Mission Mission

What do a Bialetti moka pot, a pink airplane, a Polaroid camera, an acoustic guitar, a striped suit with an umbrella, an unidentified creepy face, and a cactus all have in common? Well, they’re all part of this collection of sidewalk stencils in front of Radio Habana Social Club.

For a second, I thought it was another jab at hipsters, but I couldn’t quite figure out that striped ensemble (or that face). If anyone can decode this esoteric collection of things, let me know. I sure am fond of that moka pot, though.

And here’s another shot of that pretty little Telegraph Hill parrot stencil, just a few sidewalk squares away.

[via Scissor Fight]

First it was Occu∏, then it was a tubular rainbow guy, then Occu∏ went over the rainbow guy, then it became a new tubular guy with rainbow pants, and now this.

The mural space on Bryant at 24th Street has changed again. Most likely as a reaction to somebody tagging over it.

Reader Rob sends in the above picture and says:

Stoned, Occupy-targeted caterpillar has morphed into a stripey-panted, kowtowing, piece of poo/penis. Never a dull moment around here.

Commenter Dolissa says that as a public art wall the space is already reclaimed from advertisers who used it as a vehicle for unwelcome messages:

In the 1970s Latino artists and activists took over a billboard with tobacco and alcohol ads because they felt it was harmful to the community. The took over the space and used it to create art.

So now we have this thing. Soon to be replaced/defaced by something else. Hopefully this is respected long enough for people to appreciate it. Hopefully the next thing adds value to what’s there now, but since that’s completely subjective there’s just no way everyone can be satisfied. I guess the best we can hope for is that anyone can get in their piece at some time and that everyone gets a chance to appreciate at least one incarnation in the rotation. Free, open and public space is valuable to our neighborhood (especially if you consider that an alternative might just be another corporate billboard), and it can be anything you want it to be, but you will inevitably be forced to compromise what you want to make room for what someone else wants. And no amount of challenging a participant’s aesthetic or motives will change that.

UPDATE: In the comments, Matthew points us to the history of the Digital Mural Project on this wall.

Seems to be working!

First this space was Occu∏’s, then a new mural went up over it, and now Occu∏ is back.

“Occupy, you’re really starting to piss me off,” says Reader Rob T., who sent us this pic, “We get the point but quit wrecking cool stuff!” Which raises the question: Does Occu∏ have anything to do with Occupy, or is this just another culture jam?

3-1-1 is a joke!

[via Meesha]

Because if it is, not cool. (Or I guess it could be our pal KKR? Anyone?) Props on the height though.

[via Meesha]