Art lovers gather outside Crewest Gallery for the Belmont Tunnel Exhibit

Los Angeles - Art exhibits  are always interesting and it’s rewarding to walk away from an exhibit with a greater understanding about what the artist is trying to communicate, an interpretation that is often different for each of us. The Belmont Tunnel exhibit was different from the usual in many ways, maybe because it was not only the artist that was on exhibit.  The exhibit was also communicating art from a historical perspective that began appearing in Los Angeles during the 1980’s.
The excitement around the art was as intriguing as the art itself. Approaching the location, driving down 4th street, I couldn’t have imagined that the Belmont Tunnel Exhibit would have generated the crowds that formed on the sidewalks, in the street and across the street controlled by security dressed in black suites that reminded me more of as concert or red carpet event that an art exhibit. Lines forming outside were actually admitted in small numbers as a few fans exited the museum. The excitement was contagious!

Graffiti Artist FRAME

The vibrant colors of the art and various fonts were very different. I immediately began shooting each piece as I imagined what the artist was trying to communicate. How each artist gained their degree in art from the Belmont Tunnel in order to produce what students in graphic arts class take years to learn and evolve to this level of creativity. Many will admit that they learned their craft in the Tunnel. The next generation will continue to strive to the level of their admired artists, following an unwritten code of ethics as they display their art on the canvas of Los Angeles .
The artists, having elevated themselves to star status have a culture that includes respected fans that admire their art as well as the artist as they maneuver for position to get close to their favorite artist. The fans were actually requesting autographs in their personal   books of art, on posters and anything else that could be autographed. How did this new generation know about what was going on in the Belmont Tunnels during the 80’s and 90’s?

During the early 80’s with the influx of Hip Hop from the East Coast, the graffiti movement began to take shape in Los Angeles and the Belmont Tunnel provided young graffiti artists with a space for their own voices and place to create. The Crestway Gallery will edhibit photographs, paintings, prints and giclees by Legendary LA Artist from that period.

Art lovers gather outside Crewest Gallery for the Belmont Tunnel Exhibit

Steve Grody will do closing reception slide show presentation of over 1200 slides of his entire archive of photos shot at the Belmont Tunnel during a period between 1990 and its 2004 closing. Grody is the author of Graffiti L.A. Street Styles and Art published by Abrams , released in May 2007.

Author and photographer Steve Grody

Grody said that with regards to ethics followed by the artist during the 90’s, everything is complex. Ethics were clearer in early generations than those currently followed in the present generation. He said the understanding among artists that, for instance a tag can go on blank wall;  a throw up over a tag; a  piece over a throw  up and a production can go over a piece . But you don’t tag on somebody’s piece or don’t go over something you can’t burn or do better than and if you do, you go over the entire thing out of respect. You don’t let anything hang out.

Ethics were more held to. In the early days The bonds and apprenticeship more clear and strict Grody said. For instance, you (hopeful artists) didn’t just  go to a place like Belmont and start painting. They would be met by artists that would say, “ who the hell are you?. Let me see your sketches.  You’r e not good enough to go up on this wall.” So there were people who would let you apprentice and say “ here is how you draw sketches in a black book. Here are markers. These are color combinations. You can sit and watch me paint. Then you could buff the wall. Now some fill-in. Now help me outline. Now let me see you bust a piece.   So there was an apprenticeship in the early days. A lot o this has gotten lost and is addressed in my book, according to Grody.
Today, some people hold to those ethics but a lot of it  has been lost. Some don’t respect the tradition enough  and will do something over this piece. There is a lot bemoaning the loss among the veterans. It’s an interesting thing. They are aware that they sound like old farts talking about young kids being out of control which is what people said about them.

Painting of the Belmont Tunnel

There are legal spots near here, legal work of high degree. Quazi- legal that is legal but with those that don’t care abut it and work that is considered illegal
Some of the current work of artists can be seen close to the gallery at 2nd street , going east 3-4 blocks past Alameda to Garey street. High quality legal work by some of the best people around.
Who are some of the most popular artists currently doing graffiti art?
Some of the most popular artists now is hard to answer and controversial . There are so many that are great and I have high respect for as an example , he said very diplomatically, REVOK and AUGOR very  respected for technical, beautiful, accomplished and identifiable stylistically. Work that is illegal and risky the size of billboards. Their work doesn’t stay up very long, maybe a couple of days before it is removed.
I’m on facebook  and graffitila.com

For example, Terminator billboards and work that coordinates letters with images  and the colors on the billboard. For example OG’s work with Spiderman spilling out the artists name instead of a web.I see more graffiti art done commercially. How do you explain the transition into this market?
Anybody selling to youth wants street credibility. That edgy thing. Companies tried to use someone in their art department to do graffiti art for a project and it doesn’t ring true so lacks authenticity. Kids are smart enough to know who the giants are in the scene that’s why the companies like boost mobile phones supported a tour with, SABRE, RETINA and REVOLK  and others on the tour to do some of the work.

RELIC can you tell me a little about what influenced your style of graffiti art?
Graffiti artist known as RELIC from 2nd to none group said that “I was doing my stuff from 1985 until slowing  down recently. Mostly burners and still doing pieces now but leaning toward canvas and legal walls ,keeping the same vibe doing. I got my influence from gang graffiti that I saw while growing up . Gang graffiti with calligraphy style and also  hip hop vibrant colors from New York caught my eye.  I’m a mix between the hard edge of gang stuff and block letters and vibrant colors of New York graffiti. This is  how my stuff got influenced.”

The crew is 2nd to none , my crew name. That’s what I’m showing here. My work can be seen at RELIC1.com.

The DJ played POISON in the background as I interviewed “ SLICK”

SLICK . What are you communicating in this piece of art?
SLICK:        I am communicating the month over the year. It became my trademark , my icon. A lot of writers try  to a throw up a two letter piece.  I captured a character that I can do anywhere anytime so I brought it back. Belmont is all about graffiti … it is just l layers and layer and layers of grafff so that is what I tried to capture it here with the layers. My art and clothing can be seen at.  Tissizit.com is my clothing brand and where you can see more of my work.”

Curator and Artist: Carlos Marquez

The curator is Carlos Marquez and stated:
“I was an artist in the Belmont. I got the idea to open the museum and came to man1. I did something  and could never remember the name of the spray can. We made a parody with Belkin spray paint when I saw the can. I was fortunate to do graffite when it first came to L.A. and just wanted to gap the younger generation. I felt that we had to do something for Belmont. This is how graff  started in L.A. I was one of the frist to do It. Graffiti and the Belmont is historical in that these are your roots. So many talented artists came out of there. I got my Mastes in the Belmont tunnel. What you see here, graf  artiss don’t  like the negative  stigma. There is a misconception of tagging andf graffiti art.  By exposing the public to graffiti  artists, they get a different concept of what it is. Kids  the ethics , I’m partially to blame but  when I grew up we had respect for churches and  murals. Taggers on a mural, the city, we wont burn that mural because it’s the artists responsibility.

 A  lot of murals have been destroyed. Get graff artists with younger people. Seen the transition of how the art has moved along graf or murals and tell kids that your stuff can be in galleries and look at it in a positive way. 
All these artists here are grown men with families and pay taxes and changed their outlook as far as what they do with their art. These are fine artists that are paid up to $200,000. We communicate to the kids that this is where you can be.

I thinking of taking this exhibit statewide. There is a big following in San Diego,  San Francisco , New York and Europe . Belmont is worldwide and painters from Spain and Germany have painted in the Belmont.
I would like to see the mayor reduce graffiti and one way is to give kids an outlet. I went to a cultural center as a kid. Today kids don’t have it. If they just had a wall they where they could paint, it would reduce graffiti  30-40% in L.A. Kids get frustrated with nowhere to go an paint so they will go somewhere  in L.A. and find a place to paint.

I would also like to see a collaboration with muralists and graffiti artists and mix them together. It would be awesome. The canvasses that you see here all have the same image is because it’s our common bond. The Belmont tunnel , the younger generation has no clue what it was. I hope they now have an understanding of where this art came from by viewing this exhibit.

I want to focus on the positive gallery setting showing where it came from, that it is a true art and from  and the diversity of type of pieces you see here. I think it is such a good feeling that many of the artists are teaching and showing how to do it in a positive way. Some of the artists have apparel, tattoo businesses, paint cars with art and coach little league baseball and are still  painting. You can now be a graphic designer but you will always see a touch of graffiti in their work. Some do photography or film.

I am happy to see that so many people apreciate the art here. The developers of Belmont station which is an apartment complex came over amazed that the property has not been tagged a single time since it was built, which was a concern of theirs. I explained that there are two reasons: One, There is no fame in a graff writer tagging on a building. Two:  it is a landmark itself. We will do one of the historical buildings inside the station itself and seal it or use  a gallery for the building and public so they can see the history.

A lot of graff is still inside the building on the property itself. Make it into a gallery being that it is a historical building and do a mural going all the way around it. Incorporating things in the photograpy of the Belmont into the mural so 50 years from now they can look at it and see the history.
The Belmont tunnel went or started at Bunker Hill downtown, the red line went from downtown to Glendale.

Graffiti Artist FRAME

FRAME is very popular and one of the fantastic artists at the exhibit , FRAME is sponsored by Vitamine Water that “ keep me busy and other friends. People know me as FRAME. Its been interesting . I am known by many people,  from actors to presidential candidates through graffiti. It’s great to do what you love and be able to travel and pay rent. I don’t have a web site but all is word of mouth. If you go to knowngallery.com you will see my work along with my fellow artists,, 7th letter msk is well known around the world.

This exhibition features paintings, prints and giclees by the following exhibiting Legendary LA Artists: Acme, Aloy, Antonio Pelayo, BaBa, Bumper, Cab, Cale, Charlie, Cre8, Dash, Danny D, Defer, Duster, Earnone, Elser, Eriberto Oriol, Fearo, Fever, Frame, Crank Martinez, Gabe, Genius, Ghostone, Gilone, Graf One, Grande, Hex, Hyde, Jero, Jiro, Kopy, Make, Mandoe, Man One, Mosh, Nuke, OG Abel, Pale, Panic, Relax, Relic, Retna, Rickone, Risky, Ruets, Saber, Sacred194, Shandu, Siner, Size, Skept,  Skyone, Sleez, Swan, Teler, Volt, Vox, Vyal, Wisk, Zender,

Photo Credit: Frank Turner III

Additional Events:
-Saturday June 13 from 7-10pm.
Fundraiser event for The TemptOne Fundation with music by Stirfry and the Hammerheads. $10 donation at the deoor with proceeds going to the TemptOne Foundation.

-Saturday June 27 from 6-9
Closing Reception featuring a slideshow presentation by famed L.A. photographer Steve Grody.

For further information contact:
Luna George
818-235-4598
luna@crestwest.com

Crestwest
110 Winston Street
Los Angeles, Ca 90013
213-627-8272

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