Jeff Friesen - Bricksy

Copyright 2015 by Jeff Friesen LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this book. This book is not sponsored, authorized, endorsed, or produced by the anonymous graffiti artist known as Banksy. Although this book was inspired by the creative/artistic element of graffiti art, the publisher neither approves of nor encourages graffiti where it is illegal or inappropriate. The authors daughter does not approve of her LEGO bricks being drawn on either. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles.

All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or . Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Friesen, Jeff (Photographer) [Photographs. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Friesen, Jeff (Photographer) [Photographs.

Selections] Bricksy : unauthorized underground brick street art / by Jeff Friesen. pages cm ISBN 978-1-63450-479-9 (hardback) 1. Photography, Humorous. 2. Staged photographyCanada. 3.

BanksyParodies, imitations, etc. 4. LEGO toysPictorial works. I. Title. TR679.5.F75 2015 770dc23 2015008359 Cover design by Jeff Friesen and Eric Kang Cover photos credit Jeff Friesen ISBN: 978-1-63450-479-9 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63450-862-9 Table of Contents Introduction What would civilization be like if the two parts of our classic pairings had never combined? Imagine a world without bread and butter, Bert and Ernie, or ill-tempered cats and people willing to exploit them for personal gain.

Consider a culture deprived of Tarzan and Jane, Itchy and Scratchy, or singing astronaut Chris Hadfield and his sentient mustache. Harmonious pairings are a central focus of the human condition. Every Clyde needs a Bonnie, and every Robin needs a brooding, costumed man who likes to fight with clowns. This book is not about a perfect pairing. The union depicted on the following pages makes less sense than the pronunciation of Worcestershire sauce. Its a clash of two cultural titans that are as different as Knight Rider and Happy Days .

Between you and me, Im surprised this book was even published, so hold on tight to your copy before it disappears like so many of lifes little miracles. Lets meet the two parts of this madcap mash-up. First up is the street artist, Banksy. Picture the street artist Banksy in your mind. Its hard to do because he usually appears with a low-pulled hood and strong backlighting. His voice is also distorted with a peculiar accent, possibly originating from Middle Earth.

It has been rumored the he is actually a she, or perhaps a band of merry art vandals. For all we know he might be a highly evolved, strategically shaved monkey with a fondness for khaki pants. The Internet, so knowledgeable and nonhysterical about so many things, has yet to offer a definitive explanation of who Banksy is. The truth is that Banksy cultivates mystery like a farmer of questionable similes. While we dont know who Banksy is, we do know what he does. Banksys rise from Bristol-based graffiti artist to the worlds most famous anonymous art star is the art world story of the entire millenniumand were more than a dozen years into it now.

With Banksy at the tip of the cultural spray can, an entire art revolution has been painted into existence. Street art, once generally regarded by the art establishment with the same fondness as a mediocre wine pairing, is now welcome inside the most chichi of art galleries. Street art has even become de rigueur for artist publicity. Its getting to the point where we may see Gerhard Richter making his squeegee paintings on parked car windows. No matter how glamorous it has become, street art, by its essential nature, takes place in the street. It must be criminal, however benignly, or it moves over to the category of committee-approved public art.

For that reason street art often takes place in grimy, squalid corners riddled with vermin such as art dealers prying stencil-painted bricks out of the wall. Lets leave the grunge and misdemeanors of the street art world and meet the sunnier second half of this mix: LEGO. LEGO is a building toy based on a system of interlocking bricks, but you already knew that, provided you spent at least part of your childhood on earth. LEGO is bright, glossy, and clean, with the modernist sensibilities of a Mondrian painting. It remains perfectly legal to play with LEGO, even at an awkwardly older age. Take away any adjective you can use to describe street art, and what youre left with looks a lot like LEGO.

What youre about to see takes everything missing from Banksys street art and combines it with everything missing from LEGO. The two disparate elements are patched together in odd places and bolted down where no glue would stick. (Not that LEGO should ever be glued, patched, or bolted; these are metaphors.) Now its in your hands, a half-friendly Frankenstein monster making its way in a world filled with remainder bins and crafty discount booksellers. There are those who insist that opposites attract, but it is best to avoid this advice in most real-life situations, especially those involving electricity. The results can be explosive, and are best contained in the pages of a book. You can compare Bricksy s LEGO street art with thumbnail photos of Banksys originals throughout these pages.

Complete photographer credits for the thumbnails are found in the legend section beginning on . If you are inspired to make your own LEGO street art, remember to ask permission from the LEGO brick owners, or at least wait until they are safely distracted at their kindergarten class. The trouble with the human race is that even if you win, youre still a human.