OBEY GIANT...

Jeeze, it's already been more than a week...I'm now battling the Korean sludge flu...broke down and got TV hooked up - it's only 27 bucks a month...been through my first alert here in Korea...now the acting NCOIC (HMFIC(theBossGuy))...pulled CQ(24hr duty)...worked late...came in early...Josh left for Iraq (that's "The Josh" in the links)...Angela's is about to head to the desert...Ian lost ANOTHER game in Fantasy Football (that's The Ian" in the links)...I have now won TWO in a row HA! GO ILLs...My bro's in Jail...dad moved again...oh and I got this book called "Post no Bills" which in terms I’m familiar with basically means don't "front"(fake, act) basically keep it real - stay true to you...I've always tried to stand by that...anyway this book is by a guy name Shepard Fairley who runs around with his crew putting stickers and pictures, billboards and graffiti art of - yes you guessed it - Andre the Giant(it's actually a very interesting project called Obey Giant) check it: THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE -
"context is crucial to the Obey Giant project, most importantly that it exists in the public space competing with the signage and advertising... To encourage dialogue, not anarchy or the reckless vandalism of property, is the goal of Obey Giant... The project is designed to make the viewer curious about the images and how they relate to their surroundings, therefore bringing the surroundings into question as well. An important factor in this process is the application of the materials, also known as the "the medium is the message" principle. The fact that the images are placed in public without permission brings control of the public space into question. That the person responsible for the images was passionate enough about their perpetuation to take the associated risks, compels the viewer to question their role in the environment. The confrontational nature of the work on the street as well as the slogans "Obey" encourage an honest and unpredictable reaction difficult to achieve in the academic or gallery setting where viewers often affect an immunity to devices used to seduce "the bewildered herd." This brings up the issue of the politics of art and the gallery curator. Obey Giant completely bypasses this system and avoids the need to cater to art world trends to find a forum for exposure. Obey Giant attempts simultaneously bring the viewer to question propaganda absorption and to encourage a democratization of the use of public space in a spectator democracy."
(snap snap snap snap)
Now I've never been to any class that deals with psychology or the principle of the medium is the message, but flipping through the creative pages of this artistic display leaves me with this: these images leave people saying "what the fuck." Normally a "bad" thing I think that is the intended reaction. What is this doing there? What does that mean? What the Fuck? Exactly...go a bit deeper and you should be looking at every piece of nonsense on a billboard, wall of a building or poster in a subway and thinking the same things...and if nothing else the purpose is a beautiful and oft less used one - Getting people to actually think about the things around them - as apposed to just inhaling the neverending jibberish that surounds us each and every day... but that's just me...
...golly gee - what a difference a week makes huh...shizzle...And for a lack of complete motivation to write anything creative I leave you with an interlude off of Clinton Sparks'(he's white like me) album...there's definitely something to be said for a guy with a bit of humility..."I won't stop until you're playin' a video game that I'm in, while drinkin' a drink that I developed...while wearing a sneaker that I designed @ the same time listening to a record that I produced - on a radio station that I bought - soon to be released on an album that I'm droppin' - off a record label I run - that you purchased off an online music store that I own...

And there you have it...