This post followed several others on LinkedIn where I discuss Independent Public Art, sparking an interesting discussion in the comments.
Another artist working in public space I really like is OX from Paris.
Why?
He is a great example of how to interact with public space.
More specifically, the giant billboards that normally scream for your attention or your money.
With his work he comments on the commercialization of public space.
He smartly plays with each location where he places his hand-painted posters.
Most of his posters make sense only on the billboard where they are pasted.
And he forces the existing surroundings to become part of his work.
Once you start to see what he does, you'll want to see more and more.
Besides being a talented artist, I had the pleasure of working with him last April when I curated a solo show with him at Kelderman en van Noort, and I discovered he also has a great personality.
Normally, these billboards are accessible only to those who pay for them.
So the goal is always financial gain.
For OX, it's different.
He spends days in his studio painting his posters, and after he places them on the billboard, they are free for everyone to enjoy.
And he has been doing it for a long time! Already in 1984 he started pasting, and no other than Keith Haring visited his studio!
Of course, unlike the advertising he covers, his work doesn’t result in financial gains.
How do you sell work that is glued to a billboard?
So maybe you ask yourself how he can afford this.
Perhaps you are the answer!
So, if you like what OX is doing, you can support him by buying a print!
If you can't financially support him, maybe you can leave a nice comment to attract other potential buyers.
He sells his work here: https://ox.com.fr/store/
And on his instagram you can enjoy much more of his billboards: @oxpostertime
Edit: An interesting conversation in the comments. I'm curious about your thoughts.
-Do you think artists should respect the paid advertising spaces. (Someone paid for the space OX takes over)
-Or is the artistic 'hijacking' of these spaces justifiable in the name of creative expression?