War on graffiti

From previous posts you will notice that I believe graffiti can be art and I appreciate graffiti writers who put meaning into their work. If you have ever been to Toronto you have probably noticed at some point some form of graffiti. There is a thriving street art community in Toronto and it has become a part of its backdrop.

This past week I had planned on going to Toronto to attend an art gallery opening (based on graffiti) and I wanted to tell you guys all about it in this weeks blog post. Instead, I decided to get sick and be stuck in bed. Luckily, I can still tell you all about it, just not my own first-hand experience and without any personal photos.

For those of you who don’t know, Toronto Mayor (Rob Ford) has been trying to ‘clean up’ Toronto by getting rid of all possible marks of graffiti. About a year ago, he declared a war on graffiti. He decided that he would make business owners pay to remove graffiti off their buildings, even if it was an amazing piece of art and the owners liked the work. Many comments on this issue are that he should be working with the artists, not against them. I agree with this statement. Many artists are just going to retaliate and fight for what they want, which many artists have done. Watch the news clip below.

And with that, SPUD a Toronto graffiti writer, stood up for what he believed and has been aiming his work at Rob Ford. He has been spray painting the streets of Toronto and creating canvases with images of the Mayor as a grotesque worm, a smog cloud, and a human “gravy train,” as a reaction to the mayor’s crackdown on graffiti. 

On Thurs. March 8, 2012 “CENSORED” art gallery opened. The gallery takes Spud’s work inside, both graffiti and fine art pieces, to express his thoughts on the Ford administration's censorship of Graffiti as an Art form. SPUD’s show hopes to highlight the art in graffiti and settle the argument once and for all – graffiti IS art. The gallery reached capacity and had people waiting in line to get in, meaning it is more than just street artists interested in Spud's work. 

Watch promo video here.
Between The Lines Presents Censored: SPUD vs. Mayor Rob Ford) from betweenthelinesdoc on Vimeo.


Read National Post interview with Spud here. 

The show is open to the general public for the month of March. If you happen to be in Toronto this month, check it out! Located at Don’t Tell Mama Gallery Space. 108 Ossington Ave. Toronto

Local Hip Hop - It was all a dream...

In my PR program, whenever we talk about the media and what they are doing to satisfy their audiences, local content is always one of the main points. So, for my first post I thought it would be best to start off with hip hop from the place I have grown up. The Niagara region, specifically St. Catharines, has its own hip hop movement that many might not be aware of. The thing I love most about the hip hop here is there are so many different styles and not everyone is the same. I want to give you readers a taste of some of the talent that exists in my city. I can’t post everyone, but I want to give a shout out to all 905 artists and thank them for keeping hip hop alive in our city. 

Hip Hop/R&B artist Zay:

Zay has already put so much work into where he is today and this is just the beginning of what is to come. He has the confidence, determination and sound that will make him successful. The 4D Music group, includes Junior Endless and Zay, and has worked with Canadian artists including Rich Kidd, JRDN, Arthur McArthur and Belly. Zay has performed at many venues in Niagara and Toronto, as well as opened for artists, such as Redman.

Endless Records artist Zay, also known as Zak Ali, recently released his first music video shot in Toronto. It is a story about an artist who is building his career and a strong relationship deteriorating as a result. The song was produced by Arthur McArthur (Toronto's rising production star) and the video was directed by Chris Strikes. Watch the video for 'Don't Say It's Over' here:

You will hear this on the radio soon, just wait! and it's available on iTunes.

"I feel the viewer might appreciate it more because it has a story line and a decent amount of dialogue to draw them in emotionally." - Zay

Video release party Wed. Feb 8^th at Sutra on St. Paul St., St. Catharines 10:00 p.m. 

Event info
Follow on Twitter: @zayitsfire

Website