The first van I came across was this awesome Volkswagen Bus located in the Upper Haight. That van was definitely made in the fifties or sixties. Let me just say that even as a kid I have always wanted this car, and was ecstatic to see one in such good shape. Needless to say the paint job made me chuckle a little bit. This van is decorated with the logo of Pacifico on both front doors, and the message Mexico Via Pacifico written above the windshield. Along the side of the car is a band of roosters playing some music, captivating the rising sun. On the other side is a lone rooster acting as the two hands of a clock. It seems that it was about 4:15 on a rooster island stocked with the Mexican beer. I love how the roosters are playing despite the fact that they have no fingers. I think the goal of this van is to spread the word of Pacifico, and brighten people's day as well. They have succeeded on both fronts.
The next van I came along was also on Haight Street, but a little further towards downtown. It was a van promoting Acro Sports, a Gymnastics Performance and Circus Arts school located across the street from Kezar Stadium. What I liked about the van was it's vibrant colors. The background seemed to be painted a beige off-white color, allowing the logo and the children to bounce off it really well. The color of the logo is also easy to read, even at a quick glance. This paint job does a good job of conveying what Acro Sports is all about, and I was glad to have photographed it.
The last truck I captured was the only one that was actually vandalized. It is located in the Inner Sunset district The writing is hard to make out, but seems to read JAUT CARES along the side, and I'm not even gonna try to translate the back. If anyone can see it clearer, or has any guesses to what it might actually say, please comment. But to answer the one clear question written on the truck, it certainly is funky enough for me. The blue and red contrast on the sides allowing each one to be read separately. The bubbly lettering on the back is kind of cool as well. Overall this is nothing special, but certainly neat to look at.
3 totally different, lov e the Pacifico
ReplyDeletelove the art
ReplyDeletethis is great dylan....love it!!!dany
ReplyDeletei could see you driving one of these!
ReplyDeletexx
Very cool. It's funny, I feel like I keep noticing cars/vans/trucks around SF with tons of Graffiti and art on them. My first thought is always, I wonder if the owner gave permission for that? Then, I decided whether or not it'd art I'd like having on my car. Personally, I used to drive a 1999 Red VW Bug. (I don't have a car anymore..I got rid of it when I thought Muni was a more reliable option) I remember sitting at a stop light one time and the identical car pulled up next to me, only that car had black spots painted all over it and a big smile on the front, thus making it look like a lady bug. I couldn't help but smile. That's definitely some car art I would rock.
ReplyDeleteCool post!
I've always been intrigued by automobile art. It's a pretty cool concept to make a vehicle into a work of art, so that it has two purposes - transportation and whatever message or commentary the art provides. I remember when I was a little kid, every once in a while I'd see cars that were painted or had various objects glued onto its surfaces. I thought this was so wacky and cool. Who were these people who were doing this to their cars? These days I still have a certain fascination and appreciation for these moving works of art! I dig this groovy post!
ReplyDeleteI love the Pacifica Van, so happy and fun! It's ironic that this graffiti has been unfortunately graffiti'd on though! The sun looks like it's been tagged on both sides of the car - interesting. It seems that graffiti inevitably invites more graffiti - I wonder how the original artist feels about having their van tagged. Fair or unfair? Perhaps the artist doesn't mind and believes in free art for everyone, or maybe they feel taken advantage of? Personally, if it was my Pacifico van, I would think it's a shame that someone tagged it and erasing the tag would mean redoing my original piece. But who knows, I'm not a graffiti artist.
ReplyDeleteMobile art is always fun to spot and can really brighten your day. The first two vans that you photographed were both interesting to look but they also served a financial purpose as well. Advertising that is pleasant to look at tends to be successful advertisement. As for the third truck, I am personally not a fan of random graffiti. Too much random graffiti can actually bring more crime into a city, but well thought-out street art can bring more critical thought.
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