street hermeneutics
By: jammers
tags: counter-culture, culture jamming, graffiti, photography, street art, vancouver
Category: arts and culture
Cultural jamming refers to the practice of disrupting ‘official’, usually commercial, messages–a few carefully placed words that completely change (and undermine) the ‘intended’ meaning of a billboard or subway poster.
But that’s not all: a new and vibrant stream of jamming has been appearing on the backs of sign posts and vacant walls in my city—and this time the language is purely visual.
Part street art, part jam, the images are visually appealing while containing an apparent social critique.
Like this one—a Gap body with scooter-handle-bars-head: a commentary on mindless consumerism, perhaps?
I think I’ll name it jam art.
Jackie, I’ve seen a lot of billboards with one word, bold statements with fat periods. One Porsche billboard near my house in Kerrisdale displayed a streaking Cayenne SUV with two words: Stylish. Practical.
I went up with a sharpie to add a squiggle, turning the period into a question mark, but alas, Pattison had already changed it to a mutual fund billboard. I wonder if my neighbourhood has expendable cash? I love the power of the period-turned-questionmark.
Cool Mati, I’m inspired. I must admit I’ve never actually jammed–always an observer I suppose. Keep it up
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