Vexta

Vexta  

Vexta is a graffiti artist that I have found in a book called ‘Street Artists the complete guide’. She is a artist from Sydney before moving to Melbourne back in 2003, which is when graffiti art was really started to take off.  This movement inspired her and she started working along side other artists in Melbourne to open illegal art shows in abandoned buildings. Which is partly why I think graffiti became very popular because especially young teenagers to late 20’s were attracted to the rebellious side that the artwork signified, and was often done illegally. So this artwork was a form of expressing your views and making a noticeable stand against society. Which is something vexta agrees with as her work was often very political, which you fine a lot in graffiti art even now. For example her stencil artwork of two skeletons kissing- with the caption “this is what war victims look like.” Which is a very powerful piece that was created in protest against the the PM John Howards support of Presidents bush’s military military presents in Iraq! Also when she spoke at the Dickerson Gallery, Melbourne she said “ My early street work definitely has a strong activist  element to it because the street can be a very powerful place to encourage debate and thought about certain politics and issues, especially when place in opposition to advertising and its shallow aesthetics.” Which I agree with. 

 I am not saying that the work I am producing for the college is intended to be anywhere near as deep or political as this piece. However what initially attracted me to it were the bright colors, which is something I want to have in my designs. From looking at some graffiti artists, they tend to use very bright colors in there work which is what I think attracts the teenagers to it. That is something I need to do with my work so I need to be able to relate to it.

Heres some of her other work I was drawn to and liked that she has produced, although she has now done more subtle themes that are more suitable for galleries, as she didn’t wan to be just seen by others as a political artist.

Further art work on VEXTA SITE

Information i got from a book i have on graffiti artists by Eleanor mathieson and Xavier.