Arts
Battle: Mr. Brown vs. Val Kilmer
A battle is brewing between Toronto's urban beautifiers, Mr. Brown and Val Kilmer that will come fist to fist this Thursday March 31st in the most explosive event this side of springtime.
The event is being held at Artlab (a gallery/retail space part of the Amoeba Corp. design firm). Curator Mikey Apples provided me with this official bio statement:
Underground street art runs no deeper than the work of Toronto artists/pranksters Val Kilmer & Mr. Brown whose notorious, often death-defying missions at redefining the cold and angular Toronto landscapewith equal parts humour, and raw eye-grabbing mystery have recently drawn attention from international media and the fascination of the public atlarge. "Mr. Brown vs. Val Kilmer" broadens the pair's urban vision in an exclusive one-week-only exhibit of mixed media & installation opening March 31st through April 8th.
You've probably seen movie star Val Kilmer's face stuck on signs, buildings and poles all across this city. It's even grabbed global attention! Val Kilmer himself was accused to shamelessly plastering his image to jumpstart his boring career. I suggest you read this article for more of an in depth history of Val Kilmer's way.
A live journal blogger even suggested that Val Kilmer was a band name and the tags were merely promotion.
With so much google time given to Val Kilmer, I was beginning to worry about Mr. Brown's chance for success in this battle. There's a great site that celebrates street art where I found some of Mr. B's work and immediately recognized it from the streets.
When I spoke to the artists about the battle I discovered they are two rad dudes just looking to make Toronto more beautiful with inventive work in places where people can see and enjoy it. Although Val Kilmer said he would "kill Mr. Brown for real", he also said he was "looking forward to mr. brown moving in to my place so we can george foreman every night".
Battle Opening Night
Mr. Brown vs. Val Kilmer
Thursday March 31st
7pm - Victory
Artlab
457 Richmond Street West
March 31 - April 8
Discussion
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<p>this? this is like putting SPUD on the cover of 'underpressure' mag.<p>one. trick.pony.<p>RIDICULOUS.
<p>i guess i'm just a little disappointed with toronto. in terms of (wheat)pasting & stenciling, i feel like we're seriously lagging behind halifax, montreal and vancouver.
<p>there's a time and place for gimmick - and VK is a funny gimmick - but it doesn't really do anything for the artform or culture.
<p>no personal offence intended to the artists themselves...
Besides his stupid posters that he's been putting up, he has also done the exact same thing the aforementioned group was doing, and that was simply writing the name Val Kilmer in horribly messy letters.
I think it's bullshit that this guy is getting a gallery showing. By far the last thing we need is to promote shit like this.
yeah. it's a funny gimmick. but that's not the point.
anyway, asik and twinkie have hit the nail on the head, and there's no point in repeating those same sentiments.
i don't know too much of the history of this val kilmer thing, but if a small stencil is worth noticing on a decrepit wall, or a a stale hydro box, i'm all for it. but i WILL admit... the stenciling/random postering in Montreal is beyond amazing in comparison to what i've seen it TO thus far.
i was like "What is UP with all this Val Kilmer business?? WHO is doing this? And WHY?"
way to go.
keep it up
Toronto is behind on a lot of things, mainly because there are so many cry babys like yourselves who think that good art and who gets an "art show" in a "gallery" should be decided by some intellectually holy being with an "art degree" or some shit.
I curate a gallery,...I think Mr. Brown and Val Kilmer are relevant right now because they manage to do something beyond being stuck in sneaker-geek land where the only graffiti that anybody can muster looks like some stale 1981 Beat Street bullshit so I gave them a show.
Bottom line,...I do shows that I like.
If you have a strong opinion about who's good with this art thing, go put a show together, that's what I've started doing
Typically complainers don't have shit going on for themselves and that sounds like you.
xo
M
"art show" in a "gallery" should be decided by some intellectually holy being with an "art degree" or some shit."
So, and let me get this straight, the only way to be able to critique an art work, sorry an "art thing" is to create your own show? what planet do you live on? If I were you I'd stick to concentrating on making one song overlap another for drunk hiptards and leave curating shows to those "intellectually holy beings with an "art degree" or some shit."
you must know me, so come get it sweetheart