Special Delivery 2012

While I am typically on the lamer end of the spectrum, (see library blog post), very, verrrrrrrry occasionally I decide to don my hipster/urban hat and venture out to experience the culture of this great bay-adjacent area we call home. Such was the case last Saturday, when myself and several similarly  hatted folk made our way down to an abandoned three-story ink factory on Fourth Street full of some pretty awesome stuff.

 

Put on by Endless Canvas, a bay area-based street art website, Special Delivery 2012 took advantage of the 36,000 square foot canvas presented by the warehouse to showcase the talents of over 80 street artists to hundreds of graffiti enthusiasts (and me). The showcase was part of a long process that began with artists taking advantage of the abandoned space over the years. After a board member of the Oakland Museum of California purchased the building, these and other artists were invited back to adorn the building for public viewing (resulting in the exhibit last Saturday), and the building will eventually house a permanent collection.

 

Exhibit-goers on Saturday experienced impressive and varied works of art; they also enjoyed live hip-hop, a DJ and a gladly generous bar. Pieces included a melting Van Gogh who had apparently replaced his ear with an extra eye, a headdress-wearing Anne Frank who glowed an eerie shade of green and an enormous comic-style depiction of the White House being blown up by aliens (rude!). If you’re interested in the opinion of an incredibly cultured and worldly art connoisseur, my personal favorite was a geisha who had faces and words drawn into her clothes. Just saying.

 

I guess the moral of the story is that there is slightly more going on in Berkeley over the weekend than beer pong and studying. Special Delivery was one of those things, and it was great for a number of reasons. First, it allowed local artists to gain a wider audience and collaborate with others to create a lasting legacy for their work. Second, it created an exciting cultural event for the community. Lastly, and I would argue most importantly, I had a grand ol’ time. I even got in touch with my inner artist. I’m not going to say in such a public forum (like online) that since last Saturday I have become a prolific street artist, but since last Saturday I have become a prolific street artist. You know in Pimentel where it says “Snape has not betrayed us!” ? Well that wasn’t (wink wink wink) me.

Wink.