ABOUT
The first Paste-Modernism (flyer above) exhibition was held in the derelict site of Hibernian House in Surry Hills in 2008 – where local street artists applied their photocopied, hand painted and collaged works on paper, to the interior walls of the building.
In typical guerilla style, the location of the first event was kept a secret to all but the participating artists until the day of the ‘exhibition’. Despite the increased secrecy, (due mostly to the fact the artists didn’t have permission to access the venue), hundreds of people attended and continued to visit the space over the months proceeding.
Paste-Modernism 2 (flyer above) was held at Lo-Fi Gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney on October 7th 2010 and featured the ‘paste-up’ works of over 50 Australian and International artists. Presented by StupidKrap.com and curated by Ben Frost and Bridge Stehli, the exhibition recontextualized the medium of ‘Paste-ups’ into a gallery setting – and was the largest exhibition of its kind in Australia.
The ‘Paste-Up’ is an ever-expanding and innovative form of street art, that involves an artist making their work onto varying sizes of paper and then applying it to walls and surfaces within their urban environment using wheat-paste or wallpaper glue. Whether as black and white multiplied photocopies, colourfully hand painted murals or thought provoking text pieces, the ‘Paste-Up’ is an immediate and bold contemporary art-form.
The medium explores not only aesthetic values, but is often politically and socially motivated – which allows experimentation both by accomplished artists as well as people with little or no artistic training. With all other street art genres, a heirachy is in place based usually on the skill and years of training and practice of each artist (aerosol-can control/complexity of a stencil etc). Most ‘Paste-Up’ artists also have years of experience, creating intricate and well-planned artworks – however anybody right now, could find a photograph or jpeg that resonates with them, take it to a digital printer and with relatively little expense, print it out in wallpaper width paper sheets and put it up on the streets.
The term ‘Paste-Modernism’ was coined by Ben Frost, as a tongue-in-cheek ideology that is a pertinent and relevant adaptation of Post-Modernism to this street and urban art genre.
(above) Panels from Paste-Modernism 2 raised over $8000 for charity – all donated to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.
Paste-Modernism 2, filled approximately 200 square metres, of every available inch of wall space at Lo-Fi Gallery, with the works of over 50 Australian and international artists. Installing over a period of 4 days prior to the opening, it was an exciting opportunity for artists not only to meet each other, but to discuss the genre of Paste-Ups. Together they collaborated and arrived at decisions on composition, context and juxtaposition while applying their individual pieces onto the wall.
Young artists could overlap their pieces onto the work of more established artists, and there was no restriction on who was allowed to be involved – such that the breadth of participants ranged in age from 16 – 50, and from locations all around Australia, USA, Italy, Spain, UK and New Zealand.
Paste-Modernism has set itself apart from other street and urban art exhibitions, in that artwork can be emailed from international locations, and printed locally to the specifications of the artist who sent it. In this way it has the ability to be a truly global and immediate art making process, that since it’s inception has already spawned several international exchanges and side projects.
(above) flyer from ‘Paper Jam’ – a Paste Modernism side project
Some of the world’s leading artists participated in Paste-Modernism 2, including:
Pure Evil, Copyright, Anthony Lister, Vexta, Bridge Stehli, SMC, Skel, Bunkwaa, Ben Frost, Jumbo, Zap, Simon Lovelace, Catface, Houl, Creon, John Doe, Numskull, Leet, Shannon Crees, Felix, Mini Graff, RJ, Bennett, Beastman, Numskull, Roach, Max Berry, Konsume Terror, Mason Marcobello, Sprinkles, Bei Badgirl, Deb, HA-HA, Uno, Urban Cake Lady, Bella, Marissa Ziesing,Tim Andrew, Esjay, Anton Benois, Tez, Rico, PigeonBoy, Vars, Mr Skel, Jake Klarnet, Half Star, Dboe, Olive 47 + more.
Juxtapoz Online Magazine Article about Paste Modernism:
www.juxtapoz.com/Features/paste-modernism-goes-down-in-sydney-australia
StupidKrap: www.stupidkrap.com
(above) Ben Frost & Bridge Stehli – curators of Pastemodernism #1 and #2
