in the spirit of mplsart.com, lemme just say,

I heart art

-tinyshoes

The commissioned graffiti-style art decorating the Riverside Market is old news. After the painting party took place in early November 2006, there was a brief blurb about “neighborhood controversy” in The Bridge neighborhood newspaper, because a few neighbors liked the art, and a few neighbors thought it looked like graffiti. Ironically, both groups of neighbors, as well as the artists who painted the building, all share a common goal: beautify this part of Minneapolis.

Anyway, the neighbors who didn’t like it called the cops to report the “crime,” but alas, there was no crime, because the paint job was commissioned by the Seward Neighborhood Group. So it’s old news…. but at this point, I am compelled to underscore the lunacy of The News, because now it’s been on TV:

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_004185828.html

One quote from the news story is this,

“Just weeks after the mural’s completion, illegal tags started popping up on it.”

Comically, these same “illegal tags” are the reason cited by Lori Stone of the Seward Neighborhood Group, as a reason the Group commissioned the mural project. Guess it’s not really the mural that’s magically causing these tags now, is it then?

This same concern is evident in this excellent quote from an angry neighbor, who says,

“”It’s [the art on the building is] not going to stop anything — it’s just encouraging it.”

Using that logic, it follows that buildings with flat walls are “just encouraging it.”

Anyway, after watching that story online a few times and feeling the urge to puke, I had to go to the Market again, to check out why this is so TV news-worthy all of a sudden. I want to mention that I couldn’t help but notice the complete lack of paint on anything but the building.

I drove down the alley to see the most secluded side of the Riverside Market. I was compelled to photograph the abandoned, boarded-up house right across the alley, and the long privacy fence, and thought about how maybe the Riverside Market right next to it is art, and isn’t encouraging vandalism around it.

-tinyshoes

I love all kinds of street art. One favorite genre of urban decoration is stenciled-on-the-sidewalk stuffs:

art on the actual street, at your feet!
…I thought about these lil’ dudes I spotted last summer, when I read Emma’s post callin’ out to the peeps to candy-coat Minneapolis. Can’t wait ’til the pavement warms up.
-tinyshoes

I spotted this on a train car:

wishing the enchanting art-loving and art-making community a fantasticly thrilling and festive no-work-Monday holiday weekend,
-tinyshoes

Street art is what makes this city mine.

Walking around Northeast this past October, I came across a sight that called to me, because there they were: all these lovely little hearts, and a little fella and a lady, so romantically decorating boring brown service doors by the Terminal Bar. An October Valentine from the city, to me.

Street art captivates me because it is both intimately personal and completely anonymous. Street art is personal, because you only see it if you’re looking. The artist who creates these public works is making art for art’s sake, to enhance and augment the cityscape in accordance with the artist’s personal vision. Despite these personal perspectives, however, street art is profoundly anonymous…who stenciled those hearts?

And whoever did will never know I saw them.

But for the time before the piece is buffed away, there is a connection between the artist and the art, and the art and the self-selected audience. I see it, so it’s in my vision, and that stenciling transforms the utility doors into art, and mid-stride on the sidewalk, here I am, contemplating art, instead of ugly brown doors.
-tinyshoes

tinyshoes has agreed to join our happy mplsart family…she will be bringing to the blog all that is street art related….with her owns pics, view, loves, hates, etc…

oh…and who is tinyshoes…she is someone with an eye on the current street art scene, a passion to share her finds and an optimistic view point…how mplsart appropriate!

welcome tinyshoes & thank you!

emma

p.s. visit her flicker site at:

The Street Art section has been updated after a visit to Riverside Market. It’s at Riverside and Franklin Avenue. Use the link above to see more…

The Deuce Seven opening went wonderfully on Friday…

Thank you for showing up and giving 27 your support…it was/is a great show.

Make sure if you didn’t have a chance to see it, to stop in. It will be up @ SOO VAC through the 24th of Decemeber. There are even 2 drawings left, for those still itching to buy.

photo by: Aaron Wojack
love love,

emma

a preview of what is to come…

DEUCE SEVEN opening on November 10th @ SOO TOO (located in SOO VAC)

make sure you mark your calendar

lotsa love!

emma

p.s.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENJAMIN OLSON!

the wedding is over…and now it’s back to business!

& business is…

we are in the works of putting together a 27. show that i am so proud to be presenting. it will be at a new gallery space…located within the SOO VAC. 27 is creating all new works of magic for the show…the results are amazing. make sure you’re there

Opening Reception: Friday, November 10th from 7-10pm

lotsa-love,

emma