Temple Photojournalism
PEOPLE OF THE STREETS/
ART VENDORS / (S)MILES AND RYAN DA LION
Photos and text by Brianna Spause
Spinning Street Art
Art in itself is unconventional. The desire to utilize the creative functions of the mind without inhibition has a powerful draw. With blended motivations of expression, income and engagement, Miles Christenson (23) and Ryan Da Lion (25) take to the streets to sell their wares.
Whether it be on Temple University’s Main Campus where Miles is a junior Marketing major, the thriving scene of Old City’s First Friday where artists conglomerate, or really anywhere with foot traffic and a friendly disposition, the two friends will set out their art for sale, sit back and wait.
The process is simple.
One: scout out the location – one where the artists can merely exist as a function of the street, hundreds of eyes will scan the merchandise and most importantly, the cops will just keep on walking.
“I know the spot,” Ryan offered, tossing his head in both directions as the pair emerged from the Broad Street line in the middle of a Wednesday lunch rush. “I’ve never been kicked off Chestnut Street.”
There was a slight breeze about the 1500 block, where welcome springtime sunshine bounced off high-rise buildings and illuminated the street in a soft, diffused glow. Nestled in the shade of a vacant storefront belonging to the Stouffer’s building, Miles and Ryan began to lie out their most recent project, recycled vinyl art.
Two: engage – As the artists establish their presence on the street, they immediately begin to change the dynamic of the public space. As the hours winded on, and the falling sunlight was refracted about the sidewalk like a shattered sundial, Miles and Ryan remained a fixture on the sidewalk, and as Miles describes, “a chance for people to stop and exist for a moment.”.
“Even is someone just smiles, that makes me happy,” he said, describing the incentive to be out on display. The majority of passer-bys exhibited subtle reactions; just a smile, just a nod or even a slowed gate as they fixed their eyes on the unexpected notion of finding art on the street.
Of the most animated reactions were those of children, “Wow! Them’s nice paintings!” a young boy proclaimed, struggling to keep up with his focused mother as his gaze was fixed on the art disappearing behind him. “Why are they on the sidewalk? Is that their home?” another young boy asked, which was met by a chuckle from Ryan who, unphased, continued to paint in his sketchbook.
It’s the physical interaction however, that makes the hours worthwhile. “I like to see people grab it, I like to see what people see in it because nobody ever sees what I see,” Miles said. “It helps me become a better artist because you actually know there is a third party person that loves what you do and gets a feeling from it. That feels really good. Most people spend their lives second guessing themselves and being self-conscious but when people come up to check out the art, it makes you feel good.”
