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Miami’s Museum of Graffiti.

1/23/2023

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​​The World’s First Museum Dedicated to Graffiti!
​Mission Statement
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s in large cities all over the United States, children invented a new art form that started with writing their names on walls in their neighborhoods. 

Local governments launched cleaning campaigns and mandated that young writers be arrested for their vandalism, but the movement could not be stopped. Unrelenting young people forged ahead at a feverish pace with creative innovations and inspired generations of new practitioners.

In no time, the wall writings quickly developed to become more elaborate and decorative. Taking on unique and distinguishable signifies like arrows, crowns and other innovations through design and color, this became the blueprint for tags, throw-ups, masterpieces, and the elaborate works seen today.

Fifty years later, the Museum of Graffiti was formed to preserve graffiti’s history and celebrate its emergence in design, fashion, advertising, and galleries. The Museum experience includes an indoor exhibition space, eleven exterior murals, a fine art gallery, and a world-class gift shop stocked with limited edition merchandise and exclusive items from the world’s most talented graffiti artists.



Museum Programming
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SPRAY IT LOUD
GRAFFITI CLASS FOR BEGINNERS
(Every Saturday @ 5PM)
​


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KIDS’ GRAFFITI DRAWING CLASS
LED BY LOCAL ARTISTS
​(Every Sunday @ 10AM)

​

Featured Exhibitions

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From Vandals To Trend Setters...
​There is no complete story for the graffiti world as there are thousands of participants 
in the past and the present.
We are students as much as leaders in this global movement, sharing our enthusiasm 

as we present this exhibit.
Graffiti–the act of writing on walls–is an old practice traced back centuries to churches in England, visitors' names in the catacombs in Paris, and lewd jokes in Pompeii.
Humans have a need to leave public messages, always have and always will.


This exhibition celebrates the graffiti 

of our lifetime, the type of graffiti that has become a global movement and culture started by American children and teenagers.
Style writing or just plain writing 
is what
we 
call it from within the movement.

Today, writing can be found in just about 
every corner of the globe, 
from Helsinki and Berlin to Lima,
Melbourne, and Miami.
Cities have their own indigenous styles 

and passionate practitioners, 
working daily to be seen and heard.
Social media carries the names 

beyond the national barriers, 
but it wasn’t always that way.

Two cities can claim bragging rights to 
the birth of this new graffiti movement: Philadelphia and New York City. 
In the late 1960s both cities were home to teenagers who saw public walls and trains as a perfectly natural and acceptable place to sign their names, breaking the law but adding a new spin on the typical gang graffiti 
that was already present in the streets.
 These teenagers were bold, adventurous, and sought fame and recognition from their friends.

The global expansion of New York City’s 

graffiti style ​caused a stir in just about 
every city it appeared in. 
Trains and walls were covered, spray paint was stolen from shops, teenagers adopted the new cultural import, and adults had a hard time accepting it, leading to strict laws, 
arrests, and severe punishments. 
Of course, the writers suffered... 
but they also adapted, innovated, 
and changed to thrive and survive. 
Writers plotted and transformed the culture 
to their favor. Some took to graphic design, tattoo art, fashion design, and murals, 
while others turned to hidden walls 
or freight trains to pursue the writing tradition, and a few continued to paint trains 
accepting the risk of more severe penalties. These artists influenced the world and continue to impact popular culture today.
This is a small part of the story.

__________________
​


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​OLÉ  
A body of works by
ISE, FINOK, THIAGO NEVS, & SKOLAS
of Sao Paolo's VLOK Crew.
​

​
Ise, Thiago Nevs, Finok, and Skolas,
​while individually being studio artists,
​are all graffiti artists from São Paolo, Brazil.
The artists have come together as a collective, embodying four different generations of graffiti artists, to present a body of work that is not representative of their traditional graffiti
but rather communicates their shared life experiences as artists in their communities.

Their paintings depict self-portraits, street landscapes, and average citizens in an effort to highlight their deep love for all aspects
of the graffiti art movement,
not just the letters themselves.
The paintings, steeped in culture, present artifacts and symbols that are inherent in the fabric of both current daily life and history
in Brazil.  Soccer balls, Bahia bracelets, religious shrines, tags, and flying kites are all integrated in a way that convey
an admiration for a city rich in personality
that serves as their inspiration.  

The artists tap into folk art traditions and use colorful patterns, fabrics, found objects,
and assemblages to transport you to
Brazil and share some of the widely unknown and indigenous aspects of their nation
while also calling attention to the daily economic and social issues
​that are present today.

​__________________
​


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Writers on Wax:
​The Sound of Graffiti

An exhibition that pairs
the beats, basslines, imagination,
and expression of graffiti writers’
​who make both music
​and visual studio work.


Graffiti has historically been interconnected with certain types of music like punk rock, techno, and Hip-Hop. Commonalities like the use of public space, themes of rebellion and angst, and the “do it yourself” mindset are threads that run through the fabric of these art-forms. These congruities and the urban environment from which they originate have naturally led graffiti writers to experiment within these musical genres and vice versa.

Writers on Wax is a project created by Ruyzdael Music, a group of Dutch graffiti writers and creatives who saw the importance of compiling the music created by graffiti writers. Their vinyl-only project, Writers on Wax: The Sound of Graffiti, is a series of albums that feature exclusive tracks created by today’s leading visual graffiti artists from around the world – some who have alter-egos in the music world. All three of their vinyl music releases are on installed along with old-school turntables for your listening pleasure.

In the visual portion of the exhibition,
graffiti reigns supreme.
BLADE (Steven Ogburn, New York, b. 1957) via photographs by Martha Cooper,
DELTA (Boris Tellegen, Amsterdam, b. 1968),
NUG (Magnus Gustafsson, Sweden, b.1972), Paul Du Bois Reymond (Amsterdam, b.1974), and
PURE (Aindriais Dolan, New York, b.1969) each draw on their deep roots in graffiti
to present a wide range of styles
from pioneering lettering,
to using the spray paint medium
for abstraction,
to addressing the landscapes in which graffiti and their practitioners occupy,
and using the ornate aspects of graffiti
to create a composition.


Collectively, the pairing of the visual works
with the artist’s musical creations
provides a holistic snapshot of the
collective urban inspiration and output
​of these multidisciplinary artists.  


This program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.

__________________
​


The Museum of Graffiti exhibits, educates, and celebrates the thousands of graffiti artists who have transformed walls in our public spaces into vibrant masterpieces.
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A Purple Party… and a Princely Mural!

1/16/2023

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Murals On The Street!
"Many times I come across some really nice mural, or a hand painted sign out there that I want to share with you!
This one is from my dear friends Daniel and Lois who were back home in Minnesota last May and they sent me this great photo of the street party and unveiling of Hiero Veiga’s ​new mural of TAKAPrince Rogers Nelson-(TAFKAPrince!)" -RQ
​
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​Mural by 33-year-old Hiero Veiga, a Florida street painter known for the rendering on the exterior wall
of Miami’s Museum of Graffiti.
Organizers say the $500,000 Minneapolis project
​has been in the works for seven years.​

​June 3 2022
Purple party: Prince fans celebrate mural completion in downtown Mpls
By Tony Kiene
     On the same day that the Queen of England celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in London, Minneapolis honored its very own monarch: His Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson. A 100-foot-tall mural of our favorite son, painted by internationally renowned artist Hiero Veiga, now looks out over the city’s entertainment district and the legendary music club that Prince established as an international landmark almost 40 years ago.
     Last night’s event, billed as the “Purple Block Party,” saw throngs of people descend on First Avenue North, including many Prince fans from out of state and around the world, here for this weekend’s Celebration 2022 at Paisley Park.
     A little after 9 pm, the dynamic duo behind the mural, also known as the “Crown Our Prince” project, graced the stage for the first time. With the blessings of Prince himself, it was Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, CEO of the Rae Mackenzie Group, and public art expert Joan Vorderbruggen, that conquered a multitude of roadblocks to successfully carry out this seven-year project “across the finish line.”
     Things became a little emotional when they introduced two of Prince’s sisters, Norrine and Tyka Nelson, each of whom spoke to the crowd.
     Tyka mentioned some of the many ways downtown has been important to their family through the years, recounting how she and Prince would often catch the #19 bus over North, and then, with transfers in hand, make a pit stop at Shinders bookstore on Hennepin Ave. before continuing on to their destination.
     Norrine Nelson spoke to the crowd, promising not to cry. She closed by telling those gathered to honor her older brother, “Thank you for loving him. He loved you.”
     Smith-Akinsanya and Vorderbruggen then returned, and after acknowledging the major sponsors, additional contributors, and the three photographers whose images served as the basis for the mural, further hyped up an already electric crowd, before introducing artist Hiero Veiga, 
     The unassuming and soft-spoken muralist did not address the audience, but no doubt felt its love and appreciation as he embraced Vorderbruggen and Smith-Akinsanya.
     Finally, as the opening chords of “Purple Rain” reverberated through the nearby streets and skies above Minneapolis, Veiga’s masterpiece was doused in brilliant light, officially dedicating the mural and fulfilling the promise to 'make Minneapolis shine purple.'
     DJ Mickey Breeze closed out the night with a more adventurous set the second time around consisting of a couple of classic Prince B-sides, including “Violet the Organ Grinder,” in which Prince repeatedly declares, “I’ll die, but I won’t go away.” That certainly rings true to all his fans. And though he didn’t end with it, Breeze’s inclusion of “It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night,” recorded live in Paris on the 1986 Parade Tour, proved to be the perfect depiction of the night’s festivities.
Hiero Veiga
a Florida street painter known for the rendering on
the exterior wall of Miami’s Museum of Graffiti. 
​Bio 
“I am obsessed with the practice of my craft.” 
Hiero Veiga grew up in the small boxing town of Brockton, MA
and has been spray painting since he was 12 years old.
With over 21 years of experience, Hiero has evolved from writing graffiti to curating hyper-realistic pieces ranging from portraits, natural scenery, and psychedelic art.

Hiero’s unique perspective and experience of light and color is reflected in his distinctive compositions. His current personal work style involves abstract backgrounds and kaleidoscopic designs with Groucho glasses, chattering teeth,
and rubber ducks.

Hiero has participated in countless mural festivals and collaborated with numerous artists in his community. His most prominent works were done in participation with Pow Wow! Mural Festivals, including a mural displayed in the 
Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Hiero is based in Florida, but you can find his work in the streets, businesses, and galleries across the United States, Jamaica, and Canada.
If you are interested in working with Hiero,
please fill out the contact form or directly send an email.

© 2022 HIERO VEIGA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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​Article By Tony Kiene
Tony Kiene’s experience in the Twin Cities nonprofit and entertainment industries includes work with Minneapolis Urban League, Penumbra Theatre, Hallie Q. Brown, and Pepé Music.
He welcomes reader responses to
​ 
tkiene@spokesman-recorder.com.
​
​Related Stories:
​
Artist Hiero Veiga now painting Prince mural in downtown Mpls

Honoring Prince: community reactions to new street sign and mural
​

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​“This all reminds me...
​ of the work Christina Rosenthal and I did
for Prince’s nightclub ’Glam-Slam’ in L.A.
​ and at his Paisley Park Studios in MN.
           Here’s a link to that project…" 
 
-RQ


​Glam Slam and Paisley Park Studios

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Murals in LA Lift the Voices of Iranian Protesters

1/2/2023

2 Comments

 
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Mural by Katrine Karimpour (photo Matt Stromberg/Hyperallergic)
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Article by Matt Stromberg 
​December 14, 2022
Murals by Iranian-American artists across the city are inescapable reminders of the regime’s ongoing brutality.
Drive north on Main Street through Los Angeles’s fashion district and a striking new mural is visible just past Interstate 10. Against a backdrop of green, white, and red — the colors of the Iranian flag — the faces of 13 women who have lost their lives at the hands of the Iranian regime are depicted in stark black and white. Below them, their names, and others, are written on the palms of outstretched hands. Most of them were killed during the recent protests in response to the September death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, who was detained by Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly and died in custody. “Women, Life, Freedom,” the originally Kurdish slogan that has become a rallying cry for the protests, is written in English and Farsi.

The mural is the work of Katrine Karimpour,​ who was approached by her friend Mojgan of Mona_E_Arts with a concept for the mural and a connection to the owners of the building at 1605 S. Main Street. Karimpour created the image on her iPad and it was then printed on two large panels of weather-resistant paper and hung on the building’s southern facade on November 27. The mural is just one example of Iranian-American artists in Los Angeles showing solidarity with the protesters in Iran.

For Karimpour, it is also a way to express a connection with family, despite the tumult of revolution and emigration. Her late grandfather and mother fled Iran just before the 1979 Revolution. “When it started, they said they would come to the US for a week til it died down,” but they ended up staying,” she told Hyperallergic. “[The regime] took all my family’s belongings, everything my grandfather had worked for, everything he owned.” She says her grandfather wrote poetry; however, she couldn’t read it, since she was never taught Farsi. 
“Doing this, I thought about my baba the whole time,” Karimpour said of her work on the mural.

About 10 miles northwest of Karimpour’s mural, a nearly three-story-tall image of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini graces a wall in Fame Yard on Melrose, a hotspot for street art. Her hair, colored green, white, and red, spills out from her hijab, while the chains covering her head break apart.
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Mural by ​Cloe Hakakian​​ and Todd Goodman
(photo by and courtesy Impermanent Art)


Cloe Hakakian
https://www.instagram.com/cloehakakian/

https://beyondsquarefootage.com/beyondsquarefootage/2020/5/14/cleopatra-by-cloe-hakakian

Todd Goodman
https://todd-goodman-art.myshopify.com/
​

“I used to stay away from everything political, but this is personal for me. This is not political, it’s about basic human rights,” artist Cloe Hakakian, who created the mural with Todd Goodman, told Hyperallergic. ​Hakakian was born in the US to parents who had emigrated shortly before the revolution, “Otherwise I could have easily been one of those girls,” she said, referring to those killed in the recent demonstrations, 
who are in the hundreds.

​
Iran has already executed two people involved in the protests, with 25 others facing the death penalty, according to the Guardian. On Monday, Majidreza Rahnavard was publicly hanged from a crane in the city of Mashhad. He was accused of killing two members of the Basij militia. Last week, Mohsen Shekari was executed after he was convicted of “waging war against God” by a revolutionary court. He had been accused of blocking a street and injuring a militia member. Today, the United Nations announced its decision to remove Iran from its Commission on the Status of Women, thanks in part to campaigning by activists in the diaspora.

Since the mural went up in early October, Hakakian has shifted gears, connecting artists with building owners willing to offer up their walls for murals in support of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement through her​ “Murals for Freedom” website. The site lists murals across the globe, in San Diego; Washington, DC; London; Paris; Berlin; and Sydney, Australia. “Not all the artists are Iranian,” she notes. “It’s inspiring a lot of people outside of the community.”
​
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Mural by Rashin Kheiriyeh (courtesy Farhang Foundation)
Further West, in Santa Monica, the side of an office building now bears Rashin Kheiriyeh’s mural of a woman’s silhouetted head in profile, her hair rendered in sinuous, turquoise Persian calligraphy. Kheiriyeh created the mural before the death of Amini for a mural competition sponsored by the Farhang Foundation, a nonprofit that supports Iranian art and culture. After Amini’s death, Kheiriyeh posted an image of the mural to social media and added the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom.”

According to Alireza Ardekani, executive director of the Farhang Foundation, the group has other murals planned in Los Angeles in support of the movement, but has run up against a troubling issue with one artist selected for a mural at 1031 South Grand Avenue in Downtown LA. “The artist just informed me he’s under surveillance in Iran and being threatened. I offered to have the art anonymous, but his work is quite iconic,” Ardekani told Hyperallergic. “Murals are big in Iran. Before the uprising, artists had learned how to dance around red lines and go under the radar. Now they’re cracking down.”

Through these public artworks, artists in the Iranian diaspora are able to speak to — and amplify — those whose voices are being stifled.

“Culturally I felt very in the middle. This was something that could feel so personal to me, but this isn’t about just me. It’s about all the women who are fighting for their future and future generations,” Karimpour said. ​“What art can do is amplify those who are not being heard. We are their echoes.”
​
by Matt Stromberg December 14, 2022
https://hyperallergic.com/



​Murals for Freedom
https://www.muralsforfreedom.org/
https://www.muralsforfreedom.org/gallery

Murals for Freedom aims to amplify the silenced voices in Iran through art. All over the world, artists have painted murals commemorating the victims of the Islamic Republic of Iran's brutal regime. This project is about promoting freedom and spreading awareness. 

Get Involved
There are multiple ways to get involved!
Email muralsforfreedom@gmail.com to:

▪ Paint a mural.
▪ Offer a wall as a canvas.
▪ Volunteer.
▪ Inquire 

Submit a Mural!
If you have painted a mural and would like to submit it to the website, please fill out this form.

​
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Mural by Rashin Kheiriyeh
​Related
  • Artists Worldwide Demand Freedom for Iranian Women   September 28, 2022
  • Iranian Activists Stage “Die-In” at Met Museu   December 5, 2022
  • Artists Stage Mahsa Amini Protest at New York’s Guggenheim Museum ​    October 24, 2022




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8 Artists to Fly to the Moon!

12/12/2022

2 Comments

 
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​“I love it when Art and Space Exploration converge!” -RQ 

Japanese billionaire unveils the 8 artists he'll fly to the moon on SpaceX's Starship dearMoon flight!

By Elizabeth Howell 
@Spacedotcom 
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A Japanese billionaire picked his crew-mates for the first-ever artist-centered mission! Yusaku Maezawa, who made his fortune as an online fashion retailer, announced the eight people who would be flying with him on the dearMoon mission, which aims to use a SpaceX Starship to fly around the moon as soon as next year.
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Check out their profiles here:  https://dearmoon.earth/
(Each member of the dearMoon crew was briefly quoted in a video)
The announcement was confirmed on Dodd's and Maezawa's Twitter feeds"I don't know what it's going to do to me emotionally, and I guess that's part of the adventure," Dodd says in the video. Adds Adam, "I expect that this mission will bring about many changes personally and professionally."
The video also includes several views of Starship under testing, including at least one of the static fires of the SpaceX system.
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(Just a good excuse to post a photo of a rocket blasting off! -RQ)
​The previously-announced 2023 launch date may push back substantially, however, as Starship has not yet been approved for an orbital journey around Earth, let alone a flight to the moon. 
The spaceship has been grounded for more than 18 months as SpaceX awaits approval from the Federal Aviation Administration regarding environmental assessment requirements at its Starbase launch location in South Texas.
​

​Related: SpaceX's Starship video animation is Tron meets Blade Runner in space


​Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. 

Follow her on Twitter @howellspace. 

Follow on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook

Join on Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! 



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Octavia E. Butler Mural Honoring Sci-fi Genius...

11/28/2022

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"A Lot has been going on over at the Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy since I painted their Octavia E. Butler mural for their Library in 2020! " -RQ
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"Octavia E. Butler is one of the first African American women to be recognized in the science fiction genre. 
She also exemplifies the integration of science with the arts and humanities, and the expression of STEAM-integrated learning. This mural makes someone with her genius relatable.
Middle school students (and really most people) can relate to the idea of feeling insecure or unmotivated when faced a large task, but you don’t have to be perfect to be great. Octavia Butler is proof that you can always get better, learn more, and achieve great things. She set a goal for herself and who she was going to become very early in her writing career, so we included statements from her notebooks in our mural to inspire our kids. You can set your sights on something and work towards it and actually realize it."
-Dr. Shannon Malone, Principal, Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy

First...

Their Library was named for their famous alumnus on September 8, 2022.

Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy renames library, 
creates mural to honor famous alumna and prolific sci-fi writer!

​​Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD)
Board of Education
approved the school's proposal to rename their library in recognition of Octavia E. Butler.

Then...

​on Augest 8, they had a Science fiction Festival
AND
​Renamed the whole school
for Octavia E. Butler!
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The Washington Steam Multilingual Academy will now be known as:
The Octavia E. Butler Magnet

(following the Board of Education’s unanimous approval in February 2022.)
Octavia E. Butler Magnet
(formerly Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy)
is a middle school serving students in grades 6-8.

Certified by the National Institute for STEM Education.
We provide a rigorous Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics integrated curriculum which helps our students to become technologically literate problem solvers, logical thinkers, and innovators. 
​
The school is located at:
1505 North Marengo Avenue,
Pasadena, CA 91103.

And now!...

​ The New York Times has just printed an excellent article on the school, it’s renaming, my mural, and on
Octavia E. Butler's story. 
​

‘The Visions of Octavia Butler’
​By Lynell George 
a Los Angeles-based journalist, essayist and author.
Her latest book, “A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia E. Butler,” was a 2020 finalist for the Hugo Award.

The visuals for this New York Times article and on-line project were created by converting scanned real-life objects, spaces and video footage into 3-D point clouds
by Ainslee Alem Robson
​Director/Writer/Media Artist,
https://www.ainsleealemrobson.com/
https://www.ainsleealemrobson.com/about

Octavia E. Butler mural courtesy Roberto Quintana
and the Octavia E. Butler Magnet School.

http://www.artandsoulproductions.com/octavia-e-butler-mural.html

"I really love everything Roberto has done at
​Altadena Arts Magnet / 
Octavia E. Butler Magnet School." 
-Shannon Mumolo, Coordinator:
Signature Programs, Pasadena Unified School District



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​Special ‘THANX’ To:

Head Librarian:
​Natalie Daily 

(daily.natalie@pusd.us)
Octavia E. Butler Library
Octavia E. Butler Magnet 
(formerly Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy)
  
And to:

Marcelle Hopkins
(marcelle.hopkins@nytimes.com)
Visual Editor, Special Projects
The New York Times



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Quadrature Illusionism

11/14/2022

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    "In fine art, the term quadratura describes a form of   illusionistic mural painting in which images of architectural features are painted onto walls or ceilings so that they seem to extend the real architecture of the room into an imaginary space beyond the confines of the actual wall or ceiling. The term can also apply to the illusionistic "opening up" of walls."
(From: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/painting/quadratura.htm)
​

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“Der Plessurfischer” by Fabian Bane Florin in Chur, Switzerland 
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Street Art by Edgar Müller
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Tracy Lee Stum
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Tracy Lee Stum

"Quadrature Illusionism is mainly associated with
Italian church 
fresco painting, notably that of the Baroque era. 
A particularly inspiring form of Christian art - and a key feature
of
Catholic Counter-Reformation Art (c.1560-1700) - this pure type of quadratura relies heavily on 17th-century theories of linear perspective but produces a more complete form uniting
architecture, painting and sculpture."

From: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/
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St. Maron’s prayer niche ceiling oculus: Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon / St. Peter’s Cathedral
“Oculus del Dio” by Roberto Quintana

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“The Threshold” by Roberto Quintana / Church of Religious Science, upper lobby landing.


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“Heimark Hacienda” by Laurence ‘Link” Linkus
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DCA Call for Muralists/Murals

10/17/2022

0 Comments

 
“Hey Folks!
The Mail-Room just sent this down to my desk!

It looks time sensitive
so I'm passing it along to you.
No good pictures but a lot of good info.”  -RQ
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​Call for Muralists and Mural Restoration and Conservation Projects
DEADLINE: 
Nov 13, 2022 - 11:59 pm
​

Request for Proposals (RFP)
The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) is seeking muralists to propose their own historically significant murals located in the City of Los Angeles that need conservation. The mural conservation proposal must include a paid youth apprenticeship opportunity for young people from the mural’s local neighborhood. Selected mural conservation projects should also depict the social justice theme(s) of the mural, notable cultural figures, or important histories that are meaningful to residents.

Preservation of these historic murals will serve as cultural markers, connect them to the social justice themes of today, and inspire multiple conversations between the past and the present.


AMOUNT: $10,000 to $25,000, all inclusive


GRANTING ORGANIZATION: City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Public Art Division


DEADLINE: Nov 13, 2022 - 11:59 pm


STATUS: Open


CONTACT: For technical guidance with the Airtable platform, visit Airtable’s support page.
For questions about this RFP, please contact Yami Duarte, DCA Public Art Division, at: dca.publicart@lacity.org with subject line “DCA Mural Works.”

For project goals, criteria, eligibility, budget, selection process, workshop info, and how to apply download the RFP below.
​

Resources/Links
  • Request for Proposals  <RFP here!
  • Application Portal​​
CONTACT:
Department of Cultural Affairs
City of Los Angeles
https://culturela.org/
201 North Figueroa Street, Suite 1400
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213 202 5500


MURALS   
The Citywide Mural Program seeks to establish a comprehensive network of mural activity and engagement by muralists, property owners, community stakeholders, educators, technicians, technologists, and preservationists in an effort to stimulate Los Angeles’ mural resurgence.
 
GOALS
  • To preserve, conserve, and restore historically significant murals throughout the City with an emphasis on City-sponsored murals;
  • To produce new murals that re-engage communities, especially youth, and create new opportunities for muralists;
  • To provide technical assistance, training, and workshops for muralists as well as interested community members and stakeholders; and,
  • To support mural documentation, presentation, and engagement activities that are interactive, educational, and/or cultural tourism opportunities related to murals.

The City of Los Angeles occasionally sends out requests for proposals or qualifications for public art opportunities. 
Find out more about these artist opportunities:

Sign Up

​​

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the City’s Mural Ordinance and why was it established?

The City’s Mural Ordinance is local legislation adopted by the Mayor and City Council related to existing murals and the creation of new murals in Los Angeles. 
The Mural Ordinance was established in order to: 
1) Lift the 2002 ban on murals on private property, 
2) Differentiate new and existing murals from current prohibitions that apply to outdoor advertisements, 
3) Create a mural registration process, and 4) Increase public access to and community participation in the creation of original works of art.



Does the City provide any funding support for new murals?
The Department of Cultural Affairs is working with each Council Office to provide funding for Council District-Specific mural related projects. 
To find your Council District representative, go to:

 https://www.lacity.org/government/popular-information/elected-officials/city-council. 

(To be notified of Calls for Artists, please join our mailing list.)



What is an Original Art Mural?
The Mural Ordinance defines an Original Art Mural as:
”A one-of-a-kind, hand-painted, hand-tiled, or digitally printed image on the exterior wall of a building that does not contain any commercial message. 
For definition purposes, a commercial message is any message that advertises a business conducted, services rendered, or goods produced or sold.”
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​What is a Vintage Original Art Mural?

A Vintage Original Art Mural is a mural that existed or was created prior to October 12, 2013.
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​What does the Vintage Art Mural registration process entail?

Murals with documented proof of existence prior to October 12, 2013 are deemed Vintage Original Art Murals are considered registered murals by the Department of Cultural Affairs. The DCA manages a mural database which can verify the mural’s date of creation. However, murals that are not registered in the DCA’s mural database may register with a Vintage Art Mural Application. Property owners and artists are encouraged to register. There is no fee for Vintage Art Mural Registration.


Who do I contact if a mural in my community needs to be maintained, restored and/or is in need of graffiti removal?
Please call our Public Art Division’s main line: 213-202-5555.
Email is preferred including background information, address, and an image of the mural to:
               murals@lacity.org


Where do I get information about the City’s Mural Ordinance?
For information about the City’s Mural Ordinance and guidance on the mural registration process, please call the Public Art Division, DCA at: 213-202-5544 or send an email to:            murals@lacity.org



What is the timeline for the individual artist grant programs? When can proposals be submitted, and what is the submission deadline?
The guidelines and forms for the AIR and COLA grants programs are posted on DCA’s website in the first week of September each year. 
The deadline for submitting a proposal for either grants program is the fourth Friday of October of each year.
Thats this Friday, 
October 28! 
Better get on it!!

​BE IN THE LOOP!
Receive notes about art, culture,
​and creativity ​in LA!


​​
Department of Cultural Affairs, 
City of Los Angeles

 dca.digital@lacity.org
https://culturela.org/


0 Comments

Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

10/10/2022

2 Comments

 
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The 
Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles maintains a FREE database of Los Angeles' Mural History linking artists, murals and neighborhoods.
​      The foundation of this database was shaped by Robin Dunitz' book "Street Gallery", the first true compilation of Los Angeles public murals.
      The MCLA website allows submissions of murals created recently in Los Angeles, forming an ever growing archive joining the historic with the new.

“The MCLA site can be searched by Mural Location, Artist, Type, or Title.” -RQ

​​The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 86231, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0231
Phone:
(213) 291-1811
Email:
muralconservancyLA@gmail.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/muralconservancy
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/themcla



​And here’s the book the collection was originally based on
(one of my favorites)


​
"Street Gallery

Guide to over 1000 Los Angeles Murals"
by Robin Dunitz (Author)
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With a foreword by Adolfo V. Nodal.
431 pages including an index with artists biographies and a bibliography.
​A comprehensive listing with maps showing the locations and in some cases a brief description and/or a color photo of the more than 1,000 murals of Los Angeles and its surrounding neighborhoods. 
2 Comments

What’s up at The Cheech!

7/25/2022

0 Comments

 
Cheech Marin (Yeah, That Cheech Marin!) finally has a place to show off his amazing art collection.
Check this out…
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Frank Romero, The Arrest of the Paleteros, 1996
The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture
Cheech Marin Art Collection in Riverside
Exhibition: June 18, 2022–June 18, 2023
​
Cheech Collects weaves a story of Cheech Marin’s efforts as a passionate collector, exploring the making of a major collection from the first works acquired through the most recent acquisitions.
This inaugural exhibition is a celebration of the foremost champion of the Chicano School of Art.

The creation of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture furthers his advocacy and will continue to shape the art world’s perceptions and understanding of Chicano art.
Marin’s efforts have brought unprecedented attention
to Chicana/o art with exhibitions of and loans from his collection to over 50 museums nationally and internationally.
​The inaugural exhibition features almost 120 works from Marin’s generous gift of over 500 works to the Riverside Art Museum as well as from his personal collection.

A second iteration of the inaugural exhibition
will open in December of 2022. 
​
"Nice Job, Homey!" -RQ

0 Comments

I Madonnari Chalk Festival: Santa Barbara, CA - 2022

6/12/2022

2 Comments

 
     This last Memorial Day I had the pleasure of attending the
​I Madonnari Chalk Festival in Santa Barbara, California.

     I went up to see Tracy, Sayak, and Julio’s artworks and to enjoy the grounds of the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission on a gorgeous Southern-California afternoon.
     The Bands were Jammin’, the food was great, and the crowd was well masked and glad to be outside, and it was all for a good cause:
​        Supporting the Children’s Creative Project (CCP)!
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    I Madonnari serves as the main fundraiser for the Children’s Creative Project, a nonprofit organization that brings arts education to thousands of school children throughout Santa Barbara County through workshops and performances by multicultural touring artists.
    Local organizers were the first to bring this romantic Italian festival to the Western Hemisphere from Santa Barbara’s sister festival in Grazie di Curtatone, Italy.
    For information about the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival, including participation and sponsorship opportunities, visit:
            https://ccp.sbceo.org/i-madonnari/welcome.
To support the Children’s Creative Project go to:
                       https://ccp.sbceo.org/donate
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Featured Artist: Dawn Morrison Wagner
Street painting probably began in Italy during the 16th century and has a long tradition in cities in Western Europe.
Artists began street painting by traveling to religious
and folk festivals where they drew images of the
Madonna using chalk on the street.  
These artists became known as “Madonnari” or street painters. Their images are called street paintings because when well drawn they resemble paintings.
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Tracy Lee Stum: “In the Studio” by Maria Bashkirtseff 1881
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Sayak Mitra: Photo Reference by N.H.Reed, circa 1893
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Julio Cesar Jimenez: Bugatti Royal
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Jennifer LeMay
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Artist?: Sponsor, Psychedelic Honey
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Delphine Louis Anaya
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Cheryl Guthrie and Terri Taber
​If you think this all looks like fun,
Look what’s coming up in Pasadena!

Pasadena Chalk Festival  
Father’s Day weekend
June 18-19, 2022 at The Paseo. 
The event is open to the public 10:00am to 7:00pm.
https://pasadenachalkfestival.org/

200 murals and over 500 artists 
• Art Gallery & Silent Auction 
• Animation Alley & Chalk of Fame 
• Children’s Art Area 
• Live Music 
• Dine and Shop at The Paseo!

KIDZ LAND
Saturday & Sunday
10:00am – 4:00pm
Upper Fountain Court

If you’re a chalk artist: Entries are closed, 
but if you’d like to be put on the waiting list:
Email:​ PasadenaChalkFestival@yahoo.com

LIVE MUSIC LINEUP
Saturday, June 18th
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Taylor Plenn (Jazz)

3:30pm – 4:30pm
The Carlos Ordiano Trio (Latin Jazz)

5:00pm – 6:00pm
La Güera Chakaloza Y Sus 5 Animales 
(Norteño)

Sunday, June 19th:

3:00pm – 4:00pm
Rhythms of the Village Family  Band 
(Nigerian Highlife Fusion)
 
4:45pm – 5:30pm
Lucas/Heaven (RnB/Jazz)

6:00pm – 7:00pm
Spaghetti Cumbia (Cumbia)

​
(Dress like your going to paint a mural in the hot sun!)
2 Comments

The 2022 Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival!

5/23/2022

2 Comments

 
Hey, Check this out!
Mark your calendars and enjoy great performances!
​live under the stars!!
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The Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival returns
for an entire summer of theater under the stars!
From July 2 - September 4,
join us Wednesdays - Sundays in Griffith Park.
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The Knight of the Burning Pestle
by Francis Beaumont

July 2 - July 31
This wild and wonderful 17th century comedy
receives a 21st century makeover
in an anarchic, Los Angeles-specific adaptation.
_______________


Macbeth by William Shakespeare
August 6 - September 4
The iconic tale of magic and mayhem will get a seductive, environmental treatment as we take advantage
of the secluded Dell performance area.
____________________


Plus our signature offerings of pre-show events
​ including salons, great opening acts, and the return of our playful family workshops.
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Taught by Joseph Culliton
May 8th - June 26th
Sundays 11 am - 2 pm ONLINE

Be part of an engaged digital ensemble
that collectively explores the fundamentals of
​ verse structure and Shakespearean performance.
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       ...to Roberto's Blog!

      "Duit-On-Mon-Dai"
     
        Roberto has been pestering the ‘Marketing’ staff here at Art and Soul for some time now to get together with ‘Research and Development’ to come up with a fun way for him to share all the great work out there of all the many other talented muralists and artists he's been "influenced by" over the years. ‘Sales’ was totally against the idea! ("How could that possibly improve the bottom-line?!"). ‘Marketing’ remains split, as usual ("We need more data"). ‘R&D’ thought it might be a fun way to "show off a little", and to showcase all those great ideas they keep finding out there on the internet. ‘HR’ said it might be a good way to keep 'The Crew' distracted ("Since they are all so bored since Covid hit, and Roberto is spending more and more time in his studio working on all those silly little easel paintings").
    'The Crew' said: ’'Sure, We've got nothing else going on …but only if we get to share stuff about technique, materials, and equipment." ‘Receivables’ said: "It obviously won’t make more work for us, so why not!". 'Legal' said: "No Way! You are NOT going to reveal where you steal all your ideas from!" (Although Roberto values their legal advice, He rarely listen’s  to their hysterics anyway). So... here we are! Welcome to Roberto’s new blog:
     
     "Duit-On-Mon-Dai"
    ​
         "As the title implies, I will post once a week (on Monday, more or less). Feel free to leave a family friendly comment. Dialogue and praise is encouraged. Creativity, passion and wonder should be expected. Politics and personal grievances hopefully kept to private emails. And please… no Whining! and no sales pitches either (you can make your own damn blog for that).
       I expect to start becoming a little more savvy with all this social media stuff, but for now ‘Bookmark’ my website and check back every once in a while. I hope you will find it interesting. Don’t be too persnickety over my whimsical spelling and creative punctuations either, my
    Editorial Department is not what it used to be… I am seriously understaffed these days."   
     Peace and Love...
    ​     -Roberto Quintana, WFA

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Permission Statement: The contents of this web site are protected under copyright and other intellectual property laws. All images and text on this web site are copyright 1980-2021 Roberto Quintana dba Art & Soul Productions and/or their respective owners. All of the artwork on this web site has been hand-painted and/or designed by Roberto Quintana, one of his talented associates, or provided by an affiliate or a client. No portion of this web site may be reproduced, duplicated, copied, sold, resold, or otherwise exploited without the express written consent of Roberto Quintana. Any artwork on this web site that resembles your wonderful and precious artwork is purely accidental, and a huge coincidence, really. Oh, and any representation or likeness to anyone famous, living or otherwise, is most likely also an accident. Every effort has been made to give credit where it is due to clients, associates, and affiliates. If I have left you out please contact the studio, let's get this straightened out right away! Students and teachers may quote images or text for their non-commercial school activities. You also have my permission to quote images or text on your non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you notify me by e-mail, give credit on your site, and provide a link back to this web site. For use of text or images in traditional, or non-traditional print media, or for commercial licensing rights, please e-mail the studio for permissions.