Here’s my most recent story for my multimedia online class…
Street Art Points of Interest:
The strip of area on Melrose Avenue between Highland and Fairfax in Los Angeles is rich with mischievous art. The streets and buildings are covered in oversized murals, rainbow-colored graffiti, stencils and subversive stickers. The trendy specialty shops, the edgy vibe and the tolerating merchants who populate the neighborhood make the area a haven for artistic misfits.
Greg Linton, blogger for the street art site Melrose and Fairfax, said that street art is still growing in popularity but creative activity in the area has slowed down in recent months.
“Things are at about a level-four right now. Not that long ago, lots of things were happening and it was at about a nine,” Linton said. “But it’ll pick back up again. I think it’s actually good. I think things are getting weeded out.”
Street artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey have left their marks in the neighborhood. The Melrose-Fairfax area, with its stenciled streets and painted alleys, is like a giant candy shop for the eyes. And like candy, many of these artistic treats won’t last long. Linton said street art is temporary art and that’s part of its charm. His advice: go see it before it disappears.