KR

There are very few artists out there pushing the boundaries. A typical artist of the past makes work for the galleries, museums, or wealthy patrons. The artists of our generation are making work for not only the inside, but also the outside, the public space. Not only do they create works of art which carry high value, but also works of commerce, such as toys, clothes, and other goods. The artists of our generation have blurred the lines between art and design, between art and commerce. KR is one of the artists who is leading the way, who is breaking down new walls, and opening paths onto new territory. Not only is he creating works of art in public spaces, gallery spaces, and commercial goods, but he also makes the tools for the youth to create their own. Perhaps it is his manufacturing of KRink, which makes him stand out. But what is also interesting is that he has taken drips, which anybody can make, which thousands of artists have used, and made it his own. I think true artists or champions of the avant guard, are those that can create a fine line between genius and stupidity. These people take something that appears anyone can do and make it magical. Think Basquiat or Cy Twombly, with their childlike mark making. Think Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, the Sex Pistols, who have inspired countless kids to make their own bands. These artists make it look so easy that they inspire others to go out there and do it themselves.

Turmkunst 2010 by Craig "KR" Costello from artschoolvets on Vimeo.

Clothes Make The Man

Malcom McLaren on Punk Rock

(Punk) "It actually gave people who would never ordinarily have had the opportunity to express themselves an absolute right to do that. And people believed in it. I think punk rock really gave people a fundamental belief in themselves. That's really what was at the core of it."

from this interview

(Punk)"It was an event. It could have been a story, it could have been a movie. It wasn't a musical landmark, it couldn't be, you were only still presenting the same rock and roll chord structures as albums and previous groups had before. You weren't singing blues, you were ranting and raving and you were getting away with it, with a couple of pop twists here and there, and ideas. But what you had was an immense look, a look that unquestionably was going to change the way people were going to think about themselves. A new generation wanted to ally themselves with a new look, and this was the new look, and it was the look that was a hit. And the new look did not depend on you buying the record. It just depended on you turning your jacket inside out, you know, putting your hair up, or wearing a dog collar, or smashing your shirt and scrawling with Pentel a circle with an A in the middle! Or wearing a chaos armband or raiding your mother's closet for safety pins, or literally just leaving school at 15 rather than 16 and sleeping in the park. Or starting a group by stealing a guitar out of Woolworths, or whatever it was. It didn't depend on you buying the record, it wasn't that kind of act, it could never be. So no-one was running around buying Sex Pistols records. People were very much wanting to be there at the event, and the fact that they couldn't be at the event made the event an enigma that could never be resolved. And that's what kept the Sex Pistols on the top of the media pile for eighteen months."

from Julian Temple, director "The Great Rock N' Roll Swindle
"He saw the front pages of the daily newspapers as a blank canvas on which to create havoc."
from this obituary in The Guardian

Vivienne Westwood

Pirate Collection 1981

Bow Wow Wow- Chihuahua

(Here's Malcom ghostwriting the truth about his intentions?)

I'm [???], and I can't sing, I can't do anything
I can't even find my way around town
And I'm 15 and a fool, can't you see
So don't fall in love with me
I'm a rock and roll puppet in a band called Bow Wow Wow
Better of to be a rabbit, at least they have more fun with a gun
I just go on and on, and on and on and on
I wasn't supposed to sing that one
Pop, pop, pop, pop gun

And the Greeks had a word for it, it went like this
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, bow wow, wow, bow wow, Chihuahua
Everybody try it now, cos there's not always more

[???] A nodding tell [???] a chance, no one can stop it
So don't think of this fool [???] this little girl Sue [???]
I'm a horrid little indolence, can't you see
So don't fall in love with me
I'm a running testious, keep on pestering you
I'm frost and sun energy, don't drink to this fool
Call a doctor, don't be cruel
Don't you know nothing can stop me [???] crewing [???] over you?
And the Greeks had a word for it
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, bow wow, wow, bow wow, Chihuahua
Everybody try it now, cos there's not always more, Chihuahua

Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, bow wow, wow, bow wow, Chihuahua
Everybody try it now, cos there's not always more
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, bow wow, wow, bow wow, Chihuahua
Everybody try it now, cos there's not always more
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, bow wow, wow, bow wow, Chihuahua
Everybody try it now, cos there's not always more

Bad Artists Copy Great Artists Steal

I think Malcom Mclaren was an idiot for trying to use people in such a shallow way, however he was never boring. Before The Sex Pistols were formed he owned a clothing shop with girlfriend Vivienne Westwood. They sold many different kinds of clothes which would eventually lead to the wardrobe of the Pistols and the image that became packaged as "punk". After the Pistols came crashing down, he tried to search for the next big thing. He then decided to form a new band, which became Bow Wow Wow. With the help of Viviene' pirate fashion and world music, he gave Bow Wow Wow an identity. Their first single was C30, C60, C90 go!, which was urging kids to tape the radio and take away sales from the record industry. The single ironically was released on EMI, a major label losing money in this way at the time. EMI dropped them after their second single.


"Every day I get a brand new show
off TV record and radio
I breeze with the sleaze on my cassette
'cause I got the affirmative

C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60
C30 C60 C90 Go
30 60 90 Go"

The cover for the single caused controversy because the singer was underage, another ploy by McLaren to get attention. But interesting enough he got the idea from Edouard Manet's famous painting "Lunch on the grass", which also caused commotion in his day. McLaren's genius was not in using people (for that he was an idiot), but combining all these rich concepts like the avant-garde fashion of Westwood, the african tribal beat, the rebellious lyrics and the sampling of art history. Together these ideas created quite an intriguing piece of work. If you look back on art history, all the great paintings have layers of ideas. Perhaps too, McLaren was attempting the same feat, but with pop culture.

RIP MALCOM MCLAREN

One of the most peculiar of individuals has passed on. I think he pissed off a lot of people, but the way he used life as a means to produce art and culture remains forever perpendicular to the usual means of art production. Duchamp made ideas superior to the objects they represented while McLaren made the production of culture superior to ideas. He definitely didn't invent punk rock or the wheel, but a disruption he did create. He's most famous for the Sex Pistols, but he also helped along the new wave group Bow-Wow, and created some classic Hip-Hop. Much Respect.

Too Big to Be Ignored

The previous words are from Jay-Z. I feel the same way about Banksy. I'm not crazy about him. There are a hundred other artists I'd rather have on my own wall at home, however he's definitely one of the most important artists of the age. Maybe I'm just stupid or maybe he's too clever. That being said he's got a new film out called Exit Through The Gift Shop, which I can't wait to see.

Futura

From Graffiti Artist to Web Designer to Clothing Designer to now photographer. He keeps his audience interested by keeping us only guessing about what's next. He's one of those artists that offers an original use of any medium. Just look at his graffiti. When everyone was doing letters, he was doing abstraction. In the 90s he started collaborating with MO'Wax (DJ Krush album covers and then later UNKLE). Now his work can be seen in many brand collaborations like Stussy, Descente(outerwear), North Face, and Nike. The guy keeps going and it all looks fresh in my opinion. I was motivated to make this post when I saw his photography because I also think its original. He's using A Canon Mark2 digital camera which produces the cleanest images possible. Second the way its archived is definitely sublime. See for yourself.
Futura photography

Harry Partch

Comme Des Garcons

In 2004 They did a collection featuring only skirts (and some hats). No tops, no shoes, no bags.





In 2004 They did a collection featuring only skirts. No tops, no shoes, no bags.

LIFE IS

TO