Street artists LEBA, Septerhed and Lydia Emily recently freed their heads of hair to free Tibet. Shaving in solidarity with the Free Tibet movement, the trio asked budding stylists to shave their heads. Their shearings were captured on video and presented in an artsy short film by Heather Hoxsey on YouTube today. more ›

If you've cruised or strolled past the intersection of Melrose and Spaulding avenues during the past week, you may have been greeted by dozens of spray-painted faces. The Picasso-esque visages are the works of American artist Gregory Siff. Two years ago, Siff painted the same wall without permission. This year, he got permission and covered the wall again on February 1. more ›

You've probably heard the phrase "mural ordinance" bandied about lately, and maybe you've wondered what it means (or maybe you're totally well-versed in it; who knows). Either way, to give you a brief overview: The goal of the proposed mural ordinance is to allow new murals to be created on private property, and to maintain vintage murals that already exist. more ›

The city has its work cut out for it as it tries to craft its Stumptown-inspired proposed mural ordinance: how can it tell the difference between an advertisement and a work of art? more ›

Street artist Buff Monster -- whose website tagline is "art of super happy pink" -- recently took over the 6th Street wall of the Standard Downtown, reports the Huffington Post. The mural he painted on the hotel's south side features plenty of his trademark color, as well as creatures that look like desserts wandering about in a desert. more ›

In 2003, the Los Angeles graffiti artist Tony "TEMPT ONE" Quan was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease that paralyzed him and put him out of commission as an artist—until the EyeWriter was invented. The story of how TEMPT ONE was able to create art again using only the movements of his eyes is documented in the film "Getting Up: The TEMPT ONE Story," which recently won an audience award at the Slamdance Festival. more ›

L.A.-based street artist Kophns One, also known as Koffinz, painted a 30-foot wall in his native Echo Park during the last week of December. Watch him create "Kophenjoy" in today's video lunch via a video uploaded yesterday by The Site Unscene showcasing his visual mastery. more ›

The city of Beverly Hills has torn down the street art gracing Rodeo Drive that features a pastel pop art portrait of perennial presidential candidate Ron Paul. It's not clear exactly why the city tore it down—but we're pretty sure the gauche Mr. Brainwash-esque portrait was not approved by the city's Fine Art Commission, unlike the Robert Graham "Torso" sculpture it was affixed to. more ›

City Councilmember Ed Reyes is holding a community meeting tomorrow evening to get input on a draft of the city's proposed Mural Ordinance. The ordinance would allow murals to be painted on private property (imagine that!). more ›

As the caucuses in Iowa caucuses heat up, somebody in Los Angeles wants to let the world know that they support Republican contender Ron Paul -- a street artist in Beverly Hills slapped a painting of the candidate at the bottom of a statue, with the title "Consistency." more ›

It's time for year in review posts, and while there are certainly more than a few everywhere on the web, today we were drawn to KCET's look back at 2011 in Los Angeles mural art. more ›

During strolls along Venice's trendy Abbot Kinney Boulevard or while visiting Post No Bills, you may have noticed a giant etching of a woman's face on the exterior wall of said gallery. After months of waiting for his jet setter pace to slacken, we finally caught up with Vhils to ask him about the process, which was captured on video, and his favorite street artists. more ›

Bicycling Angelenos, pedal to Lincoln Park this Saturday, November 12, for a curated two-wheeled tour of L.A. street murals. Trained ride leaders from Cyclists Inciting Change thru LIVE Exchange (C.I.C.L.E.) will lead a 7.5-mile ride through Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and the Downtown Arts district. more ›

At 19 years old, Sand One has put her art up all over the city, from walls in East L.A. to galleries in Hollywood. She's at the forefront of a small but growing group of young female street artists who are breaking down expectations about what has long been seen as a male-dominated field. A self-described "little five-foot girl in heels," Sand is blazing this particular trail with style and humor, in addition to a healthy dose of chutzpah. She chatted with us about her work, her goals and why we shouldn't call what she does graffiti. more ›

Some people turn to an elder or a higher power for guidance in a time of struggle. Los Angeles turns to Portland, Oregon. While before we've turned to Stumptown for direction for our street car transit and bike-friendliness on our streets, this time the City of L.A. has formed a "Mural Task Force" and is turning to Portland for advice based on the success of their mural ordinance. more ›

As part of the LA Freewalls project, German street artists How and Nosm recently finished up a large-scale mural in DTLA's Arts District. The blog Brooklyn Street Art reports that the106 feet by 60 foot piece, called "Heartship," took six days to finish, and that its intention is to "entertain, elate, and educate about what self-taught artists with heart can produce and add to the man-made environment." more ›

Street artist Mr. Brainwash likes to go big, and since he calls L.A. home, this is where he is set to launch what is being called "his largest and most ambitious Los Angeles exhibition to date." With an as-yet unspecified "late October" opening, Mr. Brainwash (aka Thierry Guetta) will include his work, and the work of invited and select global artists in "Art Show 2011." more ›

It's fitting that Anna Faris' latest rom-com is titled What's Your Number? The genre's obsessed with them. Elsewhere, strange street art tiles inspire another obsession: a JJ Abrams-esque mystery following in Resurrect Dead. Let's go to the movies this weekend! more ›

One way to get your group's message out: Paste up some posters! But better check first you're not getting slap-em-up happy atop a mural made by a group of well-known global artists. Falling Whistles, a group seeking to raise awareness about conditions in the African Congo, wound up plastering their campaign posters atop the mural called "Only Time Will Tell." more ›

A 28-year-old man thought to be a member of numerous tagging crews and responsible for thousands of dollars of damage to city and Metro property is wanted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Tomas Benson, who tags under the moniker "RUETS," was not present at his home when deputies served a search warrant there last week, and the authorities are still hoping to speak with him. more ›

The mural "Oceans at Risk" was painted by street artists Risk and Retna and sponsored by the environmental group Heal the Bay. The group was hoping to leave the four-story mural up until next Saturday's statewide clean-up of California's beaches. But it might not last until the clean-up next Saturday — or if it does, it will be a very, very expensive billboard. Santa Monica City is threatening to levy a $5,000 daily fine on the mural, which took months of painting. The problem is it was never properly permitted. more ›

Worldly street artist and designer Chase and his trusty cans of spray paint have brightened Venice Beach this spring and summer with several mural projects. As part of The Campaign for the Absurd in Venice Beach, he covered several walls with his brilliant characters. more ›

If you're grabbing your guilty pleasure gossip rag from the rack of a local newsstand, better make sure it's not one of TrustoCorp's faux mags. The NYC-based artists collective, whose guerrilla street signs went on display at Gallery 1988 in L.A. in October, have slipped their fake mags in locations in Hollywood and LAX, as well as on their home turf in NY. more ›

Aaron Brothers has caved in to pressure from City Hall and canceled its "urban art" events in Los Angeles County. The company was planning on showcasing the work of professional street artists at live events. It was also going to offer free "graffiti starter kits" to attendees (that really just had snazzy-looking markers and paper and no spray paint whatsoever). more ›

Aaron Brothers' Artrageous campaign is actually sparking some genuine outrage in some corners of city hall. As a part of a back-to-school promotion, the company is showcasing the work of prominent street artists at live events and offering free "graffiti starter kits" to attendees. Those kits are what have really riled up councilman Dennis Zine. Yesterday he introduced a resolution to the city council asking Aaron Brothers to stop the campaign that he says glorifies vandalism — never mind that the so-called "graffiti starter kits" don't even have the right materials to launch would-be Shepard Faireys or Banksys. The kits themselves are little more than cleverly marketed markers and paper. more ›

Portuguese-born artist Vhils has elevated Abbot Kinney street art to a new level, chiseling a woman's face into the exterior south-facing wall of the Post No Bills gallery in conjunction with the current European Bailout Show. more ›

Over the weekend, a Cardiff-by-the-sea statue named “Magic Carpet Ride,” -- informally referred to as the "Cardiff Kook" -- underwent another in a series of unapproved transformations at the hands of jokers or vandals or guerrilla artists or Miss Baker's 4th grade science class. more ›

PMCA's "Street Cred" hasn't gotten a lot of attention thanks to that sorta big deal major record-breaking show that just wrapped up at MOCA, but there's still time to check out this very L.A. exhibit. more ›

Street art draws millions of unwitting viewers daily, but put the stuff in a museum and charge admission, and, whadda ya know? The show breaks records! The Museum of Contemporary Art is congratulating themselves on a job well done with the innovative "Art in the Streets" exhibit that ran for 81 days and drew 201,352 patrons, besting the previous record set by their 2002 Warhol Retrospective. more ›