BUILDINGS AS A CANVAS
I have always enjoyed seeing the use of urban structures as canvases, this often comes in the form of graffiti, but is increasingly being supported by local governments. As a kid, I remember seeing the murals of Philadelphia and thinking they were the coolest thing, they were so large and colorful you couldn't help but notice them. Philadelphia was one of the early supporters of authorized murals and founded their Mural Arts program in 1984 as part of a larger Anti-Graffiti effort. The success of the Mural Arts program has been a model for other cities including Jersey City who recently launched a similar program to help beautify neighborhoods and promote cultural awareness in the community.
Photo: Courtesy of MuralArts.org
Like all things in life, this process has been adopted by major company's and commercialized. Apple recently recruited 20 Belgian comic artists to illustrate stories, which celebrated the opening of a new Apple store in Brussels.
Video: Courtesy of Apple
A pair of Dutch, Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn, took a different approach when transforming the entire Rio Favelo into a piece of art. The two artists turned to Kickstarter amassing over 1,000 backers to make it happen.
Photo: Courtesy of Fast Co.
Looking forward to seeing the continued use of art in the public sphere.
