Off of Imperial in downtown San Diego

This is Larry.  He says he is the artist's uncle, I'm pretty sure he was lying. 

  

Larry says this is his family. 

Anonymous
Octopus Mustache
Downtown San Diego

   This is the first sign of art that I found in downtown San Diego.  It is right off Imperial and K street.  The first thing that intrigued me about this piece was the size.  It manages to take up the entire side of this building.  The second thing that intrigued me was that it was entirely closed in with locked fences surrounding it.  The only way I could get to it was to park on a side street and walk over to peep through the fence. the fact that it was locked behind these fences gave it a higher value.  It seemed like it was intentionally made to last and was fighting the temporary. The fence surrounding it also extended pride from the building's owner.  It's skill level also hinted toward it being something that was greatly valued.  What I very soon came to find out, was that the building owner was not the only one who valued this art piece. Before I could get a close look at the painting itself, I was immediately greeted by a community of homeless people who stepped in my path and beckoned me closer.  They asked about my camera and I told them I was interested in the art work behind them.  I asked them what they thought of it and they continued to tell me story after story of how they were best friends or related to the artist.  They were so excited that I was there and was recognizing the piece that they all wanted me to take their picture in front of it and make sure I identified them as a "friend of a friend" or a "distant uncle" of the man who painted it. They so obviously wanted to be a part of showing off the art that they had some sort of made up or real (who's to say?) relationship with.  

 It has a skillful level of intensity and playfulness. The colors contrast nicely with each other.  This piece, even though it is closed off and fenced in, still has a way of interrupting it's surroundings.  It is a part of these people's every day lives, and for them is something to take pride in. They all said they loved the work and raved about it's beauty.  I found it humbling and lovely to be able to experience and appreciate it the way they did daily.  Even if it was for a glimpse, it caught my attention so much that it made me pull over, and actually experience something I normally wouldn't have.  To me the most successful artist's are the ones who not only ask for attention, but demand it. This work does so not only by it's size, but by a couple of complimentary factors.  Demanding attention is not easy is a place busy with people, cars, trains, and buildings.  What I think was so successful about this was it's balance between intensity and playfulness.  The artist used green, red and grey tones to contrast each other in an intense way.  Then, used  bright colored lines that are delicate, and yet bold.  I think that while I was looking at it, I was so impressed with it's skillfulness that I didn't even look at the context, or what the painting was.  I knew it was a man's head floating on a building, but I didn't realize his mustache extended to the edges of the building and morphs into what to me look like octopus legs until I later looked at the image on my computer screen.  Although this piece standing by itself was visually stimulating and interesting, what I loved most about this was the experience I had trying to get to it.