ED BOX(X) | Red Foxx: Beautifying?

In 2007, St. Louis was tagged by a unique graffiti artist working under the nom de plume: Ed Box(x) - sometimes he uses two "x"s, ergo the parenthetical "x."  

6 Year Cigarettes, strange cat-faced men, and proclamations from Fred Sanford - these are the tools used by Box(x) to destroy and create.

Local photographer, AkitaSan, has captured some of Box(x)'s work. AkitaSan's pic of Box(x)'s cat-faced man, which appears at the top of this entry, was taken in my old neighborhood: Old North St. Louis. Luckily, my family has not incurred any financial losses due to vandals like Ed Box(x). My experience with graffiti is that of a spectator; it's never been a nuisance to me.

As a spectator, Box(x)'s work excites me. He goes beyond gang tags and "bling-y" gangsta imagery to present something far more poetic. For instance, take Box(x)'s 6 Year Cigarette. This work is little more than a two-dimensional cigarette about 20 or 30 feet long and about four feet tall. That's it. Just the cig and the title "6 Year Cigarette." It leaves you guessing,

Is it a statement? Or is just an idea he fleshed out on an East Saint Louis Wall? What if we consider that he painted it completely white? Does that mean something?        

To a casual observer like me, Ed Box(x)'s graffiti works on a number of levels. It embodies both destruction and creation; it's surreal, yet painted on a very real surface - a house, wall or train. The depth of contradictions in his work - both metaphoric and literal, elevate Box(x)'s graffiti to heights that 99% of his vandal-peers never achieve. That being said, I should also state that I'll break his f-n neck if I catch him painting anything in my community.

Power to the people . Mahalo.

 

About this entry

You’re currently reading “ED BOX(X) | Red Foxx: Beautifying?,” an entry on JDClements

Published:
03.16.08 / 2am
Category:
Art, St. Louis