Public Art or Street Art?

I was speaking to a friend in the development industry the other night and he revealed that he had a cool million to spend on public art for his development.

Sounds good right?  But don’t think this money is a freebie from our local government.  It comes right out of the developer’s pocket.

In fact, most people don’t realize that developers are required to put back millions of dollars into the infrastructure of a community – whether it’s sewage and drainage or roadways, parks, schools etc.   And it is mandated that “a minimum of one percent of the gross construction cost of each significant development be contributed to public art.”

So my mind started racing with all the ideas and artists that I could recommend and all of sudden I received an email.  This email showed a presentation by Wooster Collective and Faith47 from South Africa, via Design Indaba.  It’s about street art around the world. After watching it, I felt the urge to graffiti my house, but thankfully, my rational mind took over and stopped me.

I challenged my friend to consider creating his public art by making it relevant and thought provoking rather than just an interesting art installation.

So grab a tea or coffee and prepare to be inspired:

Click here.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

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Art – The Wall Project

When I was in Milan for the first time, I decided to walk from the train station to the Duomo.  I knew that Milan was an industrial city.  The words of a friend “Milan works so Rome can eat” rang in my head.  What I wasn’t prepared for was all of the graffiti that I encountered on that walk.  The mayor at that time had the opinion that if the people didn’t complain about it, well, then nothing would be done.  Too bad, because it wasn’t even very nice graffiti, just “tagging”.  And it made the city look even more neglected.

Today, artists in Mumbai have taken an area on Bandra’s Chapel Road and made graffiti art accessible to all.  It started when local resident Dhanya Pilo invited her friends over to paint the peeling walls of her cottage.  It received such amazing response that other residents wanted art on their cottages as well.  And so the movement started.  Now every Sunday Chapel Road becomes a canvas for creativity.  Of course there are rules, “No nudes and abusive language”, and permission must be granted.

Pic by Kaya, France

Pic by Kaya, France

Open to all who want to communicate their creativity.  Maybe Milan will join the movement!

Click here for more info.

Cheers!

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