Thursday, April 26, 2012

Commute, 1

Last week folks reacted positively to the Anawalt elephant. I see a lot of interesting things on my Wednesday commute to Hollywood. I don't get to photograph all of them because I'm driving, but if and when traffic stops (and it does, oh yes it does), I pass my wait time taking pictures of the good stuff. So perhaps Thursday is a good time to post the shots I get on the Wednesday drive.

I took this one on Santa Monica Blvd. somewhere around the junction of Hollywood and Silverlake (the areas, not the boulevards). I haven't been down Santa Monica Blvd. lately so I'm not sure if it's still there. I'm glad I got it when I did.

I had this photo for a while before I noticed what was extra special about this artwork.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

I think artworks like this is real Art with social context. And I like it. It's difficult to find something like this in Moscow, but few weeks ago I were in Belgrade (in Serbia) and I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of graffiti with social context. You can see some photo in my own blog (not in Moscow Daily), if you want.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

You definitely find the most unusual.. Whenever I am in the Hollywood area or just 'over the hill' I am usually watching the traffic... The nuts that are out driving is something else!

BaysideLife said...

I like the message. Hopefully to eliminate guns not to cut it out and use it.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hi Artem, I didn't know you had another blog. I'll check it out. Thanks for visiting.

Like I said, Kalei, only when traffic is stopped. Otherwise, you really have to be alert. But that's true no matter where you're driving.

I agree, Bayside. We have the scissors to show us. The tag says "Cyrcle," which is probably the artist's handle. And "cut it out!" is pretty clear. I wonder what the quotation marks are for?

There's one other thing about this piece I just love, but I didn't spot it right away.

Speedway said...

I love how the artist paid attention to the whole "canvas," not just the wall, including the telephone pole as part of the design - white as tall as the wall, flowers where the "gun" would be. Not allowing the pole to interfere with either the design or the message.

Remember the photo from years back of the girl putting a flower in the barrel of a guardsman's rifle? "Make love, not war?"

Desiree said...

Love the mural and the message

Petrea Burchard said...

Speedway, you saw the thing I didn't see right away--the incorporation of the pole.

Here's the famous photo you mentioned:
http://bit.ly/IGXBRs

Petrea Burchard said...

Des, I fully agree.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful!

Trish said...

love the cutout, the makeup being flowers and yes, integrating the pole!

They've started doing that around here with phone or power boxes on the streets--applying a skin that looks like the building behind it, so, except for the depth perception issue, it looks like nothing is in your way of looking at the building!

dive said...

Glorious, Petrea. The message, the art, the pole, the whole thing.
So that's Santa Monica Boulevard? I had a slightly more romantic image of it in my head, but then I live in England so anywhere there's sunshine seems exotic and romantic to me.

Petrea Burchard said...

Don't run into anything, Trish.

Dive, it's a very long boulevard, stretching from the coast through the west side, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. You'll see everything along that street--literally rags to riches.

Bellis said...

I didn't see the pole until Speedway pointed it out - your photo was unwittingly taken from just the right place. It's such a beautiful piece of artwork that conveys a message well. I like this series!

Steven said...

Beautiful photo and a great piece of art. Very clever too.

Laura M said...

I think the quote marks are a reference to hipsters using quotes to indicate irony. Not sure, though, since I'm too old to be a hipster.

Petrea Burchard said...

I was at the lucky level, wasn't I, Bellis? It makes me think the artist stepped into traffic to find the right spot.

Thanks, Steven. I do think this is just a record of someone else's great work, as opposed to being one of my finer works. But I'm goad I snapped it.

I am too old to come up with a better explanation, Laura.

-K- said...

This is both fun and a little disturbing.

In addition to the light pole being a part of the piece, the skateboarder smoking a cigarette while reading his smartphone is a nice touch as well.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

this is a smart piece - can you tell me what the tag says at the front of the gun?

Petrea Burchard said...

Luck of the commute, Kevin.

It says "Cyrcle," PA. My guess is that's the artist's handle but I don't know for sure.

Ms M said...

Great mural, and interesting photo, all that you captured that adds to the mural. Intriguing to have those little mysteries about it, like the quotation marks.

Susan Campisi said...

Very cool. Really great shot, P.

Check out the Cyrcle manifesto: http://www.cyrclebrand.com/

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Ms. M.

Susan, thank you for the video. It's just great! I love it, and it tells us so much about the artists.

Margaret said...

Flower power.