campaign (Shepard Fairey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

The image was replicated, adopted, adapted, transformed, re-formed, lampooned even. It became an icon that belonged to everyone who cared to own it, and a symbol of the change the man on the street was looking for. Like street art, Obama’s message was taken directly to the people, and they responded powerfully in a way that brought a historic shift; one that continues to unfold.

Elsewhere on the street we saw themes from topical to fantastical; crazy disjointed cultural mash-ups, celebrity worship or destruction, Big Brother, icons, symbols, death, war, economic stress, protest, dancing, robots and monsters and clowns and angels, and an incredible pathos for humanity and it’s sorry state… with many reminders of those marginalized and disaffected. We never forget the incredible power of the artist to speak to our deepest needs and fears.

The movement of young and middle-aged artists off the isle of pricey mall-ish Manhattan and into Brooklyn is not quite an exodus, but boy, sometimes it feels that way. The air sometimes is thick with it; the creative spirit. The visual dialogue on the street tells you that there is vibrant life behind doors – studios, galleries, practice rooms, loft parties, rooftops.

Even as a debate about street art’s appropriate placement on public/private walls continues, it continues. From pop art to fine art, painterly to projected, one-offs to mass repetition, Brooklyn street art continues to grow beyond our expectations, and our daily lives are largely enriched by it.

This collection is not an exhaustive survey – the archival approach isn’t particularly stimulating and we’re not academics, Madge. The street museum is always by chance, and is always about your two eyes. Here’s a smattering, a highly personal trip through favorites that were caught during the year.

[svgallery name=”Images of Year 2008″]

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Military in Brooklyn Streets! Cum Quick!

Dispatches From the Action and a briefing from General Howe

Recently we’ve been seeing soldiers in the streets of Brooklyn, and it has tapped into fears of an encroaching military state.  These troop movements always start out small, but eventually they could take over the borough entirely.

Mutiny on the Ledge!    General Howe       (photo Jaime Rojo)

Troop formations are a more common sight on the streets of Brooklyn. (photo Jaime Rojo)

During a briefing on these developments at BSACom (Command Center), artist General Howe talked about his installations, their formations around suspicious objects, and how the ’08 election focused his maneuvers on the field this year.

Brooklyn Street Art: The recent US presidential campaign inspired a huge number of artists to get into the conversation.  How did it affect your art?

General Howe: Before this year I never made political art.  But this year was clearly going to be history in the making, for better or worse.  For me, making political art during the presidential campaign was my own way of saying this is an important time for our country and we need to consider our future.

as a side note...

During my summer vacations in college, and for a brief time after college,  I worked  in the United States Senate.  My position was very low on the totem pole, and I did not work for a specific Senator or party, but I was constantly around Senators.  I would pass them in the hall ways, listen to them in the Senate chamber, and on occasion have small talk with them.  I was around Obama, McCain, and Clinton and when they became popular in this election season, I reflected on this past experience.  I don’t know them personally, but I do know them in a way that is not translated through popular media.  It would be a missed opportunity without making some kind of art relating to my experience.

Barat Man!     (General Howe)  (image General Howe)

Obamabatman          (General Howe) (image General Howe)

Brooklyn Street Art: What made you start merging the candidates with superheroes? Was it the outlandish budgets that are spent on these Hollywood productions?

General Howe: The media and campaigns portrayed senators like McCain, Clinton and Obama into fantastical characters from a movie.  I saw so many parallels to the Batman movie that came out this past summer.  They might as well have worn masks and capes to events and interviews.

Whose that lurking behind the office copier?   (General Howe)  (Image General Howe)

Obamabatman lurking behind the office copier (General Howe) (Image General Howe)

Obama was raised to a hero-like status, Batman, the only one capable of stopping the enemy.  When Clinton lost to Obama, it was speculated that she would try to ruin his chances at the presidency, becoming his nemesis, the Joker.

"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger. " The Joker  (General Howe)  (photo General Howe)

In some cases  what was being portrayed was very true.  I made John McCain into 2face because the John McCain on the campaign trail was very different from the guy I would watch in the Senate.

Two Face and Magic Ride Like That       (General Howe)  (image General Howe)

Two Face and Magic Ride Like That (General Howe) (image General Howe)

As a young man, Benjamin Franklin wrote under the pseudonym of Mrs.Silence Dogood.  He poked fun at aspects of colonial America through his writings.  My work is poking fun at how ridiculous the media portrays current events.

Brooklyn Street Art: Your other work, installations of colonial armies, is less often seen, maybe because it is so small…

General Howe: They are very small, each soldier is about an inch in height.  When I have gone back to see the installations they are often gone, maybe one or two broken figures remain.  I wonder what happens to the rest of them.  Do people take them and keep them for them selves?  I sometimes imagine rats taking them away to their layers as prisoners of a world street war.

Onward Ho!     (General Howe)   (image General Howe)

Onward Ho! (General Howe) (image General Howe)

Brooklyn Street Art: Who are these little soldiers and who are they fighting?

General Howe: These are British colonial soldiers sent by the king of England to stop the American Revolution.  They are at a serious height disadvantage but make up for it with bravery and discipline.

Brooklyn Street Art: Is this Howe you got your name?

General Howe: Yes it is.  General William Howe was Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American revolution.

Image courtesy of ArtToday.

Image courtesy of ArtToday.

I also thought back to childhood, playing with toy soldiers or toy guns and assuming  the role of  some sort of a  commanding leader or hero.  Why would I be a Private when I can make my self a General.

Brooklyn Street Art: Is your battlefield historical fascination academic or fantastical?

General Howe: It is definitely academic and fantastical along with old fashion play.  I’ve done a ton of research on locations of revolutionary war battles in Brooklyn.  Most of the battle installations I have done are at sites where actual battles occurred.  Once I get to these sites the fantasy begins.  I play around with the soldiers trying out different formations and I come up with all kinds of scenarios that the soldiers could be in.  A whole narrative may play out while setting up the soldiers.

Step Back, we Don't Know How Big this Will Get!   (General Howe)  (image General Howe)

Step Back, We Don't Know How Big This Gets!   (General Howe)  (Image General Howe)

For example, one of the first times I went out to install some soldiers I came across a used condom on the ground.  At first I was disgusted, but then I thought, “what would mini British colonial soldiers from the 1700’s do if they stumbled upon a used condom?”  So the condom became part of the piece.  Since then I always hope the locations I go to will have interesting or weird objects to use with the battles.

Brooklyn Street Art: What would you like someone’s reaction to be when they stumble upon one of your installations?

General Howe: One time while I was setting up a battle a man walked by and toward my installation, made motions and sounds as if he were blowing up the soldiers, and then walked away laughing to himself.  Upon seeing the installation, I think he immediately tapped into his childhood spirit of play and acted out what he would do with the soldiers in that situation.  The reaction I would really like from anyone that sees one of my installations is to have the urge to play.

More pics on General Howe’s fickr

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The Week in Images 11.16.08

The Week in Images 11.16.08

Paul Kostabi and LAII laboring on a mural   (photo Paul Kostabi)

Paul Kostabi and LAII laboring on a mural (photo Paul Kostabi)

Celso, Robots Will Kill, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Kos and More! (photo Jaime Rojo)

Cake Reveals the Inside Story        (photo Jaime Rojo)

Cake Reveals the Inside Story (photo Jaime Rojo)

Where's the Pool?    Mike Marcus      (photo Jaime Rojo)

Lead Us to Your Lifeguard             Mike Marcus (photo Jaime Rojo)

Googly Eye Cru      (photo Jaime Rojo)

Googly Eye Cru (photo Jaime Rojo)

Is This About Greek Voodoo?     Hellbent    (photo Jaime Rojo)

Is This About Greek Voodoo? Hellbent (photo Jaime Rojo)

Now Starring at Factory Fresh, Mr. Stickman      (photo Jaime Rojo)

Now Starring at Factory Fresh, Mr. Stickman (photo Jaime Rojo)

Robots Will Kill and Paint        (photo Jaime Rojo)

Robots Will Kill and Paint (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mutiny on the Ledge!    General Howe       (photo Jaime Rojo)

Mutiny on the Ledge! General Howe (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent for Dumpsters         (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent for Dumpsters (photo Jaime Rojo)

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