Urban Art Association

Looks a good mix alright!!

I live in Vegas. Cant wait for this

For sure I will be 3 for 3 on attendance, I just want to try to get out a few nights before to see if I can check out the artists in action.

One of coolest videos I've seen to anounce a line-up! Only primavera sound makes something as cool as that

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you on this point.

Perhaps our differences in views are down to a cultural divide, our respective reference points.

In the UK, one of most egregious crimes you can commit is to come across as if you're trying too hard (as distinct from trying hard). It's the reason why Victoria Beckham was derided for so many years by the Brits. She has only recently started to earn some people's respect, with age, a greater serenity and her clothing line. Compare that to someone like Kate Moss, whose style appears both natural and effortless, and who has pretty much always been warmly embraced by the public.

This Life is Beautiful promo video is to me the work of a try-hard, or of too many chefs. All I can see is naffness: over-polished, overproduced contrivance, with as many gimmicky camera techniques as possible shoehorned in. It feels rather desperate – desperation being the antithesis of cool.

That said, it's always both a pleasure and challenging to hear opinions so diametrically opposed to my own.

To each of your points:

1) Yes, there is a very real cultural divide that likely explains some of the disconnect.

2) The event comprises a music festival, culinary festival, learning series AND an art show that will encompass 11 city blocks and most of downtown Las Vegas, so from a literal perspective I think the promo is spot on in conveying the size, scope and energy of the experience.  I don't view this as "trying too hard" so much as trying to do it big and bold in order to create some excitement around the music lineup (since most attendees will likely be there to enjoy the music and not specifically just for the art).  To my mind a better example of "trying too hard" would be attempting to compare Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss in twisted metaphor that in no way explains the reasons behind your thinly-veiled and oddly deep seeded contempt for this particular show. 

3) This is Vegas.  Those with a strong distaste for things that are aesthetically pleasing yet coming across as superficial, glossy, gimmicky or contrived would be well advised to avoid having anything to do with the city whatsoever.  On the other hand, given the nature of the venue, it is conceivable that any such perceived contrivance may actually be purposeful on the part of the artist and that you are missing the point entirely.  Although your psyche is clearly more evolved and thus able to quickly determine what is cool and what is desperation - desperation being the antithesis of cool - I fear that if you try to understand what goes on in the desert it may result in bouts of paranoid and self doubt, which of course will lead to desperation and ultimately, not without some degree of irony, the fate of forever being labeled as uncool.

4) I agree with part of your last comment in that much of the art in this particular video seems disjointed as a result of having "too many chefs" in the kitchen.  My guess is that this is because most of the work was performed by a collective of local artists from Las Vegas, as opposed to the actual headliners that will be attending the festival.  I would also venture to guess that the collective artwork of 1010, Borondo, D*Face, ROA and several others will quite a bit better than this promo video.

So I have seen posts, the artists are arriving and starting, now I received an email stating there will be a Banksy installation. What this means I have no idea but they have added him to the website!!!


lifeisbeautiful.com/artists/banksy/


From the email:

"EXPERIENCE LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
Life is Beautiful will transform the streets of Downtown Las Vegas with over 80 musical acts including Stevie Wonder, Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar and many more. Don't miss out on culinary demonstrations and a nationally recognized learning series featuring Bill Nye and Rosario Dawson. The magical festival village spreads across 18 square city blocks filled with world-class street art including a very special BANKSY installation.

Place your order by Saturday 9/19 for wristband delivery to avoid the lines. Don't miss out on the best music, art, food and learning Downtown Las Vegas has to offer."

That is what I am still trying to figure out, if it means that they are bringing in a gallery type show of older pieces, if it is a recreation of a past installation Banksy created , or if it really is something new and unique.

There is no mention of this installation at the link posted above.  Any other news on what this is all about?

It doesn't look like they could get them to stop the name, but they have changed the logo from the heart shape. 

Strange...