Watching, Waiting, Dreaming

On Saturday, March 24, Roski was transformed from an art school into a colorful marketplace filled with one-of-a-kind goods created by independent designers, artists, and writers whose ideas and styles are challenging popular culture. Unfortunately, I had to work that day at noon, and although I was only able to stay for about an hour, I left with more pamphlets and flyers than I could carry and countless feelings and ideas that occupied my mind. Among the tables I was able to visit were Slake, USC AIGA, East of Borneo, and of course, my favorite, Robbie Conal.

I actually learned about Robbie Conal in an unusual way. I was at work at Leavey Library when one of my supervisors started talking to me about street artists because he noticed my OBEY T-shirt. He was especially fond of Robbie Conal, Banksy, and Shepard Fairey. I figured that it had to be fate when I found a table right next to the Shop Cafe with a sign in big letters: "ROBBIE CONAL." I practically skipped over to the table and began talking to the woman there and asking her all sorts of questions. Then, I saw it...

This piece may seem somewhat simple relative to the other goods at the bazaar, but it was precisely why I loved it. There's no beating around the bush or unnecessary ingredients (it demonstrates emphasis & economy!). It is simply Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. portrayed as the role models they are. I specifically remember the woman at the table saying, "Isn't it wonderful? It's so straightforward; Robbie reminds us of what we should be doing - watching, waiting, and dreaming." (She then proceeded to offer the piece to me for $75, which was actually a pretty good discount, but my college student wallet doesn't exactly have much purchasing power at the moment.)

After finally getting his art and social concerns together, Conal began making pictures of subjects that were important to him: politics, power, and the abuses of both. He realized that art institutions did not provide enough room for him to run around, so, like Banksy and Shepard Fairey, he took his creations to the streets and shared them with all who were willing to stop and look. I think that as artists, we, too, have this freedom that others do not. We are able to express ourselves in a way other than words or actions. We can create.

So continue creating, my fellow classmates.

Contine watching, waiting, and dreaming.