I though my eyes are playing tricks on me. The Ron English Saber collaboration billboard has been covered for months with a Ryan Seacrast KIIS FM ad. Somehow, the original billboard appeared again. I thought that it was redone, but it looks to be the exact same one. Here are the original pictures of the billboard, there is also a video showing Saber paint the billboard.
Lost Graffiti in the City of Angels Collection 0001 Cover
This issue of Lost celebrates the last 10 years of documenting Los Angeles graffiti through the previous 12 issues. Lost has gone through quite a transformation from a black and white photocopied version to the current version.
Some previous issues of Lost
This graffiti magazine is beautifully put together. It is a true collector's item with the number of printed copies limited to 2,000. Mine was 880/2000. Lost has a unique look and feel that surely sets it apart from all other magazines. It is 224- pages spiral bound with an elongated 10.5" x 7" size. It does not feel like a magazine but more like a hardcover notebook. It is page after page filled with Los Angeles graffiti.
In all media, content is king! Lost has the graffiti content that you want! It not only features colored pieces, it also shows hard core illegal graffiti with tags and throw ups. Some of the work featured in the magazine are: Ayer (RIP) LTS/KOG, MAK crew, Dest LORDS, Envy OTR, Besk UCA, Envy OTR, Tempt STN, Hael OTR, Pale STP, YEM AM7 and letter master Atlas CBS.
I truly appreciate the effort put together by the creators of Lost. It is great that someone has taken all the effort and documented graffiti in Los Angeles. You can see that the motivation was driven purely by their love for graffiti.
Heavens, billboards... Whatever you want to call them, there is no shortage of them getting painted on by graffiti writers. Here is a sample of some billboards from the city of Los Angeles.
Back in May of 2008, I visited the beautiful island of Kauai. I never expected to see graffiti on the island. It seems that not even Kauai can escape graffiti. Thanks to Jackson for sending me some more Kauai Boys graffiti pictures. These are from Kapaa High School from the Kauai Boys Crew. Kauai Boys
I was getting tired of looking at the swastikas that were painted over Augor's piece on the 10 freeway. I cannot make out what the new one says, but I am sure glad the swastikas are painted over.
Pure Hate from Berlin Germany shows how the whole crew working together can create an awesome piece. Watch them destroy a train. I like how one guy does the outlines and the rest fill it in. Also, look for the double handed fill ins.
There is some great graffiti art on the outside of Clay Brown's Auto Service in Los Angeles. Thanks to Vic from Crazy Robertson for the pics. Clay Brown's Auto Service
Is Tastes Like Gold a crew or a clothing line? I am not sure. I am sure that TLG has been destroying LA with some amazing work. Thanks to G@BR!3L for all pictures. Click on the pictures to enlarge. Augor There Will Be Blood Billboard
These are two amazing pieces done by Mear. I think the frist one was done sometime in 2007. This is located in a Melrose Alley close to Farfax in Los Angeles. Mear
Mear Close Up
Mear Close Up
Mear Close Up
Mear
Mear
The wall was falling apart. Mear painted over the original mural. This was done in April of 2008. Mear Dalai Lama
Dedicated to the Legends Sk8 One and Rob One CBS Crew
Mear Dalai Lama
Peace in Tibet - Earth People
Mear1
Mear Dalai Lama - another angle
Video showing Mear paint the Dalai Lama mural At 45 seconds in you see him switch hands painting. Amazing!
Authorities say the boy sprayed graffiti on MTA buses and trains across the Los Angeles region, causing at least $38,000 in damage.
A 17-year-old accused tagger was arrested today at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles on suspicion of prolific graffiti vandalism aboard MTA buses and trains and at stations across the region, sheriff's officials said.
The youth, whose name was withheld because he is a juvenile, uses the moniker "Wonka" in his tagging and is part of a tagging crew known as the Urban Squad, Sheriff's Sgt. Augie Pando said.Pando said Wonka was responsible for at least $38,000 in damage. Officials have documented at least 17 incidents of vandalism but said there may be many more, he added.Fairfax High administrators located the teenager, a student at the school, on the campus, and he was arrested. "
His tag was found on the bus bench right on the corner in front of Fairfax High," Pando said. The youth was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of felony vandalism.
Many of the Downtown Los Angeles rooftops are visible from the freeway. Of course graffiti artists will take advantage of the visibility. Here is a sample of current graffiti. Thanks to Vic from Crazy Robertson for the pics. Detr HOD Dreye LTS
The Dark Night Batman movie hits theaters tomorrow, July 18. The batman billboards which have been up for weeks, have been hit by Los Angeles graffiti writers all over the city. Here is a sample of billboards by LA's heavy hitters. Thanks to G@BR!3L for all pictures. Click on the pictures to enlarge. Be sure to check out the short movie documenting Augor and Revok painting the billboard. BWS
Last night I took a picture of the new Acur X Files billboard on La Cienega. I went back today to get a better shot during the day. X Files Billboard from accross the sreet
This highly visible X files billboard is on La Cienega. It seems that this part of La Cienega is the new favorite among heavy hitters. Recent paintings by Tank, Revok Zeser Augor, Saber, Sautr Acur Billboard
The smell of fresh paint and cars speeding by you at 100 miles per hour... This is the life of the freeway bomber. It is an extremely dangerous sport that only those that are truly insane participate in.
The only upside if you don't get killed is that you are guaranteed that a million people will see your work the next day on their way to work. Graffhead honors the important work of the Los Angeles freeway bombers! Asler
The Augor and Bonkers freeway spot from last week has been defaced with swastikas and racist terms. It is obvious that the Augor piece was specifically targetted because the Bonkers piece right next to it was not touched at all.
It is sad that it has come to this. If you think you can do better than go out and bomb the city and do it better than Augor. Cowardly anonymously writing over his piece with swastikas is plain despicable. At least claim your work.
Augor piece on the 10 freeway defaced with swastikas
Augor piece on the 10 freeway defaced with swastikas, Klansman character and the words Fried Chicken and Watermelon
Augor billboard on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles 2 blocks from Beverly Hills. Scroll down to enlarge the picture of the billboard.
View of Augor billboard from the sidestreet
This video shows him painting the billboard in Los Angeles on La Cienega Blvd. during broad daylight. The footage also has a small clip of him in front of a mural that he was painting for the new LA Weekly office.
Too bad the Lakers lost this season. However, this awesome piece still stands strong. I found this gem on the Los Angeles 110 Freeway going south. It is fairly close to Chinatown. This was done by Ruets and Asylm.
Going down on the 110 South Freeway
Ruets
Ruets - Go Lakers
Close up of the Bird done by Asylm
Close up of the character. It looks like it is throwing up a W. Nice detail on the hat.
Man, said to be tagging overpass, injured on 5 Freeway in East Los Angeles
Witnesses say he fell onto the interstate near the Main Street off-ramp with a can of spray paint in his hands.
A man apparently spray painting graffiti on an overpass fell Saturday night onto the 5 Freeway in East Los Angeles, authorities said.Several motorists told authorities that the man had possibly broken his back at about 9:45 p.m. and had a can of spray paint clutched in his hands as he lay on the freeway near the Main Street off-ramp, said California Highway Patrol spokesman David Porter.
Porter said the man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was being treated.The accident comes about three weeks after prolific tagger Cyrus Yazdani -- who goes by the moniker "Buket" -- was arrested for causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.Yazdani is perhaps most recognized for a YouTube video that shows him climbing and spray painting behind the Hollywood Freeway sign near Melrose Avenue as traffic speeds below. Related: Another article in the Los Angeles Times from June 24, 2008 - Daredevil taggers make news but injuries are rare, Southern California authorities say
We give credit where credit is due. In my travels around Los Angeles, I have seen Naut up in some really difficult spots. He seems to favor back of billboards in areas that ensure long time visibility. Here is a small collection of his work. Naut 10 Freeway - Back of Billboard
Dirty Hands: The Art & Crimes of David Choe's world premier was part of the LA Film Festival on June 21. Of course, it had to be in Los Angeles where both David Choe and director Harry Kim grew up.
David Choe does what we really want to do. Write on walls, sell out art shows and basically live life with no fear. Oh, and have some awesome talent.
The movie starts out with David Choe in Congo Africa looking for a dinosaur. We get a glimpse of David's various adventures surrounding his artwork. Through personal stories told through people in his life, we start to understand the psyche that is required to create the type of art that he does.
The documentary includes commentary from Shepard Fairey, Dave Kinsey, Saber and David's parents. It was especially moving to see his father talk about his own dreams of being a painter and how his parents discouraged him from pursuing his dreams. He supported his son's artistic pursuit.
Harry Kim did an amazing job creating the movie. It was fast pace, never a boring moment. The music further made the movie come alive. I remember thinking that I hope the movie does not end. I want to see more!
When Harry Met Sally David Choe - Harry Kim explains how he met David Choe. Sorry about the grainy footage.
LA Film Festival at the Crest Theater in Westwood
David Choe (white shirt), Harry Kim (Tie-Dyed Shirt) and family
Dirty Hands The Art & Crimes of David Choe World Premier
Crowd waiting in line to get in
Dirty Hands The Art & Crimes of David Choe World Premier
Full house
First shot of David Choe in the Movie Dirty Hands The Art & Crimes of David Choe
I was pleased to see a Sleez tag on the 110 freeway close to Downtown. Sleez is one of Los Angeles' original and most up writers. I still remember watching the news when Chaka got busted. Sleez tagged on the elevator inside the court building.
I wish I could get my hands on that news broadcast. It must have been from the very early 90s. Evak Sleez BLA LOD NTL IFK
Evak, Sleez - Bombin Los Angeles, Loks On Dope, NTL, Interstate Freeway Killers
The world premier of the Documentary "Dirty Hands: The Art & Crimes of David Choe" is at the LA Film Festival. The film is directed by his high school friend, Harry Kim over an 8 year period after David Choe dropped out of Art school in 2000.
Los Angeles artist David Choe is not as crazy as his violent, phantasmagoric, and sexual work across several media would suggest, he is considerably more so, embodying William Blake's adage that "you never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough." Captivated by Choe's mania for adventure and excess, close friend Harry Kim filmed the artist's “life and crimes†from 2000 to 2007, a period coinciding with Choe's rise to fame and fortune in the art world as he matured from a street artist bombing underpasses and illustrating porn magazines to a respected muralist, painter, and graphic novelist. The ride, however, was a bumpy one. From jail sentences and an addiction to shoplifting and graffiti to dinosaur hunting and wrestling pygmies in the heart of the Congo, Choe's irrepressible spirit is as much a model of unrestrained living as it is a cautionary example of excess.
Bonkers and Augor on the 10 East Freeway
Bonkers and Augor on the 10 East Freeway
