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Photograph © Stephen Forbes.

Today I received an email from Stephen Forbes in Seattle, who attached this photograph. Whenever I see things like this I think - 'why can't I think of things like that!' Nothing revolutionary, just thought provoking. In any case, Stephen writes: "Hi Jim. ... I stumbled on this couple-of-years'-old negative last night, and realized there might be a story behind it that was up your alley ... To be clear, I took the photo -- I did not make the stencil or use it here. The sign is on an inconspicuous wall near a public park -- not visible from the street, but on a footpath into the park." A quick google search left me empty handed. (Thanks S.F.!)
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P.S.: The image did remind me of this one (perhaps its premature converse?) which I just managed to track down in my very disorganized blog archive.

World Cup Art?

William Kentridge (South Africa), Bicycle Kick (2009).

Up on my Google alerts today popped the web page for official vendor for "the FIFA 2010 Official Art Posters Edition series. Six local and eleven international artists were selected to create the poster collection. These works are a celebration of and homage to the ‘beautiful game.’" Now, I am not much a of a soccer fan - I can take it or leave it. But I do find the notion that the organizers of a major sporting event would devote at least part of their PR budget to commissioning actual artists (instead of advertising flaks) pretty impressive. The three posters I've lifted here are my favorites, but nearly all of the posters are interesting.

Kendell Geers (South Africa), Free Balling (2008).

Soly Cissé (Senegal), Football Continent (2008).

So, let's set aside commerce (each poster is an "official licensed product.") Here the boundaries between not just sports and politics, but between each of those two domains and art, are proving permeable. This must give those busy policing boundaries a real headache.