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It's an old shirt, not a frickin' kefiyah
By adamg on Tue, 08/07/2012 - 6:22pm
Big head on the Greenway. Photo by Jeff Cutler. Posted under this Creative Commons license.
Natasha Vianna, who is Brazilian-American, says she was delighted to see a pair of Brazilian artists, Os Gemeos, come to Boston for a show at the ICA. She reports on meeting the two at a reception and feels compelled to address stupid people who think their mural on the Greenway is a terrorist plot to force Middle Eastern men on us or something:
Trying not to allow fumes from escaping my ears, I explained that this was inaccurate. Their characters usually have no race and like most art, it's up to you to see what you want to see. The skin of the characters are yellow because it is how they envision these characters in their dreams. Specifically in the Boston mural, the man's face is covered because it is a representation of how most street artists do their work, by covering their faces with an old shirt as to not inhale the fumes. ... In the '80s, the two identical brothers started as graffiti artists after embracing the New York culture of Hip Hop and street art. And without much money or the resources to even create street art, they used household and car paint for most of their creations.
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Comments
I'm under no delusion that
I'm under no delusion that this mural depicts a terrorist or makes a political statement. I just mostly think it's ugly.
Me too!
Where is the sign up list for volunteers to clean it off? I'll be one of the first in line.
Huh?
No one said it was a terrorist plot. And, yeah, it looks like a person covering their hair or face as some Muslims do. At least it does to a lot of people. So, on the one hand, you tell us that it's up to us to see what we want to see, and on the other you tell us we're stupid for seeing it. Brilliant. No wonder people are so thrilled with it.
Not quite
See what you want in it. The thing that goes off the deep end is the conspiracy theory about how this is obviously an attempt to glorify suicide bombers or terrorists.
I think that's funny
because I have a white friend who used to tie his tshirt on his head as a sun hat, and people used to tell him to take it off because he was supporting un-Christian terrorism.
At least it distracted you!
You might have otherwise applied that toxic imagination to "what kind of sex my Gay neighbors MUST be having!".
aaahh...
The great, progressive northeast. Hey mumbles, what was that business about this city being on the front lines of including everyone? hmm...
i am literally amazed at how
i am literally amazed at how comically, obscenely miserable some of you people are. you want a gigantic, horrible, imposing blank wall crowding over a premier public space instead of something bright and engaging that - whatever else you say about it - is turning heads and getting people talking? (imho it's *great* and is exactly what the city, and the greenway specifically, needs more of)
my hope is that this will eventually be replaced by something else, to be replaced by something else, ad infinitum... y'know, friggin' *art* that accretes and changes and reacts over time.
there should be murals like this on every single one of these monstrosities... we could even have one of them tell the story of the freedom trail! y'know - a humongous portrait of sam adams and paul revere sharing a pint and a cup of chowder. maybe that would make the reactionary dolt contingent happy.
seconded
It's really pathetic. And it's also a case of what the Intertubes do to people -- "Oh I must post my opinion! And of course it's very important!"
Cowboy hats, stink and opinions: every asshole's got some.
Turning the mirror
From of the reactions I've read, it seems that they say much more about the people making the statements than they do about the artwork. Some people are just miserable fucks with a negative opinion on everything.
Go paint the ICA
They wanted this thing, and they have lots and lots of space in need of paint. After all, it does have those dull colors all of your art loving people hate to look at all over their building. Why not paint their parking lot too! It's all black, with typical yellow lines marking parking spaces. Why not even fill the existing potholes (or make some) with paint? This way people driving their cars through get splashed with brilliant colors, and get rid of those boring solid ho-hum colors. How about the walls in your living room? Why not get these guys to come over and paint the entire walls of your living room, then the floor, and lastly the ceiling? Why stop there though, then they can do every room in your home. Just imagine, you'll never have to look at dull, boring single colors again. Your life will be full of the loud, brilliant, overwhelming colors you absolutely crave!
Why don't you ...
Create an artwork ... propose it ... assemble all the needed things to execute it ... AND GO TO WORK!!
Oh ... but that's a four letter word.
Who's afraid of work?
Certainly not myself. Look further up and you'll see where I'm more than willing to help remove it. That certainly is work.
Really?
I thought that was simply just another of your complaining points, most of which amount to "but nooooobody asked MEEEEEE!".
I'm not the only one here.
Lots of people think this thing is vertical vomit. I highly doubt anyone complained when our large oil can was painted along 93.
This IS also my neighborhood. Anyone traveling through here who likes it is more than welcome to hire these two artist. I'm certain they'll be happy to paint any walls in whatever neighborhood they may live in.
At least they didn't use glow in the dark paint for this.
So what?
Tens of thousands of us spend more waking hours in the area than we do at home. Why does it even matter - you don't own the effing city or any part of it because it is *your* neighborhood.
FURTHERMORE, this is on state property, ducks. You want something else there? Submit a design, get permits and funding, etc. You could even put in a proposal for a work entitled "blank wall" that involves "removing residual paint, etc. from previous artworks to acheive a naturalistic effect" and put together a quixotic blog about it.
Oh, but that means ...
I'll paint your bicycle anytime
I know you happen to have one, ride it often, and it needs a new paint job. I'm thinking I'll make the handle bars look like male genitalia, and the seat too! I'm also going to make the wheels into ovals so your bike goes up and down, you know, to complete my work of artist expression.
You are rehtahhhhded.
You are rehtahhhhded.
You missed something
Perhaps you are unable to distinguish the difference between private property and public property.
Private property = owned by a private individual. Examples include bicycles, cars, and front yards.
It does not include parks or that patch of public asphalt infront of your house.
Public property = held in common and subject to government oversight.
This mural is on PUBLIC property. It was painted by people who got permission and permits to do so from those who govern that blank wall.
My bicycle is PRIVATE property. While I find your suggestion entertaining and might give you permission to modify it - given that it might make it more rideable than in its current broken state - you would need my permission to modify it.
I find it more highly amusing that you can't fathom that you don't own your local park and don't get to make the rules for it. Back to Civics class with you!
Wow
I think I know who's not getting invited to paint the next mural
That's supposed to be a SHIRT?
This painting most assuredly looks like someone wearing the type of head covering worn by Muslim women. No two ways about it. Whether it was intentional or not (and it's so blatant I have to suspect it was), I don't care. Whether people want to erect murals of Muslims or people of any faith is fine with me. I don't have a problem with it. I do have a problem with the fact that it is rather poor art. Not very well done at all.
Besides, we already have a gas tank with Ho Chi Mihn on it. :-)
If it were a Moslem woman...
Wouldn't the rest of the outfit match, as well? But when's the last time you saw a harlequin burka?
Not to nitpick, but
Most Muslim women do not wear burkas. A hijab is not a burka or a chador and depending on the country and culture, most women do not necessarily match their head covering to the rest of their ensemble, and they often do wear bright, colorful clothing.
That said, the idea that this looks like a Muslim woman or a "terrorist" is bizarre to me.
Terrorists
aren't usually that colorful!
No More Murals?
I'm greatly in favor of public art and I'm glad the city allowed this space to be used. I don't think this mural is all that strong, though I didn't think it looked like terrorist for a second. It looks much closer to a Simpson's character if I had to relate it to something.
My fear is that enough people will complain and the result is the space will never be used for public art again or the city will make artists go though a year-long review process that effectively prohibits anything other then idealized depiction of firefighters. But I'd rather any art (good or bad) instead of a blank wall.
Here is a site with some really good public art: http://www.streetartutopia.com/
No two ways about it.
This mural is wierd and ugly.
It looks like some random Simpsons character got an allergic reaction from a bee sting and then had to cover himself up from the chills.
Well, there are two ways
Well, there are two ways about it, actually. Some of us don't think it's weird and ugly, myself included.
I don't like the way it stares and judges me
while I'm standing in Dewey Square waiting for my perfectly innocent lunch at the food trucks.
Seen it up close yet?
I wasn't sure at first, but prefer the idea of murals on blank walls to blank walls in general.
I ate lunch with my husband beneath the gaze of the Pajama Ninja and we both decided that we kind of like the way it "book ends" the grassy courtyard - or, say, gives it a courtyard feel by looking into the space (pajamaheadded kilroy??).
It adds color and definition to the space.
I Think Its Fitting.
It looks like a stoned Occupier.
Are you threatening me?
It reminded me of Cornholio.
It's just missing some TP for its bunghole.
Dear Ms Vianna...
First, most folks who are not familiar with the work habits of graffiti artists. Brazilian or otherwise, would have no way of knowing that said graffiti artists wrap shirts around their heads so as not to inhale the fumes and that this figure represents (does it?) a graffiti artist. Second, in my humble opinion, I would like to see structure/building mural art to be relevant to the largest possible audience so that the audience has some frickin idea of what the artist is trying to say.
Now, I can clearly see that it is just a shirt wrapped around a yellow head. Nevertheless, because of the confusion around this mural, that should be a plain enough sign that many folks have no idea what the heck it is suppose to be or represent other than a figure who may be a Simpsons character with some sort of head covering of an indiscriminate origin.
P.S. And you might want to see a doctor about those fumes escaping from your ears.
Simple solution
Paint
www.icaboston.org
in big letters where everyone can see it on the mural. I suggest the right side so it doesn't detract from the face.
Then the ICA should have a graphic of that mural front and center on their home page where people can clickthru and learn more.
The ICA should be a world class museum but the people who run it just seem to be a bunch of bunglers.
Saw it walking to South
Saw it walking to South Station and thought "That's interesting, kinda cool." Thought it was a Muslim and perfectly fine - there's NOTHING wrong with being a Muslim in America. Happened to see the Metro inside the station and this supposed "controversy" and was not surprised by the idiots out there. Then read it was actually the depiction of a boy by a Brazilian artist. Now I think it's still cool and want to check out the exhibit at the ICA. Good work, bigots!
Far better than I thought
The feeling of depth and volume to the figure surprised me. I was expecting a flat two dimensional figure; instead there is plentiful use of shadows and creases to give a feeling of substance and depth to the figure. This kind of painting at this scale takes a lot of skill.
As a figure I see a kid. Having read the reference to someone in pajamas helps make the clothes easier to understand. Between wearing the pjs and wearing a shirt wrapped around the person's face makes me think that this is a kid both hiding while looking out over the city. Leaves me wanting to know what the kid is thinking as he or she looks over the plaza and Boston.
Of the shirt at first I also thought this was a hijab. But the sleeve made me wonder whether it was some kind of gas mask. Now I understand that the kid is wearing a shirt.
I like the mural. The shy eyes have a sweetness and modesty that nicely contrasts with the massiveness of the buildings. It reminds me of the fountains at Millenial Park where videos of citizens smile and then "blow" water into the pool. Not all public art has to be serious. This piece of public art is playful, gentle and welcoming.
Maybe after this mural has peeled away it could be replaced with a scene portraying some moment of serious Boston history such as the great molasses flood. But for today a kid in pjs with his or her head wrapped in a shirt is fine.
Actually it kind of looks like
Actually it kind of looks like a space alien I had an encounter with in 1975. Especially around the eyes. Nobody believed me about that alien, but now I think maybe others saw it as well.
I initially thought it was an
I initially thought it was an art tribute to the Occupy movement, since it's looking right out over Dewey Square. Then I thought Muslim hijab. Then I decided I didn't really care. Interpret it as you wish. It's bright and colorful and cool.
I like it, it's very colorful
I like it, it's very colorful and covers up one side of an ugly building. I'm in favor of more stuff like that downtown. Start with Ugly City Hall.