Hi all. My friend has this website called Radioactive Future. It is an online gallery featuring a whole crew of young kids who are making Underground Art. I was hoping to get some feedback, does anyone else notice this sort of art becoming prolific? I mean, is this a movement that is happening worldwide or do you think it is specific to a very small group of people? It is hard to see a thing when you are in the middle of it. I was just hoping to get an outside perspective. The site is at www.radioactivefuture.com. Please give me your feedback on the site.

Hi Debbie!

I checked the site and have a question. Why is this an underground art? What does define it as such? I tried to find it at the site but must have missed. I thought that underground art is one of the attributes of the totalitarian political system.

Ilia

PS. I was always curiose about the origins of the "OBEY" poster.
That I see everyday as I go to my studio (Downtown LA). After a while I started to miss it when it disappears (gets ripped off or painted over), but it keeps popping back on again and again.

Ilia,
I don't know what constitutes underground art.
That is what I was hoping people would talk about.
I don't exactly know what it is.
Thanks for checking out the site and for writing back.
Debbie E.

a recent edition of communication arts has an article about the artist/designer who is working in california and does the OBEY poster that you mentioned. i do not recall his name, but it was in the last three months of communication arts that i saw an article about him. very poplular it seems.

good luck
gregory

obeygiant.com

LAST EDITED ON 12-May-02 AT 09:13 PM (PST)
 
I believe in all types of art. The use of a label to describe a certain discipline is fine. I do however take offense to terms such as outsider, modern primitive, and maybe even underground. Where I now live, South Dakota, there are alot of talented artists. However, acceptance of any art other than "traditional" meaning landscapes, portraits, etc., rarely occurs. I think these labels are just a way for staunch traditionalist to describe work they don't want to understand nor care to. In my own humble opinion, art is what you get at the end of the creative process. It doesn't necessarily have to be recognizable to the masses. I other arenas we don't always communicate with distinguishable words. Screams, grunts, etc. do the job just fine, and no one seems to need to label that type of communication.

I'm a bit of a lurker here, but I just wanted to say that the point Bigmo makes is a very endearing one to me. "Art is what you get at the end of the creative process." I'm not sure if that's already on a plaque somewhere, but it should be, in my own humble opinion. The rest of the points he makes ring equally true. Sometimes, we as artists get too wrapped up in semantics and a need to label everything we do as this or that. That said, I feel that communication is a vital part of the process, but a piece of artwork can mean a totally different thing to different people, and that's perfectly okay. That's just the way I feel, of course.

I love Underground Art,Lowbrow Art..Whatever you call it...I am considered an underground Artist....It is merely a label and basically anything outside of fine art,I see a lot of creativity and the testing of boundaries in the so-called underground art scene.A lot of people contact me merely to state that they are offended by my work.I have no boundaries and my own style.Form or rules do not apply.I merely create what I like and what I dont care about negative reactions or if anybody is offended.Go to www.suitmonkey.com and check out my work..Tell me what YOU THINK

First off, Shepard Fairey created the obey/giant posters as a study on label recognition and has since become a cult icon.
Second, The term "underground" may have at one time been a word to describe the unknown or misunderstood by what I call the "Gallery Elite", but I believe this term has now been embraced by non mainstream artists. I'm proud to say that I am an underground artist and frankly, I don't want to be anywhere near what the rest of the art world thinks is tasteful art. Being underground provides a certain identity. I do think this is a growing movement, just as punk music was considered underground and is now catapulted into the spotlight with "pop punk". My hope is that this underground movement doesn't turn into a fad, but gains at least enough momentum to push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable art. I have a website myself that is doing it's own little part in all of this. Check it out at www.chromatoseunderground.com
We are always on the hunt for fresh meat if you want to feature your work!! What's up Suitmonkey!!??

Hey, Chrom again. Wanted to let you all know that Chromatose Underground has now moved to www.ArtRenegades.com

I saw the site. I was interested in the art, and I think the most redeeming quality of the site is the fact that, graphically, all of the art is strong. However, the only artwork that seemed to be progressing beyond visual platitudes is the work of Lori d. I found some visual depth in the this artist's work, that was more deeply disturbing and profound because it was not resting upon shock value, like some of the other artists on the site.

The concept yes, the title is as others have mentioned debatable and should perhaps be lef to time. From underground to EcoSexual names seem to come and go but what is important is the art itself. Most arts over the centuries have been labeld by those who follow, not themselves or their contemporaries. When that happned it usually changed.

Underground can also be used to define artists who are gallery material but not "gallery" compliant. My cousin is an artist here at this site. Also a lot of places such as galleries have yet to "recognize" digital or new media art so that is another reason why the term "underground" seems to be something that I believe in.

http://www.artbehave.com

I do believe that there is an Underground Art, But..What is it in the first place?

When you say,Underground the first that probably comes to my mind is something that has to do with "mysterious" creatures that could possibly living underground.

With the imagination of the artist it will help those people to imagine those too!