# Graffiti/street artistists and styles everyone should know. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790 "2010-05-17T18:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/61 "2010-05-18T14:16:14Z")
> [@gitfiddle](#): > > There’s another one like this on vimeo using an old deserted building. It’s incredible. I’ve been looking for it but I can’t find it to post it. > > Love it! Well that was a waste of time. It’s the same guy, and it’s on his [youtube account](http://www.youtube.com/user/notblu#p/u/1/uad17d5hR5s). ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/62 "2010-05-18T14:30:58Z")
Also, sort of in the same vein as the reverse graffiti, a lot of what [Graffiti Research Lab](http://vimeo.com/3177642) does is just light. Then there’s stuff like [this](http://vimeo.com/5595869). ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/63 "2010-05-18T14:37:23Z")
There are clips of [Barry McGee](http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mcgee/index.html) and [Margaret Kilgallen](http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/kilgallen/index.html) you could check out on the Art 21 website. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/64 "2010-05-18T16:47:16Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > And of course, all that is irrelevant anyway, legally is a separate issue from artistic merit, and both are a separate issue from fame slash notoriety. Come on people, are you seriously going to say that Bonnie and Clyde aren’t allowed to be famous because they are famous for being outlaws? Give me a fucking break. No, glorifying them is the problem. They were two-bit thugs who were ambushed and slaughtered. That’s all they are. Glorifing the vandalism is the issue. I like my art Daley-style, that’s when the Chicago graffiti blasters come in and remove everything the vandals have put up. It’s beautiful on so many levels. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/65 "2010-05-18T17:02:13Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I like my art Daley-style, that’s when the Chicago graffiti blasters come in and remove everything the vandals have put up. It’s beautiful on so many levels. > [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Can I trespass your home and take a crap in your fridge ? Hey, that’s performance art ! Both of you are warned for threadshitting and ignoring mod instructions. I said yesterday that this tangent was finished in this thread. **jackdavinci** , please pay more attention in the future. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/66 "2010-05-18T18:03:10Z")
Also, Doug ‘Dug1’ Cunningham. Can’t believe I forgot him earlier. My husband and I own [Wave Twisters](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000060PDJ/) and watch it a couple of times a year. The artwork is fantastic, as is the music. I love it and highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/67 "2010-05-19T01:19:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Both of you are warned for threadshitting and ignoring mod instructions. I said yesterday that this tangent was finished in this thread. **jackdavinci** , please pay more attention in the future. Sorry I missed that post the first time around. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/68 "2010-05-19T01:34:39Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Shepard Faire I know from his Obey stuff, but I don’t think of it as graffiti - I think of him more of a poster artist like the guy who did the Obama Hope thing. Shepard Fairey IS the guy who did the Obama Hope poster. ETA: Never mind…missed that there was a second page. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/69 "2010-05-19T15:25:23Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > …My home is my castle. You cross the moat, you answer to me. I’m middle-aged, cranky, and depending on how recent my last “boating accident” was, probably very well armed. Hey, guys – you want to be all cranky like this, why aren’t you posting in the Pit? In fact, why are you posting in this thread? The OP came in here with no malice toward anyone here, with a valid question, asking our opinions on the best graffiti artists. And you made no effort to help him. And went out of your way to criticize his even asking the question. I consider graffiti illegal, but since that wasn’t what he asked, I’m going to shut up until I can research some “Good Graffiti”, and maybe help someone here, instead of turning an entire thread into a thread-shit. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/70 "2010-05-19T15:40:16Z")
Missed the edit window to say “Yeah, what Marley said.” …and to mention that I’m rethinking starting any threads here, especially that “Best place to harpoon pregnant porpoises?” discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/71 "2010-05-19T15:54:57Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > And, out of curiosity…those who can’t bring yourselves to consider something illegal art, what would you call it if Picasso painted on your house. Or Rembrandt. Picasso would get a slap because he was a big phony, Rembrandt would get invited in for a beer. I wouldn’t mind too much if Van Goch graffitied my house either. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/72 "2010-05-19T16:07:19Z")
Anyone remember the episode of The Partridge Family, in which some eccentric Russian artist painted a mural on their garage door as a gift? However, the mural was of a nude female, which upset the neighbors. In the end the family donated the garage door to a museum, rather than paint over a work by a well-known artist. ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/73 "2010-05-19T19:42:29Z")
Another one a really liked was a guy in Taipei who called himself Bbrother (and he put his email address on a lot of them). I have a bunch of pictures of his stuff on a harddrive, but I keep forgetting to take them off. There always pretty [simple](http://www.flickr.com/photos/shihlun/297301992/in/set-72157594366619306/) [stencil](http://www.flickr.com/photos/formica/198117769/) [stuff](http://www.flickr.com/photos/liechtenrose/417726053/in/set-72157603797858167/) though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/74 "2010-05-19T20:10:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Picasso would get a slap because he was a big phony, Rembrandt would get invited in for a beer. A lot of people think that Picasso did cubism because he lacked the talent for more conventional work, but he did actually produce quite good conventional paintings earlier in his career. He did cubism because he wanted to, not because he had to. Now, you can maybe argue that he should have stuck with more conventional styles, or that he wouldn’t be famous were it not for cubism, but I know that he certainly had more talent than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/75 "2010-05-25T12:30:42Z")
The Tate Modern did an extensive exhibit on street art a couple years back, including having the outside of the gallery done up well. Really cool stuff. [http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/streetart/](http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/streetart/) ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/76 "2010-05-25T13:04:10Z")
There’s some great stuff there. I really like Os Gemeos (who was mentioned above). Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/77 "2010-05-25T13:47:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > A lot of people think that Picasso did cubism because he lacked the talent for more conventional work, but he did actually produce quite good conventional paintings earlier in his career. He did cubism because he wanted to, not because he had to. Now, you can maybe argue that he should have stuck with more conventional styles, or that he wouldn’t be famous were it not for cubism, but I know that he certainly had more talent than I do. I’m sure Lust4Life is aware of Picasso’s whole work and is judging him from there, but I _do_ know a lot of people who really do think that he wasn’t _able_ to do conventional art. Of course that wasn’t true. I also know a lot of people who think their kid could do anything Pollock could do. I’m always like, Listen, even if your kid _could_ do his more abstract stuff (they can’t), I promise you, they can not do everything Pollock could do. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/78 "2010-05-25T14:26:27Z")
**John “Crash” Matos** did a series of [paintjobs on Stratocasters](http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/003154.html)that Clapton and a few others used…(link to 'zine article - scroll to the bottom for links to photos of all the guitar bodies… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/79 "2010-05-26T04:42:51Z")
I’ve skimmed thru this thread a couple times over the past week or so, and while I see a lot of great artists mentioned, I haven’t noticed anyone yet mention the amazing 1984 film [Style Wars](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177262/). The DVD has a whole gallery of over 200 cars and not only features artwork but also interviews with Blade, Cap, Crash, Dondi, Seen, TC5, IZ the Wiz, and my favorite, Skeme. There’s about 25 or 30 other artists featured as well; check out the IMDB page. I’ve owned this since it’s release on DVD, having seen it during it’s original run once. I can highly recommend it for viewing, and if you have the money and are into the art (and/or music and/or dance), I’d encourage you to just get yourself a copy. ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790/80 "2010-05-27T16:24:33Z")
We’ve been focusing largely on the graffiti side of this, but there are other kinds of street art. Namely, the guys who use light (not projection, as mentioned above). [This stop-motion](http://www.flickr.com/photos/churkinms/3209520694/) isn’t outside, but there are a lot of guys who do this in the streets. I think there’s a French guy/group that’s pretty well known for this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graffiti-street-artistists-and-styles-everyone-should-know/539790.md?page=3)