Urban Art Association

Banksy's Santas Ghetto Bethlehem, by ejvaze on Dec 25, 2007 3:27:07 GMT 1, Well this forum has had quite a bashing over the past few days and the whiff of TESTOSTERONE has been unbearable.
caused in some part IMO by the anguish of the end of year events.
So I would like to use my feminine charms and remind us all what art and giving can achieve with out conflict.

Christmas Eve and Santa's Ghetto is finished.
The link to the Ghetto may have disappeared from POWs site this Christmas eve and the CLOSED sign put up on the door so to speak but Banksys good works will no doubt carry on through the money raised from this years Santa's Ghetto giving hope and encouragement to the children in the area.

It's good to see the media finally picking up on Bethlehem with various Newspaper articles and TV news reports ie
The Independent

news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article3276249.ece

and C4News.

www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/religion/no%20room%20at%20the%20inn/1225947

Discussing not only the Ghetto but also the locals and the plight of the place itself.

It has been an amazing few weeks,..... for me anyway,.......
I would never have believed where my love of art would have taken me.........London to Bethlehem and the West Bank.
The experience of a lifetime.

As we come to the end of the year I would like to.

Thank POW for all their hard work.
POW have been slated in the past with their slowness and disorganisation.
Well credit to them they not only have organised and produced at Very Short notice along with Banksy a
marvelous show and inspired some of us to make the trip to Bethlehem and see 1st hand what is happening there but also put together some superb art in the on line shop for those that could not get out there and which ran with very few hitches.
They have worked their little cotton socks off to get the prints out in record time.
I think most of the Santa's Ghetto on line prints have either already arrived in record time or are already in the post on-route.

I personally would like to thank Dora who has been very good in helping me out this year when I
wanted to pick up prints or had to return them due to the over zealous poste.
She has always been cheerful, polite and happy to see me.
THANK YOU Dora

THANK YOU to all the fabulous artists involved in the Ghetto ie in no particular order.
Paul Insect,
Antony Micallef,
Swoon,
Bast,
Faile,
3D,
Gee Vaucher,
Lucy McLauchlan,
Sam 3 I loved his 'Deep Rooted',
Blu,
The lovely Kelsey Brooks who really does look like Jesus,
Aiko,
Souleiman Mansour,
Abdul Rohman
Elmzyen, loved his work,
Samer Maywi,
Peter Blake who said in the past he wanted to do something with this crowd,
Ayed Arafah,
Adam Koukoudakis who I know having 2 shows and this on at one time has worked hard,
Karim Dabbah,
Erica il cane,
Conor Harrington,
James Cauty,
Ben Turnbull who clearly knows all about Megos a big collectors thing in the US,
Jonathan Yeo,
Ron English loved his Muslim Mouse,
Peter Kennard and Cat Picton Phillips,
Yosef Katalo,
Sickboy
Tawfiq Salsaa who did a wonderful piece with Banksy.
Sorry if I missed anyone.

Isn't it amazing when you see the list just how many got involved.

A Special THANK YOU to Holly who has had quite a bashing from a few on this forum this year. She was there for me when I made my trip into, what was then, the unknown, constantly available throughout the weekend via phone and email, even when she was looking after her daughter.

And finally but not least

THANK YOU BANKSY
for opening our eyes.

Banksy, well what can I say, it was a quiet start to the year then... WHAM.. BAM.. POW... what an amazing ending to
the year.
Not just great street art but a great end of year show too.
Credit to him for bring together such a superb bunch of artists.
It just goes to show the respect he commands within artistic circles for so many to agree to take part and contribute art and time for the truly worth while cause.
And he really made us think too.
An inspirational someone who really does know the reason for Christmas.

Now after reading this I hope those testosterone levels have calmed down and I hope I have not offended any of you and wish

PEACE TO ALL
I am sure the only gift that the residents of Bethlehem and Palestine would love this Christmas.