Street artists: music, dance, art (Part 1)

Hi Seeds and Fruit readers!

I have some great interviews coming in the weeks ahead, but this week am taking a little break from my in-depth Q&A format interviews to share with you an amazing collection of street art in its many forms. Some of these artists became well-known after exposure of their work online, and others you may not be familiar with. From offbeat to spectacular, soulful to haunting, it’s clear there is no shortage of creative energy in the world. It’s also clear companies and ad agencies are looking to street artists for fresh ideas and innovative talent. With the power of YouTube and other democratic mechanisms, there is no better time for an artist to pursue his or her calling. Enjoy! 

Hammer Pants Dancers

In the following video, a group of dancers wearing gold pants á la MC Hammer flashmob a retail store in Los Angeles and surprise shoppers with their “U Can’t Touch This” routine:

Joshua Allen Harris

Street artist Joshua Allen Harris talks with New York Magazine about his Inflatable Street Art, which at first could be mistaken for trash but then come to life as sidewalk vents inflate them.

Naturally 7

Singing group Naturally 7 treats Paris Métro riders to an a cappella version of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” Keep watching as this rich performance unfolds and most of the Parisian commuters warm to them. 

Edgar Müller

In August 2008 at the Festival of World Culture in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, German street painter Edgar Müller created one of his large 3D street art pieces, transforming a huge slice of the East Pier into a dramatic ice age scene. This project was supported by the Goethe Institution Germany. Watch the way passersby interact with the finished piece. (I did not alter the size of the video in order to preserve the best viewing experience.)

Invader

In the first of 2 videos here, JetSetGraffiti interviews French street artist Invader about his new binary code street art. Invader uses ceramic tiles to create video game characters or to represent binary code in urban centers all around the world, with each code carrying a hidden message. With an iPhone app he references in the video as I-Matrix (now called BeeTagg), you can translate the meanings of his street art.

In this second video interview, French street artist Invader describes his Rubix Cubism art — manipulating multiple Rubik’s Cubes and abutting them to create, among other things, a portrait of the Dalai Lama. Interview and video from JetSetGraffiti. (Again, I did not alter the size of the video in order to preserve the best viewing experience.)

David Bernal (David Elsewhere)

Street dancer David Bernal, also known as David Elsewhere, is seen here in two videos. The first includes an interview with David and highlights of how far his street dancing has taken him. The second video is the footage of his dancing at the Kollaboration show that went viral and brought instant adulation around the world.

Xidan Girl

I was looking for a female street artist to include here, and I came across a video of a young girl in China singing in a tunnel in the Xidan district of Beijing. Her haunting and pure voice stayed with me and seems to have struck a chord with those who see her perform in person. Locals report that her living conditions are not good, and this university drop-out sings to help support her poor family. She refuses to reveal her identity to her growing online fan base, so she is simply known as Xidan Girl.

Readers, if you know of other street artists you’d like me to showcase in the future, let me know!

Thank you to my friend Peggy, also known to her many friends as peginparis!, for inspiring this collection of street art. Peggy is quite possibly the coolest mom on the planet and a creative dynamo in her own right. Her beloved letters, written in a style that is something of a cross between Jean-Michel Basquiat and Prince, are a challenging mix of doodling, whacky letter forms, capitalization, underlining, and abbreviation — all done for flavor and 4 EMPHASIS. Peggy models a wonderful joie de vivre and reminds me not to take art or life too seriously. Merci, Peggy!

peginparis!

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