Made from a mixture of clay, compost, and seeds, « seedbombs»  are becoming an increasingly popular means combating the many forgotten grey spaces we encounter everyday-from sidewalk cracks to vacant lots and parking medians. They can be thrown anonymously into these derelict urban sites to temporarily reclaim and transform them into places worth looking at and caring for. The Greenaid dispensary simply makes these guerilla gardening efforts more accessible to all by appropriating the existing distribution system of the quarter operated candy machine.

60 de ces distributeurs devraient être mis en place dans les mois à venir.

Common Studio explains: “Greenaid is equally an interactive public awareness campaign, a lucrative fundraising tool, and a beacon for small scale grass roots action that engages directly yet casually with local residents to both reveal and remedy issues of spatial inequity in their community.”

Des actions de Guerilla gardening sont organisées dans le monde entier, comme à Lausanne le 9 mai prochain : Guérilla Tournesol Lausanne

Une action de Greenaid, thanks to rebelart

The Urban Repair Squad est un collectif de cyclistes de Toronto. Ils « habitent»  la ville avec leurs interventions mettant en évidence, de manière comique et bédéesque les dangers de la route ou « améliorent»  à leur façon la signalétique urbaine.

Ici, se sont des onomatopée de films ou BD de super héros qui fleurissent sur le bitume là où il est endommagé et présente un danger pour le cycliste ou le piéton.

The action-hero drama of dodging obstacles and potholes, escaping devil-may-care drivers in super-fast cars, and braving the fierce, temperamental elements, may seem, and feel, quite comic. Unless you’re face-down on the pavement. With some wit, we endeavour to provide warning with humour; suggest danger with comedy; invite caution without frightening… and most importantly, we appeal to our fine city to remember that potholes aren’t just uncomfortable, they really, really hurt.

Un joli clin d’oeil, autant à l’utilisateur qu’à la municipalité responsable de l’entretien.

D’autres images : Urban Repair Squad photos on Flickr

Article original : http://torontoist.com/

Roadsworth began painting the streets of Montreal in the fall of 2001. Initially motivated by a desire for more bike paths in the city and a questioning of « car culture»  in general, he continued to develop a language around street markings and other elements of the urban landscape using a primarily stencil based technique. In the fall of 2004, Roadsworth was arrested for his nocturnal activities and charged with 53 counts of mischief. Despite the threat of heavy fines and a criminal record he received a relatively lenient sentence which he attributes in part to the public support he received subsequent to his arrest. Since that time, Roadsworth has received various commissions for his work and continues to be active in both visual art and music.

What began as a form of activism rooted in a desire for more bike paths and justified by the rationale outlined above eventually grew into an art project that, to a certain extent, continues today. Fuelled by a sense of righteous indignation I also felt empowered by the expressive and creative outlet that street art afforded me. Instead of feeling like a helpless passenger on a train headed for disaster I felt that I had created a voice for myself amid the noise of the city.

Un documentaire sur Roadworth est sorti en 2009 et tourne en ce moment en Amérique du nord. Bande annonce :

Roadsworth: Crossing the Line

Francine Lord, Public Art Commissioner (à lire à haute voix avec l’accent québécois) :

A mon sens, c’est la première fois que les gens de la rue, le public, des gens ordinaires, s’adressent aux autorités municipales pour soutenir une oeuvre et un artiste. C’est pas rien ça !

Photos supplémentaires :

Roadsworth’ website : http://roadsworth.com/

« … Comme si la ville de São Paulo était un grand cahier d’écriture» 

A São Paulo, une forme d’expression urbaine suivant l’architecture de la ville, le pixo, a émergé, réalisée par des bandes de jeunes sans compromis.

Cette forme d’expression pose plein de questions importantes, intéressantes et même dérangeantes pour certaines sur notre rapport à l’art, l’architecture et la société en général.

Le générique avec « En exclusivité à la fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain»  en est un bon exemple…!

Excellents extraits du documentaire de João Weiner et Roberto Oliveira à voir ci dessous.

Merci Sylvain !