Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 3. Poster

Theme: The art of the accidental collage

As I was walking in the streets of Athens near the area of Exarcheia, a wonderful idea came to my mind just by looking the layers upon layers of half torn posters on the walls. I suddenly realised that I could photograph interesting accidental collages from the different overlapping and torn posters already posted on the walls.

But of course I soon found out, to my disappointment, that the idea was far from original having been first thought of by André Breton’s Surrealist group in the 1930s. I later on looked in the net and discovered a very interesting article written by Rick Poynor in the internet Eye Magazine from 2001 called "Surface Wreckage". Here is an extract from this article:

" ... The idea that mangled street posters might be physically appropriated for artistic purposes is attributed to Léo Malet, a French poet, who was briefly a member of André Breton’s Surrealist group. In the mid-1930s, observing the processes by which pristine printed images were transformed, Malet proposed a new form of Surrealist street poetry shaped by chance. “Soon,” he wrote, “collage will be executed without scissors, without a razor, without paste . . . Abandoning the artist’s table and his pasteboard, it will take its place on the walls of the city, the unlimited field of poetic realisations.” Commercial artists would supply the raw materials and passing pedestrians, aided by wind and rain, would intervene to unlock new meanings never intended by the designers, as fragments of earlier images, hidden below the top poster, were once again exposed to view... "

Anyway, for what it's worth, here is my attempt at the art of the accidental collage...

The above mentioned article can be found here:

http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature.php?id=17&fid=122

Transient Art On the Walls Of Athens: 3. Poster

The variety of layers upon layers of posters posted in the area of Exarcheia is impressive. With themes that cover serious issues such as immigration, corrupt politicians, statements of political intent and revolution, resistance to police and state brutality in all its forms and the isolating effect of modern society, they often use a humorous way to captivate the passer-by and pass the message quickly and effectively. Here are a few interesting examples:

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 3. Poster

Theme: Electrocution

Using the poster technique, here is an artist who values electricity above all else... Using jump leads these characters share a fair dose of highlighter electrocution. The one looks like an angel already communicating his divine inspiration to a friend. Sharing is what friendship is all about after all... Maybe we should ask Gary Newman the question... "Are friends electric?"

Listen to:
"Are friends Electric?" by Gary Numan & Tubeway Army

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 1.Graffiti

Theme: Modernist painting

It's a tiny taverna in the backstreets of Exarcheia. It has just two tables. But one of the tables is reserved. A gentleman who always brings his own bottle of wine can be found sitting there. His red wine is strong and it goes quickly to the head. Halfway through the bottle and the gentleman has lost all sense of time. The first doubts creep into his mind and he wonders if everything around him is real. Well, the table looks real and the tablecloth and the chairs...



But then when he looks at his hands they seem a bit flat. In fact his whole body now looks two dimensional. And the colors are a bit blunt and the contour is strange, especially when he feels his head. He tries to talk... the lips open but no sound can be heard. He manages to grab the bottle just before everything freezes. And the table is still there, with the chairs and the tablecloth. Untouched. Waiting for the next customer...

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 3. Poster

Theme: Renaissance

This artist uses the technique of first drawing and painting on paper, then cutting and posting the result on the wall. The weary expression on this face and the strange use of color make for a wonderfull portrait reminiscent of a renaissance that is turning to decadence in a blink of an eye...

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 1.Graffiti

Theme: The Line Motif 2



This seems to be the same artist featured in this blog in a previous entry. The winding, spiral tracing of the line is similar and the themes again have to do with the sea but this time they are in their majority black and white. The sea, pirates, boats, couples and women with flowing hair are the main themes of this artist.













The following graffiti was found on a rusty metal door of an abandoned old house in Athens in the area of Exarcheia. The rusty brown of the metal sheet contrasted perfectly with the black and white design and provided a wonderful canvas for a unique piece of art with references to Picasso and the comic book world all in one.



Photographed by Douglas in Athens, August 2010.

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 1.Graffiti

Theme: The Monsters of Athens

This monster is found hiding in dark corners on the walls of Athens behind old graffiti and crumbling bricks. As soon as it is discovered, it shows its teeth and growls ... Argh ... It also changes colors. But famous monsterologists have argued that in fact there exist different species of this kind of monster. The red one in parallel streets, the grey in vertical and the green one in the city squares. One thing is clear... it has sharp teeth and it is slowly getting extinct.

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 1.Graffiti

Theme: Every window tells a story

Windows of abandoned, derelict houses in the center of Athens. In their former life these windows belonged to houses, where real people lived, loved, cried and laughed. Now the windows are built in. Now there is silence. A continuation of the wall. A continuation of lifeless grey. Nobody lives here since almost a century. But suddenly... watch carefully, there is a strange commotion at the windows. Life has returned with all its complications and passions thanks to art.

Transient Art On The Walls Of Athens: 1.Graffiti

Theme: Death and Freedom

A Skeleton with a Horse. Or rather Death and the Horse. Death and Freedom. A beautiful work that captures your imagination as you walk by. A composition which could very well have the signature of E. Munch and find its way in a museum. But it's not from Munch and you don't have to pay a ticket to enjoy this work of art. It's free, somewhere, on the walls of Athens...

"Le Cheval Blême" de David B.

In the darkness, David B.'s nightmares come galloping from the subconscious. In comic book form he manages to recall all the strange places that the pale horse has taken him through. The black and white elliptical splendor of strange sequences and phenomena where everything is possible. Innocense, guilt and imagination, horror and the abstraction of the familiar lead to absurd situations which could nevertheless also be contained in a short story form.



So if a clown asks you to help him find his way out of a labyrinth or one day you suddenly feel your nose grow long then it might also be time to help Mr Death find a real job...