Urban Art Association

Can't say I've heard of KAN before.

Can't say I like that image either though. I have no desire to have some thug wearing a bandana mid riot staring down at me from the wall.

Attacking works of other artists who have a following here will not win you or Kan any votes.

KAN had a joint show not too long ago, and I thought the work looked great. Suprised there isn't more love for KAN here.

There was a time when the populace of this board were interested in the cultures anti authoritarian "content", its activist based nature and it's rejection of the mores and values of archaic conservative art institutions. That changed dramatically in around 2006/7 due to resale values picking up, UK economy being hammered and people shifting into "survival" mode ala USA culture. Combined with a decade of cuts and job losses, the younger collectors who came into the scene, FR etc came in it solely to profit financially. The art and it's meaning becoming secondary. The ethics and values behind why we supported these artists in the first place, shifted, the board was no longer here to support artists or the culture, but the other way around, artists were shouted down if they produced work that didn't shift instantly on the secondary market for a profit. The recent Jeff Gillete release is a perfect example, not one mention of the art, his ability to paint, his technique, the politics behind it, his history etc etc. So the more insipid, derivative, calculated and abstract start moving to the fore. Something you can make 50 quid on, becomes more important than a much greater piece of work that may not sell out and potentially generate a future profit, however small. KAN being a prime example. The forum is now a small self serving community that operates outside of Street Art culture, it occasionally dips its vulture beak into the world to pick out a flippable print, but otherwise, is becoming more irrelevant by the day ;-) Discuss....

Opportunistic or not.. there are very few "thugs" in relation to the whole. Thousands participated. If you create a culture where you place $1500 sneakers in a window, tell everyone who lives there that they're nobody unless they have them, then decimate the communities by taking away jobs, youth centers, libraries, education programs, integration programs and social support, ultimately their ability to participate in what you're promoting in their communities. Then increase oppressive surveillance and criminally abuse stop and search powers for people of colour. Then at some point, in the not too distant future you should expect a riot.

Perpetuating the state and Tory medias idea of a "thug" as a poor person in a deprived community under attack by the states economic program is... just well.. f**k it , I don't know. No wonder they're angry hey. Pass me the Bandanna !

Well said nuart. At the rate this forum is devolving into a valuation board, Silky might as well rename this place "Will It Flip?" Speaking of the founder of this place, it's not surprising that Silky hardly ever comes around here. Just collects his checks for the advertisements at the top of the page and chuckles about the good ole days when this place actually talked about street art and not just in the 'price check' sense. Quite sad, frankly. I guess uaa is what you make of it,and his lack of presence/participation aside from the money making component, well its no surprise what this place has become. A cespool for the opportunists who only see this genre as a quick buck. I guess this is the UAA we deserve. Now wheres my 50 page thread about the next stik release, i need some heavy, deep street art that will get me the most for my flip.

regarding KAN, i wouldn't say that he is ignored. He has frequent exhibitions in France and he is involved in many projects. As usual, we should remember that artists can be successful without any notice in this forum, especially if they are not from uk/us.
Ron english print is not sold out neither but i am sure he is not especially worried about his future carreer because of that... Same for Sowat, his print is still available but he is selling canvas for thousands and selected for the Villa medicis residence this year...

This forum started from the old ebay forum. Not sure where this moral highground from some members about not selling art came from. Most of the 'original' members with 'knowledge' (bs) were residing on this ebay forum talking about the prices of banksy prints.

The dominant interests of the OEF and this culture in general were street art, activism, graffiti, collecting, profit. In that order, and had been since the turn of the century. The OEF migrated here after ebay changed the user interface of their forums. Silky built this forum using the content and knowledge of the other. It was a forum visited by Banksy and members of his inner circle amongst many others including Bast, Faile, Swoon etc etc. The majority of members core values reflected those of the artists. In particular Banksy's. No one is bemoaning people making some coin, we've all done very well from the culture, academically and financially. But there's a difference between Larry Levan and EDM, if you know what I mean, and as the legacy of house and techno should be protected, so should that of Street Art, but it's all a bit EDM in here these days. What's that saying about knowing about the "price of everything and the value of nothing" ?

Sunday moan from the old guy over. :-) Anyway, KAN, check him out.

Some of his pieces are politically engaged, but not all of them as you can see on his website.
Definitively under the radar on this forum, but he's very active in France and is featured in an upcoming Museum group show in Morroco.

How about you stop looking in the past and be more present in the present.
Start more threads for new artists.
i'm sure you're introduced to new artists constantly, with your business and all. Share them with us.
Help make this place what you want it to be.

 Exactly and hence why using a blanket statement of 'opportunistic thugs' is doing a disservice to actually trying to understand why it happened.

Maybe because its £270 for erm ..... right. 

The odd Jeremy has no doubt used Daddies money to show how right on they are - but for everyone else £270 either buys a far better print or gets you drunk for a week. Or equates to a lot of saving on minimum wage. Its a press picture for heavens sake - turning it into dots doesn't do anything for me

Not exactly speaking to a market is it - make a thousand of them and bang em out at £10 maybe they'd sell - once you're spending £270 on a print you aren't rioting.

Oh and looting Foot Locker isn't affecting social change. The last spat of riots began with a cause in Tottenham - within 48 hours the reason got forgotten as big TVs went walking down the road around the UK

That Seth piece is really nice.  All I knew was the print that left me underwhelmed. 
Also appreciate the insight into his thinking.

Thanks for enlightening!