“Diesel Wall is an international art contest that aims to bring intriguing/insightful/inciting contemporary ideas to giant urban canvases in city centres around the world”. The cynics may say it is just another advertising campaign, whilst others may see it as exposure! To Graffiti Purists it may be seen as selling out and okay, it may not be keeping it real by going out bombing trains but love it or hate it the boundaries are blurring, Graffiti has become Street Art and Street Art is big business!
Free MP3 Download: Promoe – These Walls Don’t Lie
Free MP3 Download: Mr Lif – Wanted
As you can see above I submitted a entry for all four cities. The brief was open, but had to be an original artwork designed specifically for each wall, the winning artworks would be selected for their taking into consideration the context and location in which they will be exhibited. Information on the location, surrounding area and wall dimensions were also online.
New York: From The Ground Up
I visited New York last year and stayed in Chelsea so had a pretty good idea of what the area is like and felt it was a very colourful, modern and vibrant neighbourhood with a good mix of the old and the new. Every time I go to New York, I get a definate sense of pride and history of where and how this towering Metropolis came to exist.
So starting the theme for all four of my city walls I used my “Splodge” logo and “Dripping Paint” which I use within my work in reference to Spraypaint and Graffiti. New York is also seen as the birth place of modern day Graffiti so I incorporated these elements into my wall to produce a vibrant and colourful wall based on the Stars & Stripes colour code at a time when U.S national pride may be wavering, I feel New York’s grows in the wake of 9/11. I also incorporated the Irish & Italian Tricolour, representing the diversity of New York and whose immigrant labour the foundations of Manhattan are built on.
Zurich: Liebe Macht Blind: Love Is Blind
After familiarising myself with the Zurich’s wall environment and location I realised I would like to incorporate both what could be seen from within the stadium and from the road the restaurant wall was on. I also took into account that this year was a massive year for both Zurich and Switzerland hosting the Euro 2008.
As a football fan myself I wanted to include both how the people of Zurich and Switzerland feel about Euro 2008, Zurich and Switzerland. So I have taken my “Splodge” logo and “Dripping Paint” which I use within my work and incorporated the Swiss flag and the colours of the two local football teams – FC Zurich & Grasshopper Club Zurich, so both the public and spectators feel a sense of pride about both their country and local football teams.
I have added the wording “Liebe macht blind: Love is blind” I like the way the saying is a double edge sword and feel it perfectly sums up the emotions associated with both supporting a football team and being patriotic, this wording would also be within view of the spectators from within the stadium as it would be placed at the correct height of the gap the stadium has.
Barcelona: Cangrejo (Crab)
When creating the wall for Barcelona situated on the front of the MACBA, Barcelona’s museum of contemporary arts, I looked at the traditions, symbols and the art of Spain/Barcelona for inspiration. I incorporated the Crab to represent Barcelona’s location on the Mediterranean Sea and the importance of food within Spanish culture, this is also a reference to Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso along with the melting “Splodge” and Cubist shapes. The rich earthy colours I used also feature predominant in the landscape and architecture of Barcelona and Spain.
Manchester: M=13
I spent alot of weekends during my youth travelling to Manchester during the height of the late 80’s and early 90’s, known then as Madchester. The music, culture and art had a massive impact on my life even though I live on Merseyside and with the healthy rivalry that exists (besides when it comes to football then its a matter of life and death!), it was just too exciting to miss out on after the grimness of 80’s pop! I eventually lived and studied in Manchester before and during the time of the IRA bombing which changed the city from a post industrial textile city into what we know today with a little help from a gobby Manc called Tony Wilson (R.I.P).
The music, culture and art has also had an influence on my work, such as the work of Factory and Peter Saville, especially the Hacienda work reflects the Industrial Northern atmosphere, the codes that run through Factory’s work are as important to the history of Manchester as the Splitting of the Atom and the Invention of the First Modern Computer at Manchester University.
So on the M=13 wall I have tried to reflect the impact of everything from the Urbis – Urban Art Scene to the technology and history, to the very colourful, modern and vibrant city manchester now is. So I have split and colour coded the “Splodges” into the pronunciation sections and a numerical code (Factory/Saville/First Modern Computer), with the title being the key (Longsight M13 being a song by Ian Brown former Stone Roses lead singer and postcode of Longsight, Manchester), there is also a element of symmetry running through (Splitting of the Atom) and the Rorschach inkblot test. The code reveals the word Manchester but the code could easily be played around with on a regular basis.
Free MP3 Download: Joy Division – She’s Lost Control (Tronik Youth Shred It Edit)
You can see more of my Diesel Wall submissions here: Portfolio
Manchester: Winner (No Shortlist Available?)
Barcelona: Winner (Awaiting) & Shortlist
