tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post115592635853358671..comments2024-01-29T13:44:58.835-08:00Comments on mad organica: LA River - Part 1Diz Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04618954577639763316noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1156295631886683562006-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:002006-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:00I'm inspired by your love of the LA River. I think...I'm inspired by your love of the LA River. I think I see beauty in not enough things. When I am in that area and have looked over that same river, I tend to feel down because that whole area of LA feels to me so terribly neglected. Its not right that there should be such enormous disparities between the richest and poorest in this country when there is enough to go around for everyone were so many not so terribly greedy, beginning with our President and V.P. Maybe I am just not seeing enough because i see areas which have been deemed unimportant, "not worth" investing in the way they do in Santa Monica or the Palisades-not that I would want these areas to look like that, but much of east LA seems to me left to fend for itself with not enough resources, support, or caring by the larger community, and it pisses me off. When I have seen the river, it looks starved and whimpering to me, which is why I love that you see something so very different.Alex Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02109059018269508607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1156270759155409442006-08-22T11:19:00.000-07:002006-08-22T11:19:00.000-07:00Madness, I feel you on that uncontrollable urge to...Madness, I feel you on that uncontrollable urge to see, to look, to record the river there. I've never seen it personally, but it's considered a classic stretch of graffiti all through graff-dom. In fact, the world's largest graffiti piece was done there in '97 by SABER ONE. You can check it out <A HREF="http://www.saberone.com/graf.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>. Notice the guy in the middle for scale. <BR/><BR/>HOWEVER, I have to step in here and correct pixielyn's remarks about the graffiti being "angry" and "powerful." First of all, where do you get the notion that graffiti is "angry?" Is it the sharp angles and harsh colors? Is it the fact that it's illegal? Is it because it's (to you) the fear of the unknown and illegible? Is it because you think that it's all gangs? Warning: do not believe what you read or hear about graffiti. Don't buy into the notion that all of graffiti is bad. It's not all gangs, it's not all thugs. What you are seeing here on the LA river is not gang-related. Trust me. <BR/><BR/>The only time graffiti can be "angry" is when one guy goes over another guy's piece and then the two have beef with each other. There are, at times, crews who hate each other, and dish it out amongst each other, but what you'll realize with this sort of anger is that it's insular. Not directed towards you, the viewer. Beef is squashed and then everyone moves on. <BR/><BR/>Don't ever paint graffiti in wide strokes, pixielyn. There are so many layers and shades of grey to graffiti that you'll never ever be able to comprehend. Just like all the different types of artists and art movements in the art world, there are so many different types of graff writers, and not all of them are angry or power-hungry. Each and every one has their own agenda, whether it be for creative reasons, for personal reasons, for political reasons—both legal and illegal. Graff writers are, for the most part, just a bunch of dudes who love to paint and want to hang out with their buddies. And graffiti is <I>everything</I> to them. They live it, breathe it. For some, it's all they got. The connections they make within this subculture will be the only ones they'll ever have—not unlike fellow brothers. <BR/><BR/>Again, it's not GANGS. Gangs are an entirely different thing. And it's not about ANGER or POWER. Please understand that, and please let others know this.Ward Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05013085293679968596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1156190536696688652006-08-21T13:02:00.000-07:002006-08-21T13:02:00.000-07:00i find the beauty of wasteplaces so very hard to r...i find the beauty of wasteplaces so very hard to resist. excellent pictures.kikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00798081068914002682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1156161513949945812006-08-21T04:58:00.000-07:002006-08-21T04:58:00.000-07:00I hear you, with the draw of that interesting, bea...I hear you, with the draw of that interesting, beautiful and raw river. I like your photos and thought of this part of Los Angeles yesterday while I was skating on a trail. There was this overpass and a lot of graffitti (of course the camera didn't make it into my bag, when will I learn??) so I loved reading this and seeing these photos.kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09471813805433407905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1155958662142630082006-08-18T20:37:00.000-07:002006-08-18T20:37:00.000-07:00I really had to think about that . . .if I craved ...I really had to think about that . . .if I craved the evident, obvious power of that seven-mile stretch. And I really don't. I am not one that is excited by risk or a thrill. What I am drawn to is the unstoppable need to express oneself artistically in forms conventional and not, whether it is consciously artistic or not. I am drawn to that particular rawness of the river art. And I think the power that I most recognize is the desperateness/rage/frustration of the area and that beauty (I think) emerges from that. It's very real to me. But I heed your warning for sure, Pixielyn. My head's not totally in the clouds when it comes to that area. Thank you for the concern.Diz Riverahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04618954577639763316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1155953402213463552006-08-18T19:10:00.000-07:002006-08-18T19:10:00.000-07:00Madness, You make that powerful and scarey place s...Madness, You make that powerful and scarey place seem almost like a powerful art exibit to hate. The territories all marked like imaginary fences.<BR/>Please do not go there, please do not take that risk. What you hear calling you is an irrisistable urge to taste the curious nature of power I think. The river is angry, the tagging is anger and its all power. Powerful and angry. The actual thing is more vibrant in feeling than the pictures depict. I live a bit more north than you. I've driven your path but havent taken the train. <BR/>Very good description and I sure dont blame you. It sounds as if you are settling in just fine. It all sounds wonderful with the market and the walking and the new found friends. *cheers*pixielynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012076427626514789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1155950121936675962006-08-18T18:15:00.000-07:002006-08-18T18:15:00.000-07:00I spy 1st street bridge. that's one of my loves fo...I spy 1st street bridge. that's one of my loves for sure. I heart LA.autumnempirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14632713902827772131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13292807.post-1155946512094210392006-08-18T17:15:00.000-07:002006-08-18T17:15:00.000-07:00Just grand.Just grand.Rebel Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00695051285325585662noreply@blogger.com