Bonjus x Phat2 - what is old is new again.

All right, this dates back to 2018, yet Bonjus is pushing this as sponsored content now. I guess they went back to their archive and saw what worked and wanted it on display once more, because, why not? The ice cream line up is still the same, Phat2 is still very talented, and the ad revolves around the eternal adolescent "everything is refused/not allowed"  or "refused/not allowed only on your turn" as sprayed in Arabic by Phat2. The only thing they can decide? Well, ice cream! Though the scenario does seem a bit far-fetched, perhaps the logic that sometimes youngsters don't get to take their decisions. So ice cream is a good way to leverage their opinion.

Oatly is somewhere between graffiti and trompe l'oeil

So Oatly wanted to launch in Paris, which apparently could only have billboards with more "art-oriented advertising" (that's the story I read anyway). So the trick they resorted to? They went all out with negative messages about advertising on that specific wall... Only to subvert the message by different means. Either a forklift with boxes, a porta potty, or a full van. Now of course, with Paris inhabitants actually speaking French, it is interesting that the ads are in English - but side note: Cannes juries are often anglophone (cough, ahem!). 

Well of course, the campaign is indeed thought out well creatively, that is for sure. Whether this drives sales or is just a gimmick remains to be seen!

Lux supports women empowerment with Lynn Acra (by way of graffiti)

For someone who has been interested in the graffiti movement for a long time - let me tell you a secret: Graffiti crews would "ornament" their teams with women because police would not harass women, or fine them or what not. Not for their artistic prouesse or anything or the sort.

Lux, however, has joined the women empowerment movement precisely by finding a wonderful graffiti artist by the name of Lynn Acra. The issue? Miss Acra did not want anyone to judge her by merit of her gender - but rather by her artistic talents (which overflow aplenty!). 

I know there is a long way to go, but if Miss Acra is any indicator, she can hold her own next to any male graffiti artist. What's her superpower she asks in the ad? Well, she's a woman obviously. Lux hits the mark here and major props to the copy which suavely integrates "tamiyiz" (differentiation/discrimination) with "tamayoz" (brilliance/excellence).

Apparently there are 7 influencers on board of the campaign and opinion leaders (in the Arab world at large) will bring in their own experiences of sexism. Please watch the segment (here). Another brilliant move from Pimo (after their great jobs here and here)

Banksy makes it to ABC Verdun

Banksy, the artist who is always walking the edge of consumerism and anti-consumerism, capitalism and anti-capitalism, authority and anti-authority all at once has made it to Lebanon.

Where? In some torn down graffitied hangar? Well, no, think again.

"The world of Banksy - the immersive experience" will open at the Art Space at ABC mall in Verdun. A capitalist mecca is there was one. To be honest, the only info I have comes from this link (here). Which indeed sort of showcases the street artist's "greatest hits".

Mind you, I am not against, I mean last time we saw Kaws statues it was when a bank sponsored them at the Beirut Art Fair right bang before the crash came and toppled everything (Kaws statues included). So voila, Banksy is in Lebanon.

For better or for worse. Apparently shredder not included.

NFT comes to Lebanon courtesy of the newly launched Phat2 website

And here we are! Phat2.com is online. Who? Well, unless you have been sleeping under a rock Phat2 has been tagging the city and applying super graffiti all over town - changing and morphing and refining its style (when other crews focused on marketing themselves at the expense of their abilities - no names but I do have specific people in mind). And indeed, I have covered Phat2 prior - and am even linked in their press section. But as always, am rooting for people who do things with authenticity and heart. And George Khoury the man behind Phat2 does all this with gusto!

Which bring us to the NFT bit - the Non-Fungible Tokens - which Phat2 developed. All NFT are actually sold on the website with their original counterparts. As always the art is indeed gutsy, colorful and expressive (see it here). It seems the website also accepts Crypto currency, which certainly comes in handy to some people. "NFTs have been gaining ground and anyone who is anyone has put their hat in the game, from luxury companies like Gucci to stars and sports celebrities! So it was time to plunge into it" said Khoury in a private talk. And to know that, in the middle of the current breakdown in Lebanon, someone (namely Khoury) has launched into this with furor only makes one respect what he is doing more. But again, as I said, NFTs seem to be the future and so it is truly a pleasure to see someone in Lebanon - where electricity is rationed severely - still being able to ride the wave and go with the flow. 

Of course, I might be biased considering I was responsible for bringing graffiti to the academic circles (with my archeWALLogy series of books - see here) but still, in all objectivity, it seems George Khoury is leading us - by hook or by crook - towards the future and electricity rationing be damned!

I have more pressing problems than George Floyd.

It has emerged that worldwide, there are murals celebrating George Floyd. Including one in Idlib, Syria.

Including.One.In.Idlib.Syria.

I mean I applaud the effort, truly. A war torn country where the economy is almost non-existent, is standing up to racism. That's truly commendable.

Naturally, problems related to human dignity should be on top of our list. Or should they?

Hmmm, two days ago my bank chose to break our agreement we had together and whose maturity ends in one year (2021). My financial consultant did all the necessary contacts and it turned out that yes, legally, the bank can break the arrangement at the end of every year. No, I did not know it could do so.

My consultant swiftly advised me about a new strategy and now I am waiting for the bank to answer the email I sent them to fine tune the strategy in question.

Meanwhile, prices of goods are soaring, the IMF is knocking on our doors (plural, as there are too many doors behind which lie contrasting numbers), the social unrest is rampant (again, the figures are scary but the reality one could palpably see is too striking), the post-feudal political order is still going strong, oh and there's the Coronavirus leaving the country in a lockdown limbo (not sure if we are in lockdown or not, it is all too confusing).

Now about that racism problem, here's what someone posted yesterday on Facebook:

"If anyone has an Ethiopian worker he does not want anymore, I will take her. Please DM privately."

I am trying to translate verbatim. When I was working as a consultant at a very reputable university in the mid aughts, a professor was walking by the main door. Then a woman of dark skin followed him. The security stopped her, to which the professor turned and told them "hayde ele" (she's mine/she's my property) not "hayde ma3e" (she accompanies me).

Up until a few years ago, one could still purchase a product called "ras el abed" (abed means slave - and ras el abed means head of a slave). The product was rebranded into "tarboosh" (fez) but guess what people still call it? And at the supermarket, one could still purchase a product called "sif el abed" whose name in English is "Negro" (they are cleaning utility pads if you want to know).

I do understand saying that I have more pressing problems than George Floyd might seem being racist or xenophobic - but try living in Lebanon today. The daily pressure is unbearable before we get to the problem that the Ethiopian embassy closed its doors in the face of girls wanting to be repatriated and not affording it (as they need to shell 770 Dollars to pay for their two-week quarantine as soon as they land in Ethiopia as they need to be stationed in hotels because the government owned spaces are now at full capacity).

As I cheer on Aziz Asmr and Anis Hamdoun, the two Syrian artists behind the Idlib mural, I wish either one of them could answer the email I sent to the bank (because the bank still did not yet!) - yes, racism is a major problem in Lebanon, but there are more pressing daily problems that need to be tackled.

The George Floyd issue needs to wait in line.