The Adventures of Darius and Downey

31 July 2008

On Saturday, I have attended a really interesting lecture of artist Leon Reid, where he was presenting his book The Adventures of Darius and Downey.

Leon Reid (a.k.a. Darius Jones) describes his evolution from writing Graffiti in Cincinnati in the 90’s to joining forces with Bratt Downey in 2000 and working with him in New York and London. By disguising themselves with reflective work vests, they were able to change posters at subway stations and install reworked signs in these cities.

I can remember, that the Moebius17 crew did the same to install posters in order to advertise their movie in Berlin in 2005. It’s the perfect camouflage. (I must say, I never understood these people wearing sweaters with logos and drips all over.)

However, Leon Reid went even further and is now approaching cities to get permission to install his art in public places – and it works: He got permission to install a piece called „The Grazers“ in Syracuse/NY. The installation is featuring parking meters, that look like there were eating from a tree.

The book is very much worth reading, it gives all the „street action“, that one might have missed in Jonathan Lethem’s The Fortress Of Solitude.

Leon Reid IV working in Brooklyn, 2005

“Walkin’” London, 2004

“The Kiss” London, 2004

“The Grazers”, Syracuse/NY, 2007

“The Grazers”, Syracuse/NY, 2007