He Was Simply A Guy Who Painted Messages In The Street

Don Leicht, Exhibitions, Projects, Public Art, Stencils, Street Art

Welling Court, Astoria, NY 2012

An Ad Hoc Art Project

Photo: © Jeewon Shin 2012

 

The stencil project, He Was Simply A Guy Who Painted Messages In The Street is intended to function on two levels.

Most every artist will do a self-portrait at some point in his or her career. Mine is not a traditional portrait; it is a self-portrait with words. Every individual is unique in the world and has something to contribute no matter how small the thought or message might be. Sometimes, a work on the street is all it might take to help someone else get through a difficult moment: an anxious night, a period of strife or uncertainty in their life. Art on the street is for everyone. It can be funny, soothing, insightful, joyous or reflective. It is an instant of communication meant to cause an immediate reaction on the viewer.

The project also functions a tribute to every unknown individual whoever grafftied, scrawled, scratched, wheat-pasted, stenciled or spray painted without anyone ever knowing the name of the anonymous person. With so much unrest in the world, people tend to stop believing in the most simple and basic truths, ideals and needs. An artist’s knowledge is their trade. Artists are here to visual express and share universal concepts of peace, love, hope, compassion, equality and understanding with the general public.

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