Urban Art Association

The dismaland effect

I'm afraid i agree somewhat.....but think it's also indicative of the times. Street art has become a pastiche, mainstream and diluted. However things always go full circle so fear not. A new champion will arise!....keep the faith.

Very good, your funnier than i thought you were

Too many people seem to be focused predominantly on the "investment" (read: speculative) aspects of collecting.  I'm not saying it shouldn't be considered to some degree, but for some, it appears to be the sole motivation in making purchasing decisions. 

It's all about becoming a forum guardian and then hyping your recent purchases, which just so happen to be for sale on Ebay for three times the original cost.

I guess the cull of many many passionate and knowledgeable members several months ago probably put paid to how the forum 'used to be'

that amount of knowledge taken out was bound to lead to a drop in the quality of the forum depth and information. 

Also I suggested over a year ago keep sales threads in a sales only section and they don't appear in 'recent posts'.. This should hopefully reduce people getting involved in arguments ? As most use 'recent posts' on a daily basis..

Poster Bob. I feel that is a sweeping generalisation and unfair about Guardians. We do our best to inform people about shows, post photos, introduce new artists and try to mediate where needed within the parameters or rules. Feel free to have a Guardian bash -you of course entitled to your opinion. Where this place is concerned more people have found out this is a place to sell or trade apart from ebay. This is the sole reason some not all join. We introduced a 50 post limit to sell in order that people will discuss and help build a community of urban art lovers and I think think this is working slowly but surely.  

I think the vast majority of the FG's do a great job.
I suspect (but don't know for certain) that most members think that too.
I am not ungrateful for your efforts.

Migration of knowledge during guardian gate, and also the fact that the vast proportion of members do only want to chat about the values. Threads get started about shows and street pieces and get very few replies. There's only so many times a member will devote a half hour to uploading photos, only to be met by a luke warm response.

Assuming this is a conversation over a beer...

Most forums I've participated in over the years (art, music and otherwise) tend to go through cycles particularly in an attempt to stay relevant, with the occasional infiltration of trolls that when out of control turn off original members that then get tired of checking out the site.  That Chi-town buffoon an example.

I haven't been on this thread since it's inception, but have been for 4 years or so and have discovered and purchased some great art. Some of the artists mentioned on here are discussed long before they make it to galleries like JLG.

I've also noticed (who hasn't) the crossing over of Urban Art to the mainstream, with artists doing sneakers, liquor bottles, retail promotions and more, which is not unusual as the corporations are always looking for new souls to suck the life out of.

In my opinion the crossing over commercialization of Urban Art on this site has been accelerated by print-making facilities (can't really call them galleries), where the hyping and attempt to get as many benjamins as possible while the scene is hot (artists also, see Ben Eine, Martin Whatson, Sandra Chevrier). 

But then I find myself on a brief holiday walking in Little Havana, Miami today on Calle Ocho and I find on the Goodwill store  Blek Le Rat and Invader works and I smile.

Still some good members but so many gone in the last year...

As a guardian, I have no issues if you call them out when the 'new' members are racking up their 50 post and you spot it.
Or, you can send a guardian a pm in case we have missed it.

Indeed I agree. People do seem to be more interested in how much their banksy is worth or the dull price check, which is replied by someone who has said piece and hypes it, through the price check. Street art threads have effectly changed but this may be due to the instagram trend, as most members on here use it, and its more accessible on a phone. Show threads also seem to dwindle as well, which is a shame as this introduces more people to new artists. Death in Dalston is a case in point new and up and coming artists in this show, yet this thread will fade on the power of banksy's investment threads.