christo-f Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Anti-war graffiti group become Afghanistan's 'Talibanksy' http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100426/wl_asia_afp/afghanistanunrestartpoliticsgraffiti by Lynne O'Donnell Lynne O'donnell – 15 mins ago KABUL (AFP) – On walls around Afghanistan's scrappy capital, where million-dollar mansions line rutted roads, anonymous graffiti artists are daubing their disapproving take on the devastating cost of war. Styled after the anonymous British vandal-artist Banksy, Kabul's streetwise stealth stencillers go by the moniker "Talibanksy", a reference to the Islamist Taliban who have been waging war in Afghanistan for almost nine years. The street art forms a commentary on the cost in blood and treasure of the war, which has brought 126,000 US and NATO troops to Afghanistan and kills about 2,000 Afghan civilians a year, according to the UN. Black, spray-painted silhouettes of soldiers and dollar signs, poppies, helicopters and tanks, and children running hand-in-hand began appearing in downtown Kabul a few months ago. Some show the shadow of a helmeted soldier holding an assault rifle, inside a red circle with a line through it. Others have a silhouetted gun-toting trooper and a dollar sign joined by an equals symbol. Or simply the words: Cost Of War. Financially the war is estimated to cost some 100 million dollars a day, according to US media reports. The human cost to foreign forces so far this year is close to 170, according to the icasualties.org website which keeps tally and says that of the 1,737 who have died since the war began in 2001, 1,051 were Americans. The people behind the anti-war graffiti call themselves Combat Communications, and claim to be "a small anonymous group of international artists founded last year with the sole aim of advocating/promoting free expression". According to a statement, they wish to remain anonymous and call their work "social and politically driven graphics". "This form of self-expression is open to anyone. The youth of Kabul have no real outlet for artistic expression," it says, adding: "Do they want it?" The Westerners behind Combat Communications declined to speak to AFP, saying they wanted to keep a low profile while they developed their strategy. Their graffiti appear across the central residential and commercial districts of Kabul, alongside spray-painted advertisements for translation services, real estate agents, plumbers, septic tank cleaners and roofers. Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan has begun moving towards democracy -- with the second parliamentary election set for September -- and freedom of expression is protected by the constitution. Yet as the insurgency moves deep into its ninth year and the US-led counter-insurgency revs up with foreign troop numbers set to peak by August at 150,000, Kabul remains a city scarred by war and corruption. Open drains run alongside the main roads, few sidestreets are paved, traffic control is derisory and public transport virtually non-existent. Two-metre-high concrete blast walls surround most public buildings and embassies, and residential neighbourhoods feature the "narco-tecture" of garishly-tiled, multi-storey mansions most believe are built with the proceeds of the three-billion-dollar-a-year illicit drugs trade. A cloud of filth from diesel-powered vehicles sits atop a city surrounded on three sides by the peaks of the Hindu Kush mountains, and piles of garbage are picked over by beggars and animals alike. Consumer price inflation is said to be around 20 percent, helicopter gunships provide an almost constant overhead clatter, and Afghans desperate to leave their country for a new life form long queues at visa offices. Into this harsh landscape, the sudden appearance of modern street art has added a touch of colour and controversy -- and the blast walls provide the perfect canvas. Talibanksy's tags are not yet as ubiquitous as Banksy's guerilla art became in London and other British cities over the last decade. Nor is it as sophisticated, so far presenting little more than simple anti-war messages and slogans, in contrast to the infinitely more clever, caustic and creative Banksy murals. And whereas Banksy branched out to the US, Australia and the Middle East, becoming an international phenomenon and wealthy in the process, Combat Communications appears to be starting out with more modest ambitions. The statement contains an anti-capitalist message, hitting out at the massive billboards that dominate city intersections, advertising telecommunications firms or warning against involvement in the drugs trade. "'Selling the peace' AKA (also known as) winning the war, has also become a big industry. Propaganda is everywhere from counter-narcotic campaigns to counter-terrorism to army recruitment. You can't move without some form of visual purposeful persuasion burning a hole in your soul," it says. "Social and politically driven graphics, AKA street art, can evoke thought and stimulate discussion. "Watch your public space," the statement says Will see if I can get ahold of some pics. An d just in case this has already been posted, go fuck yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poesia [ ] T Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist 666 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 i have to assume that its US soldiers doing this, and will laugh my ass off when they article 15s and lose rank... but i think its kinda cool. painting here would be awesome, every other building is a rooftop. given, its made of mud, but still, it'd last a season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris The Butcher Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KM4RT Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 hipsters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KM4RT Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 :lol: wtf is this....real or some parody shit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris The Butcher Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Real shit-------- that african nigga}}}}}}}}}}}}Any rapper out now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris The Butcher Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 http://www.mediafire.com/?jfm2ztz3jyw 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PITOFZOMBIES Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmJbJs-9ST0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christo-f Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 This will always be one of the most amazing pictures ever taken by anyone, ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsmbfan Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 mad props to these kids in afghanistan. this is what real graffiti is about in my opinion... not some street cred rewarding dick measuring contest. spread the message! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicineCabinet Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 toys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belmonts Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 at least they are TRYING to spread some awareness, I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityonSMASH Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 i have to assume that its US soldiers doing this, and will laugh my ass off when they article 15s and lose rank... but i think its kinda cool. painting here would be awesome, every other building is a rooftop. given, its made of mud, but still, it'd last a season... oh snap, is fist there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pornbooth Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 banksy is going to sue them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityonSMASH Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 banksy is a fagget. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
count chocula Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 high tech ninja i'm big in japan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALIgula Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro dePaca Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 that south african dude jacked the line "too hot to handle too cold to hold" from the bobby brown ghostbusters song!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALIgula Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 too hot to handle too cold to hold they called the ghostbusters now they in control the music video for that song was funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicineCabinet Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 yo twonpoo, you should air out banksy for these kids so they lose all remaining hope joking, thats mean do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLICKCLACKONER Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 http://www.mediafire.com/?jfm2ztz3jyw i think this afrikaan nigga was in coachella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
injury Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 my friend tried to tell me that banksy was "raw, edgy and talented" last night... :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imwastefull Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 my friend tried to tell me that banksy was "raw, edgy and talented" last night... :lol: :lol: HE IS. P.S., what the fuck are YOU doing with YOUR life? get off your Banksy Hate bandwagon. faggot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drue_Down Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 ^^ damn, gave you 2 tic tacs heavy hitter style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLU Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
injury Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 HE IS. P.S., what the fuck are YOU doing with YOUR life? get off your Banksy Hate bandwagon. faggot.[/size][/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAISER-SOZE Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 HE IS. P.S., what the fuck are YOU doing with YOUR life? get off your Banksy Hate bandwagon. faggot.[/size][/b] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SystemFailure Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 That broad in Die Antword looks like a cancer survivor in the first months of success. I find her oddly attractive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belmonts Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 i'd smash the bitch with the mullet anytime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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