From The Hunter Envoy
You may have noticed some strange images during your daily commute this year. Subway doors that command "Do Not Lean on Poor." An ad for weight loss formula featuring a starving African child. A poster for a popular Showtime series, altered to read "Gentrification." You may have wondered, "Who had the balls to do this?"
The man with the balls is Poster Boy-an undercover, anti-consumerist pioneer, who has developed a new art form by cutting, pasting and remixing subway ads.
Dubbed "HELL RAZOR" by the Post, a reference to the only tool he uses to create his collages, Poster Boy has been making people laugh-and think-in subway stations all over New York. His prolific vandalism recently gained a following, even earning comparisons to Banksy, England's beloved street art mastermind. However, the spotlight has invited some unwanted attention from authorities.
On Jan. 30, undercover coppers arrested Henry Matyjewicz of Bushwick outside of a Soho loft party. "Posterboy nyc" was billed on the flyer for the event, a festival for the Friends We Love documentary series, which included a video of Poster Boy creatively defacing advertisements at the Montrose L station.
Matyjewicz rejected the cop-out he was offered-a guilty plea and 100 hours of community service-choosing instead to fight the power in trial. But wait. It gets more interesting. According to an anonymous email sent to the Times, Matyjewicz is innocent; he only represents the legal side of the larger "Poster Boy movement."
While there may, indeed, be a mash-up movement, there is also Poster Boy, the individual artist (who is not Matyjewicz-confused yet?). I interviewed him last Tuesday to find out what inspires the vandal-art that has recently aroused so much attention and confusion.
Your artwork pushes beyond the borders of typical subway art, both in form and in content. Where did you come up with the idea to make ad mash-ups?
I was, and still am, inspired by state of the world as well as my own economic situation. There were many experiences and individuals that inspired me to start and pursue Poster Boy, but I think economics was the catalyst for the work.
Do you pre-plan your creations, or are they all as spontaneous as they look in the Friends We Love videos?
I try to keep it as spontaneous as possible. Most of the time it happens like this: I take the subway to my destination-work, school, home, or play. I survey the platform for what is available in regards to text and image. Then, with only a razor, I cut and re-paste the content from the advertisements to create works. There is some premeditation with the collaboration pieces, but the energy is still very impromptu.
You are the man credited with defacing a police recruitment poster to read "My NYPD Killed Sean Bell." What are the social issues that concern you the most, the ones you wish to raise the public's awareness about?
Knowing the difference between what is legal and what is just is the main premise. There are countless other issues that I'm concerned with, but I want to avoid being too preachy. I keep the message simple because I'm convinced that knowing the difference between what is legal and what is just will lead to other truths.
Aside from the illegality of your art, why do you think Poster Boy is a focus of the NYPD's attention?
I think it's more the attention of the people who fund the NYPD, rather than the NYPD itself. The powers that be are, and always will be, afraid of the masses waking up. It's the nature of the establishment to try and remain in power. Hence the word establishment. To my surprise, I've gotten much love from NYPD officers and MTA workers. As much as we love to hate authority figures, we have to realize that they're human too. Sometimes misguided, but human all the same.
An email was sent to The Times, claiming Poster Boy is not a person, and therefore not Henry Matyjewicz, but a movement. Would you say this is true?
This is true. Search Poster Boy on the unbiased Internet. You'll find a multitude of work and interviews that support this. Even though it started with one person, Poster Boy has never been and will never be about one person. Everyone decides their level of involvement with Poster Boy. Whether it's Henry Matyjewicz volunteering to install a piece at a Soho loft, or the reader behind that computer screen having a slight shift in thinking.
Does negative press affect your art? Does it inspire you to push harder, or to back off?
Everything inspires me to push harder. I don't believe in negative or positive anything. A moral judgment, like art, is subjective. As long as my intentions are pure and motivated by love, people will have to deal with my actions in their own personal way.
Are there other cities, besides New York, that you want to target?
Thanks to the Internet, I've already targeted and affected other cities.
So, what's next for Poster Boy?
After public advertising is banned, who knows where people will take Poster Boy. I don't even know if the name Poster Boy will last. The name might be as ephemeral as the work. But as long as there is injustice, no matter the name attached, the spirit behind Poster Boy will evolve and persevere.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Bar Exam: Greenhouse
From The Envoy
Well into our inauguration high, a group of friends and I arrived at Greenhouse, New York City's first eco-friendly nightclub on Varick Street in SoHo. They were having a party in honor of the new Prez, including two screens with the ceremony on a continuous loop, and unlimited, complimentary glasses of absinthe. I couldn't think of a better way to drown out the memory of the past eight years.
Moss and shrubbery lined the windows. Two spaceship-like heaters and a massive bouncer in aviators guarded the doors. At 15 minutes to ten, the line behind us had wrapped around the next two blocks.
I knew that Greenhouse was run entirely by wind and solar power, but I wasn't quite sure what that entailed. Would there be heat? Would there be water? Would the crowd be wearing Birkenstocks? Or even worse, business suits?
Once inside, I was instantly mesmerized by the recycled glass ceiling, made up of 5,000 individually hung crystals (designed to "emulate a rolling landscape," according to Greenhouse's website, but really just designed to trip out drunk people). Synth heavy techno blasted through the speakers and there were green lights flickering about. I felt like I had entered the swanky version of a Eurotrash rave.
My friends ran to the back of the club to claim a spot in the multi-tiered V.I.P. section. As I approached the bar to take advantage of the free booze, the bartender eyed me up, scoffing. He seemed like a perpetual scoffer. Unless his mandatory uniform (made by Bono's sustainable clothing line, Edun) was a bit itchy that night.
The 124-proof absinthe was provided by Lucid, a company that does not joke around. It tasted Ouzo-esque, like black liquorice mixed with poison. How I managed to get down one glass was a miracle. After that, I decided I'd rather pay for my next drink than endure a "complimentary" hangover the next morning.
My friend Jessica went back to the bar-Nazi to start a tab for us, and returned with organic-vodka-cocktails, along with the news that they cost $15 each and there was a $50 minimum. I then realized how Greenhouse afforded its bamboo walls and transparent tables with animal shaped shrubbery inside. Eco-friendly did not mean wallet friendly.
After a while, the DJ started spinning some songs I could actually dance to ("Paper Planes"), even sing to ("Boys Don't Cry" and "Don't Stop Believing"), and I was able to shift my mind away from the blow to my cash flow.
A particularly poignant moment was when "Gangster's Paradise" came on, out of nowhere. We made our way to the upper-tier of the V.I.P. section, befriending a guy dressed as a British colonial soldier, or a pirate, or something. We attempted to speak in sign language to attractive people in the crowd below us, inviting them upstairs.
For a club like Greenhouse, which Jessica compared to an NYU hipster ("It just tries WAY too hard"), the actual crowd was refreshingly unpretentious. A certain Entourage cast member worked his way through the main floor and no one seemed to hassle him. There were no Bridge-and-Tunnel guys trying to grind up against me, nor were there Williamsburg-ites throwing around the word "gentrification" in conversation, oblivious to the irony. I wondered if I had fallen off the face of New York.
Before long, my friends and I were dancing about the crowd, introducing ourselves to everyone as if we owned the place. We chatted up a couple from Montréal. Tiana was a beautiful bisexual figure model and Joseph, who donned a full out twirly mustache, did artificial intelligence research (I did my own Google research the next morning, and found out he wasn't lying).
There was a sense of euphoria in the air that night; the perfect mix of green lights, Absinth, and Obama-fueled hope. Or maybe it was the fact that we were all united by a purpose, even if it was just to get drunk in a way that didn't harm the environment.
Unfortunately, all good nights must come to an end. This party ended at 2 a.m., when bouncers cleared the V.I.P. section for a "concert." Apparently, two guys with microphones, shouting, "when I say 'O', you say 'bama'" is a musical performance. My friends and I politely watched for a few minutes before storing the numbers of our newfound acquaintances and deciding it was high time we left.
But as luck would have it, Jessica's coat remained upstairs, guarded by the same bouncer who wears his aviators at night. I approached the steps to ask for permission to ascend once again, but he grabbed my wrist, pushing me away, consequently leaving me with my first "Indian burn" since elementary school. All was not lost, however, as an even bigger bouncer retrieved Jessica's coat and removed Mr. Sunglasses.
If I ever go back to Greenhouse, it will only be to find this Incredible Hulk and give him kudos. I'm all for sustainability, but sustaining my pride (and the green in my wallet) is more important than solar-powered sound systems.
Permalink to this article
Well into our inauguration high, a group of friends and I arrived at Greenhouse, New York City's first eco-friendly nightclub on Varick Street in SoHo. They were having a party in honor of the new Prez, including two screens with the ceremony on a continuous loop, and unlimited, complimentary glasses of absinthe. I couldn't think of a better way to drown out the memory of the past eight years.
Moss and shrubbery lined the windows. Two spaceship-like heaters and a massive bouncer in aviators guarded the doors. At 15 minutes to ten, the line behind us had wrapped around the next two blocks.
I knew that Greenhouse was run entirely by wind and solar power, but I wasn't quite sure what that entailed. Would there be heat? Would there be water? Would the crowd be wearing Birkenstocks? Or even worse, business suits?
Once inside, I was instantly mesmerized by the recycled glass ceiling, made up of 5,000 individually hung crystals (designed to "emulate a rolling landscape," according to Greenhouse's website, but really just designed to trip out drunk people). Synth heavy techno blasted through the speakers and there were green lights flickering about. I felt like I had entered the swanky version of a Eurotrash rave.
My friends ran to the back of the club to claim a spot in the multi-tiered V.I.P. section. As I approached the bar to take advantage of the free booze, the bartender eyed me up, scoffing. He seemed like a perpetual scoffer. Unless his mandatory uniform (made by Bono's sustainable clothing line, Edun) was a bit itchy that night.
The 124-proof absinthe was provided by Lucid, a company that does not joke around. It tasted Ouzo-esque, like black liquorice mixed with poison. How I managed to get down one glass was a miracle. After that, I decided I'd rather pay for my next drink than endure a "complimentary" hangover the next morning.
My friend Jessica went back to the bar-Nazi to start a tab for us, and returned with organic-vodka-cocktails, along with the news that they cost $15 each and there was a $50 minimum. I then realized how Greenhouse afforded its bamboo walls and transparent tables with animal shaped shrubbery inside. Eco-friendly did not mean wallet friendly.
After a while, the DJ started spinning some songs I could actually dance to ("Paper Planes"), even sing to ("Boys Don't Cry" and "Don't Stop Believing"), and I was able to shift my mind away from the blow to my cash flow.
A particularly poignant moment was when "Gangster's Paradise" came on, out of nowhere. We made our way to the upper-tier of the V.I.P. section, befriending a guy dressed as a British colonial soldier, or a pirate, or something. We attempted to speak in sign language to attractive people in the crowd below us, inviting them upstairs.
For a club like Greenhouse, which Jessica compared to an NYU hipster ("It just tries WAY too hard"), the actual crowd was refreshingly unpretentious. A certain Entourage cast member worked his way through the main floor and no one seemed to hassle him. There were no Bridge-and-Tunnel guys trying to grind up against me, nor were there Williamsburg-ites throwing around the word "gentrification" in conversation, oblivious to the irony. I wondered if I had fallen off the face of New York.
Before long, my friends and I were dancing about the crowd, introducing ourselves to everyone as if we owned the place. We chatted up a couple from Montréal. Tiana was a beautiful bisexual figure model and Joseph, who donned a full out twirly mustache, did artificial intelligence research (I did my own Google research the next morning, and found out he wasn't lying).
There was a sense of euphoria in the air that night; the perfect mix of green lights, Absinth, and Obama-fueled hope. Or maybe it was the fact that we were all united by a purpose, even if it was just to get drunk in a way that didn't harm the environment.
Unfortunately, all good nights must come to an end. This party ended at 2 a.m., when bouncers cleared the V.I.P. section for a "concert." Apparently, two guys with microphones, shouting, "when I say 'O', you say 'bama'" is a musical performance. My friends and I politely watched for a few minutes before storing the numbers of our newfound acquaintances and deciding it was high time we left.
But as luck would have it, Jessica's coat remained upstairs, guarded by the same bouncer who wears his aviators at night. I approached the steps to ask for permission to ascend once again, but he grabbed my wrist, pushing me away, consequently leaving me with my first "Indian burn" since elementary school. All was not lost, however, as an even bigger bouncer retrieved Jessica's coat and removed Mr. Sunglasses.
If I ever go back to Greenhouse, it will only be to find this Incredible Hulk and give him kudos. I'm all for sustainability, but sustaining my pride (and the green in my wallet) is more important than solar-powered sound systems.
Permalink to this article
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Bettie Page: Who's That?
From The Hunter Envoy
While the bondage photos were highly taboo for their time, involving Page in Estevez Kefauver's Senate driven smut hunt into "the dangers of pornography," there was something intriguing about her that kept the prints from seeming vulgar. Even when she was tied up, Page seemed like she was having a great time. Her head was tilted back in dramatic euphoria. Beneath the blindfold, you could imagine the sparkle in her eyes.
Bettie's big break came in January 1955, when she appeared as a Playboy centerfold, wearing only a Santa hat. Hugh Hefner says Bettie's appearance in Playboy was a milestone, and that "she became, in time, an American icon, her winning smile and effervescent personality apparent in every pose."
It seemed that Page was destined to become the next Marilyn Monroe. But in 1957, at the height of her fame, she vanished completely from the spotlight, her whereabouts a mystery for three decades.
According to Roeslar, Page tried to defend the privacy she craved. When people recognized her on the street and would ask her if she was Bettie Page, she would simply respond "Who's that?"
In recent years, the truth of her disappearance was revealed. After two unsuccessful marriages in Florida and a stay at a mental institution in California, the legendary Bettie Page decided to give her life to Jesus Christ. While Page was absorbed in the Church, she was completely oblivious to her profound impact upon America's sexuality and pop culture, not to mention the thriving industry that had arisen around her celebrated image.
Indeed, in the late 80s and 90s, America experienced a Bettie renaissance. The media launched a country wide search for her. Madonna entered her dominatrix phase, largely inspired by Irving's immortal photos (and she even had the quintessential red lips). There were Bettie Page action figures, fan clubs and look alike contests. Dave Stevens created a comic book hero called "The Rocketeer," with a love interest clearly inspired by Page; Disney made a movie version starring Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly. Uma Thurman rocked the Bettie bangs in Quentin Terrentino's Pulp Fiction. From designers like Vivienne Westwood to Fiorucci Jeans, the fashion world treated Bettie as its muse.
According to CMG Worldwide, the company that markets her images, Bettiepage.com received more hits in recent years than the websites of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. The normally interview-shy cult legend admitted to being astonished by this resurgence. In a 2006 interview with the LA times, she proclaimed, "I'm more popular now than I was in the 1950's!"
Bettie Page will always be remembered for her exotic beauty, intelligence and the force of her dominant presence. The pinup that no one can pin down, Page's legacy will continue to inspire and intrigue the world for generations to come.
Permalink to this article
While the bondage photos were highly taboo for their time, involving Page in Estevez Kefauver's Senate driven smut hunt into "the dangers of pornography," there was something intriguing about her that kept the prints from seeming vulgar. Even when she was tied up, Page seemed like she was having a great time. Her head was tilted back in dramatic euphoria. Beneath the blindfold, you could imagine the sparkle in her eyes.
Bettie's big break came in January 1955, when she appeared as a Playboy centerfold, wearing only a Santa hat. Hugh Hefner says Bettie's appearance in Playboy was a milestone, and that "she became, in time, an American icon, her winning smile and effervescent personality apparent in every pose."
It seemed that Page was destined to become the next Marilyn Monroe. But in 1957, at the height of her fame, she vanished completely from the spotlight, her whereabouts a mystery for three decades.
According to Roeslar, Page tried to defend the privacy she craved. When people recognized her on the street and would ask her if she was Bettie Page, she would simply respond "Who's that?"
In recent years, the truth of her disappearance was revealed. After two unsuccessful marriages in Florida and a stay at a mental institution in California, the legendary Bettie Page decided to give her life to Jesus Christ. While Page was absorbed in the Church, she was completely oblivious to her profound impact upon America's sexuality and pop culture, not to mention the thriving industry that had arisen around her celebrated image.
Indeed, in the late 80s and 90s, America experienced a Bettie renaissance. The media launched a country wide search for her. Madonna entered her dominatrix phase, largely inspired by Irving's immortal photos (and she even had the quintessential red lips). There were Bettie Page action figures, fan clubs and look alike contests. Dave Stevens created a comic book hero called "The Rocketeer," with a love interest clearly inspired by Page; Disney made a movie version starring Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly. Uma Thurman rocked the Bettie bangs in Quentin Terrentino's Pulp Fiction. From designers like Vivienne Westwood to Fiorucci Jeans, the fashion world treated Bettie as its muse.
According to CMG Worldwide, the company that markets her images, Bettiepage.com received more hits in recent years than the websites of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. The normally interview-shy cult legend admitted to being astonished by this resurgence. In a 2006 interview with the LA times, she proclaimed, "I'm more popular now than I was in the 1950's!"
Bettie Page will always be remembered for her exotic beauty, intelligence and the force of her dominant presence. The pinup that no one can pin down, Page's legacy will continue to inspire and intrigue the world for generations to come.
Permalink to this article
The Art of Love and Struggle Tour: Bridging the gap between art and activism
From The Hunter Envoy
The Movement in Motion Artists and Activists Collective, a crew of musicians, filmmakers and innovators, have spent the past few years touring this side of the country, spreading their message about the influence of art in the struggle for freedom. This February, The Art of Love and Struggle Tour will take the global stage, with stops in Germany, Holland, France and Palestine.
Organized by EyesInfinite Films and Movement in Motion, the intention of the tour is to explore the role of the arts in today's struggle for peace and justice. The artists wish to examine the issues of institutionalized racism and poverty from a creative perspective, while exploring music and media as effective tools for working towards social change. The participants involved in the tour's workshops, performances and film festivals will learn ways to channel their artistic energy into effective mobilizing strategies and raise awareness in their own communities.
The tour features performances by Spiritchild, who you may have seen on stage with his band, Mental Notes, at the CUNY Social Forum back in October. Mental Notes has consistently added to the pulse of New York's musical and social heartbeat. Bassist David Dovo's diverse talent has led him to create remixes for rap pioneers Public Enemy, work with such acclaimed jazz artists as saxophonist Daniel Carter and share the stage with Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin and Wood. Collectively, the members of Mental Notes have collaborated with a series of diverse artists including legendary producer Hank Shocklee, hip-hop virtuosos Dead Prez, Black Moon, soul-funk horn legends Tower of Power and even Gloria Estefan.
Spiritchild's music blends hip hop, jazz, and experimental rhythms with poetic lyricism and a desire for change. A Bronx-bred, self-proclaimed Black Feminist, his poetics educate and inspire a higher level of social and political consciousness. While often criticizing the injustices of our current (dis)order (opening a performance at a rally by calling out "Are you Republican? Or Democrat? You put money in the system, do they give it back?"), he also speaks about the positive energy of music and love. This energy has the power to make people move their bodies (in fact, it is nearly impossible not to dance at a Mental Notes concert), and perhaps inspire them to move towards change.
The global tour also acts as a traveling film festival for Jessica Habie's films, including The Art of Love and Struggle, Another World is Possible, Beyond Blue and Gray and Art and Apathy, which won Best Short Documentary in 2007 at the Cannes Film Festival and in 2008 at the Tribeca Film Festival. Art and Apathy takes a look at the relationship between conflict and creativity in Israel and Palestine. The project is a conversation between four short poetic pieces that describe the effects of the Israel-Palestine conflict on Israeli artists.
Before The Art of Love and Struggle Tour leaves for Europe, the artists are having a public performance and send off party on Jan. 30. At 11 p.m., Mental Notes will wave goodbye to New York with a concert at Rose Live Music (Grand Street between Havenmeyer and Marcy) in Brooklyn.
Permalink to this article
The Movement in Motion Artists and Activists Collective, a crew of musicians, filmmakers and innovators, have spent the past few years touring this side of the country, spreading their message about the influence of art in the struggle for freedom. This February, The Art of Love and Struggle Tour will take the global stage, with stops in Germany, Holland, France and Palestine.
Organized by EyesInfinite Films and Movement in Motion, the intention of the tour is to explore the role of the arts in today's struggle for peace and justice. The artists wish to examine the issues of institutionalized racism and poverty from a creative perspective, while exploring music and media as effective tools for working towards social change. The participants involved in the tour's workshops, performances and film festivals will learn ways to channel their artistic energy into effective mobilizing strategies and raise awareness in their own communities.
The tour features performances by Spiritchild, who you may have seen on stage with his band, Mental Notes, at the CUNY Social Forum back in October. Mental Notes has consistently added to the pulse of New York's musical and social heartbeat. Bassist David Dovo's diverse talent has led him to create remixes for rap pioneers Public Enemy, work with such acclaimed jazz artists as saxophonist Daniel Carter and share the stage with Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin and Wood. Collectively, the members of Mental Notes have collaborated with a series of diverse artists including legendary producer Hank Shocklee, hip-hop virtuosos Dead Prez, Black Moon, soul-funk horn legends Tower of Power and even Gloria Estefan.
Spiritchild's music blends hip hop, jazz, and experimental rhythms with poetic lyricism and a desire for change. A Bronx-bred, self-proclaimed Black Feminist, his poetics educate and inspire a higher level of social and political consciousness. While often criticizing the injustices of our current (dis)order (opening a performance at a rally by calling out "Are you Republican? Or Democrat? You put money in the system, do they give it back?"), he also speaks about the positive energy of music and love. This energy has the power to make people move their bodies (in fact, it is nearly impossible not to dance at a Mental Notes concert), and perhaps inspire them to move towards change.
The global tour also acts as a traveling film festival for Jessica Habie's films, including The Art of Love and Struggle, Another World is Possible, Beyond Blue and Gray and Art and Apathy, which won Best Short Documentary in 2007 at the Cannes Film Festival and in 2008 at the Tribeca Film Festival. Art and Apathy takes a look at the relationship between conflict and creativity in Israel and Palestine. The project is a conversation between four short poetic pieces that describe the effects of the Israel-Palestine conflict on Israeli artists.
Before The Art of Love and Struggle Tour leaves for Europe, the artists are having a public performance and send off party on Jan. 30. At 11 p.m., Mental Notes will wave goodbye to New York with a concert at Rose Live Music (Grand Street between Havenmeyer and Marcy) in Brooklyn.
Permalink to this article
Troubles: A Hunter Student's Stage Debut
From The Hunter Envoy
Jeremiah Murphy, a junior and English major at Hunter, has been writing plays for years, as well as exploring fiction, poetry, screenwriting and songwriting. Troubles is the first time his writing will come to life on stage.
Written and directed by Murphy, Troubles, a dialogue-driven dark comedy, opens Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., at The Spoon Theater on West 38th Street. His five act debut focuses on two friends "pushed by circumstance and coincidence into a darkness that threatens to swallow them both." It will run until February 8th. Tickets are $15 at the door. Contact troublesatthespoonnyc@yahoo.com for more information.
Permalink to this article
Jeremiah Murphy, a junior and English major at Hunter, has been writing plays for years, as well as exploring fiction, poetry, screenwriting and songwriting. Troubles is the first time his writing will come to life on stage.
Written and directed by Murphy, Troubles, a dialogue-driven dark comedy, opens Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., at The Spoon Theater on West 38th Street. His five act debut focuses on two friends "pushed by circumstance and coincidence into a darkness that threatens to swallow them both." It will run until February 8th. Tickets are $15 at the door. Contact troublesatthespoonnyc@yahoo.com for more information.
Permalink to this article
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