Street art
July 26, 2007
Italian artist Filippo Minelli recently visited Cambodia, doing what is these days known as “street art” or “gorilla art.” As Minelli says on his web site, his work is dedicated to “communication and perturbating-actions.” He has titled his quartet of Phnom Penh works “Four contraddictions.” And that they most certainly are.
Minelli’s work consists solely of spray-painting the names of popular Internet services onto the sides of Phnom Penh homes and buildings.
What exactly is communicated by “YOUTUBE” painted in 3-foot-high letters across the side of someone’s house isn’t immediately obvious. Anyone likely to see Minelli’s art is unlikely to be in tune with the latest online video-sharing service to take the world by tempest. Home to the glorious 12th-century temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia is also the proud owner of an Internet system of similar antiquity.
The other three contradictions — MySpace, Flickr and Second Life — may have more traction. But only just. Internet penetration in Cambodia is among the lowest in the world, and Minelli’s installation seems just as likely to encourage the art of graffiti as it is to communicate or perturb.
July 27, 2007 at 1:13 pm
[...] Cambodia, spray-painting has been used by Italian artist Filippo Minelli to showcase his creative street art. From MySpace to YoutTube to Flickr to SecondLife, I’m surprised that there is no Facebook [...]
July 27, 2007 at 11:08 pm
i can’t uinderstand if you like or not…i do
July 28, 2007 at 6:01 pm
It does nothing for me. As a political statement, it’s hardly revolutionary, as grafitti, I’ve seen much better. Calling it art seems like a giant stretch. But maybe I underestimate Minelli’s ability to provoke conversation. I’d be interested to read a story about how the people living on those streets reacted. What do they think? What conversations, if any, did they have?
July 28, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Because the locals in all likelihood cannot decipher the meaning of the words themselves, the intent of the “art” is meant for us; viewers from the outside who do know these words/services (and the two new ones, “fashion” and “glamour”).
The juxtaposition is meant to highlight the contrast in cultures.
Debating whether it is art or not is pointless. Debating whether Cambodia needs better communication infrastructure is what is relevant and necessary (and hinted at by the works.)
July 30, 2007 at 8:28 am
Interesting points, Boris. Although I don’t think there is any debate about “whether Cambodia needs better communication infrastructure.”
Further, I can’t help but question that by assuming that Cambodia and Cambodians want or need services likes youtube and flickr, Minelli’s paintings are not just so much more Western cultural arrogance.
That said, I am happy that Minelli has made these (and other) paintings, even if I don’t entirely get them, or his art.
August 8, 2007 at 10:50 pm
This is an excellent example of how blogs are like conversations! I am coming to Cambodia at the end of the month for the Cambodia Bloggers Summit. Will you be attending?
I can see your point about his paintings being seen as Western arrogance. But, I think that some of these Web2.0 tools are great ways for some Cambodians to connect with people in the world and share some stories about Cambodia that wouldn’t otherwise be heard.
I hope that didn’t come across as Western arrogance as I didn’t intend it that.
August 10, 2007 at 11:42 am
Beth, no doubt these services are useful to some. The difference, I suppose, is choice. Outsiders deciding for Cambodians what is best for Cambodians always seems dubious.