[hitme]

I'm taking a trip to Los Angeles over New Year's and I've always wanted to see a Banksy mural in person. I figure this is my best chance. Does anybody local to Southern California know which pieces are still up on the wall, and what their locations are? Please point me towards a link if there is one detailing them all. I know Banksy has made several trips to L.A. and put up some great pieces but I was hoping to get a real-time update of what is left and has not been covered up or sprayed over.

Thanks for the help!!

[Guest]

You could go looking around Crenshaw and 51st. Either that, or go walk around Boyle Heights or Angeleno Heights and ask the guys on the street corners where you can find some "street art"... Those are great places to ask some locals to show you "The Banksy's."

Just kidding; The most famous ones are the Rat ("I'm up and dressed what more do you want?") and the caveman holding the burger/fries. Both of those are on or near Melrose and LaBrea... There are others still running, but mums the word on those. Call me when you get to town if you need help.

The LA Freewalls project is underway downtown as well. We've had D-Face and Shepard so far; nice huge pieces right near the gallery. Shepard put up his largest single portrait a few weeks ago. Things are looking really nice downtown.

[raiden]

Valero gas station on the corner of Beverly and La Brea has two.



Down the street on Beverly at the New Beverly Cinema is the caveman.

Pretty sure the Rat on Melrose is still there...

wallsofla.com/2009/07/26/banksy-rat-on-melrose/

I know MBW buffed two Banksys that were on Melrose. His stuff is all over the place there.

I think the Nick Walker pieces are still on Beverly though.

Been pretty dull in terms of new street art in LA.

[Deleted]

MBW buffed some of Banksy's work???

I dont think im going to be able to walk past an MBW piece without wanting to ruin it now!

[hero]

please do

[Guest]

"Been pretty dull in terms of new street art in LA."

That will be MBW.

[Guest]

Dec 22, 2009 12:04:12 GMT 1 raiden said:

Been pretty dull in terms of new street art in LA.

?!?!?! Ummm, have you been downtown lately?

[Deleted]

Dec 23, 2009 2:19:45 GMT 1 @lahoda said:

Dec 22, 2009 12:04:12 GMT 1 raiden said:

Been pretty dull in terms of new street art in LA.

?!?!?! Ummm, have you been downtown lately?

it is Christmas,and i live in hope ;D

[raiden]

I should apologize by not making that very clear with the "Been pretty dull in terms of new street art in LA."

The two pieces I saw downtown were pretty amazing. The DFace was very cool. Though truthfully, it felt very antiseptic by urban art standards. Perfectly planned, expertly executed. Framed exactly by the building. Both good things, but not exciting in the classical street art sense.

But short of downtown, I really haven't come across a lot of great stuff. Sheps been quiet here.

MBW has pasted up every surface, covering up a lot of other people's work - probably deterring other artists more than encouraging them. His crews are all paid and paste over other people's shit all the time. And its almost ALL paste up with MBW. I had respect for him before he turned into a soul-less print selling machine.

As for the rest of LA...

The Shark Tooth image is getting old.

Buff Monster has been really quiet.

Banksy has been hanging out in London & not gracing us with his presence.

There were some good pieces in Laurel Canyon.

A couple tagging crews got really ambitious with wildstyle lettering along the 101, but the city buffed it out quick - which I am all for when it comes entirely ego driven pieces like that, even though they were impressive.

Some of the best pieces in LA over the last six months were Nick Walker's on Beverly.

The works on the back wall of Carmichael Gallery are obviously insane.

There has been some cool Silverlake & East side stuff recently though.

Actually, the BEST street artist we have in LA, bar none at the moment is Mac. His street pieces are the only ones that I have been really bowled over by. www.artistaday.com/?p=4548

It may be unfair that I seem so jaded by LA's street art over the last six months, but I have noticed that more and more of the street art in LA seems overly manufactured. It feels like more and more the street art I'm seeing is the product of negotiations & subverted for the purposes of selling something - and it comes through in the art as its less and less subversive and inspired by a truthful desire to create.

Granted, its easy to levy these charges from the comfort of a couch. But so much of the LA street art now is either derivative or "safe."

I honestly think the recession has meant no one can afford the supplies to do great street art in LA. We've been hit HARD.

[hitme]

Does anybody know if the "Where's Hollywood?" Rat is still up on Melrose? If so, can you post directions to it or what building it is on. I'd love to see this one on my trip.

Thanks!