MILWAUKEE-LA COUR PARFUME AVEC LE GRAFFITI
I am interested in human/public perceptions- The rich and the poor, social control, classism. How values of things are established and how context plays a role in this. What makes one thing good or of value and another thing unwanted. Why are kohler toilets selling for $6000 and of great domestic status, while graffiti is seen with as negativity subversive act or vandalism Who defines ownership, beauty, art, value.- how do these definitions change?
In exploring this project I hope to ask the audience to question or re-define this idea.
-Build a house have it painted with graffiti instead of traditional patterns--its still paint -- only the graffiti paint job has a level of social tension in it because socially acceptable by the majority.
-Tear up your grass front yard and plant weeds( clovers or dandelions) or restore it to native prairie--let is grow wild and uncut: there is tension in this act as well-- it asks people to both question and validate it- to have an opinion of worth.
The wild prairie and graffiti ideas are often in ill light yet both have a strong value system associated with them- the prairie -is better to the environment and ecosystem/ graffiti creates a forum for members of a community to express themselves and to be active within that community It bring ideas of aesthetics to areas often lacking of use.--etc
This option of worth-- the tension are important. Graffiti typically must remain subversive to be graffiti- I don't want to lose that I do however want to raise questions if possible.
The drawings/pic's attached show the Kohler-ware toilet bowl white cast tufted tile wall building from . It is meant to symbolize louis XV period posh life style mixed with American working class vinyl covered dreams. My thoughts are to have it painted by local Milwaukee based graffiti artists( maybe several –layers on top of layer like a real bombed graffiti wall). Milwaukee citizens like most Americans give little value to local wild plants or weeds- so I will build a low tech McGuyer like car battery grow light nursery featuring some collected weeds/ found plants from the city.. Can I mix all these things together to present a new landscape dialogue--????