Billboard Liberation Front

BLF co-founder, CEO and chief bottle washer Jack Napier in art show in NYC. Finally outed by rock-n-roller Anton Newcombe, Jack Napier is forced to sell out after 35 years of anonymity. “Unlike Banksy, no one really seemed to care we were anonymous!” stated Napier (John Law). In like manner, BLF CIO _____ (Blank) DeCoverly has been unmasked as marketing exec Stuart Mangrum, though Mangrum insists he will continue to wear a mask at all times. “I have a big investment in masks,” he noted.

The Detournement show curated by cultural gadfly and “Illegal Art” expert Carlo McCormick is featured at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in Chelsea, NYC. Works by Shepard Fairey, Ron English the BLF and other criminal artists are featured.

The Billboard Liberation Front is hosting a book event for the Tashen imprint Trespass: A History of Uncommissioned Art at City Lights

Hosts:
City Lights Books, Peter Maravelis and Jack Napier

Featuring:
Taschen editor Ethel SenoPresentation by BLF CIO ______ Blank Decoverly

Short video featuring author Carlo McCormick and Wooster Collective.

Various artists featured in the book will be in attendance – get em all to sign your copy of the book.

Our little event should be a bit different from the signings at the Taschen company stores. BLF Chief Scientist Milton Rand Kalman, retired webmaster Conrad Hoc and I attended the NYC book party and it was more like a movie premier – lotsa schmoozing criminal artists well on their way from the alleys to the galleries hanging with hundreds of downtown art types, hoodie wearing suburban wanna be thugs and scantily clad party goers. We drank for free, filched as many copies of the book as we could and generally had a ball. I’m sure the LA and European premiers were similar.

We hope our shindig will be a bit different. We’re going to have an actual program (of sorts). Editor Ethel Seno will talk a bit about the book and (with luck) briefly interview any and all artists represented in the book that show up.

So far. We hear that Everman from Atlanta, Jason Epink – Catalog of Creative Triumphs and local hero Tony Labat will be in attendance. Who knows who else might be lurking about. Keep an eye out for fake beards and the like.

In the grand tradition of appropriations the BLF will then blatantly promote our own agenda after hijacking someone else’s. BLF CIO _______ DeCoverly will present in words and images: “A Brief History of Ocular Expropriation from Cro Magnon Man to Banksy” _________ or Blank as he is known to slower people, is one of the best copy writers and admen anywhere. Not to be missed!

See ya’ll there. I’ll be the one in black.
-Jack Napier, BLF CEO

Blank DeCoverly, BLF spokesperson will be appearing live along with other SF celebrities at CELLSpace on January 21st!

The greatest game show ever to hit the small screen returns in a star-studded LIVE production!  Watch as two contestants match their wits against a panel of San Francisco’s most outrageous celebrities in a verbal slugfest of double-entendres. The first episode of Match Game SF is here! Tune in on January 21st at CELLSpace as our contestants vie for big prizes for their favorite charity. Not available on TV!  Don’t miss it!

Billboard Liberation agents can use the code ‘majormajor’ to get $2 off advance tickets at Brown Paper Tickets

This months stars are:

Johnny Funcheap
http://sf.funcheap.com/

Sister Roma
http://www.thesisters.org/
http://facebook.com/sisterroma
http://timandroma.com

Comedian Natasha Muse
http://www.natashamuse.com/

And musical guest Kalri$$ian
http://www.kalrissianbaby.com/

The BLF is very pleased to be one of the featured “artists” in the soon to be released Taschen compendium on “Street Art” entitled Trespass. This heavy hitting tome promises to be the final word on the gamut of criminal artists (not merely graph guys). It is written by the premier world authority on weirdo underground artists, Paper Magazine editor, and general all around cool guy, Carlo McCormick. It is produced by the excellent Wooster Collective’s Marc & Sarah Schiller, long time supporters and promoters of crazy kids with crayons that should know better. When originally asked by Carlo to contribute to this book a couple of years ago, I was thrilled and a little apprehensive. Tashen: what beautiful books! A joy to be in, I was sure. “But Carlo….. do we have to take our clothes of for a group shot?!?!?!?”

From the producers:

“With over 300 pages of works by more than 150 artists, Trespass ultimately brings together into one book four generations of artists that include Jean Tinguely, Philippe Petit, Paolo Buggiani, Duke Riley, Spencer Tunick, Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Jenny Holzer, Barry McGee, Gordon Matta-Clark, Shepard Fairey, Blu, Billboard Liberation Front, Guerrilla Girls and Banksy, among others. Every photograph in the book is of work that was unauthorized and lacked permission. Commissioned work, even if the photographs were absolutely spectacular, is not included.”

The launch for the book is to be at the Taschen store in Manhattan on September 29th. I’ll be there. C’mom down and buy me a drink.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2010
San Francisco

The Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) is honored to announce a new marketing partnership with Philip Morris (PM) that finally brings together the rugged sense of American independence with your most important choice as a consumer: your death. The message of “My Life. My Death. My Choice.” informs and empowers the consumer to choose, as their god given right, how they want to die. Philip Morris brings this message to the consumer to remind them that some rights are inalienable in life as they are in death.

“We’ve always said that the only two things in life that are unavoidable are death and taxes,” commented Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris. “This campaign drives home that message where, if you are gonna die, might as well do it on your terms. Just like our Marlboro Men did.” According to Patrick B. Smelt, Chief of Marketing, “This bold message of independence and demanding life and death on your terms fits with the current zeitgeist of anti-establishmentarianism and post-post-modern rage at the repressive state demanding a healthier you and your environment.”

The BLF was honored to accept this exciting challenge. “We have no comment on President Obama’s health care reform, but many consumer of Philip Morris’s products do. We felt that this campaign picks up on a widespread rage that some nameless, faceless bureaucrat might give them cheaper health care, preventative treatment, and maybe deny them the sweet release we are all seeking,” said Rico T. Spoons, BLF Director of Offense as he idly drew a razorblade across his wrists. “This oppressive political climate and fascist approach towards health raises the comforting question of ‘how will you end it all?’ I like to think that we are just giving some poor folks a reminder that Philip Morris will always be there to help kill you.”

All former Marlboro Men, Wayne McLaren, David McLean and Dick Hammer, were unavailable for comment due to their rugged, manly choice of death by lung cancer.

The improvement can be viewed on Howard at Van Ness.

Jack Napier and Milton Rand Kalman of the Billboard Liberation Front will speak at the DeYoung Museum in as part of their Mission Muralismo series on May 7th.

Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young presents “Mission Muralismo” in partnership with Precita Eyes Muralists

WHAT: Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo series presents “Directional Signals: Pranksters and Preachers, Paste and Stencil” featuring talks by Rigo, and John Jota Leaños. Also, Jack Napier, BLF co-founder, and Milton Rand, Kalman BLF chief scientist, will give a presentation titled “The Art and Science of Billboard Improvement,” plus stencil cutting demonstration by Russell Howze author of Stencil Nation: Graffiti, Community and Art.

WHEN: Friday, May 7, 6–8:45 pm
Live music in Wilsey Court: Marcus Shelby Quartet featuring vocalist Faye Carol performing the MLK project, 6:30-8:30 pm

WHERE: de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park

COST: Programs are free of charge

On Friday, May 7, the de Young Museum presents another dynamic program, luminous projections, and book signing in the ongoing series Mission Muralismo, in conjunction with the recently published book Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, edited by Annice Jacoby for Precita Eyes Muralists, foreword by Carlos Santana (Abrams, 2009). The evening focuses on the talent and passionate work of major contributors to the book: Rigo, John Jota Leaños, Russell Howze, Jack Napier Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) co-founder, and Milton Rand Kalman BLF chief scientist

The lecture/demonstration program will take place in the lobby of the Koret Auditorium starting at 6:45 pm with Russell Howze demonstrating stencil cutting and the process of working a stencil from start to finish. Visitors will have an opportunity to see completed stencils and work at his stencil station until 7:15 pm. Projections of Howze’s work will be shown in the Koret Auditorium.

Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young presents Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, in partnership with Precita Eyes Muralists

5:30 PM – 8:45 PM
November 6, 2009

The de Young Museum hosts a year-long series celebrating the just-released Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo (Abrams, 2009), edited by Annice Jacoby, with a foreword by Carlos Santana, as part of the museum’s weekly program Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young.

This series celebrates one of San Francisco’s greatest assets—the Mission District arts community, a rising star on the global art map. Both cutting-edge and traditional street artists will offer lectures and performances sharing their art, insights, musings, experiences, and perspectives.

These programs are offered FREE of charge in the free zone of the museum. For more information, visit www.missionmuralismo.com.

BLF conhorts Ehrich Weisz and Jack Napier will be on hand to sign books and ask questions!

The Billboard Liberation Front will be making an academic appearance at UC Berkeley’s Art Museum for Takeovers and Makeovers. The talk at 2:15 on Saturday the 8th, will feature founder Jack Napier, Chief Scientist Milton Rand Kalman and Ehrich Weiss, Chief Disinformation Architect. As long as there are no questions about the Situationists and no one ask what we really think of AdBusters magazine, everything should go smooth.

After the widely successful ATT/NSA ad campaign, the Billboard Liberation Front has decided to temporarily relocate to safehouses on the European continent.

“Ever since the cable guy came to fix my box, I keep hearing a clicking sound on my phone. Since when does cable repairmen wear dark suits and sunglasses? I think this would be a good time to get the hell out of Dodge.”, noted BLF spokesperson Blank DeCoverly.

Some of the BLF members simply wanted to get away from the constant praise and adulations from government officials over the high-visibility of the ad campaign.

“I have 10 missed calls from Linda Tripp. She must be a huge fan.”, stated BLF Chief Scientist Milton Rand Kalman

In order to get away from the media attention and stardom the Billboard Liberation Front is heading to Ghent, Belgium to speak at Vooruit’s The Game is Up art conference on March 8th, also attending is our spiritual leader Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping.

For an eleven-day period, Vooruit will offer a platform to artists who study the relationship between art and consumerism. From performers questioning their attitude towards show business to musicians committing commercial suicide and media artists embracing market principles.

When asked if speaking at an art conference in the middle of Belgium was the best response to the Current Situation, the BLF’s Ehrich Weiss replied.

If we’re not careful, our group’s reputation as a haven for subversive geniuses is going to be publicly overtaken by the reality that all we are is extremely creative alcoholics. Do you really want the truth to come out?

For a billboard liberator, sometimes that one great billboard comes along once every 10 years…that just cries out help. This is one such billboard. A Holy Grail of billboards. Even the back story is inspirational; A church in Tampa, FL has issued a 30-day sex challenge: If you’re married, have sex every day. If you’re not married, don’t have sex at all.

YBOR CITY, Florida (AP) — A southwest Florida church issued a challenge for its married members: Hanky panky every day.
Relevant Church head pastor Paul Wirth issued the 30-day sex challenge to take on high divorce rates. “And that’s no different for people who attend church,” Wirth said Sunday. “Sometimes life gets in the way. Our jobs get in the way.” The challenge doesn’t extend to unwed congregants, however.

Married folks get thirty days of ‘Hanky-Panky’ (I prefer the term ‘crime scene investigation’), and month-long ‘Wanky-Panky’ for the single folks.

If any of our readers are in Florida, please do us proud.