In a downtown Rapid City alley a pair of young men are using graffiti to promote a local art opening.
In most urban spaces it’s illegal to spray paint graffiti on an office building. Not so in Rapid City’s Art Alley. Here two artists, Tyler Read and Derek Smith, have collaborated on large mural in promotion of Friday’s opening of the Lakota Voice Project at the Dahl. The Lakota Voice Project includes photos taken by hundreds of Pine Ridge youth. Artist Derek Smith says he proud to use his graffiti art to promote the art of younger people.
“I feel strongly about the awareness of this. I wish there were more opportunities like this out there for you youth to be able to express themselves in a more creative and positive way,” says Smith.
The mural in Art Alley includes an artist rendering of one of the images in the Lakota Voice Project – a basketball in mid-flight over a hoop. It also asks the question “What does hope look like to you?”