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.