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As part of Adidas's new spring line of End to End sneakers for Foot Locker, the German shoe manufacturer has created an EndtoEnd Project exhibit in an empty lot on Lafayette and Houston. Adidas had different graffiti artists create designs for shoes in an East London warehouse, so in bringing the finished shoes to the states, Adidas has the artists tagging a replica of a NYC subway car!
Cue for a quote from City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. He told amNew York, "Graffiti has nothing to do with sneakers, so basically it's just another despicable corporation trying to look edgy by promoting a crime in search of profits. [It's] like posting a billboard calling on teens to break the law." A retired police officer also told AMNY that foreigners are mostly the ones tagging subway cars today: "The problem is, New York is like the Holy Grail. It's where the graffiti movement got started."
And now is as good a time as any to recall Judge Jed Rakoff's 2005 ruling allowing Marc Ecko's graffiti party to go on:
"By the same token, presumably, a street performance of 'Hamlet' would be tantamount to encouraging revenge murder... As for a street performance of 'Oedipus Rex,' don't even think about it... The denial of the permit on the stated grounds that the demonstration will 'incite' others to actually paint graffiti on subway cars is a flagrant violation of the First Amendment and cannot stand."[Ecko had received a permit for graffiti artists to tag fake subway cars to coincide with the release of the video game, Getting Up, but the city revoked the permit.]
This morning, there were easily at least 10 cops nearby, but this afternoon, we only saw one. And at any rate, Adidas's subway car is a whole lot more realistic than Ecko's subway car facades. The subway car, with DJs providing music, will be around until 8PM. More pictures, plus bios of the artists, after the jump:
Masters of the Trade Each piece of signature footwear showcases the artists' unique, individual talents and tastes. The graffiti masters include:Skore - For more than 20 years, Skore has been a staple part of the subculture in the U.K., participating in every aspect of the art form. His development of lettering styles combined with technical skill and original flair has kept him a primary influence for many graffiti writers worldwide.
Can2 and Atom - Can2 and Atom juxtapose traditional letterforms and characters with searing colorways and incredible attention to detail. Together, they have influenced a whole generation of modern-day graffiti artists.
Siloette - Based in the U.S., Siloette's illustrative style of character and letter painting has made her one to watch, with an incredible use of color and unique flowing style.
Rime - Known for pushing the limitations of lettering, Rime's pieces are a combination of vivid colors, cartoon-style outlines and bold tags. He is one of the most respected writers in the U.S., and has influenced many others both within and outside of the graffiti world.
Scien - Working alongside his wife Klor, Scien developed the infamous 123 Klan collective in 1992. Well known for crisp outlines and clean detailing, his repertoire now extends beyond graffiti: the 123 Klan is established as one of the finest design and illustration agencies in Europe.
Smart - Combining traditional New York lettering with creative hand styles, Italian-based Smart has quickly become a name to be reckoned with. All of his work has a raw and funky twist to it, utilizing great colorways and inspired detailing.
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All under the watch of the mighty, benevolent crotch.
It's so lame that they have to post that disclaimer note, as if they need to apologize for this. Regardless, cool stunt.
You said it, Cratch!
This is an exactly perfect symbol of what New York has become. 30 year old rebellion and street culture sanitized and turned into salable product for foreigners, complete with disclaimers. Look, Mabel, real "grafeety" artists! We're really in "the big city" now! Where can I get me a pair of those sweatshop-made Adidas sneakers that are so cool? Why, at the local Foot Locker!
Welcome to Mallhattan.
forget the tagging, zoom on up to the billboard, thats what we want to see!!
Manhattan - the urban Disney World. Gag.
I love how people are concerned about pseudo-vandalism while the
mutant giant in the lace panties could step on us and kill us all!!!!
I think this kind of shows how hip-has become kind of "SOLE-less"
haehdfsahdfshasdfahahahhaahhaqhhwafdshashshdd~
How about reporting on the real controversy about Houston Street? Community Board 2 and DOT give up on cyclist and pedestrian safety there.
go to:
www.onnyturf.com
www.times-up.org
CW Nailed it. this makes both NYC and Addidas look lame as hell.
Isn't there graffitti on the Pyramids?
A "controlled, legal environment"? An environment doesn't have to be controlled to be legal, notwithstanding the barricades habit of the NYPD.
Aw, Jen. You promised us you were only going to do one "street art" post for Jake. What a disappointment.
I guess I am the only one who thinks this is pretty cool? Any opportunity for legal graff ought to be welcomed. And I agree, it looks much more realistic than Ecko's.
It doesn't even look that branded.
"Graffiti has nothing to do with sneakers"
Way to make yourself look clueless about urban culture, Mr. City Council.
The real "danger" here ain't the encouragement of graffiti, it's the fact that this damn thing has the entire northside Houston Street sidewalk closed down (the northside entrance to the F) and they tried to tell people to cross six lanes of traffic to the other side of Houston street to get around it. They should have closed down the tiny Crosby st. block next to Adidas vs. endangering the thousands of pedestrians who use that sidewalk every day.
I know - go back to the suburbs. end cranky rant.
#9 - Wrong post, moron, who gives a crap about "cyclists" They should also shut down Critical Mass while they are at it.
Let's see more of the giant billboard!
Lame or not, talk to the artists that agreed to take part in it. Every time a company does something like this and people take issue with it, they act as if the artists were abducted and forced to work the project.
I personally think it's way better than half the stunts out there that companies create which have no relevance to the brand or the culture that they feel has supported them. Of course it's going to seem watered down and whatnot. To each their own, I guess.
The 'Graffiti Movement' actually started in PHILY! This is true, courtesy of the Graffiti exhibit I saw @ Brooklyn Museum a couple of months ago.
I got to meet some of the artists I had been following for years. to bad CW didn't leave his desk at lunch to actually go shake hands with the Old school Graffers that came down. yeah i agree, it's a corporate take over, but one that actually pooled together some real talent.
This is a good example how graffiti looses his dignity. Its not supposed to be legal, and i think writers like can2 and others that joined him with this commercialproject just to make some money are ommercial bitches! They turn graffiti in something "urban" and make it wideopen for the public. Just to make some money..graffiti should be illegal and projects like this must stop! PERIOD!!! Big-up to all the real graffitiwriters out there! Greets from Holland
fuck yalllllllllllllll
If you we're the artists involved, painted for years,put you ass on the line for graff....its hard not to stand up and yes i want to be a part, get paid for all the years of crap you went through to get to this point.
graffiti started in amsterdamn, fukkkin wankees