“Oh, wouldn’t it be great if I *was* crazy? Then the world would be okay.” ~ James Cole played by Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys (1995)
One of the most interesting subjects in 12 Monkeys strikes to the very heart of reality and truth. How is it decided and how is it shaped? Who is crazy and who isn’t? Maybe just maybe our concept of reality is just a blind faith in a consensus of opinion. As Brad Pitt playing the character of Jeffrey Goines says, “You know what crazy is? Crazy is majority rules?”
I guess that is what I love about graffiti. It is by its very nature subversive to the majority. I am not saying that what I have created here is subversive in any particular way nor have a really broken new ground, but it is fun to contemplate the ways in which reality can be bent and the majorities stranglehold shaken loose.
I happened upon the original graphic on a 12 Monkeys poster which looks pretty darn amazing and I thought I would provide it for your reference.
There are some basic similarities in general shape and design, but I didn’t try to duplicate it. I was trying to do my own thing and for the first stencil I have ever made, I decided to keep things simple. I also liked the gear shape since I thought it was suggestive of a gritty tech future instead of the encircling monkeys.
All in all, I am pretty happy with the result, but somewhere on the internet some dude is saying hey those aren’t at all alike and let me let you in on a crazy little secret: they aren’t.
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You: “…but it is fun to contemplate the ways in which reality can be bent and the majorities stranglehold shaken loose.”
You are a powerful thinker and a powerful artist. You have the ability to use your art to invoke new thinking in others. I love what you wrote here and your art reflects your deep thinking and ability to see “beyond” what most others see. Never let anyone take that away from you. You are very cutting edge and may not always get the confirmation you need. Most freethinkers, leaders, people who live and think outside the box don’t get the confirmation they need because THEY are the ones paving the way, creating the new ideas, cutting the paths and it’s all new territory. I can’t tell you enough how talented you are. Keep up the truly good work. I’ve watched you progress over the months (thanks to your very kind brother for sharing your work) and I am impressed with what I see. Don’t let ANYONE cram you into a stereotypical box. It would kill your spark of genius. ….and THAT is what makes you unique.
Without a doubt they are two different pieces, I like them both regardless of what someone else might think or say.