Steve ‘Espo’ Powers recent Love Letter project saw him painting giant slogan, ad-like murals on surfaces based around the west Philadelphia railway from 47th to 63rd.

The idea involved artists from across the US with the aim being 50 seperate murals. The sentiments; a fictional dialogue between a boy and his girlfriend.

How inspirational/uplifting would seeing this be compared to the usual blur of greys and hideous over-advertising?

For more pictures and words check out the interview with him over on the excellent Fecal Face here.

Art Grandeur Nature, 2004, Stefan Sagmeister

This is a reading response to Stefan Sagmeister’s essay on emotion in graphic design.

I really liked this reading. I feel that designers, or at least design students, are always after Sagmeister’s secret–how does he make the amazing work he makes? It must be his sabbaticals. It must be his apt sculptural typography skills. It must be that he’s European. Wrong. This article smashes all of that. Like any other artist or designer, he is a living, breathing human being, and his strength comes in embracing that.

The secret to success? Make yourself feel your design. Really, really feel it. Inside, not with your fingers. If you don’t feel anything, maybe rethink the project.

This of course is only a certain kind of success, but a kind that I’m hoping to find.

I tried to choose a favorite part of this essay to focus on, but I couldn’t. Each section offered something new and refreshing. I appreciated the whole thing. The best part for me was that even though he listed a number of graphic design projects that touched him, a lot of them weren’t simply design. They were hybrid projects: art, graffiti, comics. I hold fast that what makes an interesting designer is a well-rounded interest in many things. As designers, we’re the mirrors of the world, in some sense. If we’re not actively watching, listening, feeling, our work will lack meaningful content.

“So ever since I got that black canvas bag at that conference in New Orleans, this touching thing has been on my mind, and  I’ve looked for design pieces that cut through to my heart.”

I feel more when I look at this than when I look at most other things. Matokie Slaughter.

This moves me. More.

So does this. A global warming rug.

And this: a homemade state seal for a rural secessionist movement. Two x’s=double crossed.

And this. Elizabeth Jaeger took this in Berlin. Two bicycles at the same angle, two shopping carts at the same angle, two people wearing the exact same thing, two posters, there’s probably more.

“I suspect that in ten years time this touching kind of design is going to be the only kind of design that’s going to be done by actual designers.”

Then there’s this kind of stuff. Hyper-meaningful graphic design. I try to love every piece of this I see, and for a long time I did. But it almost raises the bar on itself; now when I see this hyper-positivity I look at it way more critically, trying to decide if it does anything new, anything different, anything that elicits an emotional response.

Olimpia Zagnoli

Espo does it right. This makes me feel.  A Love Letter For You.

“I think it was Katherine McCoy who said that graphic design can never rise above its content. If I have nothing to say, the best design won’t help me.”

Just like the Fresh Prince, former graffiti artist Stephen Powers (aka ESPO) grew up in West Philadelphia. His current work, love letter, which is done in conjunction with the Philadelphia mural arts program, covers 50 different walls with not only his work, but also that of 40 other local and international artists.

Via FreePeople

Check out the October issue of Complex with Jeezy x Espo collab and the Clipse x Kaws cover SIMPLY PUT NICE “TILL THE CASKET DROPS & TM 103″

You are probably wondering how can there be three covers for a two-sided magazine, but indeed there are three covers for the October/November issue of Complex Magazine. It really isn’t that complicated you will either get the one with Clipse x KAWS  or Young Jeezy x ESPO. Eliza Dushku will be bringing it on on both versions, so you will get her no matter what. All three covers are dope, but the KAWS one is easily my favorite. Check out for the issue next month when it hits newsstands.

Click for more pics

j-ro posted up the clipse/kaws video up yesterday, so go behind the scenes of the snowman’s cover. they brought on street/graffiti connoisseur espo on board for the project so this is a must-steal.

-grizzly

Young Jeezy covers Complex Magazine second of the two special collector’s issue (Clipse have the first) with an assist from Philly graf legend ESPO and his artistic stylings. Jeezy talks the industry, being grown and TM103.

Click here for the full Complex interview:  Young Jeezy: Back To School

This is one out of two covers that were shot for the October/November edition of Complex Magazine.  You can read the cover story here… Hit the jump for the other.

Clipse cover story…

The Steve Powers aka ESPO Love Letter Project is lovely.

50 painted walls throughout a section of Philadelphia- “Love Letter” will also encompass two books, a documentary film, a sign school and a shop to provide training in sign design for the local youth.  ESPO has launched the project sponsored by Pew Center for Arts & Heritage in collaboration with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Between 63d and 45th street on Market Street, 50 walls will showcase work created with help of several international and local artists. Facing the Market elevated train the works will be visible to the riders.

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This work is just killing me…

Espo creating one of the most fresh pieces i´ve seen!

check it out!