Global Graphica

This clip shows Above painting the entire exterior of a house with his signature upward-pointing arrows. Baked into the edit are examples of some of Above’s other works — a Van, hanging arrow signs, etc. — throughout San Francisco.

Writing on Comment is Free, a Web site of the British newspaper The Guardian, Charlie Brooker has argued that the work of the hyped-up and hot street artist known as Banksy is “rubbish” that “looks dazzlingly clever to idiots.” The article makes some keen points, some worth merit, and some worth debating, but it is not very convincing as it attempts to explain why Banksy is overrated and his work crap. The tone of the piece is hurtful and angry and it lacks the sophisticated reasoning of an instructive critique. It’s rather funny, actually, and reads like an Internet troll.

(Tip of the Kangol to Robin K. for sending us the link.)

The French artist who goes by the name Space Invader has put up work at 11 Spring Street in NoLIta, New York City. Space Invader puts up small mosaics that look like jaggy, pixelated representations of characters inpired by the 1980′s Atari arcade game of the same name.

A wheat-paste-up in SoHo, New York City, by the Brooklyn artist Bast. Love the cut-and-paste mashup of the old Pan Am airlines logotype and the images of actor Telly Savalas as the character Kojak, from American television detective drama of the 1970′s.

Loving this example of truck graf we discovered parked on Elizabeth Street between Kenmare and Prince streets in high-rent NoLIta, Manhattan, New York City. Bold orange fills, storng lines and an energetic moniker make this writin’ pop from even a couple of blocks away.

The New York Times ran an interesting story about the efforts by San Francisco city authorities to crack down on graf. According to the article in this past Saturday’s edition of the Times, San Francisco is targeting sticker art and hunting the guy responsible for the “BNE” stickers that have proliferated around the northern California city. BNE’s stickers can be founds in many place, including right here in Global Graphica’s stomping ground, New York City. (Thanks to Jess for the tip!)

Here’s a raw and revealing short clip, dubbed “GMO the Freindly Streets,” that documents some street artists and graf-writers (Reks and Braddock) putting up work in Brisbane, Australia. Bloody beautiful, mate! G’day.