'Bankrupt Slut' -- Gaga Appears on Street Art Posters In Los Angeles

[ChicaSkas 22,404]

All over Los Angeles, beginning around October 16th, 2012, a poster of Lady Gaga advertising a slogan, "Slut - It's A Good Thing!" has appeared plastered to signs and electrical boxes.

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If you live around heavily urban areas like New York or Los Angeles, you are most likely familiar with urban street art that gets plastered, sprayed, or taped on walls, telephone poles, trash cans, electrical boxes, pretty much anything with a flat side that can be viewed by passersby. That is what this poster is -- ephemeral street art that isn't meant to last for more than a few weeks. Enjoy them, and photograph them while you can -- wind, rain, graffiti, people, and other posters can destroy them.

The popular L.A. Street Art blog, Melrose and Fairfax, was the first blog to take note of the Gaga poster, summarizing it in this article:

http://melroseandfai...good-thing.html

with great photos:

(see the Chicago Fire billboard in the background?)

The term 'Bankrupt Slut' apparently is not as random as it appears. It belongs to an underground Los Angeles rock band of the same name, who have been 'tagging' the streets of L.A. for several years now, spreading the message of Bankrupt Slut.

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http://www.reverbnat...om/bankruptslut

Soon, the posters got noticed by pedestrians everywhere, dotting the streets of Los Angeles....

and the Tumblrs of the Internet.

October 16th, Los Angeles:

October 27th, Los Angeles:

October 30th, Hollywood: (Someone doesn't like Gaga....crossing her out!)

November 6th, La Brea:

And now.... November 14th, 2012!

Last week, I had to go to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles for a family member's operation. After they came through safe and sound, I was told it would be an 6 hour wait for a room, and I wasn't allowed to hang around in the recovery room. After several hours of waiting room reading, becoming bored to death, I went for a walk outside the hospital grounds. To my utter surprise, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw the image of Lady Gaga across the street.... and I did.

Plastered to an electrical circuit box was this masterpiece of Urban Street Art, made by, I was to later learn, the punk rock band Bankrupt Slut, to promote their music and message of cultural revolution:

*]

Wow, huhn? Pretty awesome, huhn? The instant I saw it, I decided I wanted it on my wall -- not getting wind and rain damage out here in LA, destined to be the canvas for another poster. The problem was, I had left my Swiss army knife at home, because, well, there's no need for a Swiss army knife at a hospital, right...?? So I knew if this Slutty Gaga was coming home with me, I'd need a box-cutter to slice her from the circuit box. Immediately I began to ask people where was the nearest d--gstore. About 2 city blocks away, there was a CVS, where they had exactly ONE box cutter left -- for $9.99. :roll: (how I wish there'd been a dollar store nearby instead!) I pulled out the cash and rushed back on foot to the poster, the whole time checking my phone just in case the hospital needed me back. Already I felt guilty for leaving, but there was no change, still hours before they would be ready with a room, and they made it clear I wasn't needed. Which left me free for this mission of mine!

Back at the poster, I studied how to do this: not an easy task at all. Every corner of the poster had been thoroughly plastered down with thick coats of glue.

Gaga was pasted over layers and layers of previous posters, which in this case, might actually have been a help. I sliced through the bottom first, and then the sides and top. The bottom was a challenge, it was very thick, and the brand-new blade was dulling already. However, I just managed to slide my fingers underneath one corner, and amazingly -- she didn't tear. The sheer bulk of all the posters underneath her supported the delicate paper she was printed on! By this time, I knew people were watching me, but I honestly didn't care, nothing too special to see here, just a crazy woman trying to remove a poster of a pop slut, move along now!

It was difficult work, the layers did not want to be freed from the box. Every inch I pried free was a huge success to me though, and it spurred me to keep trying, knuckles cut and scraped and sweating with effort, after 20 minutes of gently tugging and pushing under the layers -- SlutGa was mine! About 90% of her, that is. The final few inches of the poster were too thin and attached to too little, they stuck fast to the box and were irretrievable.

I slid the box-cutter back into my pocket and wiped the perspiration from my brow, pausing just long enough to get a good look -- when I heard clapping across the street! The whole time I had been obsessed with the poster, a fruit vendor had been sitting with his cart of ice-cold fruit, watching me slowly tear it off. He smiled and flashed me a 'thumbs-up" for my effort. I couldn't help grinning back as I gathered my purse and tucked the poster under my arms, a touch embarrassed but hey, I won at life today! The electrical box lost it's Gaga for good!

This is what it looked like after I finished:

I have exceeded the image limit, so you must click the link to see:

http://i49.tinypic.com/30n9my0.jpg

What a victory. Usually, when it comes to wheatpaste posters (the true definition of these street artworks) once they are on -- they are ON. It's really rare that you can succeed in removing them. I encourage any of you who live in urban areas to always have on you a camera and and pocketknife -- you never know when you might see a piece of art that needs liberating! Also, if you can't liberate it, you can take a picture of it, and leave it as you found it, preserving it forever in the camera's lens.

Things You Will Need To Get Your Own Street Poster.

(this applies to any street poster you set your heart on. With ARTPOP around the corner, promo and street advertisements will start appearing again!)

A city where street art occurs.

A boxcutter or pocketknife (with extra blades, they dull quickly!)

A pair of rubber covered knit gloves (how I wish I'd had them when my knuckles got scratched up on this one)

A camera (Before you cut it free, take a picture of how it looked in pristine state of non-removal!)

Plastic trash bags (Conceal your art. You have no idea how awkward it was to ride up in a hospital elevator holding a sign that read 'SLUT' on it. I had to grab loose sheets of classifieds and newspaper from the cafeteria and beg tape off an office worker to hide it from the rest of the hospital)

Transportation (Car is preferable. I couldn't park overnight in the hospital parking, so my relative and i had to be dropped off at the hospital -- leaving me carless. Poster went everywhere I did for 3 days :toofloppy:)

I hope you had as much fun reading this article as I did writing it for you.

You are informed now, and knowledge is power! Get out there and liberate your own rare works of street art!

Good Luck Little Monsters!

[ChicaSkas 22,404]

Finally, here is my new 'baby' at home, safe forever from destruction, and destined for a frame!

[Free Monster 0]

that chicago fire billboard looks photoshopped

[Logan 20,648]

The way it's all torn up actually makes it more artistic. I love how "Get some" was cut off though

Nice work girl!

[Alcina Dimitrescu 1,156]

I sweated while reading the whole thing

That fruit vendor sounds awesome

Glad you could get most of it (Y)

I assume they are calling her slut in a good way

Get dat (isn't that illegal) promo Bankrupt Slut

[jhonyguy04 3]

I don't get it....

[ChicaSkas 22,404]

The way it's all torn up actually makes it more artistic. I love how "Get some" was cut off though

Nice work girl!

I was literally sweating with effort to keep it from ripping. It was SO HARD. At least her image is perfect.

[Doogi 1,343]

I'm so confused… Why would you want that poster so bad?

[Logan 20,648]

I was literally sweating with effort to keep it from ripping. It was SO HARD. At least her image is perfect.

I think what you turned out with in the end is beautiful :yes:

[Flippy 11,970]

Finally, here is my new 'baby' at home, safe forever from destruction, and destined for a frame!

I want one! You should send me one tbh (we live in Cali) :hor:

[htrllllsem 14]

:laughga:

I want one :/

[mrlemon 576]

In before "Bankrupt Slut" is a new song title

800th Post! :party:

[ChicaSkas 22,404]

I'm so confused… Why would you want that poster so bad?

Here's why:

They are truly rare. Made of thin paper and wheatpaste glue, they are plastered up all over urban cities completely illegally -- there are even municipal cleaning crews to get rid of these posters and graffiti. They are considered an eyesore, basically, something you would never want to look at, so people deface them or destroy them.

Since they are put up by printers illegally, and in the dead of night in most cases, it's not like i could contact the printer and order a fresh one, sadly! :haha: So liberating this one was the only option. If something is considered trash or disposable, it's unlikely many people will save it. So if they are all eventually destroyed by weather, by people painting them over, or by other posters, the few that survive will be very very rare.

That is why I wanted it so badly, it is a perfect example of true urban street art that was never intended to be preserved or saved -- but I saved it! And even though the words are offensive to some, hey, it's a free poster of Lady Gaga!

:omgexcited:

[Deacon 5]

Bankrupt Slut = the new Government Hooker.

[ChicaSkas 22,404]

I don't get it....

They are collectible because they are so rare. I am reporting here on GGD that if you are in Los Angeles, you might see one, and you have a chance to get one for yourself!

I want one! You should send me one tbh (we live in Cali)

You should drive to La Brea or Hollywood and liberate one :troll: