Banksy in Amsterdam

One of my favorite modern visual artists has come to Amsterdam...Banksy! If you're unfamiliar with Banksy here's what I know. He is originally from the UK. He makes grafitti, stencil art, sculptures, and directs movies. His identity is currently a mystery and he has an exhibition here in Amsterdam from July 18th - September 30th.  

To my knowledge Banksy doesn't reproduce or sell any of his creations. Most feature satirical images of war and instruments of violence. He uses humor and amazing visuals to get people talking about subjects that are often considered taboo. His unique style has achieved international success. Below are some Banksy images I shot by Centraal Station mixed with a few favorites I found on google. If you would like to know more about the artist or see more if his art go to his webpage Banksy.co.uk.

Graff Art

This post is dedicated to the most unappreciated element of Hip-Hop Graffiti. I love Graff Art! I was skilled with the pen and paint can long before I picked-up the mic. Graffiti is a general term and holds some negative connotations (closed minded people only associate graffiti with vandalism) which is why I use the term Graff art. It is art and while vandalism may be associated with graffiti it is NOT a part of the art form. Graff Art comes in various styles. There are murals like the type done by fine arts painters, also lettering, or abstract pieces. 

Mr. Cartoon started as a sick graff artist before taking his talents into the tattoo parlor. DJ Kay Slay used to be known as the artist Dezzy DEZ and was featured in the film Style Wars. Below are a few pieces of Graff art from artists Mears, Axis, Dash, Hex, Jest, Kofie, El Mac, Pimp, Such, Plex, Fresno, Sleep, Styles, Tyke, Risky, LadyPink, Siner, Spurn and Zombie. Check it out!