Happyblox

Another Random Reason To Love New York.

New York City's Brooklyn Bridge was 125 years young today and I heard there were to be fireworks. (news story here) I live on the East side and I found myself already outside around sundown and decided to walk along the recently remodeled bike and walking path on 23rd Street and the FDR. It's nice, they put in new walkways, new light fixtures, new tables and benches and new rock and plant landscaping. They even have a few small mulch paths cutting though islands of trees and grass. Would be good for a picnic. I could not see the Brooklyn Bridge from here though, I would have to walk south around the 14th St. bend where that sinister Con Edison factory is. Before I could make it 1 block I start running into strange people. When a New Yorker says "strange people" they are not kidding because they are automatically eliminating the homeless whinos, the heroin freaks, the business men having breakdowns on the phone or the Mohawk toting psychopaths that are usually around. To make a long story short I never made it to the bridge because the fireworks started before I could make it past the Williamsburg Bridge. I did go out to see some things, and I did see some thing! Just another random reason why loving New York City is too easy.




 
  I am going to bring my camera out more often this summer. I took these with my phone. I am lucky to live somewhere this beautiful.

OBEY VII.

Light Fuse, Get Away... If You Can.

What Quarters Are Probably Thinking.

OBEY VI

Lonely Skull.

 

There Are Very Few Reasons To Hate Worms.

OBEY V

OBEY II.

10 Reasons I love Banksy.

Banksy, the graffiti artist from the UK is one of my favorites. His work stretches from sharp witted humor to gut wrenching soul tugging self criticism. He can properly display the evils in the world through a few lines and make you laugh with but a simple perfectly placed shape. He is way beyond graffiti artist in my book but I like to call him that because I think he remains one at heart if only for the opportunity to say whatever you feel needs to be said. Here are 10 reasons why I love Banksy. (click images for full size.)

1. Never shy of expressing his opinion, this anti war piece is amazing. I love how little you have to change to achieve a totally different goal. Almost makes that fact more powerful than any aircraft carrier. Kind of a new twist on the pen being mightier than the sword.

2. what can I say about this piece... to me it is absurd the first few seconds, then I think about it some more and it becomes more sad. Corporations, special interests, global power struggles, our own creations, eating ourselves. It forces me to look at not only the society we live in but the ones we stepped on to get here. It forces me to ask myself if this country could be headed in any worse of a direction. It makes me sad and angry to think that we are funding it knowingly and blindly. Anything to distract ourselves. I love the gray background. Perfect.

3. On the other end of the spectrum you have Banksy's whimsical (and quite consistent) way of bringing light to the darkness. I believe him to be a true Sagen-esk optimist. Recognizing the faults of todays leaders is not only easy it's impossible to ignore. The fact that he can do pieces like the one above and still find the heart and the urge to do pieces like this one is almost reassuring.

4. Again, subtle changes (more like minimal for this piece) make all the difference. I look at this one as what they want recruits to see. What they want the rest of the world to see. What looks amazingly stupid when you put an icon to it but is really sad because that is the actual goal of the military's recruiting arm. I would have added sticks with money dangling in front of them too.

5.My friend Felix probably loves this one. Just the creativity alone on this one busts it out of any standard graffiti type. If I saw this on my building I would put something over it to protect it. Or do a small piece next to it asking for more pieces. Maybe I would leave cookies out.

6.Kill your television. I love the placement of this one using the barred up windows to dig the point deeper. Unfortunately I bet in 200 years we look back on this piece and cry that we didn't heed the warning. Oh, I have to go, Letterman is on!

7.Modern day hunters, in the wild urban jungle of the mall! I love this drawing. It reminds me of the song "Nothing But Flowers" by the Talking Heads.

8.Another favorite.

The 9th reason I love Banksy is his movie section. Check out Museum! This guy is nuts.

And the 10th reason I love Banksy is that he says a lot of what I feel. GO BANKS! May you never be caught and may happier times be recorded by you in the future.