PLAY | JULY | 1 |

EATING FROGS 2007

I JOINED FRENCH DJ'S, BREAKDANCERS AND GRAFFITI ARTISTS ON THEIR YEARLY WHISTLE STOP HIP-HOP
TOUR OF CHINA AND SURVIVED TO TELL THE STORY

Eat 'Em Up! China is hungry for Western culture and with a population of over one billion people it has a huge appetite. So when 'Eating Frogs', a tour of mostly French Hip-Hop DJs, Graffiti Artists and Breakers arrived on their shores for a 5-day tour they ate it up by the spoon full, ... well chop-stick full.

Although China is swapping it's communist overalls for expensive designer wear and its communes for condo’s the government is still very much in control of it's people with restrictions on information, childbirth, money and of course freedom of expression. In this environment it is amazing that an art-form as expressive and unrestricted as Graffiti should be brewing under the surface of the quickly expanding towns and skyscrapers of modern China.

Up until recently the only 'all city' bombers were the Chinese mafia - painting telephone numbers to call to obtain illegal forged government documents. With the severe punishment this crime carries potential graf writers have been dissuaded from fear of getting confused as a forger. But, against all odds a small but strong underground scene continues to grow. C.G., a now established crew from Shenzhen, explained that they first became aware of graffiti art through its prominence within skate culture and that they continued to follow the art form seeking inspiration through the internet. Hitting the few Halls of Fame and illegal spots, using mostly Chinese paint and often opting for Chinese characters instead of Western letters, they have developed excellent skills and a strong style of their own.

In almost complete contrast to this underground scene, the Eating Frogs travelling Hip-Hop circus rolled through China from Nightclub to University to 5 star Hotel followed by a variety of local press and TV crews keen to jump on the Western bandwagon.

The tour travelled through the Guandong province of China and neighbouring Hong Kong with the aim of showcasing European Hip-Hop culture as a whole, combining its separate elements of art, music and dance. The concept, devised by ring leader Ceet, was to inspire a new and hungry audience and to encourage and involve the emerging homegrown talent. Very much a live event, the visiting artists: Ceet, Toast (Pyrochimps), Noe2, Kongo and Myre (MAC crew), LiesOne and Dep (Turnin Tricks), and joined by local crew C.G., all painted as the Breaker's and DJ's spun and the audience and the whiskey flowed around them. The live theme was supported by an enthusiastic and lively audience, which was mostly a strange mix of 'hip' rich kids, Hip-Hop heads and clueless city business men keen to prove to their colleagues how 'kool' they are by dancing out of time and having their pictures taken with the travelling circus!

This eclectic mix of cultures, styles, people, wealth and locations gave this tour a totally unique flavour and with the enthusiasm and dedication of the local artists, I get the feeling China is ready to start cooking!

by Dep :: Paintshop Studio

FULL ARTICLE AND IMAGES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE SEPTEMBER 07 ISSUE OF GRAPHOTISM MAGAZINE.