STREET ART PERFORMANCE 2006

GRAFFITI MURAL PERFORMANCE! The City is a Giant Gear but it’s up to all the strange people to propel this machine! In the middle of the cog wheel the thoughts, actions and aspirations of each  individual spiral into an iris-like vortex; the eye of the city opens and it is made up of our dreams! In 2006 I started making live large scale murals in the streets and at public festivals. These works ranged between 4 x 6 ft. and 12 x 12 ft. and were made in a matter of hours. The primary theme behind the work was a surreal examination of the city as a singular entity collectively made up of and dependent on thousands of  smaller separate and singular beings. There is no “city” only a series of interconnected activities at once entirely solitary and macrocosmic in proportion.

In 2006 I participated in my fifth consecutive Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. I set up my 10 x 20 foot portable gallery for hanging artworks and used a large format floor display for the live demonstration. I had been working the streets full time and was getting very fast at graffiti mural painting. The backdrop of the installation featured two of these 12 x 12 foot street drawings and variety of detailed works and medium sized murals. On the floor I set out a large grid sectioned off into 4 x 6 foot segments and preceded to paint throughout most of the weekend. I finished 10 large murals in front of giant crowds and had one of the most fun experiences in all my years at the show.

As always the T.O.A.E. crowds were enormous and extremely varied. I used to keep lists about all the people and can remember 2006 being an exceptional year especially for tourist. I sold so many drawings to people who didn’t speak English and felt it was a triumph for the universality of art. I also was moving a lot of comic books and t-shirts which reflected my success in connecting with all kinds of people. My detailed works were horded by collectors and my merchandise made it into the hands of kids, teenagers and the general public while I shared stories, made imaginary translations and painted up a storm. One of the highlights for me was when a couple of kids refused to leave my booth while I was painting. The parents eventually gave up and left them there sitting attentively in front of my booth while they walked around to enjoy the rest of the show