Kurt Wenner Gallery
Look at this detail from one of the paintings.
Check the website; there are some amazing works - and the presentation on some of them is incredible.
Hey, Bob, he's an Ann Arbor boy.
Q: Are you disappointed when it washes away?
A: I am always aware of the impermanence of street painting. Wind, sun, dirt, and rain constantly remind me as I work of the very fleeting nature of this type of painting. All day long, as I'm creating a new part of the picture, I can see the finished parts already fading. It's a challenge to retouch the picture and keep it fresh for spectators. I'm not disappointed when the painting washes away because street painting is performance art, it's very much like attending a symphony. When the music ends everyone leaves with a memory of the music. My work is the same except one is left with a visual impression. And much like musical recording helps preserve a moment, I photograph my paintings when they're finished.
Q: How long will the painting last if it isn't destroyed?
A: It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the picture is “gone.” In Switzerland, where the climate is very harsh, I've returned to old street painting sites after a year and still seen the pictures. They are of course very faded, yet legible. Climate, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians are all factors which determine a painting survival time. They can last anywhere form a couple of days to more than a year.
Q: Can you spray something on the picture to “fix” it, keep it from washing or fading away?
A: The permanence of many work of art depends more on its environment, support, and the quality of materials used in creating the work than on a protective varnish. Anything sprayed on chalk will immediately change the surface, causing whites to turn gray for example, and only slightly increases the durability of the work.
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