12ozProphet

Studio Visit: Mesh AOK

I’ve known Mesh from the start of Handselecta. I think we met in 02. He was one of the first artists who saw the potential in a project like mine and put his work out there unconcerned of the who else was down. He has a continually experimental spirit toward his art, music and his drawing of letters. We had a great collaboration culminating in one of the fonts I’m most proud of from the project to date.

Handselecta: Thanks for doing this.
Mesh AOK: Yeah, man. sure thing.

HS: In these new pieces I really like seeing the rawness. The energy of the sketch lines, overlayed.  Are they studies for later pieces? Or are they finished like we’re seeing them?
MESH AOK: I do specifically indeed leave them uncolored, and also “un”-erased as it were, I think because, after having been involved with graffiti for so long and now grown older with it I have to ask myself the very fundamental question: Is graffiti a sophisticated art form?  Is it mature?  And the answer isn’t clearly yes in my opinion, I suppose, with what’s still presented today.  And yet it is exactly that kitschy, fun aspect of graffiti that is so essential and makes graffiti what it is.  So how to both keep that energy and lightness, as it were, while yet moving it forward in sophistication and seriousness, into a more a classical form, is what I suppose I find myself wanting to do.   

HS: When did you make the decision to go back a step and focus on the sketches, as opposed to fully rendered pieces?
MESH AOK: It’s really not a decision I made.  It’s a natural thing.  I’m someone who unfortunately has a problem pursuing anything, and I mean anything, that I find boring. And I just found some aspects of graffiti boring such that I could make myself do it, such as coloring in a piece or supposedly finishing it off to make it more concrete, that I just don’t strangely like to do anymore.  I don’t enjoy it.  It’s almost like obligatory work.  What’s weird is that color was always my specialty, and yet when you color something in it almost makes it sort of childish.  Unless, and here’s the catch, you’re going for that kitschy vintage value of early graffiti - and that has an essence of sophistication in it, I think, in that it’s referencing something.  But how much kitsch can you take, really? Without having to finally move on to something else and really get back to the “present,” and trying to move the form forward in some way.

HS: So this is a way of pushing the progression?
MESH AOK: Yeah. One way I think I do that is in the blurring of the rules between two and three dimensional object(s).  Most graffiti - again, this is unfortunate in my opinion - is something that could be made into a paperweight.  In other words it’s something that’s representing a strict and clear three-dimensional object, or maybe just a flat two-dimensional object, and therefore it’s a plain visual representation of something that could literally be physically made.  That is extremely boring to me, and literally childish, in my opinion and is exactly what leads me to doubt that this is at all a sophisticated art form.  So what I try to do in some of my pieces is blur that line between the second and third dimensions such that these pieces are not something that could be physically made.  I do this, I think, with the letters that seem to have a definite solidity to them whose lines then either evaporate, unclosed and unfinished, or overlap into the “dimensions,” as it were, of aspects of other letters, breaking their three-dimensional form that I still simultaneously, though, leave intact.  Sometimes these overlapping lines will make up part of the other letter.  In general creating impossibility in letters, much like an MC Esher drawing.  Well these are MC Mesher drawings - all the while keeping that raw and true energy of graffiti.   I say this in particular because I have gone very deep into these ideas in the past such that I’ve produced “pieces” that became so abstract that they don’t have that much “graffiti” in them, or not enough for what I’m currently going for, which is the “complete” aspect of graffiti in every one of these without exception. I hope you like them

HS: Thanks Mesh
MESH AOK: Peace

Healthcare (Insurance) reform is on everyones minds, right now (if you pay attention to news or politics). Tonight on Frontline (PBS) was a fascinating news story by TR Reid comparing (mostly state run) healthcare systems from around the world. “Sick Around The Word” can be watched in full online here. And I highly recommend it if you want to have a better understanding of alternatives around the world. Reid’s preference is definitely a single payer system akin to Taiwan.

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On the American side of the issue, there were 2 really great must-listen episodes of This American Life, digging deeper into the background and hidden economics in the American System. More is Less about why prices keep rising in our system. And Someone Else’s Money which is an incredibly pro-free market argument for NPR.

My own preference is similar to the argument put forth by David Goldhill in Septembers issue of The Atlantic putting the impetus and empowerment on the individual for their own care, making Doctors and procedures costs transparent and insurance more toward catastrophic care as opposed to upkeep care not that dissimilar from auto insurance.

We celebrate the fall of a wall, and the beginning of the death of a cold war that held 3 generations in fear. And in many ways a marker of our current era. But long before that, artists were striking at our political divides. Maybe if our more mislead US leaders actually create that wall between us and Mexico thats been talked about for years we can hope some restless youths will learn from history and start to destroy before it gets completed.

So I recently got bit by the motorcycle bug (well a little while ago) but I finally got around to getting my license and just bought my first bike.  A 75 Yamaha XS650 for those who care. Stock. Wrong season for a newbie in New York, I know. But I’m doing a lot of reading and lurking on motorcycle blogs, getting ideas. Most likely I’ll do a little cafe inspired customizations. Keep it more or less stock. But damn there are some nice bikes out there. I recently came across 4Q Conditioning aout of Oakland, and this little dudes bobber. Pretty damn inspiring. Good work Pops.

The Real. Act like you know.

A great new book called Cholo Writing: Latino Gang Graffiti in Los Angeles has come out by 3 of my favorite people. I have had extensive conversations with Chaz Bojorquez (who wrote the forward), Francois Chastanet (who authored the endeavor) and Howard Gribble (who has the most amazing collection of photos from the golden era) over the last several years, and they all have an appreciation for graffiti and letterforms, and even the often overlooked influence gang culture has played in its development over the years. I can’t wait to get a copy of this book. Congrats to all who had a hand in it.

Shepard Fairey has released a statement regarding his lawsuit by The AP. (As seen on worlds best ever)I have the utmost respect for the way Mr Fairey has chosen to take the very difficult road to make a statement that choses honesty, even if sacrificing his defensive position, in order to defend his work, and his right to create work by his methods. Making my living in the world of Skateboarding with its own history of destructive creating within the moral/ethical gray area of copyright infringement. And my Handselecta project which lives within the realm of copyright as related to font creation/use/licensing and ownership. We all live in a gray area in the internet age. Who purchased every one of their mp3’s? And it compllicates things even further because Sheps portrait of the president was done at no fiscal gain to himself. Does that change the way we see things? I am torn by this myslef. And don’t think I have a solid opinion yet, but lean toward erring on the free use side of the argument in my gut. Probably because Metalica left such a bad taste in my mouth with their napster lawsuit 10 years ago.

STATEMENT ON ASSOCIATED PRESS FAIR USE CASE
In an effort to keep everyone up to date on my legal battle to uphold the principle of fair use in copyright laws, I wanted to notify you of a recent development in my case against The Associated Press (AP).

On October 9, 2009, my lawyers sent a letter to the AP and to the photographer Mannie Garcia, through their lawyers, notifying them that I intend to amend my court pleadings. Throughout the case, there has been a question as to which Mannie Garcia photo I used as a reference to design the HOPE image. The AP claimed it was one photo, and I claimed it was another.

The new filings state for the record that the AP is correct about which photo I used as a reference and that I was mistaken. While I initially believed that the photo I referenced was a different one, I discovered early on in the case that I was wrong.

In an attempt to conceal my mistake I submitted false images and deleted other images. I sincerely apologize for my lapse in judgment and I take full responsibility for my actions which were mine alone. I am taking every step to correct the information and I regret I did not come forward sooner.

I am very sorry to have hurt and disappointed colleagues, friends, and family who have supported me in this difficult case and trying time in my life.

I am also sorry because my actions may distract from what should be the real focus of my case – the right to fair use so that all artists can create freely. Regardless of which of the two images was used, the fair use issue should be the same.

- Shepard

Cool Hunting does it again. Showing you how Burton makes their snowboards.