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TO BOMB IT OR NOT TO BOMB

How public is public space? This is the question that director Jon Reiss raises with his 2007 film Bomb It. He raised the bar on documenting urban subcultures when he exposed the war for public space being waged by graffiti artists against advertisers and even private homeowners. So which side is he on?

Grab a copy of our film issue featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg as the cover to find out. Meanwhile, here are some interview snippets from Jon himself.

-RAYRAE

SM – Considering your book Think Outside the Box Office, what are the basic things that all filmmakers should master in terms of marketing and distribution?
JR – Well this is a long question. I wrote 354 pages that cover this in the book. But the basics are – each film is different and needs a different distribution and marketing plan that is based on: the film, film’s resources, the audience for the film, the needs/desires of the filmmaker. For each film these are different. I also feel that this work needs to start as early as possible, in prep even. No later than production. And we filmmakers need to become salespeople – for our work.

SM – Bomb It has been hailed as the most comprehensive and even greatest graffiti documentary by a lot of reviewers in the net. Do you agree with your supporters?
JR – Sure – why not! We worked very hard to make it as comprehensive and as entertaining as possible. We also tried to make it informative and to appeal to the general public so that they would view public space through new eyes. From what people tell me, we accomplished that.

SM – You’ve also done music videos for the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Slayer, and Crowes. What do you do in music videos that are different from your feature films?
JR – They are similar and different. Each video reflects a different obsession of mine. What’s great about videos is you can focus on one specific topic in a short time. They are also fast and furiously done. Features take a long time – and have a much more complicated structure (even though the structure can appear simple – it probably was very complicated to create that simple structure).

RESPONSE – ABILITY

Art For The HOMELESS

“Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins” This Cheyenne proverb exemplifies my journey for the year 2009. The date was June 7^th, that I packed up my apartment put everything in storage and began traveling as a nomad from east to west coast while creating beautiful works of art. Throughout this journey I relied solely on friends and family for a place to sleep with the occasional hotel stay. Throughout this journey I experienced many feelings of displacement, uncertainty and loneliness. One day as I was driving and dealing with these emotions I stopped at a traffic light and gazed into the eyes of a homeless man, and my feelings related to what I seen. He was impoverished physically, mentally and spiritually every aspect of him was wretched. I felt his pain, despair. I was attracted to his pain, but wanted to ignore him I was drawn to his loneliness but wanted him to disappear. I just wanted this moment to end I wanted his presence to stop reminding me that I was alone just like him!  He needed help and I wanted to RESPOND but not with money, this time if felt something deeper, a connection yes his sign, all I could focus on was his sign and suddenly the Artist in me awakened and I said to myself, him and his sign are one. Just like any other business the sign is the representation of the business, RIGHT?  I thought, what would happen if artists created  signs for the homeless? Big, bright colorful, energetic signs with empowering words?

My mind started racing with quotes for signs like, “ Look into my eyes then give”  “ You and I are One… give to yourself” “ Help me to Help myself” “I am more than what you see” “Please don’t stop loving me”.

As these quotes for signs crossed my mind I began to think about how we as artists could have a huge impact upon the lives of the homeless and society as a whole. A thought of the homeless embodying these insightful words and bright colorful signs was inspiring.  Visualizing these signs as having an aesthetic energy that empowered the homeless with a new sense of self-pride and enthusiasm was igniting. The idea of a new dialog springing forth, a new type of engagement between the general public and the homeless is the motivation for this new adventure in art exhibitions titled, RESPONSE-ABILITY ART for the HOMELESS.

My overall Goal for this project is to organize an army of Artist, world- wide to create and sell 144,000 signs for the homeless. The number 144000 is based on the 14^th. Baktun, a period of time the Mayan’s see as a significant change upon the earth and the birth of a new cycle. In sync with this cycle of change is Response-Ability Art for the Homeless. The distribution and sales of these elaborately painted signs will take place on the walls of international Art Gallery’s. Each show will be a one night only engagement and each painted sign will sell for the maximum price of $50.00. Here’s where it gets interesting. Each person who purchases a piece of art is encouraged to give this gift of art to a homeless person!

This act of engagement is the fuel and intention behind this entire project. It begins with the homeless and their despair, the artists recognizes their condition and responds with these powerful signs. The Art Gallery’s provide the space to sell these signs. Then its up to us, we the people to purchase these works of art and ultimately offer them as gifts, to the homeless.

The vision is global but we must first start local. The first launching of this exhibition will take place on Saturday, Jan 16^th, at Voz Alta Art Gallery, 1754 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92113, www. www.vozaltaproject.org

The overall organization of this show will take place in these stages:

1 The Call to Artists, the organizing and gathering of Artist to participate in this mass art movement.

A. Each contributing artist will be asked to do up to 3 signs for the exhibit. Each sign should be elaborate in color and content. The content should be short, to the point and inspirational.

2 Local and international media support of RESPONSE –ABILITY to propel the momentum and domino effect needed to move this exhibition from city to city throughout the world.

Serge Gainsbourg – animation des graffitis sur 5 ans du mur rue de Verneuil from Arnaud Jourdain on Vimeo.

5 Bis rue de Verneuil
Animation dans le temps des graffitis du 5bis rue de Verneuil (PROJET EN COURS DE REALISATION)

L’idée : Clip hommage à Serge Gainsbourg. Sorte de voyage dans le temps à travers les superpositions de graffitis du 5bis rue de Verneuil depuis ces 5 dernières années.

- 5 ans de prises de vues superposées. Des milliers de photos.
- 40 générations de recouvrement de graffitis. (30 visibles dans la vidéo faute de temps)
- Partie droite du mur non encore traitée.
- Source en FullHD 1080P 1920×1080 et supérieur.

Si un jour un musée voit le jour rue de Verneuil, cela aurait aussi fonction de “témoignage” de l’histoire de ce lieu et des inscriptions qui y ont été laissées.

Mr Johann Sfar, est visible dans ce clip (photos prises sur le tournage rue de Verneuil) et bien qu’il s’agisse d’un projet personnel de graphiste, il a tous les droits sur son image… J’espère cependant qu’il me donnera son autorisation. Son oeuvre, bien qu’éphémère, fait parti de l’histoire de ce mur.

La musique vient d’un album remix de Serge Gainsbourg : “I Love Serge Electronic Againsbourg” et le titre en question est “L’ Hôtel Particulier”

N’hésitez pas à donner vos avis, idées, remarques… positives, négatives ou constructives… cela me sera très utile.
arnaud.jourdain@wanadoo.fr