As far as I can remember Above was the 1st contact I get from the USA via ekosystem.org. It was more than 10 years ago. And he was also the only non-european to participate to our collective project called Don’t Copy Me in 2002. During those years he regularly sent me news about his travels and actions. Street-artists like travels but it’s more like a lifestyle for Above. He lived in Paris & Barcelona for several months and he traveled more countries than Phileas Fogg the last 10 years.
This book retraces his steps around the world with photos and stories from artists he met.
There are 2 version of the book. The luxury signed-numbered-boxed one (on the first 3 photos) and the regular one with only the book. http://www.zeropluspublishing.com/above.htm
ABOVE: PASSPORT examines the street artist that has blanketed the world with art covering over 90 cities in 60 countries. The book includes hundreds of plates and quotes from artists across the globe .
La professionnalisation d’un grand nombre d’artistes qui sont sensés intervenir dans la rue a de multiples conséquences. L’an dernier la tendance pénible de la scène street-art etait les ventes aux enchères. Le plus insupportable étant pour moi certains blogueurs fraichement spécialisés qui relayaient ces enchères en direct sur leur twitter. Cette année une des grosses tendances a été la réalisation d’énormes fresques dans le cadre de festivals. Si dans un premier temps on a tous été impressionné par ces grandes peintures, on a un peu l’impression d’assister désormais à la mise en place d’un street-art officiel dénué de violence, de spontanéité ou d’humour.
Du coup la découverte cette année de OakOak a été un vrai bol de fraicheur. Quelqu’un qui ne semble pas avoir fait une école de commerce ou de Community Manager pour gérer son image, qui ne fait pas parti d’un réseau. Mais surtout quelqu’un qui intervient dans la rue en utilisant réellement celle ci, son mobilier, les imperfections des murs, avec un résultat qui amuse et étonne. La réalisation peut sembler parfois un peu bancale ou naïve mais par rapport aux productions trop maitrisées des désormais stars des grands festivals, la fragilité des interventions de OakOak leur confère encore plus d’éclat.
OakOak: ” J’ai commencé a faire des interventions en 2006 d’abord par des pochoirs de portraits puis de plus en plus j’ai commencé a essayer d’utiliser vraiment l’espace qui m’entourait, et utiliser le mobilier urbain. Je n’ai jamais fait de graffiti avant. Il y en a tellement de trés bons dans ce domaine que je leur laisse justement :) Les modèles sont des artistes comme SPY, Varini, Slinkachu, 6emia, j’aime ce principe d’intervenir le moins possible et de changer totalement le sens d’un détail, d’une faille dans un mur. Je marche beaucoup dans la rue, et c’est en trouvant un endroit particulier, un détail, que généralement l’idée vient… apres il suffit de trouver la meilleurs façon de la mettre en place.”
11 choses sur 2011 par Oak Oak
1- Une photo d’une de tes interventions dans la rue. 1- A photo of one of your artwork from 2011
2- Quelque chose que tu as fait en 2011 dont tu es particulièrement fier. 2- One thing you did in 2011 that you are particularly proud.
The urban scream / le cri urbain de MUNCH
Ma photo préférée de 2011, définitivement, car grand fan de Munch My favorite photo in 2011, because I’m a big Munch fan.
3- Quelque chose ou quelqu’un que tu as aimé en 2011. 3- Something you loved in 2011 Bah çà va paraitre un peu con mais mon premier livre, la création et tout ce processus… It may sound a bit dumb, but I really enjoyed working on the making of my first book.
4- Quelque chose ou quelqu’un que tu n’as pas supporté en 2011. 4- Something you hated in 2011 La crise de l’euro, il me semble que je n’ai entendu QUE ça à la radio, télé, journaux… Euro Crisis, I have the feeling it was the only topic on the radio, Tv, Newspaper.
5- Une photo du travail de quelqu’un d’autre. 5- A photo of someone else artwork. j’ai adoré cette installation. I loved this one.
Mehmet Ali Uysal
6- Un morceau de musique – One track
assez fan de born free de M.I.A – pretty fan of M.I.A.
7- Une vidéo trouvée sur le web – a web video
8- Un site internet – A website. Grand fan de bd, je suis régulièrement le site de boulet, j’adore son humour http://www.bouletcorp.com/
9- Un film – A movie En 2011 Drive était top! ouais je sais ce n’est pas très original pour 2011…. Drive was on top ! I know i’m not really original.
10- Une BD – A comic book Calvin et Hobbes pour la bd, 2011 ou pas. Calbin & Hobbes. No matter the year.
11- Un dernier mot – A last word amusons nous!!! / Have fun !!!
Here is the 2nd short interview about 2011. This time with Moneyless from Italy. His work evolved last months from painting on walls to crazy 3D installations with ropes.
1- A photo of one of your artwork from 2011. title : New World Order Graphite, acrilic and ink on wood 60 cm x 35cm
2- One thing you did in 2011 that you are particularly proud. title : the diamonds aren’t forever Berlin 2011 wool and nylon in the air 3mt x 2mt x 2mt
3- Something or Someone you loved in 2011 Moneyless:I definitely found love, and therefore everything I’ve done is affected by this.
4- Someone you hated in 2011. Moneyless:All suckers, copiers, and plagiarists Around The World
5- One city, One festival, or One place. Moneyless:Grottaglie , Fame Festival and his final party !
6- A photo of someone else artwork you enjoyed a lot the work.
10- One movie or a tv show Moneyless: NO MOVIE NO TV !
11- One last word Moneyless: I want to say Bless and much Love to all my brothers and sisters around the world, and remember that they are my biggest inspiration ever !
To conclude that year, I will ask a few artists that we enjoyed at ekosystem, 11 little things about 2011.
I’m really happy to start with Zosen from Barcelona. When I think about Barcelona graffiti, my mind is full of shiny colors from Zosen & Sixe(but also from Kenor, La Mano or Pez). They really represent Barcelona style to me. So it’s a wonderful surprise to discover that fresh collaboration between Zosen & Sixe.
Zosen recently released the magazine Carcelona “20 anys a la millor botiga del mon”.
It gathers plenty of interviews with artists, activists, musicians and people of different generations who live or lived in Barcelona and have met Zosen between 1990 and 2010.
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1- A photo of one of your artwork from 2011 Zosen: “Vagabond Love” is a mural from Infart Festival,Italy ’11
2- One thing you did in 2011 that you are particularly proud. Zosen: A mural in collaboration with Sixe after years and years of no painting together.
3- Someone you loved in 2011 Zosen: El Topo from Caracas but living in Gent.
4- Something or Someone you hated in 2011 Zosen: The toys from London,Barcelona and everywhere copying styles!
5- One city or One festival. Zosen: Lisboa and Sziget festival (Budapest)
6- A photo of someone else artwork. Zosen: My friend Camille Lavaud
7- One book, or one fanzine Zosen:Que pagui Pujol is a book about the punk and d.i.y. scene in Barcelona during the 80’s.
Here are some flix of the Assoonas Gallery: in early 2010 Hamburg lost this nice Gallery Spot, where we often hung out with lots of (Urban) Artists and Art-Lovers, celebrating good parties, painting and stuff. Enjoy the Photos. Peace 2 ASA.
As mentioned before the dominant style here in Denmark is traditional letter based graffiti. It’s on al kinds of surfaces and vehicles of all sorts have become quite popular.
Here’s a selection of vehicles painted in Copenhagen.
Above’s first U.S.A. solo show titled ‘rise above’ was a sold out show at his booth at Miami’s Scope art fair.
Here are a look at the new canvas works he made for the show and a few outdoor murals.
Since about 30 years OZ leaves his marks in Hamburg and elsewhere. It is almost inevitable to visit Hamburg without passing by his pieces and tags. He is a one of a kind concerning style, quantity and doing his thing no matter what.
Although he has been put behind bars for graff for about 8 years already he has been sentenced again in 19 cases to 14 months of prison at first instance in September 2011. His lawyers have appealed against this judgment.
It is a shame putting someone in jail for graffiti at all – but locking someone up for years just because he is painting his marks in the streets is a crime itself. FREE OZ!
Check also (german): http://www.free-oz.org/
http://www.zeropluspublishing.com/above.htm
