Fake Street Art

On By ResaIn Fake Street Art

I saw a sliver of this eye from a half block away. It was in a side lane, a perfect place for street art.

I hate jay-walking so I went 1 block back to the street light. I arrived at the art ‘s lane only to find a locked gate; behind parking for 2.

1/2 a block away I found a semi blocked off path/slot between 2 buildings.

50ft. later I was in a dead end lane, but it lead to the eye.

The Eye lead to the cheat – Valentino

Broken hearted, yet intrigued … why is the art so catchy, yet inaccessible?

A person like me might do what I did to get to see the art, only to realize it is a Valentino ad.

Was I baited?

Pics taken by Resa – June 14, 2022

Toronto, Canada

134 thoughts on “Fake Street Art”

  3. Hi Resa, I wouldn’t say you were “baited” as such because you haven’t fallen into purpose of the ad (to tempt you to buy the product/object). You looked at the advert as a piece of art foremost and if you strip away the corporate texts there is an artwork beneath the ads. It reminds me of the old cigarette/tobacco advertising in the UK during the 70/80s which featured some stunning photographic portraits but had tobacco company literature inscribed on top. I still remember some of the images now.
    So maybe you were baited by the image…. but not by the “pitch”!

    1. I am no fan of designer brands!!!
      Tobacco ads were quite tempting. I can see some now, as well.
      YES… baited by the image, not the pitch. Thank you Tyeth!

  4. Odd that they’d make an ad so inaccessible. Maybe to make it intriguing? If the eye and face were painted like “real” street art, I would still call it art, but perhaps “commercial art”.

  7. Timothy Price

    It’s very well done and quite striking. I find it puzzling that Valentino would pay to have such a well-done mural painted in such an inaccessible place. Maybe it wasn’t originally so inaccessible. I don’t have trouble with art as advertisement. I would rather see well-done art in advertisements than ugly, annoying images. You may have been baited, as the ad successfully drew you to it because you are an artist, and appreciate fine murals. But I take it you are not a fan of Valentino Beauty’s products, therefore, it fails as an ad if it didn’t pique your interest in buying Valentino’s products. I looked them up. Their makeup and lipstick are expensive.

    1. Yes, exactly Tim! This is why I wonder if their “Marketeers” know about people like me, who chase and hunt street art.
      You are right! As a brand Valentino beauty products fail to lure me.
      However, as a knowledgeable person, Valentino was a brilliant designer. I am humbled to his art. However, today it is the corporate Valentino “BRAND”.
      Now I wonder if by doing this post – Have I fallen into their web, and inadvertently promoted their product?

      Expensive… This is the branded designer outcome. I can buy a silk blouse for 15.99 from a Fast Fashion brand, or the same blouse for 2500.00 from a designer brand.
      xo

      1. Timothy Price

        The mural is worth seeing as a mural. I’m not running out to buy Valentino. I would not have bothered to look them up if there hadn’t been a discussion on the disappointment for being an ad and your feeling of being duped.

        1. I refuse all designer brands & fast fashion brands. As I just told Holly, I’m wearing my own vintage clothes, and stealing Norm’s old shirts from the 90’s. The cuts are nice and roomy, perfect with an old belt!

          I swear, all you can see from the street is the eye. Sure lured me in!
          There’s a lovely Zegna top in a magazine beside me $6,800.00. I mean it’s not like it’s hand sewn by blind nuns in the Swiss Alps. Most designer clothing is made in the far east.
          Okay… I’ll stop ranting! You are sweet to listen!

          1. Timothy Price

            hear you on the designer names. It’s silly to pay so much for fashion. I wear clothes until they wear out and well beyond worn out in many cases. I don’t care about designer names. I don’t have any rich friends I need to try and impress. I’m rich with kitties in paradise, and my clothing has to double as cat armor. Besides Spunk likes to eat clothing.

            But I when I do find brands that make pants or shirts I really like, that’s what I’ll wear. But I wear the brands so long they quit making the styles I like, so I have to go off in search of something new, which I hate doing. I’ve made it so simple for myself. I wear all black all the time, but I want a certain fit in pants and shirts and preferably natural fabrics. It should not be such a hastle when I have to change brands and styles, but it really is.

            I was wearing mostly Dickey’s which are durable and very reasonably priced work clothes. Then they quit making both the pants and shirts I like. Now I’ve switched over to Deluth after I got a couple of angry beaver shirts from them. Duluth is a little more expensive, but the clothes are really well made. I get most of my clothes on sale.

            1. LOL, Spunkie – Poo 💋 eats clothes!
              100 % Natural fabrics are hard come by. The trendy love their stretch fits, so elastine & other oil products such as spandex are mixed in. These clothes aren’t recyclable by and large, polluting big time.

              Dickey’s is a fab line of sturdy long lasting clothes. Too bad they discontinued your cuts. Perhaps they will come back.
              I’ve been seeing the Duluth ads. The clothing sounds great. I think you made a perfect switch, under the circumstances.
              Definitely… I buy the few things I need to….on sale!

              Think I’ll see what they have for me in basics, next time I’m forced to buy clothes.

              1. Timothy Price

                Spunk used to slip into our closet and eat the bottom of Laurie’s dresses. She had several nice dresses that looked like a shark had bitten them. His destruction bill was very high for the longest time. He had to do a lot of kitty modeling to pay down his destruction debt. There always seems to be a mix of synthetics in most clothes. A lot of women love those tight-fitting spandexy leggings that mold to all their girly parts..

                1. Oh boy! Spunkie, Spunkie – Poo 💋!
                  Even men’s suits have stretch. It’s instant fit.
                  Less pattern making, less sewing, more profit.

                  OMG! Canada’s main internet / tv server was down yesterday for almost 24 hours, across all of Canada. Cash only at the food store, no bank machine access….
                  It came back on around midnight. Cut out a few times since.
                  Going to mail you a shot I did with the filters that go with the lights you sent me!

      2. You showed off the art cos you love street art. I was too busy being intrigued by your persistence and then the work itself. So there you go. You just showed me something lovely, not something I’d buy xxxxx xxxx

        1. Exactly!! It is a beautiful painting. I would never pay the $$$$$$$$$$$$ for designer brands.
          I just felt excited when I saw the eye, then went out of my way, as a street art hunter only to find it was an ad!
          For crying out loud, I make gowns out of anything…landfill to luxury!
          Speaking of which, man was my place a mess. I’m almost finished cleaning and primping the gown room. Now the cats are crying at the shut door. Too bad! Mommy’s taking pics.

          Hmm, I don’t hear them? I gotta go check! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

    2. I do too, Tim. Why would they make this mural inaccessible. Or did the mural artist add the Valentino name. Resa always make me think and wonder, explore and try to understand creative endeavours. She is brilliant.

      1. Timothy Price

        I thought about the Valentino added by the artist or at random later, but after looking at their website, the mural looks like the style of Valentino. Resa is brilliant and gives us something to puzzle over.

  8. Excellent art feels diminished when used in advertising, but it’s still excellent, I guess. Great post describing your journey to a better vantage point, Resa!

    1. Cool, I checked out the link. Street Art Toronto has a massive directory of artists, websites, etc. I have seen commercial art/ads by some of our Toronto artists. I’m happy they make $$.
      Also, companies do hire them to simply add interest to blah buildings, give themselves a cool look.
      Street Art Toronto supplies free paint for walls and garage doors, etc. The home owners pay what they can.

      And they do get commissions all over the world. I’m like an idiot groupie when I meet one painting. lol

      1. I was delighted to hear that mural artists were compensated for their creative endeavours. They add so much to our cities – colour, mysteries, symbolism. I have seen those blah buildings come alive with murals. Many thanks for being a mural hunter! Hugs and more hugs!

  10. Hmmm, yeah. It is nicely done. I think I’d call this approach “reverse subvertising”. What you now need is some bona fide street artists to re-subvertise the reverse subvertising… and then…

    ▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪
    ▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫

    1. Interesting comment!
      Okay, I looked up subvertising. Trying to get my head around the idea.
      yes…yes… reverse subvertising…
      Oh I like your cheeky idea about reversing the reversal.! Brilliant!

  11. Cheeky marketing people… Got to hand it to them though, it’s a good mural! Mouah!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤💗💗💗💗💗🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷💗💗💗💗💗❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

    1. LOL! It is a pretty painting!

      But they put it in a hard to access street art location. I gotta tell you I never met a street artist wearing designer clothes. Cheeky is the word!
      Of course there was a Ferrari parked there.
      xoxoxoxo💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷xoxoxoxo💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷💗🌷

      1. A ha ha haaaaaa… Ferrari huh?!!!!
        If only that was the commission fee to the artist who painted it!! 🤣🤣🤣
        🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

    1. A club hammer, eh TOF? Aren’t they heavy? It might actually pull me down to the ground. Hmm, still there’s feet down there!
      I must be a painful reader to you! Chapter 17 is a few pages away! lol

  15. It is quite beautiful. And, while I am with you on not wanting to promote their product for free, I am with Tim. It’s way better than the other crap for ads out there. And, your journey to get to it was the most interesting part 😉 I wonder at their choice of placement but maybe that’s all part of it. Who knows? I don’t buy designer anything so I would have simply enjoyed the mural as a mural and kept on going!

    1. Thunder!
      I’m drowning in life in and comments. I’m disorganized with my blogging.
      Just finished the new Art Gown, and have been taking pics.
      First word that comes into your mind when I say “Green”?
      xoxo

  16. This is a beautiful artwork, I too surprised to find it to be an ad and such an off the path place. Thea know you for posting it lovely. I’m quite taken by the new flair for perfume etc ads paired with older music. I’m not likely to buy though . xoxoxo

    1. xoxoxo I won’t spend money on ridiculously expensive corporate brands. Valentino was a brilliant designer, but he’s long gone. Chanel is long gone, and was one of the first corporate brands. I see a Zegna top in a magazine beside me – $6,800.
      Similar top at H&M $16.00. Both are ridiculous. I can’t afford designer brands, and I refuse to buy fast fashion (second largest polluter on the planet). I’m dressing in my own vintage & stealing N’s old shirts.
      It’s crazy. A $15.00 lipstick looks just like a $100.00 lipstick.
      Think I’ll just drink red wine over my lips and call it beauty!
      xoxoxoxo

      1. Smart lady, you’re one up on Us though with your beautiful handmade fashions. I have to confess I’m not above Pulling off the rack. If it’s a wedding that’s different .I pretty much love yoga pants and a long shirt. 😏😎xoxoxo

        1. Ahh, the comfy look! Hey…that’s what I wear!
          I guess we are two cool Meece!
          The Meece Brand! 🐭👯‍♀️🐭 xoxoxo

            1. 2 cool for school! 😎🐭🐭😎
              You’re not going to believe this, my 80 year old dad is in the hospital with covid. That virus is sure sticking around!

              1. Oh no ! I’m so sorry. Yep, I was just reading about the V-5 variant. it’s more likely to slip by our vaccines but no more likely to cause severe illness. Sending all my best vibrations ( and a prayer) to you and your Dad. xoxoxo

                1. Oh no, not a new variant!

                  It sounds like he’s hallucinating.
                  He’s in Vancouver. I have a cuz there. He’s been talking to the PCC. According to dad, he told the PCC he was at an Irish festival. He rode a motor scooter home, and does not understand how he got into the hospital.
                  There was no Irish festival, and he can’t drive….anything.
                  Thank you for your thoughts, dahling!
                  xoxoxo

                    4. Oh that’s a lovely combo. I’m pretty much Northern European with a great grandma on my Dads side mother who was 1/4 Native American, ,or so the rumor goes on that.

  17. Hi Resa,

    It’s disappointing to find out it’s an ad, but she is still striking and it’s a great “find.” So many details, and I see attitude, not to mention, those lashes! ❤️

    1. Oh I know… those lashes!
      As a find…they hid it like true street art. So, I did find it. Anyway, I do think it’s pretty!
      I’ve got to get off this blog, and over to Art Gowns. The new gown is finished, and I need to make a post. I’ll visit you from there! Are you working on new poetry? xoxo

      1. I’ve been off grid, backpacking last week, but am back. I have several writing projects that I’m working on…fiction short stories, poetry, and a children’s book. 🙂 I’m sure your gown is gorgeous! xo

    2. Hello, Martha,
      I just visited your blog. I left comments, and they disappeared.
      Could you please check if I am in your Spam, and if I am….free me! xoxo

  19. A perfect example of a fake mural. But, you have to admit it’s a bit good.
    It’s probably a digital creation. Bravo for you for all of your efforts to seek
    it out. If it was art – The Eye See’s All – would be a good name for it.
    Happy Thursday, Resa.
    Hugs, Isadora 😎

    1. Yeah, I agree it is good. Lol… good title.
      Happy Thursday, Isadora! .. I know I’m 1 late…but it’s still going to be a Thursday. xo

      1. No worries, Resa. It’s summertime. I’m behind as well. Living in FLorida, I get lots of family that wants to vacation here. Big savings on hotels plus I get the wonderful company I had missed during COVID. ❤️

  21. That is so detailled and wonderful painted. You are really blessed to have so great artists, and they to have you for documenting their art, Reza! Thanks for sharing, and have a nice rest of the week! xx Michael

  22. Hi Resa, it is a lovely piece of art and I assume it is still hand painted. It’s not so terrible that it’s an advert, is it? After all, it allows artists to earn some money through their artwork.

    1. Oh Yes! I want artists to earn money! It’s just the sneaky way they are presenting it.
      Agree, it is a gorgeous piece of art!

        1. Yay!!!! I promise I’ll be by soon. Just when things were lightening up a bit, my 80+ yr old dad gets covid! Uch!!!

          1. Sorry to hear that, madam. Tell him Professional Moron said “Get well soon!”, which won’t mean much. You can translate that as, “This bewigged British gentleman wishes you the best of health!”

  32. I’m glad you showed us anyway, because it’s beautiful. Advertisement art is better than no art at all, I think. But strange that it was so inaccessible. (And my review of Lady Lazuli is live if you’re interested). ❤ ❤ ❤

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  34. EGBleu22

    Well, they got you good. However, I’ll give them nice credit to use certain levels of alluring colors and perspectives. Even glancing through the images, I’m taking note about their color choices and combinations that made you go over and look at it. Also, I’m not a huge fan of street art in terms of detail, but I love it when there’s serious colorful (or colorless) optical illusion involved.

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