Not too long ago I wrote about the “Antlerheads” that had appeared around Montreal as part of a guerilla marketing campaign for Vespa. I defended the ads, arguing that their corporate sponsorship did not diminish their artistic integrity, but many Spacing readers disagreed.
While we were sitting at our computers arguing, though, some other Montrealers were out in the streets, subverting the Antlerheads and their message. Over the past couple of weeks, nearly every Antlerhead that I have seen has been literally defaced by the street artist Zato1, who has covered the Vespa headlights with the face of something vaguely monsterish. (You might know Zato from some other work around town, including the “Zato is a Groucho Marxist” stencil.) One ad that Zato seemed to have overlooked, on Casgrain Street, has been transformed in another imaginative way.
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When I came across the one in your second pic on Saturday, this one right around the corner from it – http://www.box.net/shared/static/fg0ycri0w0.jpg – had not yet been subverted. (That turn in the alley is visible from the street, so perhaps he hasn’t found the opportune moment yet?)
Re the Grouchista graffito: Those of an older vintage may recall the Firesign Theatre comedy troupe’s album sometimes known as All Hail Marx and Lennon.
(I’m more of a Zeppotista…)
What happened finally with that ad campaign?
Of course the artist’s integrity is not diminished by the corporate sponsorship. Anyone who thinks other people’s properties are his canvas has ZERO integrity. That can’t be diminished any more ;). No trolling intended, this is my personal opinion and the matter has been debated a lot already https://spacing.ca/montreal/2008/05/29/photo-du-jour-i-love-you/