All posts tagged: Ukraine

BSA Film Friday: 07.21.17

BSA Film Friday: 07.21.17

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Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening :
1. Jessie + Katey Cover a House Completely in Massachusetts
2. Fabio Petani in Kiev, Ukraine
3. Ampparito in Walthamstow, North London
4. Chris Wunderlich in Portland: Painting with an overcast sky
5. The Future of Cities

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BSA Special Feature: Jessie + Katey Cover a House Completely

Bringing art to the public sphere is dicey when you have to be on the run – but that is how some vandals self-style. Others think of the work as a big open-air craft project and are happy to engage with the public. During their month long residency in Allston, Massachusetts in May, Jessie + Katey covered an entire building on Western Avenue with colorful geometries. They’ve been transforming large public spaces with their projects for six years, and each site-specific art installation redefines the relationship between you and the location – often making both more engaged.

 

Fabio Petani – Kiev- Art United Us

We posted the images and some background of Fabio Petani’s new wall earlier this week (Fabio Petani and the Golden Light in Kiev for Art United Us) and now we have the sweet video to accompany it.

Painting with Ampparito in Walthamstow, North London

Spanish Street Artist Ampparito sits with Doug from Fifth Wall to talk about his singular image of a typical Spanish napkin that would be recognizable to his countrymen and countrywomen but not necessarily to people in this neighborhood. See him soon here when we bring you the action at Nuart in Norway this September.

 

Chris Wunderlich in Portland: On how it is much better to paint with an overcast sky

A strangely named architectural creation called the Fair-Haired Dumbell in Portland, Oregon also has the distinction of being a radically patterned double full-building mural under creation this summer. A quick talk with muralist Chris Wunderlich gives you insight into some of the logistics.

The Future of Cities from Oscar Boyson

For urban planners and designers and, well, the rest of us: A quick paced and riveting examination of the urban environment and how it is likely to change in global locations as cities become the place where the majority of human populations live.

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Fabio Petani and the Golden Light in Kiev for Art United Us

Fabio Petani and the Golden Light in Kiev for Art United Us

The bright light of truth reveals things you may not have seen previously and Fabio Petani, the 30 year old Turin-based muralist is talking about it in Ukraine. The mural combines two elements often seen in his works – botanicals and geometric shapes. What is new is his use of bright colors by way of drawing attention to a specific element of this Malva plant which is typical to the region.

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Fabio Petani)

Daylight savings time was discovered in 1886, says Petani, and so was fluorine. (F) on the Periodic Table this element is the lightest halogen and it exists as a highly toxic pale yellow diatomic gas. “The translation of fluorine is флуор is from latin and means flow (flow of light),” the artist tells us. Now we understand better the flow of golden yellow light into this composition of the Malva plant.

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Iryna Kanishcheva)

“The composition runs around the central circle part where I also put the malva flower,” says Petani. “You can see a mix of layers that moves all the composition like a travel in other dimensions. All is inverted: the plant is black and each element creates a small world where the plant changes form.”

He says it is the first time he has used bright colors and he was encouraged by the bright golden color from the Ukrainian flag that indicates the bread basket of agriculture and the golden grains harvested. It was important to him to do something that the community would enjoy and he says he does as well. “And I love this wall,” he says.

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Iryna Kanishcheva)

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Iryna Kanishcheva)

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Fabio Petani)

Fabio Petani “Fluorine (флуор) & Malva sylvestris” for Art United Us 2017. Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © Iryna Kanishcheva)


The mural is a part of the public mural program Art United Us, curated by Geo Leros and Iryna Kanishcheva.

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Innerfields, Dourone, Le Bonnar, Dima Fatum and Ernesto Marenje in KIEV for “Art United Us”

Innerfields, Dourone, Le Bonnar, Dima Fatum and Ernesto Marenje in KIEV for “Art United Us”

New work today from many artists who are participating in the the mural program in Kiev called Art United Us. In the wake of war and threats of aggression and instability, it is admirable when an art program can be successful and project an aura of hope despite fears.

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Innerfields for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Art United Us says they are committed to pursuing positive life-affirming goals and they ask the artists to create works that reinforce themes of peace and brotherhood/sisterhood. The murals in the city are primarily a beautification project and the areas that they appear in are naturally affected by their overall pleasant messages. Here are some of the newest ones.

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Innerfields for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

The Berlin based trio who call themselves Innerfields created this figurative piece where one person is there and the other is not, yet they are hugging. “Present” is the name of the multi-story painting and the authors remain vague about it’s possibly meanings, saying it “deals with desire and interpersonal relations.”

Certainly that arrow looks painful physically, but it may also be a metaphor for emotional pain.

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Dourone for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Madrid based world traveler DOURONE brought his fantasy figurative portrait work to Kiev on his largest mural ever to promote “Fraternity,” he says. Our more honorable qualities of respect, freedom, and valuing diversity are being gradually eroded, says the artist in a statement.

“These aspects of life are being erased by other aspects like individualism and selfishness.” Perhaps fourteen floors of fraternity will help to re-focus viewers on our shared humanity and foster mutual respect.

 

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Dourone for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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Dourone for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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Olivier Bonnard for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine in collaboration with Artsynonym and Pangeaseed Foundation. (photo © @dronarium)

“This combines the role of Cossacks in the historical development of Ukraine and the consequences of human impact on the Black Sea,” says artist Olivier Bonnard, whose painting of a vase is in coordination with the organization named Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans. A peon to biodiversity, the deterioration of our seas and killing off of species is creating “dead zones’ where no animals can survive and the artist wants to draw attention to this.

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Olivier Bonnard for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine in collaboration with Artsynonym and Pangeaseed Foundation. (photo © @dronarium)

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Ernesto Marenje for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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Ernesto Marenje for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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Dima Fatum. Detail. ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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Dima Fatumm for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

ArtUnitedUs is co-founded and curated by Geo Leros and Iryna Kanishcheva.

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INO “Instability” in Kiev

INO “Instability” in Kiev

The frank pop symbolism and dark sarcasm of artists like Banksy and the early punk graphics of albums and ‘zines has reached into the monumental public murals of today and this new one of a ballerina balancing on a lit bomb is an apt example. Idealized beauty teetering upon disaster is an image that you’ll understand quickly. Certainly everyone has experienced this feeling at one point in life, if not many points.

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INO. Work in progress for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

Greek artist INO may have familiarity with “Instability”, the name of the piece, which could easily apply to economic matters in that country. The symbolism of paintings will of course be interpreted by the viewer, as ever, and instability often applies to our politics, our trade relations, our warring countries and cities, immigration of refugees, access to clean food and water, our shifting environment, even our our banking systems. Ukraine itself has suffered the crisis of war and division in recent years as well, so this mural may evoke emotions which people in Kiev can relate to.

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INO. Work in progress for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

The monochrome figure, split across the middle and slightly shifted to one side, is a common treatment of the subject by INO, as is the accented splash of a bright hue that rides across the composition as different layer. This blue divination of the sky appears to be melting the celestial sphere and dripping downward into the main piece.

Sponsored by the arts organization called ArtUnitedUS, the new mural is 48 meters above the ground and the group says it is the largest that INO has ever created.

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INO. Detail. For ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

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INO. Detail. For ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

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INO. Detail. For ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

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INO for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

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INO for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

 

Our sincere thank you to co-founders/curators of Art United Us; Geo Leros, Iryna Kanishcheva, and Waone Interesni Kazki for sharing the project with BSA readers.

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“Rise” from James Bullough In Kiev for “Art United Us”

“Rise” from James Bullough In Kiev for “Art United Us”

The fractured photorealism of James Bullough continues to rise on walls around the world, a precise sampling and re-laying of images that will be familiar to the viewer but rivetingly rearranged. Here in Kiev to participate in the ArtUnitedUs project, the Washington DC native who now lives in Berlin says he wanted to indirectly address the geo-political conflicts here and elsewhere on the globe that is leaving a great many people feeling stressed and discouraged.

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James Bullough for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo detail © James Bullough)

The artist has been building a body of work that recasts the form as a digital image that can be sliced, slidden, replaced, relayered – which for most classically trained painters is anti-intuitive, as the corporeal is something to be contemplated, idealized holistically. The effect is jarring and leads the viewer to reexamine the image, perhaps trying to re-align the pieces – but we learn here that they are not always derived from one image only.

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James Bullough for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

BSA: When you create this multiples effect, how do you describe it, and what does it represent to you – energy? spirit? altered perspectives?
James Bullough: I began fracturing and fragmenting my figures a while back in an effort to abstract what I saw as fairly straight forward portraiture.  This shifting brought a new sense of movement and energy to the work and the multiplying of elements (i.e.. hands, feet, faces, exc.) created a bit of a mind f*** which I really liked.

What may look like a simple random cutting and fracturing of a single photo is actually the result of hours and hours of work finding just the right image, or in most cases an amalgamation of multiple different images, and experimenting with countless different versions of fractures and abstractions until something really clicks.

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James Bullough for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

BSA: Can you tell us about the process for this piece and how you would like it to convey a possibly optimistic message?
James Bullough: The specific image I chose to use for this painting comes from a series of photos and paintings I’ve created this year called “Breaking Point”.  With this series I asked my models to consider dramatic moments in life when things change instantly, good or bad, and you are not the same after.

With this direction and the choice of dancers and my models, I was able to capture amazingly dramatic positions and angles. Of the hundreds of photos that I have from this series, this image was the clear choice for the feeling of hope and transcendence that I was looking for. With the addition of the red brushstrokes swirling around her symbolizing chaos and confusion, and the fragmented figure breaking free, I offer a bit of strength and optimism to anyone seeking it.

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James Bullough for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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James Bullough for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Our Sincere thank you to co-founders/curators of Art United Us; Geo Leros, Iryna Kanishcheva, Waone Interesni Kazki

 

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ROA and Pastel in Kiev for “Art United Us”

ROA and Pastel in Kiev for “Art United Us”

Two new pieces in Kiev from Belgian Street Artist ROA and Argentian Street Artist Pastel, both for the ArtUnitedUs project.

Pastel took some time to study history of the Makhnovist movement during the 1917 Russian Revolution, he says, as well as the libertarian revolution in the Ukraine. Naturally, botany was his chosen method of communicating such complex events.

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Pastel for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

He also studied local plants for inspiration, and posted this quote on his Facebook page.

“We have all flirted with freedom and, deep inside all of us have the urge to make it a serious relationship. The Anarchist values of individual freedom, grass roots democracy, and the decentralisation of all forms of power are, if anything, more pertinent today then over. See you on the barricades.” -Tony Allen, Kiev

See here a photo he used for a sketch of his new wall during his preparation.

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In his familiar monochromatic aerosol hand rendering below ROA depicts local marginalized friends from the animal world. His practice is to study his host city and find the local animals that are not commonly celebrated or thought of very often, in effect giving them a visual voice in the cityscape. His painting took five days and was slowed by a painful foot problem, but ultimately he powered through.

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ROA for ArUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

 

ArtUnitedUs co-founded and curated by Geo Leros, Iryna Kanishcheva, Waone Interesni Kazki

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A New Reka Diptych in Kiev, Ukraine

A New Reka Diptych in Kiev, Ukraine

 “До побачення Київ, я буду повертатися найближчим часом! (Goodbye Kiev. Thanks for the good times and the inspiration),” says Reka as he leaves the Ukrainian capital and celebrates the latest mural for Art United Us, a newly minted global campaign to promote peace through the public display of creativity. This new mural is actually split over two walls and features the abstract signature of the Melbourne born 90s graffiti writer James Reka who has become a globe-trotting muralist and who now lives in Berlin.

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James Reka for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Conceived of as a diptych when viewed from the correct angle, you can see how Reka relies on a natural flow and rhythm that connects the two walls with one another and each in response to its individual plane and surroundings. It is difficult for an artist to strike a balance in the urban environment and formal plan, particularly one who has traveled far to discover this historic and storied cityscape.

Here Art United Us appears to have a natural predilection for appropriate placement and their aspirations for a global showing of over 200 artists in the next two years looks promising. Begun in response to the shock and pain of war, the international project is celebrating the creative spirit – something BSA has been doing here with you for 8 years – with an eye toward raising “public awareness and attention to the problems of war, aggression and violence.”

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James Reka for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Congratulations to Reka and the co-founders/curators of Art United Us; Geo Laros,Iryna Kanishcheva, Waone Interesni Kazki, and Ilya Sagaidak. We look forward to seeing more of your heart and creativity at work!

Next up: ROA is finishing his wall, despite dealing with a bad foot and Pastel is researching local botanicals in preparation for his next wall. We know them both and they are up to the job! – and will bring AUU more murals for Kiev to be proud of.

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James Reka for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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James Reka for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

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