OUR L.A. NELSON MANDELA TRIBUTE POSTERING BIG ADVENTURE: Featuring a nutty night of “WALKING” & “DANCING” at Canter’s Deli with 200 of our favorite guerrilla volunteers, and a “courtesy call” from LAPD!
First and foremost, thanks so much to all of you who came out on Friday, December 6th, to honor Nelson Mandela the night after his passing! Deb & I were quite overwhelmed by the massive turnout. Over 200 people memorialized the moment and celebrated Mandela’s life by going out plastering the streets of L.A. with two new Mandela posters, WALKING and DANCING. It was a beautiful moment in history, and we were happy to play a small part in it with all of you.
We were also witness to a crazy–even historic–turn of events that evening. In the 27 years I’ve been doing this (MEN WITH NO LIPS, Sept. 1986, was the first street poster we put up in L.A.), it’s the very first time the LAPD has decided to join the party at Canter’s, even before we hit the streets! And it was definitely the first time the LAPD has been quite so polite to me. Seems as if they’d finally read the “Guerrilla Etiquette & Postering Techniques” pages on my website and were following our rules by the book, so to speak.
Briefly, for those of you who weren’t there, and for all of you who were, but maybe couldn’t catch my conversation with Peace Officer Guerra, (who, by the way, is an excellent representative of Chief Charlie Beck’s new policing culture), and his two fellow officers. For a fantasizing moment, think of Officer Guerra as perhaps he might occasionally think of himself: as THOR the superhero, wielding his new weapon of choice—a “velvet hammer.” Taking the form of a polite, sotto voce threat, couched in concern for “the welfare of our citizenry,” he gently reminded me that postering on public property w/out a permit and on any private property w/out the owner’s permission is illegal. He also informed me that, “We’ve become aware of your project through the internet.” YIKES! We all might be wise to take a moment and process that one. However enthusiastic, let’s certainly make note of LAPD’s new awareness of our social network announcements of future art attacks, .
Officer Guerra continued, “We have extra units watching out for you all tonight,” And…wait for it. Here comes the red velvet cupcake in the palm of the velvet glove that wielded the velvet hammer: “Then there’s vandalism, you know. Willful destruction of city property is a serious offense.” As over 200 silent, respectful, guerrilla volunteers leaned in to hear better, he then casually mentioned municipal code violations, subject to a mandatory appearance before a municipal judge 30 days after the day/night of enforcement, and a possible fine of @ $250, equivalent to a traffic ticket these days. Talk about a chill factor! You could feel the temperature drop in the room!
Officer Guerra finished up his soliloquy with an imprecation to “be safe out there in this holiday season,” and, “please do not cause our citizenry any unnecessary trouble, nor get into any ourselves”. Good advice, which we can all certainly appreciate. So, basically, it was a courtesy call. Very well done. To tell you the truth, all this was refreshingly different from Chief Daryl Gates’ 1990’s policing culture: a 24-7 lightning-bolts-of-fear-and-intimidation onslaught! Over the years I’ve had too many go-rounds w/Chief Gates in the media, and his officers on the mean streets. Even though I’d much rather see our officers in blue out tackling bigger issues than littering, I’ll take LAPD’s new style over the old any day.
So, all those bright red and blue flashing lights in Canter’s parking lot were just LAPD’s contribution to the festive atmosphere of our Mandela postering tribute. Despite their potentially chilling presence at the deli that night, even they couldn’t quash the irrepressible spirit of joy and revelry everyone brought to the occasion. More than 800 posters, several dozen buckets of wheat paste, and as many brushes were distributed in less than 5 minutes to an excited crowd waiting in the parking lot. And as far as we know, no one was arrested nor even stopped, while putting up Mandela’s WALKING and DANCING posters that night! Even more amazing? Most of those 800 posters are still up on construction sites and traffic light switching boxes all over the city today, more than one month later! That’s a significant sign of respect in this crazy L.A. street culture, all due, I’m sure, to the incredible impact Mandela’s life–and death–have had upon us.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the Mandela posters and the event—getting together with all of you is always my favorite part of this whole public art making magilla! To that end, we’ll soon be launching a fundraising campaign through Indiegogo, with our collaborators from artaidsart.org. Our intent is to raise enough funds to print and distribute even more Mandela tribute posters across the country, and beyond. We’ve already sent 5,000 to be handed out for free in Capetown, South Africa. But we’d love to send them to cities around the US, and the world, or wherever they’re wanted or needed. When you get the Indiegogo email, please donate whatever feels comfortable. In return you’ll receive Mandela WALKING or DANCING stickers, signed posters, or limited edition prints, plus the knowledge that you’ve helped send Mandela posters as many places as they can possibly go!
Thanks again for all your good work and tremendous support. And Happy 2014!
~ Robbie Conal & Deb Ross
L.A. Mandela postering, December 6th 2013.
January 6, 2014 at 10:58 am | Latest News, Robbie's Rants | No comment
GETTING READY TO PRINT A NEW POSTER!
Check back for regular updates on printing, postering, and other events associated with the latest poster:
MANDELA/WALKING
November 14, 2013 at 4:14 am | Latest News, Robbie's Rants | No comment
OMMMIGAWD! IT’S 2013! HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ART ATTACK!
In our hopes for an auspicious 2013, we are introducing Robbie’s new, limited-edition print, “OMMMMIGAWD!”, which is inspired in part by his love of drawing animals, as well as his keen interest and fascination with cross-cultural humor and word-play.
Yes! We are celebrating Ganesh, the lovely Hindu god with the face of an elephant, who is usually accompanied by (or, metaphorically, “riding”) a mouse. In this case, Ganesh is holding a couple of well known mice, “couple” being the operative word: Mr. and Mrs. Mouse!
Being the “go to” remover of obstacles to personal happiness, Ganesh is far and away the most popular household deity of the many Hindu gods in India and beyond. We love him too, for his wisdom, charm, and especially as the bringer of good fortune at the start of new ventures. In Robbie’s incarnation—in the pink—he is also the guarantor, even the arbiter when necessary, of domestic bliss! Ganesh has got us chanting, OMMMMIGAWD! (And namaste too…)
“OMMMMIGAWD!” (Inkjet edition of 40; full color; 15″Hx11″W; $ 75 + Tax & Shipping), in the new “Store” section of the website…
Speaking of which, we also want to welcome to our newly redesigned website (by the brilliant designers at RAGTAG DESIGN)! We have all new sections on Guerrilla Postering Etiquette, interviews with Robbie, an FAQ, and videos for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to browse, and give us your feedback on FB or Twitter.
And through-out the year, we’ll be introducing several new limited-edition prints at very affordable prices, so please come back often and collect them all!
Bunnyhugs from Robbie Conal and the Art Attack Team!
January 12, 2013 at 2:59 am | Latest News, Robbie's Rants | 1 comment
WHAT MITTBUBBLE REALLY MEANS BY “VICTIM”
We all know by now that the MITTBUBBLE doesn’t mean what he says. Not in public, anyway. But, in part because of the recently leaked iPhone video of Mr. Romney’s speech to a coven of his highest donors in Florida,* I’ve just realized that when he does mean what he says, he STILL doesn’t say what he means.
So, there he was, the MITTBUBBLE at the lectern—PREACHING. We saw him—kind of—going on and on about his great insight into tactical electoral politics: that 47% of registered voters in the U.S. are “untouchables.” (In the orthodox Hindu religion’s meaning of the word. Not Eliot Ness’ legendary team of Prohibition enforcers.) Those people will never change—not in this lifetime (which, by the way, ends in 46 days). Oh, and, of course, they consider themselves to be “victims.” Of “the system” (I presume). Therefore, they think they’re “entitled” to be supported by the federal government.
That’s pretty much my synopsis, however snarky, of what the MITTBUBBLE said to his big-time, MORMONEY peeps—in private–more or less. And he said it, more or less, more than once. Probably just to be perfectly clear. Or, if you prefer, the MITTBUBBLE needed to hear himself say it again and again, to assure himself that it just might be enough to qualify him as a person who has an actual thought.
I now understand that the MITTBUBBLE is conceptually dyslexic. Let me take a stab at a rough translation of his lingo, what I call, “MITTWIT”:
Mr. Romney meant that THE RICHEST PEOPLE in America—his true constituency—ARE THE REAL VICTIMS of “the system.” They’re the ones who are “entitled” to be supported by the federal government. It should lower their taxes, give their corporations huge tax breaks, etc. After all, they’re the ones who make all the money, aren’t they? They’re the ones who end up paying THE MOST personal income taxes. They’re the one’s handing out new jobs to the “untouchables.” And if you add in the percentage they pay towards their employees’ withholding taxes, well… They’re also the ones paying the MOST money to shore up their employees’ (and everyone else’s) social security benefits!
For all of this altruistic service to their country, indeed, to the health and welfare of the American Economy, what do the richest people in America end up getting? PUNISHED, that’s what! In fact, they’re in mortal danger of getting their taxes raised by a democratic President!
THE HORROR! THE HORROR!
So that’s what MITTBUBBLE really means by “victim.” He means himself.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that 1 out of every 4 children under 6 years old in the USA is living at or below the poverty line? Yes: right here, right now! The MITTBUBBLE has given up on them as well. Ahh, that’s understandable. They won’t be voting for him anyway.
~ Robbie Conal
*Another little thing I learned from that iPhone video: Florida still hasn’t formally withdrawn from membership in the federal union. Who knew?
September 22, 2012 at 2:50 am | Latest News, Robbie's Rants | No comment
“CRAZY IS THE NEW SANE” *
Over my (many) years I’ve gleaned a few words to live by. Just a couple of sentences, not mine, but helpful to me:
- “Everything is political.” Attributed to Leon Trotsky. He’ll do, but I’m sure many people have said it.
- “The medium is the message.” Marshall McLuhan.
But since the Republican Convention, it seems I need to come to terms with a line my friend, *Paul Slansky, dropped on me the other day at lunch: “CRAZY IS THE NEW SANE.”
I’m sure Paul wasn’t just thinking of the Republican party, let’s just say it inspired the thought. The Republican national convention absolutely flaunted Mitt Romney’s lack of thought about the real politik of governing anything (notwithstanding his ungovernable lust for world domination and “MORMONEY.” ) Then they turned their mad little suburban dog, Paul Ryan, loose on us and the Federal Budget. Yes, the very cheese dog who’s spent just about his whole life tethered in the front yard, barking at strangers from behind a pretty white picket fence. I’m not even going to mention Clint Eastwood’s wacko vaudeville routine with an empty chair.
If we peel away the rhetoric, the bluster and the buffoonery, these ideologues (that’s a euphemism) seem to have only two–“no exceptions”–prescriptions for the governance of our country, in addition to and absolutely in the same spirit as “no abortions”—their not so hidden, yet so far unspoken agenda:
- Never ever again allow an African American to become president of their United States.
Which reminds me of something my wife, Deborah Ross, said that spun my head around, “Things will only get better when the US government apologizes for slavery.” Not better yet.
1a. Ditto for a woman president. (see: Hillary Rodham Clinton).
2. The Federal government exists primarily to make sure wealthy US corporations and large financial institutions have the leeway to do anything they deem necessary to maintain their profit margins, no matter its devastating affect on the health, education and the personal welfare of the large majority of American workers.
Which, sadly, reactivates an apt line from “Working Class,” a tune by Pete Anderson:
“They used to call us working class,
We’re just not working anymore.”
September 5, 2012 at 7:56 pm | Robbie's Rants | No comment
SO YOU LIKE EVERY KIND OF MUSIC BUT…
And now for a word (or 2) about AMERICAN COUNTRY & WESTERN MUSIC. For some reason, this year, when chatting back and forth about favorite kinds of music—a delightful subject, no doubt—I’ve been a part of a few too many conversations that go something like this: Everyone is pretty much agreeing that we like lots of different kinds of music from all around the world. Then somebody inevitably says—with a totally straight face, “Yeah, my taste is really eclectic; I like every kind of music . . . except Country & Western!”
I’m thinking: what is WRONG with you? Maybe you just haven’t taken the time to really LISTEN to a great country artist like George Jones (or, if you prefer, Merle Haggard) singing Liz Anderson’s wry classic, “(From Now On) All My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers.” Are you into lyrics? You know, like, Bob Dylan’s? (Yeah, who isn’t?) Well, dig this line:
“From now on all my friends are gonna be strangers
I’m all through ever trusting anyone.
The only thing I can count on now is my fingers…”
And how about that goose-bumps-inducing guitar line, the top end fiddle, the voice and plaintive phrasing of “The Possum”?! C’mon now. “Somebody did somebody wrong songs” ROCK! They’re indigenous American colloquial poetry. And that’s a mouthful, son. So…GET OVER IT! Here, have a listen: George Jones: (From Now On) All My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/g/george_jones/#share
August 22, 2012 at 1:23 am | Robbie's Rants | No comment
THE MITTBUBBLE
Regarding that empty thought bubble floating above Mitt’s head. It isn’t that Mitt doesn’t have any thoughts. He just isn’t thinking about us. Mitt has millions, (possibly billions) stashed in offshore, non-taxable bank accounts. So, of course, Mitt’s first thought is that giving massive tax breaks to the wealthiest people, and corporations in the US is the way to kick start the US economy. (The US government has been doing that for decades. How’s it worked out for us so far?) Mitt is also very concerned about health, education and welfare. THEIRS.
I guess I had just been holding my fire until I saw the whites of their eyes. OK, I can see a pair of white eyes right now. Mitt Romney’s. And speaking of white, isn’t Mitt the whitest Presidential candidate you’ve ever seen in your life? If he is nothing else, make no mistake about it: Mitt is THE WHITE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
Not that it’s a bad thing. I’m just thinking of the other guy: The half-white candidate. So many of my political friends are disappointed in Obama. Honestly, what were they thinking? That he isn’t a politician? That he was channeling their political agenda when–way back in the day–he became editor in chief of the Harvard Law Review, and he appointed 3 conservative classmates to the board to keep it “balanced”? Hmmm, that couldn’t have been a foreshadowing of his true political M.O. No, of course not!
There was a moment when President Obama had the CEO’s of the major financial institutions in America (BIG BANKS) out behind the woodshed, shaking in their boots. He COULD HAVE laid a 2×4 on their collective greedy butts, even spanked them all the way back to the regulations of the Roosevelt Administration. President Obama even had the power to sit all 6′ 8″ of Paul Volcker right on top of them to keep them where they belonged. In the banking business, not running gambling casinos.
He didn’t do it! (Not in his character.) But even so, he’s still a way better representative of 99% of the people in the US than all the Republicans in so-called elected office—combined!
As for OBAMACARE, MEDICARE and who really cares about the health of non-uber-wealthy citizens of this great country of ours: The other day, while I was co-paying $9 for my fistful of geriatric meds, my local “mom & pop” pharmacist, Bob, asked me a great question: “When in the whole history of the US, have Americans ever wanted to be older than they are, (and are literally counting the days until they turn 65), so they can qualify for MEDICARE?”
The answer: “NOW!”
And why would they do that? BECAUSE MEDICARE ACTUALLY WORKS! Not to mention that all other health care “providers,” make their “client-members”—that would be us—pay them monthly, in advance, whether or not we ever make use of their “services.” Essentially forcing regular American citizens to bet against our own health for as long as we live. I’m sorry—that’s OBSCENE! (Actually, it’s criminal.)
Ahhhh, this is just my opinion…
August 20, 2012 at 12:17 am | Robbie's Rants | No comment
