This years Burning Man festival had a very cool art installation called the Giant Bummer. A statement on consumerism, painted on the outside by Pose 2. Check out this blog and see what happened to the Bummer at the end of the festival…

Happy birthday to Artcrimes, one of the oldest and most prolific graffiti websites in history!

After the recent news of new tough laws against graffiti in New Zealand, here is a brighter note.
A big bridge on the North Island between Napier and Hastings have now been turned into a legal area for graffiti, turning graffiti vandals into graffiti artist as this newsreport and TV report tells us.
Bonus TV report with an interview of Minister of Justice Annette King. Does she know New Zealand just won the graffiti world championsship Write 4 Gold?

Last weekend, Crane TMT organised the oldtimers re-union in NYC, consisting of true oldschool writers from graffiti’s infancy, like Comet, Part, Chain 3 and Tracy 168. More info and flicks at Ket’s blog on 12oz.

This years Ripple Effect Concert (an event that protests the Republican National Convention in America) in St. Paul, Minnesota ended with a little Rage, literally speaking.
“L.A. based political metal rap band, Rage Against The Machine was stopped by police when they tried to perform at yesterday’s concert. This of course, made a lot of fans outraged as they began chanting, “Free Speech” and “Fuck You I Won’t Do What You Tell Me!” After a while, it became clear the cops weren’t having it. So in true form, Rage Against The Machine demonstrated why they call themselves Rage Against The Machine. They went ahead and performed anyways. Off the stage, within the crowd using a megaphone to perform, “Bulls On Parade” and “Testify” in acappella!”

More info, videos and mp3s from this event at Above the Fold

One of the latest artist to blow up all over the world is the amazing Blu. Recent cities to be blessed by his original art include London, Milano, Aarhus, Berlin and Linares. I really want to see his new book titled Blu 2004 – 2007.

Very interesting videos with new NYC trains rolling with loads of pieces.
Instead of a soundtrack, the videos features audio interviews about graffiti with information any writer should know.

Part 1 – Interview with Henry Chalfant

Part 2 – Interview with female lawyer with very good tips for graffiti writers

Latest brand in the line of new graffiti orientated spraypaint comes from Sydney, Australia and is called Crunch. From their Myspace:
Crunch mission statement:
to support the australian art community – regardless of if our consumers are conventional artists, graffiti writers, illustrators, muralists, designers, street stencilers or any other bodies involved in the art society.

The story of Meeting of Styles 2008 takes another turn, the former cancellation of the NYC and LA part have now been overturned and two new venues found. Famous 5Pointz in NYC and the city of Oakland are the new locations. More here.