Comments on: Cuprocking

By: Super Duper Fresh

Super Duper Fresh — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:02:45 +0000

This ’street art’ stuff is still really a problem isn’t it? Putting aside its real irrelevance in 2008 – I can’t help but wish people were driven by actual ideas rather than obtuse chances at fleeting street art stardom. The work and the artists subsequent attempts at trademarking this supposedly new concept, just read as embarrassing efforts at justifying a press release for any of it.

Apparently this guy has since put cups in fences for struggling street-wear brand Mooks, for their decidedly unadventurous campaigns, which comes as no surprise, really. Though, what I grapple with is the idea that the driving force behind ‘Street Art’ was historically somewhat antagonistic, its driving force was its ‘anti-establishment’ stance. I wonder what function this genre of graffiti/design/art now serves, what the work currently says (if anything), now that we have found its sole purpose (if not simply vanity) is to partake in the frameworks it still outwardly claims it sets out to fight.

This article I read recently on Japanese website Tokyo Art Beat is actually a nice comment on the subject.
http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/tablog/entries.en/2008/08/street-art-propping-up-the-corpse.html

By: TULLY G

TULLY G — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:17:06 +0000

YO UPROCK BEGAN CUPS IN 2003 ,EINE’S WASNT DOIN SHIT WITH CUPS BACK THEN…who care’s who got published first.

TULLY G

By: JES 1

JES 1 — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:51:05 +0000

i know for a fact uprocks been doin this shit since 2003 ive lived in sydney when he had a painting show in 2004 n and seen at least 10 pieces up…eine was living in sydney in 2006 and i think they were hanging out, there’s was several eine uprock tags in surry hills sydney …regardless of who was first he is a talented artist, n his skills are in so many different field’s …

you all got to ease up n chill the fuck out his art is mad & has been around longer than you think.

PEACE

jez 1

By: vivienne

vivienne — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:45:57 +0000

MC, i have been under the impression that Eine did it first too- thatks to the book that you mention, and Andy gives no credit to the man- i really want to show him up ( i live in sydney and am sick of seeing his shit everywhere when hes just copying- its not an homage if theres no credit given) but we cant just base it on the fact that eine got published first, if you can find some other proof i’d greatly appreciate it cause its shitting me to tears

- check the thread on http://www.beneine.co.uk

cheers

By: Dinger

Dinger — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:23:21 +0000

Graffiti does not equal prank.
robert, you are right, pranks dont have to hurt someone or be directed at someone. this site is an offshoot of Improveverywhere. they specifically set out “to prove that a prank doesn’t have to involve humiliation or embarrassment”

But this gentleman is trying to make groundbreaking art. and we are merely saying that his ‘art’ just isnt that stellar.

and im pretty sure police arnt that stupid. they can easily give him a fine for littering.

By: mc

mc — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:09:27 +0000

This is not original work…get your facts straight.
A London street artist called Eine (Ben Eine) has been doing this for a couple of years already, and was featured in the book “Street Renegades:New Underground Art”. This is just a rip-off.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:12:22 +0000

I love this idea. To all you who say that this is just art have you visited this guys website. He doesnt say he is the first one to do it but he is the first one to do it to other peoples fences. Cuprocking is a form of graffiti that police dont know what to do with. Not all pranks have to hurt someone or be directed at a single person. You guys are to narrow minded with what a prank should be. Loosen up and have fun.

By: Dinger

Dinger — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:13:24 +0000

yes you are beautiful was intresting, at least moreso than the main post, but its something thats more for Wooster Collective than for Urban Prankster

By: Alvin

Alvin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:58:09 +0000

“You Are Beautiful” was pretty cool. Hadn’t seen that one before! Quite interesting to see how people changed it around.

By: ozymandias

ozymandias — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:56:15 +0000

Dinger, I am with you. I added this RSS feed since it was supposed to be the generic spin-off of improv everywhere, but so far it has been a few pranks, interspersed with some art, and some people that wish they could do art.

I am about ready to delete the feed — at this rate, I am getting more fun out of pointing out that these artists are not actually making art, than the pranks.