Since the late 80s there has been an ongoing monthly ARTS movement landing on the 1st Friday of every month. At least that’s what Wikipedia stated. With the intent to brighten up the darkest parts of the city with beautiful colors, lots of people and of course mind altering paintings and performances that will help one to pause and appreciate the beauty of life. While nerding out on social and political views of our civilized society!
You are cordially invited to come support such a movement with worldclass artists hailing from the Southwest regions of this North American paradise.
Nearly Every Sign Written will direct the reader to a certain destination. All humans have the erge to leave a mark or message to the next person traveling the same path. Las Cruces or “The Crosses” has been the grounds for ceremony since before timex. Being a gateway to all directions of the compass, many cultures have exchanged styles, technique and visions thru drum beats, dance, wall art and story telling as in Hueco Tanks and the Organ Mountains are blessed with many pieces from different crews since way before timex had your wrists locked.
Indigenous Expression also known as Hip Hop: Roots of the world.
Since the beginning there was beats rockin to the drum, footsteps groovin with the earth and pigments opening visions of time, While the eldest spoke of great stories. These elements know today as Arrowsoul Art, DJing, Breakdance and Emceeing aka Hip Hop.
We as humans emerged from earth and have a scared connection to this place that nurtures our plants, houses the water that fuels the life of everything and is used to build our homes. Think about it, When the rain comes we celebrate thru song & dance, paint glyphs on walls to see his&herstories of good and bad harvest seasons. Creating the maps that will bring us full circle to our traditional way of life. Hip hop is this expression that moves thru ones soul in celebration of our connection to each other.
Lost in a golden game of world domination and fast food. Hip Hop budded on film in the 70s and flowered in the early 80s with Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Phase 2, Ken Swift and many many more Grandfathers of this rooted community. They battled horrible living conditions, drugs, poverty and substance abuse with the strength of a windmill, bringing water up from the underground and drowning borders. Opening hearts, building tribes and spreading love and knowledge of this ancient tradition.
Love that was felt by Southwest practitioners such as The Culture Shock Camp, DJ Cedro, Foundations Of Freedom, TNR, PFR, FSC, 3HC, TWS, BY and United Kings to name a few. Culture Shock Camp, XFRX, Native Health Initiative, WOME and Style Elements Crews have made the sacred connection to our Indigenous Roots, Bridging the gap to our ancestors and ensuring our future.
Water is life, feed YOUR roots!
Catch these 2 and many many more Indigenous Artists spreading that future Oldschool Love across the Nation! Biglove and blessing on the road Fam!
Check out they’re Website links below
Why do we care about things?
In early 2014 I was contacted by the Rev. Erik, Coming out of Washington D.C. He was visiting El Paso and had some time to come out and learn some screen printing and check out the West End Art Depot. So we linked up and had a really good conversation! Because one person in the conversation was clear across the country, Osa…
Bigup and Thanks Rev. Erik & Osa of Sanctuaries for capturing and repping on the East Coast!
Every town/city hopefully has some type of “Art Walk” or district dedicated to providing a platform for artists emerging into the art world. If you didn’t know, Las Cruces has a 1st Friday Art Ramble every month. Please help us spread the word and bring some Fresh Air with spray paint fumes on Feb 7th, 2014! 20 local and regional artist will flex their art skills in a peoples choice “Graffiti Battle” We will be painting on plastic wrap stretched between 2 pillars, creating a transparent wall to spray paint on. Instant Art is something I heard on a practice run. So come and get your fliks in…. Shout Out to the community of Las Cruces for wrapping your minds around this colorful project! More to come from the West End Art Depot Crew….
DJ Nervous & DJ Moke will keep the rattle cans shaking throughout the event!
They say things happen in 3’s (Taa’) I guess we’ll have to see these things happen on Saturday February 22nd, 2014. We celebrate an artform that has been practiced for thousands of years in this very intersection to the south. We have always used the walls as a way to communicate in different times! So we come together again during the month of love. Bringing with us beautiful colors for the spring season!
This year will beheld at the West End Art Depot again and also throughout the town at various locations. The battles start when the sun breaks the Organ Mountains and will last all day till 5pm. There after a feast at WEAD for the artist that have participated. Soundchecks and Art hanging session will take place in the Gallery until opening doors at 8pm. Gallery and wallspace available by request at sabawear@gmail.com. If you bring pieces in before Feb. They will be involved for our 1st Friday Gallery Opening.
Indigenous Owned & Painted 