Can Jam - Thank you Man!

Arts | September 24th, 2015

Street art may have deviant roots but it has been around as long as man’s cognition. Though comparing petroglyphs to graffiti writing may seem a bit abstract, marking community space to express oneself definitely has its parallels.

The way we choose how to express ourselves has obviously evolved. Art in Fargo-Moorhead is making its way off the gallery walls and on to the city streets as our community embraces street art with open arms and open cans through the advent of Fargo’s first legal art wall and multiple events going on throughout the F-M area.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, Can Jam will be taking place at the legal art wall located in downtown Fargo in the alley behind the Fargo Forum building. The event will feature five bands, four artists, free food and it’s free and family friendly.

Can Jam features a live painting demo with artists Paul Ide, Nick Haertling, Grant and Jay Fox. Artists will be doing tutorials and demonstrating basic aerosol tips and techniques.

HPR had the opportunity to chat with Wyndmere-based Haertling, a young graffiti artist participating in the inaugural Can Jam.

Haertling’s interest in graffiti started when he was playing football in junior high. “Everyday during practice I would watch the trains go by and then it hit me,” he says. “I can’t just play football.”

Inspired by the graffiti he saw on the boxcars, Haertling tried his hand at aerosol; unfortunately he got in trouble for vandalism. But instead of seeing the negativity in the situation, his mother reached out to the Plains Art Museum to see if there was anyone in the area that practiced this art form. Thus Shun was introduced to Fargo-based aerosol artist Paul Ide.

Since then Haertling has painted murals for various businesses, a junior high, Art Alley in Rapid City and even made his mark at New York City’s former street art mecca 5 Pointz.

He was even commissioned to paint a large-scale mural at the former Woodrow Wilson School for the 2015 Misfit convention.

According to Haertling graffiti starts with a tag, “Which is basically a signature, which sounds simple -- but it’s not. You need to learn how to tag before you move on to the next step.”

He describes three different styles such as a “throw up,” which is essentially bubble letters, a “burner,” which is a simple quick piece with a lot of color, and then there is “Wild Style,” which is hard to read but the most intricate of the three and Haertling’s style of choice.

Can Jam is a collaboration between Ide, Joe Burgum of Folkways, and AJ Leon of Misfit.

“I would like more artists to get involved [with Can Jam] so graffiti isn’t just viewed as vandalism -- I mean that’s what it started out as,” Haertling says. “ There’s a purpose to the vandalism -- there’s a sense of rebellion, and just proving to yourself that you exist.”

IF YOU GO:

Can Jam

Fargo Forum Alley, 5th St N Fargo

Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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