Urban Art Association

Very tempted but they seem over priced to me.

They are a little over priced.. but he has had a great year. I think 750 is a good price. Well.. its well worth it!!!

He's had a good year, but these prices on these take the p!ss for HUGE editions.

Makes the Arkitip stamped photographs and the hand pasted books look like a great buy!

Of course many are still waiting on Arkitip to get off their ass and send them out... anytime soon!?!

Can someone tell me what "stamp and lead" means?

Also could you tell me what the difference is between a print done using lithography vs a silkscreen. I have read basic definitions on google but I don't get the advantaged and disadvantages of the various methods. I love the Hold up / Ladj Ly image. I'm debating getting this new one but not sure which of the several versions looks the best in person.

Indeed, slightly overpriced !! Me think that in two years time, JR will be nobody unless he is coming up with new ideas, so JR what else

Also, more and more I have that feeling JR has targeted the humanitarian world just for his own marketing purpose (e.g. getting press cover) and to maintain his hype. His last movie got horrible critics in France, saying that there is no substance in it, it is just promoting his ego.

JR keeps saying that he is not an humanitarian but an artist, so why doing all this project ? Why creating a Fondation which hasn't done much in Kenya (except coming back to Kenya to give signed book to Women living in slum) ?

Also, note that unlike may other new artists, JR rarely communicate with fans. He has no FB, no Twitter and never reply to emails; seems to me he only speaks to VIP or the press I spoke to someone who met him and I have been told he is very "Chic Paris" or "Paris XVIe" (a posh area in Paris) wearing Lacoste, with his "court" following him. And that he is only trying to brand his name !

So again, unless JR is coming with new ideas, willing to communicate with fans, and promote his art without playing a mix of "Robin Wood" and the "new bourgeois", then people will leave him. This is what I have done, I love his art but fail to understand the person, really !!

Mr Brainwash is making shit but at least, he is funny guy, friendly with his fans, work is not overpriced and he doesn't try to lift his super-ego. Sorry to say, JR is boring

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This JR print for sale by a fellow member, edition of 50, is still on eBay
cgi.ebay.co.uk/JR-Two-Eyes-Signed-numbered-print-banksy-stable-/290539453415?pt=UK_art_prints_GL&hash=item43a5803be7


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And speaking about price, see interview in [url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/magazine/27Photograffeur-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all#h[]]New York Times[/url] (last part) about prices, Laz and Banksy. Funny to read that the writer himself is confused about that humanitarian thing, they want people to buy his art to contribute to his project, but claim at the same time that he is not humanitarian Also, he said that "He worries about an attendant fall and just wants the prices of his work to be steady"

As we walked from the Gare de Lyon to his apartment, he expressed anxiety about the prices of his work. Through Steve Lazarides, Banksy’s former gallerist in London, JR sells individual works — large images pasted onto wood or corrugated metal panels — for around $50,000 to $70,000. This is how he finances his actions, and he was planning to make a few new pieces to sell to those who would like to contribute to his TED project, because he wanted people to get something for their money as opposed to giving to charity. “I’m not a humanitarian,” he said.

¶ A week earlier, however, a work of his sold at an auction of street art at Bonhams in London for four times what the collector paid for it 18 months before. This is something JR strives to avoid. “I want to sell to people who buy the work because they want to be part of the broader project,” he claimed, “and not because they want to sell the work on.” He considers Banksy’s precipitous rise to be a cautionary tale. He worries about an attendant fall and just wants the prices of his work to be steady. “I watch the market quite closely, because I don’t want to gamble with it,” he said. “I’m happy to take other risks — to put up posters where it’s illegal, to scale very tall buildings, but. .” When I asked what he thought might be so risky about making a lot of money, he replied: “I don’t know. It’s just a gut feeling.”

¶ Steve Lazarides told me: “JR doesn’t want his work to be about the money. He works on a different set of morals. But once it’s in the public arena, there’s very little you can do.” Lazarides refused to be drawn into comparisons between JR and Banksy (“There are not a great deal of similarities,” he said), but he said, “The world would be a better place if it had more people like JR in it.”

Such high-mindedness does not resolve one tricky question, however. The more valuable his work becomes, the more stark the contrast between the world in which it’s made and the world in which it’s sold. How long can he go on without paying his subjects?

“I think paying people takes away its entire meaning,” JR replied when I put the matter to him. “It would take away the soul of the project. People wouldn’t do it for the same reasons.”

But if he were rich, wouldn’t he feel more guilt?

for mmmike, stamp and lead is a translation of "tampon et mine de plomb". stamp is an inked stamp JR symbol. lead means it's also signed with a pencil.
Regarding lithography / screenprint, it's not the same technique, and lithography seems to be a more technical process, done with 19th century or early 20th century printing machines. It's the way prints were done years ago and is not used very much nowadays. Screenprinting is not very developped in France compared to USA or UK. I think lithographies are more appreciated by modern art collectors. My 2 cents (I may be partly wrong though).

Regarding Bigboss assumptions, it is true that JR is difficult to join directly. Film critics were averagein general, only a few magazines were hard on it saying it was mere self promotion, which is not untrue ;-)
Critics :
www.allocine.fr/film/revuedepresse_gen_cfilm=173723.html
I met him once at the Women are heroes premiere in Paris and he was accessible (before the movie and after the movie) and there was no "court" following him. He came by himself, only accompanied by his associate (can't remember his name, Jerome will remember the name). He did not even come with Magda Danysz (his french gallerist) who came later, for the second projection.
I don't know if he is a "posh" person but he does not consider himself a street artist. Street art is not as popular in France as in UK, we don't have a "Banksy" and 99% of people consider anything close to street art as vandalism. I think he wants to avoid that labelling. Labels usually close doors here rather than opening them.

Regarding humanitarian questions ; it's probably because "Women are heroes" gave a reducted view of his work. The fact that it was all about slums people labelled him "humanitarian artist". Well, doing art does not prevent to have humanitarian actions but it may not be the sole purpose of his art. JR is now concentrating on his new project, Wrinkles in the City, which has nothing to do with humanitarian things.

"they want people to buy his art to contribute to his project, but claim at the same time that he is not humanitarian"

It's not antinomic. JR finances his art through sales. Sales are not to finance humanitarian projects as far as we can tell (though it is true he said he would finance art places in slums if I reckon) but to FINANCE his works (travel costs, printing, team etc).
Regarding his art prices I think he wants to avoid creating a bubble just because his art is trendy. But that's not something he can control easily... His prints are getting way too pricey. Original works can't be afforded. If no one can afford his works, how will he finance his new projects ? It's a supply and demand question and not an easy one.

PS : I am the happy owner of one Louis-Philippe litho and one Ladj Ly screenprint. Doubt I'll ever be able to afford prints again given the price evolution, or I'd rather say, size of editions (too expensive for too big runs).

I don't know if you were wrong, maybe he is a very posh person for real, that's not the feeling I got when I met him and Jerome either (Jerome even visited his studio). I think he is discreet and just wants to be left alone and not be bothered by "fans" or by people trying to profit from him.

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me what the differences are in the prints themselves when made using one method or the other? Is one more glossy or have more detail etc?

I am no expert and I really can't tell you what the difference is. I did not notice a huge difference with the few other prints I own by other artists. All I know is that the printing studio and the machines used are quite respected and only a few working machines remain today, which probably gives some extra value to the prints. Old style made sort of.

Without being too geeky or detailed the main difference if how the ink is applied to the paper.

With screen printing the ink is transferred to the paper through a screen which lets ink only to certain areas.
With litho printing the ink is transferred from the reserves, on to plates (one for each colour, traditionally 4, cmyk), then to blankets and on to the paper.

The quality can vary massively between printers even using the same printing. For screen printing you can have a varying screen ruling, which affects how much detail is printed - have a look at a billboard poster compared to a high quality screen print - both are the same process but using different machines and different screen rulings.

These new prints by JR look as though they'll be great quality, however i'd question them being value for money. I'm amazed that I can't shift an edition of 50 JR eyes print for £500 and then these are larger editions for more cash.

The new JR prints are more sought after... FOR SURE

;-)
Emile Albinal, could not remember his name thanks for refreshing my memory :-)

Although not for everyone just yet, the kids a legend in the making (if he's not already there)...

Brand new, from march 2011