City October 6, 2011 2:36 PM

Meditate on this for a while...

Meditate on this for a while...
Max Collins has finished his first mural (see background). The project took him, along with the help of Willie Jay, a little over a day to finish. I was able to catch part of the process, which went fairly smoothly for the most part. I was happy to see that, much like paint, the photographic wheatpaste allows the texture of the brick wall to show through. I also like that the work of art is rather subtle, thus reflecting the subject matter. Parts of the original Steve Brouse 'Elmwood' mural were left intact and actually enhance the wheatpaste by giving it some context. 

One thing that I had not originally taken into account with this mural project is that the Jim's SteakOut wall is well-lit at night. I passed by last night and snapped some photos (see one below). The lighting effect is an added bonus. 

Next up will be the wall at 888 Main Street. We're hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday October 12 (7pm start) to raise money for that project - more information is available on Facebook. Horizon Realty has agreed to a matching fund in the amount of $500, which means that we're off to a great start - if you like the direction that this mural project is taking, then 'like' Horizon on Facebook. It's a cool way to say "thanks!" We'll have more info on that mural design at the fundraiser, and we'll also be announcing additional project news that evening. 

night-yoga-Buffalo-NY.jpg

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Love it!!!!!!!!!

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Way to go Max & Co., it looks great!

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Walked by today. It looks good.

I still think putting a chick up there would have been better, topless or otherwise...

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Insulted...you need to cover up that mural completely people. Can I say something? I painted that mural..yes I am Steve Brouse and I do not get the reason for leaving the remnants of my old falling down mural there. Cool pic of the dude meditating..KUDOS to you but man..do you have any respect for art. I thought Elmwood was all about getting rid of the taggers...that's fine about covering up an old mural because it is falling down..COMPLETELY..but my God..leaving part of it up is like a slap in the face. Thanks...I'm glad you are enjoying watching my art walk peel off the wall.

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I don't even know where to start with your comment. Nasty, unproductive, arrogant, with a touch of self-absorbency. #1 Costs money to remove your mural, how about you do it yourself if you're so insulted. #2 Who made you boss of this wall in the city? If you feel such personal connection to your mural, why didn't you update it so it didn't make the side of the building look depleted?

Go take your guilt trip to City Hall, in the mean time, FANTASTIC JOB MAX

replied to brousey
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the yoga mural seems kinda dumb. they should have restored the old one. it was bubbly and colorful. it really caught the eye and always put me in a good mood. the new one makes u wonder "why am i looking at a half naked man?"

Score: 3 ( 11 votes ) Vote up Vote down Report this comment

Sorry, who's this "they" you're referring to? The people who did this and who had nothing to do with the first mural wanted to give Buffalo a new type of mural. A wheat-pasted photo on the side of a building is something that Buffalonians havent seen and is pretty unique considering how rare/expensive it can be do complete such a work.

replied to distas
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Kudos to Steve Brouse. I loved the original mural. I am not a big fan of the new one. Besides, I don't know about walking by some dude's johnson everyday.And it is so not Buffalo, it so portland. How about a mural of someone working, that displays are working class heritage?

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good god-everyone is a critic. I guess this is why more doesn't get done around Buffalo. Don't like it? do your own damn mural.

replied to gabrielxs
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travelrr...continue walking please...you don't wanna stop and look at that do u...its my art and they are defacing it by partially covering it up...got it?

replied to Travelrrr
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....lol...my old painting enhances wheat paste...please..lol

Score: -1 ( 11 votes ) Vote up Vote down Report this comment

I'm sure if he found out about it, Anthony Kiedis would be wondering why a picture of him doing yoga in 1989 would become a mural in Buffalo.

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Lemmy, please tell me you're kidding, because that's definitely not him.

replied to Lemmy
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You're right, looks more like the crazy dad in Kindergarten Cop who was trying to steal is son back!

replied to P2bbuffalonian
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no it doesnt.

replied to brownteeth
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So that's the finished version? With just bits of the previous mural showing through to "enhance" the photo? Because the impression I get is that whoever prepped the building for this "art" was just too lazy to finish painting. Yoga guy on a clean slate I could live with. Yoga guy on this = total mess.

There is nothing "subtle" about this and I seriously question the taste level of the persons involved.

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Hmmm... I think Mr. Brouse has a legitimate gripe.

With photography being my hobby, I am in love with the idea of photomurals, but the explanation as to why parts of the previous mural have been left behind smells like Bullsh*t to me.

How do bits and pieces of a brightly colored mural "enhance" wheat paste?

This is a GREAT idea, but don't pass off laziness, or a lack of material to finish the job as some sort of artistic "statement".


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Irredeemably bad.

Score: -7 ( 11 votes ) Vote up Vote down Report this comment

Such a productive comment, cheers.

replied to EricOak
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To those of you who think this is "so not Buffalo" - isn't that kind of the point? Why bother doing something that looks like everything else in this city? To do something new and innovative that will catch people's eye and make them say "oh, that's different" is a fantastic move. And I think leaving the old mural in place is a great nod to the evolution of art in Buffalo. Well done!

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There's nothing innovative about this. Nothing interesting. Nothing compelling.

replied to BuffaloRach
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I am sorry...but I saw this last night and all I could think of *immediately* was the creepy Prana Sleep guy ...

http://www.pranasleep.com/home.asp

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I'm waiting words Red Hot Chili Peppers to show up....COVER MY ART!

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Douchebag with a bad haircut. Flabby gut, no pecs, some kind of $1 rolled-up pajama pants. This means WHAT to us? I go past that corner twice a day, and still haven't seen it.

Please spare us the Public "Art" which is actually trash. If the real landscape of a place isn't good enough, we are doing something seriously wrong. Give us real trees, real shade, real peace, real life. Pictures of somebody else being "blissfull" are meaningless.

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Thanks for calling out how meaningless this mural is. "Public art" is actually blighting parts of Buffalo, while Buffalo Rising keeps foaming on about how "cool" it is. Let architecture and landscape do their work. Buffalo has beauty Portland will never have. Don't mess with it.

replied to ForestBird
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All these lame negative comments are actually making me LIKE the new mural more and more. Didn't care for it at first, but it's ok. What's wrong with a little Portland? If there's anyplace in Buffalo that's like Portland it would be Elmwood. The old mural had it's day in the sun... time to move on.

I just hope they applied lots of anti-graffiti chemicals to the surface. A larger-than-life crotch right on the street is going to attract someone's spray can!

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Here to the here. All this griping about an old, washed out mural is a bit much. And, heaven forbid we do something that steps out of the box and speaks a progressive voice.

replied to 300miles
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Portland is not what we're aspiring to be.

replied to 300miles
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STEVE BROUSE:
If you actually even lived in Buffalo anymore, you would know that your mural was covered up long ago. Max did not cover your mural. Half of that wall was covered in chipped white paint, a job SOMEONE ELSE did...go paint some more rainbows and cars in Florida! Buffalo is evolving...people need to be a little more open minded, this is embarrasing! I'm sorry but that wall looked awful..a faded old mural half covered with some white paint. This guy comes along, wants to do something a little different...puts a photograph on a wall to ENHANCE the building...and these are the comments?..come on!

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Fionaa..thank you...I'm really sorry for being such a putz. Max I love it..I really do. it's great..I guess I'm just a bit frustrated cause I'd like to see the whole wall covered and I understand money and stuff like that happens. It's really nice..have fun with it..really. Never not consider to make like a montage of cool images that you have. Really I think it's go great potential..I do...if my stuff gets covered up it's cool. If it shows ...fun...but I really don't think it needs to. The stuff you got going on is exciting..I like it. Buffalo..I like it..it doesn't matter what I said..I'm sorry..being an artist sucks tho sometime for me..I'm stupid emotional..the only thing that breathes in me sometimes is the act of creating art. I get nervous sometimes I'm gonna lose it..I apologise thoroughly. I'm not insulted I am embarrassed. With that I'm leaving and hope that you will forgive me. For those of you that know me and thoose of you that don't. I am a pretty good guy..I love Buffalo and honor it as I should. Max..it's interesting...don't stop.

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Steve: fwiw: I liked your mural a lot better than this photo (which looks silly to me). I also think it is completely bush league to leave all the leftovers from the previous mural surrounding it. At least do it neatly. You made valid points. No need to apologize, imo.

replied to brousey
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While I'm pretty sure that NOTHING is 'legal' in Buffalo without paying somebody off or while opposing the political machine, I wonder if this needs a permit. I wonder if I could plaster a huge picture of (insert what you like/hate, here) on the front on my house, forcing my notion of Art on all who look. Is this just a coat of paint/paper on a brick wall, or is it a billboard ?

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Just went past this last night, its already starting to fall apart. Kinda sad.

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