Removal of street-art mural spurs development of limited edition print as benefit for local arts nonprofit
As first reported by our friends at Public Ad Campaign, a mural painted by Philip Lumbang (a friend and featured artist of Abztract), was ordered by the Los Angeles Building & Safety Department to be removed due to a single complaint that was received from a local resident who thought the mural made the neighborhood "seem ghetto". The mural, in LA’s Silverlake neighborhood, has been a welcome scene for residents, nearby preschool students and staff, and random visitors who enjoy an occasional photo-op with the playful, woodsy animals painted on the mural along this pleasant Silverlake street.
Lumbang, a Silverlake-based street-artist, was commissioned by a local couple to paint a wall that wraps around their property nearly a year ago. However, the lone complaint to the LA’s Building & Safety Department has left the property owners facing removal of the mural by March 1 or paying a hefty fine. For a variety of reasons, the owners have chosen not to fight the city, and so the mural could be coming down. With help from local City Council Member Eric Garcetti, a fan of the mural, the owners and fans are hopeful that the mural can be saved before the March 1 deadline.Lemons? Make lemonade:
Lumbang and Abztract have teamed up to release "The Mural" Limited Edition print and help the local community while doing so. This 18" x 24" three-color screen print was created by Lumbang, who used one of the most recent photos taken of the mural. The print is on 100lb archival paper and is an edition of only 100 prints total. A potion of the proceeds from the sales of this print will go to Room 13 Foshay, a Los Angeles nonprofit that provides mentoring and education programs to inner-city youth with a passion for arts.
Room 13 Foshay is part of the Light Bringer Project, a local arts and community-building nonprofit, and Room 13 International, an international multi-media studio that encourages and sponsors youth-created art in its 39 studios around the world. Lumbang and other local artists are active participants in the Los Angeles group’s activities.
How you can help:
Abztract has released "The Mural" limited edition print for pre-order as of TODAY. To get your limited edition screenprint, go to ABZTRACT.COM and place your order today at the online shop. Once the prints become available for shipping, we will notify you via email and send you further information. If you prefer to order by email, please contact us at info@abztract.com
About the artist:
Lumbang, whose YouTube video painting this mural has had nearly 38,000 views, spent some time learning the ins and outs of street-art culture from Sherpard Fairey at Studio One. Since then, he has been painting his infamous "Awesome Bears." The Bears, along with their other furry, woodsy friends have taken the internet by storm as fast as he’s been able to get them up on the streets. Lumbang’s woodsy work has appeared in Arizona and San Francisco, and he’s also participated alongside Abztract and Public Ad Campaign during the NYSAT in the summer of 2009.
For more information about Philip Lumbang, please visit www.philiplumbang.com
For more information about Room 13, please visit www.room13scotland.com
or for the local Los Angeles website, you may visit www.foshayroom13.blogspot.com
For more information about the mural, please visit the following websites:
http://www.publicadcampaign.com/2010/01/philip-lumbang-commision-to-be-removed.html
http://stossel.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2010/02/03/the-aesthetics-police/
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/01/29/happy-mural-in-los-a.html
Best,
Abztract Family and Philip Lumbang
Abztract.com
Birdgunblog.com
