Graffiti project

The graffiti project was to respond to a “problem” that we see in the world, whether real or imagined, through a piece of stencil art. What I ended up with is a stencil with a Crocs shoe and the word “OMEN” beneath it. My first intention with the project was to do something funny and something more serious. This is the funny option. It took longer than expected, so there will be no “serious” one. However, due to a bit of dumb luck, this project turned out much better than expected.

Initially, I just wanted to have a simple picture of something relatively unassuming, and then follow it with an ominous word that makes you question whether the thing really is so unassuming. This is kind of in the vein of the “OBEY” art (simple picture, ominous word with questionable meaning), but with a direction. Also, I didn’t pick “OMEN” because it looks like “OBEY” – it just worked out that way. It’s meant to be a statement on “social decline through fashion”. I just sort of made that up because it sounds ridiculous, but honestly, there is something behind it. The Crocs shoe has some stigma behind it as this awful looking thing in gaudy colors that no one should wear (this is more of a pop culture deal – I don’t really care what you put on your feet). And going off of that, it just so happens that people still buy them. Now, this is probably because they’re comfortable, but the fact that people can be so divided on piece of footwear says something about consumer culture. That one person can put something on their feet capable of summoning up the hatred of someone who doesn’t even know them tells us something about the values placed on fashion. And this tells us something about consumer culture.
Buying crap we don’t need and being adamant about whether we like it or not is essentially the problem I’m getting at. People are miserable and dying, everywhere, and not as a result of current politics - it's pretty much been happening for all of recorded time. And still we have people hating on Crocs. That’s what “OMEN” means here: the fact that this little shoe is so iconic and recognizable to the viewer and probably stirs up some strong feelings for or against it makes the shoe into an omen of a consumerist hierarchy of values. That would be a value system with principles of consumerism at the top. With this image, I’m not saying people need to stop thinking about fashion and go save the world, only that they should think about what they’re doing and what matters to them; question authority, the media and pop culture; live your life through your own means and try to make it something you can stand behind. Is your opinion on shoes something you want to base your life on?
And now, the dumb luck. I was just looking for a piece of scrap paper big enough to paint when I got to the pile of papers on my desk that I continually plan to recycle. Among these was the April 24, 2009 edition of the Socialist Worker newspaper. What better canvas for a statement on consumerism?