Euro Street Art Goes Face to Face on Spring
Ed Fuentes
Almost-completed wheat-paste by French artist “JR†on the side of Spring Tower Lofts.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Anyone who lives, works or just happens to travel on Spring street is unlikely to miss a pair of giant faces that emerged late this week, the work of two international artists participating in an upcoming Beverly Hills gallery show titled "EuroTrash."
The two works stare across a parking lot, wheat-pasted to the walls of neighboring residential buildings Premiere Towers and Spring Tower Lofts.
French artist “JR” and Portuguese-based Alexandre “Vhils” Farto are behind the faces, which take the form of large-scale monochromatic images. Vhils' work, the male face on the side of Premiere Towers, will use exposed brick facade to create a sort of urban bas-relief. The works have the cooperation of the property owner, and installation is expected to be completed early next week.
Both artists have impressive exhibition credentials. They'll be joined by Irish-born Conor Harrington and British artist Antony Micallef in "EuroTrash," which opens at the pop-up Lazarides LA gallery on June 9. Proprietor Steve Lazarides has a permanent gallery in London.
Don't worry if you don't recognize the newly-large subjects. They aren't celebrities, just everyday faces from photographs the artists have taken.
It's been a busy spring for Downtown's international street scene. British street artist Banksy held a west coast premiere for his film "Exit Through the Gift Shop" last month, leaving a new piece on the side of a building at 9th and Broadway.
EuroTrash spokesperson Sonja Teri, who herself has worked with Banksey and Shepard Fairey, said that the artists return to the urban environment in part to counter-balance gallery work. “It keeps their street cred up, doing this kind of art,” she said this afternoon.
Guest on May 28, 2010, at 08:28PM – #1
“It keeps their street cred up, doing this kind of art,” she said this afternoon.
Well, it's an ATTEMPT to keep their street cred up, anyway.
Guest on May 29, 2010, at 08:04AM – #2
That's what I'm talking about!!! We need more of this downtown!!!!! Love it!
Guest on May 29, 2010, at 08:09AM – #3
As much as I think this is awesome, what's the difference between this and say a supergraphic ad with a face and maybe a small coca-cola logo in the corner? Or perhaps the logo behind these exact faces? I wonder if people would be as positive about it.
Guest on May 29, 2010, at 05:32PM – #4
"what's the difference between this and say a supergraphic ad with a face and maybe a small coca-cola logo in the corner?"
One is art, the other is a corporate advertisement.
DawnC on May 31, 2010, at 10:45AM – #5
"what's the difference between this and say a supergraphic ad with a face and maybe a small coca-cola logo in the corner?"
One is made by a single person with a vision they want to share, the other is made by a corporation with a motive for taking something from you (your $$$). It's hard to put into words but you can feel it when you look at it. Advertising almost always feels contrived and pushy no matter how hard it tries to be arty. The difference is the same as giving vs taking.
Chris Loos on May 31, 2010, at 12:17PM – #6
"what's the difference between this and say a supergraphic ad with a face and maybe a small coca-cola logo in the corner?"
This is a joke, right?
Tim Quinn on May 31, 2010, at 01:10PM – #7
Yeah, these are advertising. for an art gallery in Beverly Hills.
Guest on May 31, 2010, at 02:40PM – #8
I gotta go with Tim on this one, this sounds like promotion for "Eurotrash".
Chris, why do you think this is a joke?
Rick
Guest on May 31, 2010, at 03:51PM – #9
"Yeah, these are advertising. for an art gallery in Beverly Hills."
That can be said about any non-anonymous art then. Recognition is part of being an artist.
That being said, Beverly Hills has no soul. Can you imagine Beverly Hills letting these artists use a side of one of their buildings? Of course not, they're complete isolationists, like most westsiders. I appreciate the new faces though, I think they're a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Whitman Lam on May 31, 2010, at 11:04PM – #10
Honestly I think these murals are ugly.
What about the famous "Campbell's soup can" painting by Andy Warhol ? Advertisements are considered to be a form of art. An artist had to design and illustrate it. Some of the supergraphics were much better aesthetically than these "works of art".
bill on June 01, 2010, at 09:35AM – #11
Yeah, I also think the murals are ugly.
Not a great addition to my neighborhood
Guest on June 01, 2010, at 09:42AM – #12
I wish someone would paint another Supergraphic Steve McQueen, ...this time in the Historic Core.
The American Caliban (@substitute) on June 01, 2010, at 11:08AM – #13
I have no joke, I just like saying: Alexandre "Vhils" Farto.
Guest on June 01, 2010, at 02:21PM – #14
"That being said, Beverly Hills has no soul. Can you imagine Beverly Hills letting these artists use a side of one of their buildings? Of course not, they're complete isolationists, like most westsiders."
Oh, brother. This again?
Downtown has a way of turning people into village idiots.
The murals are fantastic. All art production should be applauded and encouraged.
Qathryn Brehm on September 04, 2010, at 11:17AM – #15
I am confused as to why these are legal when Cultural Affairs and the City have had a moratorium on murals for the last several years. Has it changed?
Russell Brown on September 04, 2010, at 01:02PM – #16
Maybe common sense is returning?
And hopefully taggers and vandals will leave it alone and their defacement will be prosecuted. I wish almost all the blank spaces could be filled from alleys, to blank storefronts to the large sides of buildings.
In Europe, entire buildings and blocks are wrapped with art as they are under construction. It makes the cities an always interesting and changing canvas. Heaven knows we have enough neglected buildings,ugly parking lots and lack of inspiration and leadership.
Create a program where it can be 90% or more art and 10% advertisement. Then let the money go to rehab the buildings, community improvements and community organizational support. The city, state and feds (really almost the whole world) is broke. So think outside the box.