Friday, September 11, 2009

keep calm and carry on


i like this very right now take on the classic WWII phrase - keep calm and carry on - that someone took the time and spraypaint to put on the side of an S-train. i imagine them hopping a fence late at night, sneaking in to do their art furtively in the darkness. that driven to spread their message. i try to imagine what they thought when they chose those particular words. because it's a little counterintuitive coming from a graffiti artist....or perhaps not, because it seems that they do indeed carry on, despite the rather ephemeral nature of their work. and so it seemed like a good message to have in mind going into the weekend.

spend your weekend wisely, whatever you do.

13 comments:

et lille oejeblik - a little moment said...

i didn't realize this saying is from WWII. seems like you're teaching me a lot these days (as i wrote in my comment to your comment on the rundetaarn: i didn't know they did the spiral for horse carriages)

oh, and i saw your comment on the butterfly bag. i made it with freezer paper stencils. you can't get freezer paper in dk (a friend made a huge search in everything from supermarkets to panduro hobby). acvtually you can't get it in israel either, so i have the hubby moonlight as my pusher when he's in the us. there are a billion tutorials on freezer paper stencil printing on the internet. and the paint is just textile paint.

Polly said...

I would imagine that if a graffiti artist was painting this on a train in the middle of the night that would be a good mantra to repeat to yourself...

I'm climbing this weekend - is that a wise way to spend it? my mum would say no...

Alexsandria said...

I think this phrase is having a resurgence in popularity.
I see it all over the place suddenly.

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

Keep calm and carry on... wonderful message then and now. Thanks!

Char said...

LOL graffiti artists have gone pop culture mainstream

heidikins said...

[like]

xox

Magpie said...

I secretly love graffiti on trains. It used to be so cool in NYC.

Mari Mansourian said...

a very good message... basically it's another way of saying..."just keep swimming" :)

Baglady said...

I am so fed up of seeing this on posters and totes and t shirts and mugs and, well, everywhere. This, on the other hand, is cool. It's kind of urban and gritty.

I like.

Cyndy said...

I love the colors! I am drawn to graffiti art since the canvas is not as originally intended, the moment a whim, the artist quick yet usually rather perfect (or very flexible). Anonymous except for an initial here or there. Art in the moment. Art in movement. Art. Nice.

Makes you wonder what these "hoodlums" (others word, no mine) do in their spare time in glaring daylight. Do they keep notebooks full of their inspirations? Do they study other art forms? I imagine there are a bunch of budding artists out there that are limited only social mores and art snobs...

Liz Fulcher, The Fragrant Muse said...

I have my mother here this weekend and a load of other assorted relatives for a family reunion. These words are a balm. Thank you.

Bee said...

Carry on . . . doing graffiti?

Unknown said...

I love this! This picture should replace the boring poster from the war that it's everywhere now, in mugs, notebooks, you name it!