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STREET PIANO
As some of you may know, I am a big supporter of the HeArt Project, an organization that connects professional artists with continuation high school students from around LA. I lead a 12 week workshop residency program every Spring where I work with about 15 young participants from the LA area to produce visual art.
This year the HeArt Project teamed up with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to produce an art piece on a stand up piano for a city wide project called "Play Me I'm Yours". My students and I were given the honor to produce this piece of art on a piano (one of only 30 city wide) to represent the HeArt Project and Los Angeles in this global campaign bringing art and music to public spaces.
The piano we created was painted with acrylic, spray paint, and even stickers.
The students put their own flair into it including 2 characters reflecting music and youth culture.
The majority of the piano was painted in a colorful mosaic of abstraction and color.
To show the youth's own take on ownership, "Hello My Name Is" stickers were adhered to the top of the piano reflecting names and words of their choosing.
Our piano has been installed at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music at 100 North Hill Ave. Pasadena, CA 91106.
The piano is accessible to the public for the next few weeks. Feel free to stop by and make some spontaneous music out in public!
If you take video or photos, you can upload them very easily to the page dedicated to our piano:
Street Piano by Man One + Heartproject @Pasadena Conservatory
You can check out all the other pianos and their respective locations on their site as well:
StreetPianos.com
Tell your friends to go check them out!
Here's someone playing it!
Here are some slideshow pics of us in action or check it out on Flickr:
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This year the HeArt Project teamed up with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to produce an art piece on a stand up piano for a city wide project called "Play Me I'm Yours". My students and I were given the honor to produce this piece of art on a piano (one of only 30 city wide) to represent the HeArt Project and Los Angeles in this global campaign bringing art and music to public spaces.
The piano we created was painted with acrylic, spray paint, and even stickers.
The students put their own flair into it including 2 characters reflecting music and youth culture.
The majority of the piano was painted in a colorful mosaic of abstraction and color.
To show the youth's own take on ownership, "Hello My Name Is" stickers were adhered to the top of the piano reflecting names and words of their choosing.
Our piano has been installed at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music at 100 North Hill Ave. Pasadena, CA 91106.
The piano is accessible to the public for the next few weeks. Feel free to stop by and make some spontaneous music out in public!
If you take video or photos, you can upload them very easily to the page dedicated to our piano:
Street Piano by Man One + Heartproject @Pasadena Conservatory
You can check out all the other pianos and their respective locations on their site as well:
StreetPianos.com
Tell your friends to go check them out!
Here's someone playing it!
Here are some slideshow pics of us in action or check it out on Flickr:
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10 YEARS OF MURALS AND MAYHEM
Over the weekend, muralist and graffiti artist Man One tweeted out an image of César E. Chávez to note the civil rights leader's birthday on March 31. The detail came from a mural he painted that, by design, was not intended to last beyond the construction phase for the Gold Line Eastside Extension.
Looking back, it was a memorable piece -- though unfortunately temporary.
"The Four Pillars" commission was announced by Metro in April 2006, recalls Man One, aka Alex Poli. "I picked four pillars of community who were people who passed away and meant something to me."
The four sections featured Sister Karen Bocalerro, founder of Self-Help Graphics in "Faith;" slain journalist Ruben Salazar in "History," César E. Chávez in "Trabajo" (work); and Man One's grandfather Miguel Arenas, Sr., appearing in the panel "Familia" (Family).
The urban street lettering on the 20-foot high panels was the usual non-readable application, touted by Metro as an urban art style that makes the mural "relevant to the youth who viewed the walls on a daily basis." The four portraits were less an abstraction, and more pop graphic art. With animated colors, the figures watched over the corner like they belonged to the neighborhood. The simple lines allowed the faces to be visually read from across the street or from inside a moving car -- or aboard a Metro bus.
"I paint portraits the way I fill in my graff letters . . .with bold colors and odd shapes," Man One explained over the weekend. "I never use black and white."
When the Gold Line Eastside Extension neared completion, the plywood fences were removed and the portraits were salvaged by Man One. The panels that made César E. Chávez were donated to the Social Public Art and Resource Center (SPARC), and the image of Sister Karen Boccalero was sent to Self-Help Graphics. Man One still has the portraits of Salazar and of his grandfather.
Ten Years Running
"The Four Pillars" was just one project in a prolific decade for Man One. The year the mural was completed, he opened the doors to his downtown Los Angeles gallery, Crewest Gallery,originally founded in Alhambra in 2002. In May, Crewest will celebrate its tenth anniversary by mounting an exhibition aptly named "Mission: Accomplished."
After graduating with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Loyola Marymount University, he built a body of work before going through traditional channels to exhibit it. Gallery directors told him graff did not belong in their spaces, recalls Man One, now 41. "All the shows I had were in alternative spaces."
"I know this stuff is legit and will sell," he recalls telling himself and others.
Back then, some may have wondered how much aerosol fumes did he accidentally sniff when he thought of opening a gallery to showcase works from a collective of rotating street artists -- sometimes placing his own work aside -- to redefine graff art as a legitimate form of fine art with its own richness and complexity.
Ten years later, that is still the mission for the gallery that was founded to help street artists make a one-name moniker for themselves -- and even introduced a few to the art world. (Australia's Dabs & Myla had their first U.S. showings at Crewest).
Crewest is also one of the few downtown art spaces left from the first wave of galleries in the middle of the last decade, and Man One recently came to terms with Canadian Building ownership for a new lease -- plus securing the alley wall so it can be used for a revolving mural.
He has not lost his street bite. He recently completed a self-commissioned piece, "Graffiti Spirit Over City Hall," showing City Hall being raided by an unidentified figure with a spray can, a personal statement about graffiti artists who "forced themselves" into the current mural moratorium discussions about what is public art.
Former Member of the Underground
Man One being well-known as an artist almost conflicts with his street nature, that like other graffiti artists, prefer to keep an underground image and identity.
"I am surprised how many people recognize me. It's kinda weird and happens a lot of places," said Poli. "When I started doing graffiti, you didn't tell anyone who you were. It was a secret community. That changed big time over the years."
Yet, he doesn't rely on being known to move forward. He will seek out art enclaves in other cities and visit galleries and introduce himself with no presumption he's known. But fans of street artists do, and even if they don't recognize him right away, they know the name Man One.
That includes gallery owners now eager to get some street art on their walls.
In April 2012, Crewest will open "Sinerlandia" and "Painted Beauty," two small solo shows that debut Siner and Michael Pizarro, respectively. Opening reception is Saturday, April 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. It runs through through April 29.
"Mission Accomplished" showcases works from artists who have appeared at Crewest in the last decade. In the front room, a micro-solo show, "A Decade of Graffiti Spirits," features new visual directions from Man One himself. It opens Saturday, May 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. It runs through May 27.
Above: César E. Chávez in "Trabajo" from "The Four Pillars." (2006) at E. First and Soto street. Photo Courtesy of Man One.
Below: Man One painting "Graffiti Spirit Over City Hall" in March, 2012.
Direct link from KCET blog:
Crewest Gallery to Celebrate 10 years of Murals and Mayhem
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P-FUNKIN' SLY'S RIDE!
Who would've thought that one night I'd be chillin' with two of the greatest musical legends of our time: Sly Stone and George Clinton! Check out the little promo vid first..
Great meeting and hanging with Sly and chillin' once again with Dr. Funkenstein himself George Clinton.
I rocked the spray painted letters and Overton Loyd rocked the caricatures and George just painted whatever was on his mind!
We also painted the other side:
It was a crazy all nite freestyle paint session right smack in the hood. I don't think you can script this. Epic!
Slideshow and more pics:
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Great meeting and hanging with Sly and chillin' once again with Dr. Funkenstein himself George Clinton.
Side by side crackin' jokes and painting Sly's RV or the "Old School Bus" as its now been dubbed.
I rocked the spray painted letters and Overton Loyd rocked the caricatures and George just painted whatever was on his mind!
We also painted the other side:
It was a crazy all nite freestyle paint session right smack in the hood. I don't think you can script this. Epic!
Slideshow and more pics:
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Bio
Photo by Edgar Hoill
MAN ONE
BIOGRAPHY
An artist, teacher
and entrepreneur, Man One believes in the transformational power of art and its
power to save lives and make the world a better place.
Man One believes art
gives mankind an essential and irreplaceable cultural language in which to
express and know itself. Man One believes art can transcend cultural and
socio-economic barriers, fostering understanding, mutual respect and unity
among disparate peoples. Man One believes these things are possible because
he's seen them happen through the power of his own art and the art of others.
Growing up in Los
Angeles, Man One developed his love for art, developing his skills as a
graffiti artist on the streets of LA. He honed his talents as a fine artist and
understanding of art history at Loyola Marymount University where he earned his
Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts.
Over the years, Man
One has worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers
for Disease Control, The Mexican Consulate in the U.S., and most recently received
a Speaker and Specialist Grant by the U.S. State Department to work with the U.S. Embassy
in Panama. There he demonstrated to
Panamanian children and teenagers how art could build self-esteem and
self-respect to help you overcome any situation.
In 2011, he was
invited to North Ireland (twice) where he painted murals and conducted
workshops to help foster understanding and mutual respect among young Irish
Catholics and Protestants. He has led similar workshops in Japan, Germany, Mexico
and throughout the United States.
Man One's art is
comprised of his trademark bold, colorful art strokes and has been featured in
ten solo shows, countless group exhibitions, and curated well over a hundred.
His work has been exhibited in many museums including the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Getty, Pasadena Museum of California Art, LACMA,
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, Parco Museum in Tokyo and the Smithsonian Institute
in Washington D.C. His artwork is collected internationally and has shown in
galleries around the world including Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Mexico, UK,
Japan, and Switzerland among others.
In 2002, Man One
founded Crewest Gallery in Los Angeles to legitimize graffiti art as a valuable
and collectible art form and give graffiti artists a professional venue and
forum in which to showcase their work. In the book, Graffiti L.A., street art
documentarian Steve Grody listed the opening of Crewest Gallery as a milestone
event in the history of graffiti art in Los Angeles. Ten years on, Crewest continues to be a leader
in the world of collectible graffiti art.
Man One and his art
have been featured in many television shows such as MTV’s Pimp My Ride, ABC’s
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, America’s Next Top Model, and The Contender to
name a few. On the silver screen he has
appeared in John Tucker Must Die (Revolution Studios), The Roommate (Screen
Gems), Burn Hollywood Burn (Cinergi)
and featured in television commercials for Ford, Microsoft, Target and Verizon.
He has painted live
on stage at some of the largest U.S. music concerts and festivals including
tours for MTV with The Black Eyed Peas, De La Soul and Wyclef Jean as well as
traveling across the country on the Van’s Warped Tour performing side by side
with bands like 311, Blink182, and Good Charlotte. He has performed with music legends like
George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.
Man One has been
commissioned commercially by a plethora of corporations including Coca-Cola, Disney,
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Carmax, Oakley, Dickies Girl, Pioneer, Symantec, EA
Sports and Ubisoft to name a few.
Man One has been
recognized for his unwavering support for many charitable causes, donating his
time and talents painting and teaching art on behalf of The HeArt Project, I Am
Angel Foundation, The Center for Biological Diversity, and Heal the Bay. In
2009, The HeArt Project selected Man One as the recipient of that year’s Artist
award for his significant contributions to their important cause of arts
education among underprivileged youth in Los Angeles. He was also acknowledged,
with a RIVIE award, for artist of the year in 2008 by the Friends of the Los
Angeles River.
Man One's artwork has
been profiled and featured in a number of international magazines, newspapers
and books including The L.A. Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine,
Warp Magazine (Japan), Angeleno (USA), 38Times (Japan), Lowrider Arte Magazine
(USA), Rime Magazine (USA), La Dolce Vita (Italy), Aelle (Italy), Backspin
(Germany), Rap Pages (USA), “Graffiti World” (by Nicholas Ganz), “Painting the
Towns: California Murals” (by Jim Prigoff and Robin Dunitz), “Graffiti L.A.”
(by Steve Grody) and is mentioned in “The History of American Graffiti” (by Roger
Gastman and Caleb Neelon).
Man One's life work
is about putting the power of art in the hands, hearts and minds of people all
over the world. Everything Man One has done to date is about democratizing art
and educating others about the unique value of graffiti art. Moving forward,
Man One will continue his life's work as an artist, teacher and entrepreneur in
order to empower mankind and facilitate a more beautiful, fair and just world
through the power of art.
Videos
Timelapse Paintings by Man One:
"GRAFFITI SPIRIT OVER L.A." © 2012 (Private Commission)
PAINTING LIVE AT FUNKAPALOOZA 2012 (Gibson Amphitheater, Universal City, CA:
"BMW MAN HOOD" painting for URBNLUX exhibition 2011
Mural In East Los Sponsored by Dickiesgirl 2011
Jazz Reggae Fest 2011
Graffiti Surfing
Two Lucky Dragons Mural in Santa Barbara
Nat King Cole/Re:Generations Mural at Capitol Records Building
Panel Truck Painting for Verizon Commercial
Mural at Pomona Pitzer College
A "How To" Mural Done in the O.C.
Behind the Black Mask Painting
L.A. City Hall
Sunshsine #1
Sunshine #2
Sunshine #3
Sunshine #4
Mural for Flos Angeles
Sunny Rooftop Day
Thrown Up
Man One on TV + Commercials:
Man One for Microsoft Commercials "I'm a PC...and This Is My Office" (0:23 sec.)
Man One for Microsoft Commercials "I'm a PC...and I Challenge the Law" (0:19 sec.)
Man One for Target/Black Eyed Peas (0:03, 0:10, etc.)
Man One for Verizon "Rule the Air" Commercials (0:06 sec.)
Man One in Ford Flex Commercial (0:38 sec.)
Short Docs + Vids on Man One:
Man One Paints Canvas on Winston Street and the Politics of Art
Man One Paints Mural for Washington Post and Talks About Crewest Gallery Opening in DTLA
Art Of the Campaign (Man One, Kofie, Shepard Fairey, Favianna Rodriguez, John Carr, + others)
Custom Artmaking:
Speaker Box Painting
Projects:
Nat King Cole and the "Re:Generations" Album for Capitol Records
"GRAFFITI SPIRIT OVER CITY HALL" © 2012
(Public Mural @ Olympic & Santa Fe, DTLA)
"GRAFFITI SPIRIT OVER L.A." © 2012 (Private Commission)
PAINTING LIVE AT FUNKAPALOOZA 2012 (Gibson Amphitheater, Universal City, CA:
"BMW MAN HOOD" painting for URBNLUX exhibition 2011
"Framed Man" painting for URBNLUX exhibition 2011
Mural In East Los Sponsored by Dickiesgirl 2011
Jazz Reggae Fest 2011
Graffiti Surfing
Two Lucky Dragons Mural in Santa Barbara
Nat King Cole/Re:Generations Mural at Capitol Records Building
Panel Truck Painting for Verizon Commercial
Mural at Pomona Pitzer College
A "How To" Mural Done in the O.C.
Behind the Black Mask Painting
L.A. City Hall
Sunshsine #1
Sunshine #2
Sunshine #3
Sunshine #4
Mural for Flos Angeles
Sunny Rooftop Day
Thrown Up
Man One on TV + Commercials:
Man One for Microsoft Commercials "I'm a PC...and This Is My Office" (0:23 sec.)
Man One for Microsoft Commercials "I'm a PC...and I Challenge the Law" (0:19 sec.)
Man One for Target/Black Eyed Peas (0:03, 0:10, etc.)
Man One for Verizon "Rule the Air" Commercials (0:06 sec.)
Man One in Ford Flex Commercial (0:38 sec.)
Short Docs + Vids on Man One:
Man One Paints Canvas on Winston Street and the Politics of Art
Man One Paints Mural for Washington Post and Talks About Crewest Gallery Opening in DTLA
Art Of the Campaign (Man One, Kofie, Shepard Fairey, Favianna Rodriguez, John Carr, + others)
Custom Artmaking:
Man One x Vinylmation Toy
Man One x Pioneer CDJ 2000
Man One x Pioneer CDJ 2000
Speaker Box Painting
Projects:
Nat King Cole and the "Re:Generations" Album for Capitol Records
LIVE PAINTING AT FUNKAPALOOZA
My art band UNIFICATION THEORY (myself, Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca, and Overton Loyd) painted LIVE on stage with headliners George Clinton and PFUNK at the FUNKAPALOOZA Concert at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, CA last Friday nite 3/23/12.
As usual we created live, spontaneous, mash up works of art with markers, spray cans, and inks. The pieces are created to the music as its being performed and its what moves us.
Then of course we gave away the pieces to lucky fans that were in attendance at the sold out show.
I never thought giving away the art during the concert would stir up such a crazy frenzy that literally had security holding people back from jumping on stage to get their hands on some art!
Sir Nose in the house!
Thanks to Overton and George Clinton for letting us do this again!
Special shout out to the homie Baz for clicking away on my iPhone to get all these action pics!
Was a great nite of art and FUNK!
Check out our UNIFICATION THEORY blog on WAXPOETICS JAPAN'S site
Available art from past events thru Crewest Gallery.
Past UNIFICATION THEORY gigs and events on our Flickr Page
For bookings contact:
info@crewest.com
Slideshow with more pics of the nite: