Growing up in Los Angeles and it's environs, I've had a love hate relationship with graffiti. Since I was a teenager, I've traced countless anonymous works with my eyes while sitting in traffic...and have marveled at the colorful dynamic shapes covering grey cement overpasses and grimy freeway walls... secretly admiring the artists' brazenness. I've also cursed their egotistical ignorance for spray painting nonsense on top of trees, rocks, murals and over historical monuments...
When I lived in Brooklyn the highlight of my walks to and from the L train were spotting newly posted wheat-pasted signs and stenciled images that popped up everywhere imaginable. These walks sparked my appreciation for Swoon's paper cut outs, of which I would snap photos of on my trusty Kodak disposable camera.
Flashforward almost 10 years later, I was given the opportunity to take a behind the scenes tour with one of the curators of Art in the Streets at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. I have to say, I was impressed with the collection (I finally lost my Banksy-virginity), but a little disappointed they didn't highlight Los Angeles legend "Chaka"(jaja). Seeing my first Swoon in an actual gallery setting and of course made up for Chaka's absence :)
