Tracing graffiti’s history from Philadelphia through its increasingly international scope, director John Reiss’s Bomb It! is the most comprehensive street and spray paint art documentary to date. Artists ranging from the Tats Crew to Shepard Fairey, Blek Le Rat to Kid Acne, and Os Gemeos to Very One are represented. The result is a broad catch of graffiti across five continents, an exploration of how art colors and covers a range of spaces and environments.
Not to be exclusive to "pro" graffiti interests, Reiss also allows law makers who believe bombing is a problematic activity. These thoughts counter the ideas of the artists whose interviews reveal the impetus for their activities. Boredom at times, but also social agitation and political commentary drive the writers. They’re notions connect the art to the global scene, yet ground and localize each individual. There can be no denying the increased interest and reverence granted to street art in recent times. While not exclusive to "graffiti," street arts new position in the art world still requires some succinct definition, and films like Bomb It! serve to investigate the reasons and meanings behind a constantly evolving and mutating genre.
Bomb It! premiers in LA this coming Friday, June 6. Check out the flier after the jump. The Bomb It! site offers a break down of current and future screenings.
