Funky Town

On By ResaIn Faces, Graffiti Alley, Street Art

feat. Lipps

It took several trips to get this piece.

The first time it was like- YAY fresh graf! Then it was what the….?

There were 2 separate metal grill works, no idea what they are for, covering the art. You can see in the pic, I tried to slide one over. It was dead heavy, and the bit you see took me about 5 minutes of grunt work to slide.

I couldn’t just plop it to the ground, as there was a car parked.

Obsessed, I returned every several days, until there were no parked cars. The grills were still there, so I plopped them to the ground.

Jailed – Free

The art had been freed from its jail!

I returned the grills to the upright position prior to departing.

Jailed Reflection

Pics taken by Resa – October 15 & 28, 2024

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

Graffiti Alley is my Funky Town.

137 thoughts on “Funky Town”

    1. TOF!
      Thank you!
      Fortunately, I wasn’t unauthorized parking. There was nothing on the sign about taking pics, so I figured – fine- they have me on surveillance footage taking pics.

      It’s not the first surveillance footage I’ve been on. Perhaps I did trespass at times, but only to take pics. Nothing bad has ever happened.

  4. 🦅🐟🧞‍♀️🐟🦅

    not only funky, but also soooo….

    ⬻𓂀✴★♡🎀 𝓖 𝓻 𝓸 𝓸 𝓿 𝔂 🎀♡★✴𓂀⤖

    💖 the jailbreak slider btw

    1. Lol…jailbreak slider show… love it!

      You have a 🎨♡🎀 🎨𝓖 𝓻 𝓸 𝓸 𝓿 𝔂🎨 🎀♡🎨 way of putting things!
      Thank you Graham!

    1. Thanks Dave!
      Art in jail? That’s like book banning…sort of.
      Anyway, the art has now been destroyed by taggers.
      Street art is an epitome of ephemeral.

        1. Me too, but it;’s the way of street art. Like humans, it’s ephemeral.
          I suppose that’s why I document it. It’s a slice from my time. 😊

  6. Wow, what a sassy woman! This street art deserves to be freed from jail; it’s so uplifting to the spirit! I love the fish and flower, too; they give her a mystical, magical aspect. Thanks for sharing, Resa. This is something special! 😊🐟🪻

    1. I thought it was a woman, but now??? Not sure.
      Whatever, I adore the art, the colours the fish, the flower and the execution. I was thrilled to find it.
      Unfortunately, it is now destroyed with 1 big tag – a throw-up. 🌺🌻☀️xo

  7. Wow–the struggle for art is real! Thank you for sharing! I love the colors, and it’s so interesting the woman with the fish and flower.

    (There was a show called Parenthood several years ago. “Funkytown” became code for one of the couples in it when they wanted to have sex. 😂)

    1. Hahahaha!

      The first thing that attracted me was the colours. Then when I got close, the subject matter and execution pleased me.
      I’m glad I shot it when I did. It is now destroyed with 1 giant tag, a throw-up.

      Well, at least the couple didn’t refer to it as “Flunkytown”. Then you would have known sex failed, regularly. 😂)
      I thought that was funny?

    1. I think the colours are quite alluring. The artist is excellent as well.
      I never saw that video either, but I was happy to find it! 😃 xx

  10. What a beautiful, shamanic piece! Thank you for your relentless efforts to remove that nonsense; I ponder how some individuals are so utterly blind.

    xoxo 🤙🤗🌹

    1. Shamanic, there’s a word I don’t hear every day; maybe never. Still, I get it, and yes it is shamanic.

      That grill! Honestly, the parking signs, trash bins, parked cars, trees, electric poles and wires are not enough?

      Ohh, the tribulations of adoring street art!

      I found a beauty of Friday, Aladin! I’m going out again tomorrow!

      Thank you for coming by and your lovely comment!

      ☀️🌹❤️🎨🌟

  11. Kudos for being persistent. It’s amazing to me that the actual grid of the block wall is almost invisible when looking through the fence. Thanks for the comparison image.

    1. Persistent is a neat word for may obsession, thank you, Dan!

      It never ceases to amaze me. Paint some wall art, then plant a tree in front of it, or a row of industrial size garbage bins.

      However, the grid was a new one. I mean this art spot had it all: parking signs pasted over it, cars parked, grid work and black poison stations for rats along the bottom.

      Thanks Dan! I adore that image compare feature in the editor.

      Oh, btw, I was back there last week. The grid is gone, but now the art is covered in a massive throw-up! Or, I as I called them before I was educated by a street artist – a giant bubble tag.

    1. Yes, youth was just a few weeks ago.

      It’s fun art and it made me think of that frn song.

      You stay safe too, dear Martha! xx

    1. Crazy, but it was fun, in a way.
      Loved the jail break. 😃😃
      The street art in Toronto continues to be painted. I found some wonderful garage doors a few days ago, and an amazing mural yesterday.

  21. Fabulous artwork. Great colors. Were the grills there to stop cars from hurting the work or, to stop kids for tagging it? No matter. You did a great job getting them down, so you could show us how beautiful the street art is is. (I’m srue they were really heavy, but you can’t keep a good woman down)

  22. I can understand why you got so determined to get that photo, Resa. This is one of the best murals ever. How odd about the grille things… I hope you didn’t hurt your back. They look heavy. Big hugs to you and yours.

  25. “Funky Town” is a guilty pleasure for me. I couldn’t resist listening to it all the way through. Thank you for freeing the art from jail for our benefit (and the art’s, of course).

    1. No guilt there!
      It’s a fun song. Over the making of the post, I must have listened half a dozen times!

      Free Art!!!!

      Who knows, Liz? The way things are going these days, it may need to be a movement along with not banning books!

  26. I’m with you about all the street art, Resa. I love it, and it is always a shame when it gets painted over. If there were enough building canvases, that would be great. I love the Funky Town video. Lots of fun. 🙂 xxx

    1. Thanks Marsha!
      I agree about it being painted over. There’s also, sun, wind, rain, hail, sleet, crumbling brick and rotting wood that destroys the art.
      I suppose that’s why I am somewhat obsessed with documenting it on line.
      To what eventual avail?
      😊🌷xoxo

  27. Boo on those metal grill covering the beautiful art… and THOSE lips!! Great job and well done on removing this stunning art from ‘jail,’ Resa!! Bravo and THANK YOU for letting us admire this painting without obstruction. The song is perfect too! HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, you are my inspiration!! ❤️ 💖 ❦ ♡

    1. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, Ruth! (1 day late, but I think women’s day is every day!

      I did gets somewhat obsessed with shooting this art without the grill. I’m glad I did.

      It’s already been destroyed by taggers.

      Art jail is actually not a far off concept, what with all the book banning going on! Films are on the list of possibles too.

      You inspire me too!

      Make Art(s) not war! xoxoxoxoxo

      1. “It’s already been destroyed by taggers” – Oh no!! I’m glad you got to capture it without the grill and it’s now ‘preserved’ here on your blog for art lovers to admire, so again, THANK YOU!!

        Make art(s) not war! Blessed are the peacemakers indeed! XOXOXO

  28. I’m so glad you returned and freed the artwork from its jail. Just plopped those things on the ground! It’s beautiful and deserves to be seen! I hope that fencing is permanently gone soon. Thanks for the photos, Resa.

    1. Welcome Diana!
      Yes the grill is gone, but someone tagged over the art. So, it’s destroyed.
      I’m sure fresh art will replace the tag soon.
      The ephemerality of street art is one of the reasons I’m driven to find and record it. An odd hobby, but the walking keeps me healthy!

      1. The ephemerality is something I struggle with. But there’s a message there too about the inevitability of change. There’s loss, but also the opportunity for something new.

  29. I have to say, the lengths to which you go for your art! It’s inspiring as all get out. And to think you kept at it and kept at it until you found a clear enough coast with which to plop those prison bars to the ground and release the funky! And funky it is, in the very best kind of disco lemonade.

    And then you supply a great song on top of all that.

    MUAH!

    1. Thank you, Dahling!
      This scrounging around for art in the alleys is better than whiskey…or a keg of wine!
      Nothing else in the world exists. (Thank Gawd!)

      MUAH!

  30. Buffalo Winter's avatar Buffalo Winter

    Some very nice murals, I appreciate your “Jailed Reflection”, observing and taking a photo from the vehicle windows perspective is too cool.

    Sadly, I have seen some beautiful historical murals tagged and otherwise mutilated in my city, fortunately it does not stop artists from creating new ones here along the Lake.

    1. Thank you!
      I have a passion for preserving ephemeral art on this blog.
      You live in Buffalo? I’d love to see the murals, or just street art pieces there.

      1. Buffalo Winter's avatar Buffalo Winter

        You’re very welcome.

        Your use of ephemeral made me laugh, when I tended bar, I would tell customers that I was into, (in a low voice) “ephemera”.

        Yes, I live here along the Lake and in my city last summer a nice mural was done along a low bridge.

        I will endeavor to get you some recent photos of my city’s outdoor ephemeral artwork, lol, I love that word.

        On the landing page of my website, you can see a photo of me and a small “mural” I painted on a warehouse basement floor where I was employed.

        Do you draw and paint? and if so, any examples?

        1. Yes, I draw… gowns and portraits.
          I also make beautiful gowns by hand out of cast offs, old curtains and clothes, off cuts, NOS (new old fabric),etc. Here’s my most recent – https://artgowns.com/2024/12/27/victorian-sonnet/
          You will find my drawings on that blog, but whether it’s a drawing, a gown I made, a book review or art – it’s all about gowns.
          Except for portraits.
          Thank you for asking! 

  33. Pingback: Story Chat Digest: Summary “Sir Chocolate and the Gingerbread Church” by Robbie and Michael Cheadle – Marsha Ingrao – Always Write

    1. Yeah!

      Lovin’ the art and the song!

      I’m thinking/hoping that the fact that you are here means you are feeling somewhat better?

      I finished Joni! In the process of taking pics, editing, etc. Will be sending something this weekend. Then you can update me.

      Also, news on the AGM Tissot drawings. I have added to them. Will send an update sample on those!

      xoxoxoxoxoxo

      1. You’ve been a busy little bee! I am feeling better and so far behind here, but headed over here too find I am missing out on more than one of your posts! I never like to do that. Joni is finished….Eeeeeeeee! I can’t wait to see. I’m excited about Tissot drawings, that is such an interesting and beautiful series. I’ll be waiting for the update.
        xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

        1. Love you!
          No worries!!!! Lol…. you break a rib then worry about crawling over to my blog. You are a dear Meece!
          Really, I just want you to get better!
          Eeeeee!!! Me too! Working on it all, and the Poetess post! xoxoxoxo

            1. Hobbling… I hate hobbling.
              Lol… Yes walking the streets is preferable to a light post on a corner, unless it’s a Sad Cafe poem.
              Hang in!!!! You will get better!
              xoxoxo 🐭🐭xoxoxo

            1. ❤️ I adore you, too!
              It is a beautiful mural, and others see you in it, too!
              The repost is lovely! xoxo🐭🐭xoxo
              Just sent a mail with 3 Joni’s and updated AGM Tissots!

                    3. xoxoxoxoxo
                      Crazy… “they” took over an old HOJO across from us, and turned it into a homeless shelter. I mean a DREGS shelter.
                      The dregs are urinating all over the hood, including my front step….and I live at a streetcar exchange. They are in full view of an admiring public.

                      Unbelievable.

                      Anyway, we have had our mail delivery by the Postal Service suspended until we move our mailbox ..and more. Health and safety ..I get it, but wtf with the homeless?

                      I picked up our mail at the main facility today… 4 hours to go there and back.
                      What a deal!!!!

                      Love you! xoxoxoxoxo

                    5. It’s so distressing, Meece!.
                      The homeless thing is out of control. Why are we paying to keep them in a hotel when they don’t bother using the toilet there? It seems they spend their days wandering around the hood urinating on people’s property.

                      Thanks for the kind support!
                      xoxoxoxoxo

                    6. It’s such a bad situation. So many homeless are mentally ill or addicted and don’t want to stay in the facilities provided. They’ve passed some laws in various places here to prohibit loitering ( we are always passing laws lately in the regime) . Be careful Meece, I feel so bad for you, that’s not good!
                      xoxoxoxoxo

                    7. Yeah.. Laws don’t help with the homeless.
                      How do you NOT sleep in the street or in a park if you have no home?
                      Also,
                      Police don’t enforce the laws. Too much useless paperwork, and the person is back out on the street the next day.

                      No wonder I’m not afraid to walk the alleys looking for art. Look where I live.
                      xoxoxoxoxoxo

        1. It’s hard come by everywhere!
          There is a huge mutant evil/war gene out there.
          BTW – It’s really nice how so many see your poetry beauty in the Poetess Nouveau mural.

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