Public Art: NeckFace

Neck Face eat your kids! Neck Face obese woman! Neck Face had an abortion! Critics would say its not art and some would say he is just lightening up the mood, but as for public art goes its their and in your face, made to scare you, made to make you laugh.

Graffiti and tagging has dwelled into an era that has lost its touch. Its the same old name, the same old bubble letters. Neck Face has set the new model for street art. Perhaps inspired by Satan or King Diamond, his heavy-metal gothic creatures represent fear and comedic relief to the street art world. Unless you are only into delightful colors and flowing

happy moods. You may pass a Neck Face piece and be disgusted and terrified but the few who enjoy seeing “NeckFace puke your brains out” understand what he is doing and its pure comedy.

A noted piece by NeckFace is on a large-scale wall outside of Melrose’s Barracuda, in Los Angeles. This massive piece is a giant ghoulish woman, screaming with tongue out of mouth, stating “ I’m Creepin while your Sleepin!!!” The bright orange of the skin is thick, it is in contrast to the pungent green hair. Her face is covered in black lines and random symbols. The product is hideous, that pleasant old grandma walking past it would not be to happy with it. She will run away and have nightmares of the demon. With NeckFace art thats what its about. It’s not about the arts way its a

bout his way. Creating art that has not been cultivated by the critics and mainstream ideas.

In an interview NeckFace stated “I do what makes me happy and makes other people bummed.” The comedic relief that is in NeckFaces work is almost child like. Tagging billboards including a famous piece done in New York City, Neck Face Begins! Altering an advertisement for Batman Begins, how can you becoming back from a hard days work, see “Neck Face Gary Coleman” and not have some kind of laugh. Along with the written wor

ds most of his pieces incorporate violent creatures, eating babies or reeking havoc. The works speak for themselves.

The hate by other artists is apparent. In an article out of Brooklyn called Fuck NeckFace, it engages in conversation about New York art studio buildings that have been

tagged by NeckFace. Artist living in the building Peter Caine states, “ I hate that crap, It’s just dirtying up our environment.” As well the building supervisor who had apparently witnessed NeckFace dispersing says, “ If I'd known it was him he wouldn't have been Neck Face - he woul

d have been in the hospital with a red face!” For NeckFace statements like these are the things that pushes his obscure work. It drives the dark humor. NeckFace is ugly.

Remake

Perhaps The Coen Brothers wanted to steal John Wayne’s thunder or perhaps they wanted to jest tell a better story. But indefinitely Joel and Ethan Coen took True Grit from being a memorable Wayne film to vivid story of grit. The premise of True Grit is about young Mattie Ross retelling her account of how she saw to her fathers’ retribution. She travels miles away from home by herself to recollect her fathers’ belongings and as well to hiring a US Marshall to take down her fathers’ murderer. She hires Marshall Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn to take down the killer. A stubborn patriot that might as well have a whiskey bottle roped to his hand. Accompanying Cogburn and Mattie is Texas Ranger LaBeouf. LaBeouf possibly the opposite of Cogburn is young and cocky has already been tracking there killer. After charitable persuasion Mattie Ross the three head out for the killer in Choctaw Indian Territory.

The 1969 film True Grit, directed by Henry Hathaway became a classic western film. The original film stared John Wayne as Marshall Cogburn, Glen Cambell as Texas Ranger LaBeouf, along with Kim Darby as Mattie Ross. This film is the typical Hollywood Western. It may be how John Wayne entirely becomes the movie as lead roll. Or it may be the old and out played “western townscape”. John Wayne plays his classic cowboy roll, ending up stealing the show by killing the bad guys because he is the good guy. It is not bad acting it is just out played. Glen Cambells roll as Ranger LaBeouf is additionally another iconic western cowboy roll. He says his dialogue and plays the part but believable and entertaining, not so much. Kim Darby at the time of play Mattie Ross was twenty-two years old. Unable to understand why her character was so perky and happy throughout her ordeal was confusing. She did not fit the role. The Original True Grit is a classic film. It is happy go lucky, good guys vs. the bad guys. The film is entirely of the time but for today’s standards it is outdated.

The Coen Brothers 2010 True Grit remake is not so much a remake of the 1969 film but an adaptation to the book. Being a fan of Coen brother films it was enjoying to see the certain cast that has been used in many of their films. It includes much of the dark humor and extreme bitterness that Coen Brothers films usually have. Jeff Bridges starring in other Coen brother films like The Big Lebowski, takes the gritty role of Rooster Cogburn. In the film, Bridges is pretty damn impressive. In no way has he tried to become the Wayne of the film. Bridges allows himself to become the dirty, grimy, drunk bastard that was destined to be. Texas Ranger LeBeouf, played by Matt Damon is not the best of characters but adds sense of comic relief between Cogburn and Mattie Ross. Hailee Steinfeld playing the lead role of Mattie Ross ultimately brings the character relationships together. Instead of being a spunky young girl like in the 1969 film, she brings resourcefulness and determination. Steinfeld becomes Mattie Ross and allows you to gain insight to the lives of each character she comes across. The film is not exhausting. Each scene is original and unique. Creating the sense of space needed for their entire journey. The 2010 True Grit is authentic. It flows in its dialogue and flows visually within scenery.

Documentary

Throughout the documentary Dogtown and Z Boys, director and skateboard enthusiast Stacy Peralta unearths the foundations to what is today modern skateboarding. Peralta expresses the art and evolution surrounding the beginning of skateboarding. Allowing the viewer to understand why things are and where they came from. Simple transitions from recollected video from the 70’s to interviews from the people who were their and who made it happen. As well as incorporating the punk rock attitude that set apart the Z Boys from everyone else.

It is important to understand the past to understand the future and in the case of Dogtown and Z Boys you are revealed the place and time as if you were there and had a little piece of the beginning. Peralta assumes you are unaware that there is even such a thing called a skateboard and tells the story. Going in detail the evolution from surfing to skateboarding, how trends of toys come and go but it is really about the culture of Southern California’s Santa Monica. How money and where you live is your status in the world. It is the story of the people who were not the prominent members of society, the people who were not supposed to succeed in life, fulfilling their passions. The documentary takes you from the beginning of the Zephyr surf team to how the lives of everyone separated and the paths they took. Communicating how life is a mystery and how no one could have foretold the outcome.

Bands like Black Sabbath, Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix grip you to each hill topping slop of the film while not being annoying or overpowering. The music chosen was to portray the time and energy of what was going on. Communicating the story was extremely acknowledged while cutting from old film reels of the 70’s would express what the interviewee was stating giving some connection to what was going on. This allowed some internal view of their lives as well to your own. Including ideals like childhood, becoming and developing as a person, and having a career. This is not just a happy go lucky skating the streets film, it speaks to you because it is the truth and the truth is art. The ups and downs of peoples lives, changing their surroundings and the norm is creating art. Peralta perhaps to keep the attention of the viewer, changes cuts from color to black and white and back and forth. Artistic, perhaps, but the change in colors definitely mixes things up.

Directory Stacy Peralta tells the story of The Z Boys. He shins light on the misfortunate and the people who succeeded. To watch how just a group of sub par kids to society could so greatly impact the future. How no one could have seen it coming, but it happened and the story had to be told.

“Two hundred years of American technology has unwittingly created a massive cement playground of unlimited potential. But it was the minds of 11 year olds that could see that potential.” Craig Stecyk 1975