No Monopoly on Monopoly Man

When most people in Los Angeles see a street stencil of the Monopoly Man, they think of Alec Monopoly.

But some new Monopoly Man stencils have been showing up on the streets of LA, and these are not from Alec Monopoly.  Think these new Monopoly Men are from a clothing company?  Its the same logo as in a fist (shown below).

This brings to light the danger of artists taking on a famous icon as a signature image.  Like with the multiple artists and car dealership using the Felix name and logo in Los Angeles, even if you get up a shit ton and earn a strong identity with the icon, like Alec's Monopoly Man, its never really yours.

Alec Monopoly - All About Money

Alec Monopoly's latest mural on 3rd street seems to suggest its all about money.

Bags of it.  And diamonds.

This was a commission wall, so Alec's name probably got buffed out after getting tagged over.  However, Alec's character art pieces are still riding.

Alec Monopoly Custom Shoes

Alec Monopoly customized another pair of his shoes.

Even though M&F enjoys sneakers and knows most athletic shoe models, Alec told us the brand of these $600+ shoes, but we had not heard of them before.

Click the jump for more, and check out Alec's spare pair of Jordan's in the back

Alec's 2nd on 3rd Street

Alec paints his second round of a mural located on 3rd street.

Here are some in-process shots featuring Alec getting down with a new mural with doubled up Richie Rich and a Monopoly Man in the middle.

Alec Monopoly Paints Scrooge McDuck

Alec Monopoly is painting different characters other than the Monopoly Man, although the content is still classic cartoon characters.  Like Richie Rich, and also this Scrooge McDuck mural on Melrose.

Click the jump for more pics of the mural--and a gratuitous shot of the combo on the stop sign out front.

Alec Monopoly - The Poor Little Rich Boy

Alec Monopoly paints a Richie Rich themed mural on 3rd Street entitled 'The Poor Little Rich Boy'.

Knockin' the Monopoly Man Hustle

A Monopoly Man paster gets put up in downtown Los Angeles.

But this piece isn't from Alec Monopoly.  Rather, it seems to be questioning Alec's Monopoly Man, as this guy pictured has his pockets turned out, empty with nothing inside.

Pasted up with Cryptik, Orakel Prophecy, Belch, Cututs, pasters for Bad Religion and more.

Hendrix Gets Some Highlights

Alec Monopoloy's Jimi Hendrix painting on Melrose got tagged with yellow fat tip graffiti.  No one likes their artwork painted over, but the way that it was done does not look like a straight cap, but more like Hendrix got some highlights.

Alec Monopoly Art Show - Park Place

Alec Monopoly is will be showing at his first art show in Los Angeles in years, and we believe this is Alec's first solo show in the city where Alec rose to fame.

Alec's art show is entitled 'Park Place' and it will employ some unusual features such as listing the prices for items as Monopoly Money instead of real money, and then the price of the Monopoly money is .  For instance, the press release states that 'The artist plans to sell one of his popular paintings for $3 million in MONOPOLY money, which equates to 146 classic MONOPOLY board games that come currently stocked with $20,580 in MONOPOLY money'.  

Alec will also be performing a live painting of actor Adrien Brody's 1964 Pontiac Catalina.  Adrien Brody has been a long time supporter of Alec's art, and purchased one of Alec's paintings from Art Basel 2011 for $20,000.

After climbing from the rooftops in Los Angeles to the gallery shows around the world.  It is good to have Alec back in Los Angeles.  Some people are questioning why, after showcasing his art around the world at glamourous institutions like Alec's Madonna tour with the upscale 'W' hotel chain, some people are questioning why Alec's homecoming is being held at LabArt, but for those wanting to attend  Alec Monopoly's Park Place opens tonight, March 14th from 7-11PM.

Feeling Flush

Sometimes Alec Monopoly will portray the Monopoly Man with his pockets out and empty, or getting crushed by bills.  However, this time Alec must be feeling flush and he puts of a paster of the Monopoly Man lifting weights made up of bags of money.

With a sidewalk tag from Chrisn.  And since Alec Monopoly loves Jordan's, and M&F re-sparked Alec's love, a gratuitous pic of some Spiz'ike's is also included.

Alec Monopoly - Dream Big

A lot of coverage of Alec Monopoly lately, but that is because Alec Monopoly has been getting up with big pieces all along Melrose recently.

Here are pics of Alec's Monopoly Man running away with a bag of money.  Next to a character window at Puzzle Zoo saying 'Dream Big'.

Alec Monopoly Close Up

Close up shots of Alec's new mural on Melrose.

M&F has said it before and we will say it again, sure splattering paint is an imprecise method that anyone can do, but to do it well takes talent, and Alec splatters extremely well.

Click the jump for more.

John Wellington Ennis & Alec Monopoly

Some action shots of John Wellington Ennis documenting Alec Monopoly's street art.

John has long been following Alec Monopoly's work, and produced an impressive video years ago introducing Alec Monopoly to the world.  Click the jump for more pics and to check out the video

Alec in Orange

Alec Monopoly also paints a two part piece with an orange background.

Featuring Jimi Hendrix on the left, and the Monopoly Man holding a machine gun on the right.

Alec Monopoly Gets Up!

Alec Monopoly paints a giant panel on Melrose.

This blue section is a 3 part piece featuring Bob Marley, the Monopoly Man, and Robert Dinero.

Click the jump for more

Alec Monopolizing Melrose

Alec Monopoly is back in Los Angeles, and he has been offered some walls on Melrose.

Alec painted this new Monopoly Man the day before, but then when it got tagged over the face with some blue paint, Alec returned to maintain his piece.

The dudes standing off to the side are Alec's friends/body guards.  Alec got threatened when he initially started painting this piece, and so he brought out some extra support just to make sure everything remained cool.

Alec has his style down and he wore a giant fur coat while painting on a cold day in Los Angeles.  Click the jump for more!

M&F Presents - Best of LA Street Art 2012

2012 has been a wild ride on the streets of Los Angeles. Melrose and Fairfax is proud to present 20 of our favorite shots for the Best of Los Angeles Street Art 2012. Enjoy the year in review!

(All photos by Melrose and Fairfax, unless otherwise noted.)

^It has been said that being a street artist is like a kid playing on the streets. This giant mural from Bumblebee captures the spirit of kids playing.

^Street artist Chod paints over a dollar bill. Notice the little features, such as how the middle monkey's nostrils double as George Washington's masked eyes. This modified dollar bill was found glued to a red street curb in Hollywood.

^French street artist JR visited Los Angeles and left some beautifully decorated buildings behind. Like this one on Beverly Blvd.

^Love this piece featuring the stencil of a boy playing with a toy airplane. Unknown artist.

^There was lot of political street art in 2012, like this piece based on the Presidential Election from Bumboy WC.

^Street artist BANKRUPT SLUT makes a slutty case for gender equality with a Lady Gaga themed street piece entitled 'Slut-Its a good thing!'

^Some girls interact with a street piece from Bumboy WC, featuring a life size paster of Chris Brown pulling a punch.

^Action shots of street artist Morley pasting up a life-size street portrait of himself bearing the message, "I love you because we hate the same stuff."

^Beautiful angel with wings painted on a blood red wall in downtown Los Angeles by street artist Drew.

^Graffiti writers are still risking life and limb to find the hottest spots to get up in Los Angeles. This pic captures the death defying heights and 100 foot drop below where these artists had to cling while painting these pieces. Impressive work from FSK and Tuelr.

^This deliciously colorful mural from Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra has graced La Brea for the better part of 2012.

^Chik-fil-a became a target for progressive activists this year after their so-called family values were revealed to be less about the family and more about supporting anti-gay causes. Subsequently, 2012 saw multiple pieces of street art aimed at the fast food giant for its perceived bigotry. One of the best pieces landed right here in West Hollywood, and the local Chik-fil-a got 'Gay Bombed' with a 3d rocket installation by the street artist Plastic Jesus. (Thanks to Nick Stern for the pic)

^Plastic Jesus strikes again with a piece that surfaced on Melrose during the Holiday shopping season. It is appropriately entitled American Excess. (thanks to Nick Stern for the photo)

^Action shots of street artist Teacher in the midst of a participatory live painting clinic at Fairfax High School. When he was finished, Teacher donated this painting to the school. (Thanks to John Wellington Ennis for the photo)

^Often times, street art will play the role of jester in society, like this piece from street artist Bumboy WC, which utilizes imagery from the Kent State Riots to capture the mayhem surrounding the iPhone 5 being sold out. (Thanks to John Wellington Ennis for the pic)

^4th of July themed portrait from L.A. street artist There She Is.

^Free Humanity paints a whole lotta love into this mural on Sunset entitled 'The Best Thing to Hold Onto in Life is Each Other.'

Dig this shot because it captures the full spectrum of street art in Los Angeles with wheat paste (from BANKRUPT SLUT), graffiti (from Clasi and Chili), stickers (from Damage and Long Live) and a mural (painted by Random Act).

^Action shots of Alec Monopoly getting up and painting a rooftop in Hollywood.

^Sometimes, street art is like fine art on the streets, like with this gorgeous piece from Maggot.


M&F's Best Of LA Street Art 2012 originally published on the Huffington Post.

Cocky

Alec Monopoly made a quick return to LA, and captured the back of a billboard down on 6th street.

With a rooster cock on in the pics in front of it.

Alec Monopoly in Paris

Some recent action shots and street pieces from Alec Monopoly bombing the streets of Paris, France.

Alec is currently showing at Art Basel in Miami, Florida.

Undoubtedly, no Los Angeles based street artist who launched from M&F's scene has logged more miles traveling the globe doing street art.  Stay up!

Alec Monopoly - Posting Up

Alec places his Monopoly Man character catching a tag while standing on a post.