Film and TV

Houston Gets Its Own Street Art Documentary

Stick 'Em Up! teaser from PR!MO on Vimeo.

A local documentary in the works, Stick 'Em Up! explores the phenomenon of "wheat pasting" in Houston. Wheat pasting is the process of adhering a paper poster to a surface by applying a liquid mix of starch and water with a roller or brush. The process is quick and tough to remove.The film's director, Alex "PR!MO" Luster posted the following quote:

"...an inner city art form that's as provocative as it is misunderstood. Documentary filmmaker Alex 'PR!MO' Luster delves into the minds and motivations behind several guerilla street artists capturing the lifespan of their art... conception, creation, placement and ultimately the removal by the city abatement enforcement."

But if we're to learn anything about the "misunderstood" art form from the teaser's anonymous voiceover, wheat pasting is largely about hate (which we're sure isn't the case). But the voice explains its motivations clearly. He wants to "fucking spit in their face." We doubt Luster's mission is to demonize street artists, but from the look of the teaser and the director's decision to flaunt the practice's illegality, this film already feels like a misguided attempt to support "art" by glorifying criminality.

But as a truly subversive artist, Joe Frank, once said, "What's the point of freedom if you don't let it debase you?"

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Troy Schulze
Contact: Troy Schulze