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27 Club graffiti in Tel Aviv

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Kis-Lev's "27 Club", Florentin, Tel Aviv

The 27 Club graffiti is a mural that was painted by the Israeli graffiti crew, Kis-Lev, on the side wall of a large building in Tel Aviv, Israel in September 2014. The artwork is 3 m (9.8 ft) high by 7 m (23 ft) wide, and depicts seven artists from the "27 Club", a list of popular musicians, artists, or actors who died at the age of 27.[1][2] The mural has received much criticism.[3]

Background

The work as seen from the street
Kis-Lev and Kozhokin used a crane to create the work

The work depicts, from left to right, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and an unknown figure, "believed to be the artist, Jonathan Kis-Lev."[4] That part of the painting was covered by pink paint, and "there is some argument as to whether or not the pink paint over Kis-Lev's face was done by Kis-Lev himself or another artist. One rumor is that Kis-Lev was so disappointed in all that he hadn't accomplished by the age of 27, that he included paint to cover his face."[4][5] The painting was reportedly made with the help of a crane and took two days to complete.[3]

Kis-Lev first came up with the idea to depict the seven figures when he was 26 years old. "I was about to turn 27 and, having read much about the 27 club, I was afraid I was to somehow join them. Some of my friends teased me that I would, being an artist and all... I promised myself that I would do a mural to commemorate these giants including my face in faded colors, and once I turn 28 to cover my face."[1][2]

Kis-Lev and the artists Itai Froumin and Roman Kozhokin jointly created the mural.[3]

Reception and criticism

Since its creation in 2014 the mural has become one of the best-known street art works in Israel,[4][6] and according to From the Grapevine Magazine "the most popular in Florentin."[7] It has become the focal point of many art tours in Tel Aviv.[8] Some[who?] regard the work as vandalism.[3] Others[who?] see the work as self-promotion for Kis-Lev and his crew, calling the work "commercial."[citation needed]

Some[who?] interpret the work to symbolize the price of fame, and see a morbid quality to it.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "יהונתן כיס-לב מספר על אמנות הרחוב מעוררת המחלוקת". Kan, Israeli Art Magazine - מגזין כאן: מציאות ישראלית באמנות. 36. February 2015.
  2. ^ a b Sarkar Ellias, Bina. "Jonathan Kis-Lev's Street Art". International Gallerie. 40: 35–41.
  3. ^ a b c d Kampinski, Zipa, Brilliance at Frenkel Street – Together All the Way (in Hebrew), Xnet Yediot Aharonot, retrieved 1 October 2014
  4. ^ a b c Peterson, Sydney, 12 Must-See Works Of Israeli Street Art, Forward Magazine, retrieved 1 October 2017
  5. ^ Zeveloff, Naomi (7 August 2016), Take a Tour with the Graffiti Geek of Tel Aviv — and Learn Hebrew, Too, Forward Magazine, retrieved 1 November 2017
  6. ^ Tel Aviv Street Art, Street Art NYC, 4 February 2017, retrieved 1 October 2017
  7. ^ "Take a walk through one of the world's most interesting neighborhoods". From the Grapevine. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  8. ^ "Graffiti wall art Tel Aviv | PhotoStock-Israel Licensed stock photography". photostock-israel.photoshelter.com. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  9. ^ מליץ, דודי (2015). "Living in Florentin: A night journey filmed in the neighborhood חי בפלורנטין: מסע לילי מצולם בשכונה". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2018-04-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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