Urban renewal kit...

Another something from Shepard Fairey..

The Urban renewal kit... in the context of Obey it becomes contradictory as really it is just his way of advertising what has become his brand.. but i think there is something nice in the basic idea of it.

Its subversive, in that he is encouraging people to Graffiti... I guess the key to it is the fact he is allowing people a means through which they can directly engage with their city, creating a connection for both the grafitti artist and those who view the stickers / stencils. the irony is in the fact that its simply become advertising for Obey, but maybe there is something I could work with.

The key Ideas seem to be...

- Facilitating individuals engagement with their environment. (this could be seen as a means through which one can 'activate the creative class / create 'agents of change ''

- Allowing for a secondary engagement of observers with whatever artwork is created.

- Nice blend of new / old media... ends up introducing ideas of global / local. One can be part of a global movement locally through downloading online pdfs. he encourages people to blow up posters on photocopiers etc.

- opens up nice ideas of ownership. if I create something, and encourage people to make it their own, what does that mean?? Is that a co-created artwork?

what else could 'urban renewal' entail.

does Wellington need 'urban renewal'?

how could one work with 'street' art without creating grafitti?

This could potentially be a great medium to base my work in, but I still need to figure out a focus for it. Simply lumping it under making the streets look prettier is nice, but it leaves it shallow...