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John Wellington Ennis

John Wellington Ennis

Posted: December 31, 2010 03:01 AM

It was a social message that first inspired Alec to start spreading his Monopoly Man mischief around town. As the economy collapsed and crooks were called out, the devious villain of the times seemed perfectly represented by the top-hatted mogul from the Monopoly board game.

But now, as his art has grown popular and demands for canvases keep him busy, Alec still feels the need to get back out on the streets to make his art open to the public, and help make a dent in the barrage of advertisements we are inundated with daily.

In this new exclusive video of the artist at work, Alec explains his addiction to street art, while also tackling some sizable issues. In his street art spree, Alec decorates a little-known oil rig which thrives in the middle of Los Angeles. Alec also tackles a true monopolist, Clear Channel, in his mock-up of a Disney billboard.


From the forthcoming film PAY 2 PLAY by John Wellington Ennis
: www.pay2play.tv

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Follow John Wellington Ennis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/johnennis

It was a social message that first inspired Alec to start spreading his Monopoly Man mischief around town. As the economy collapsed and crooks were called out, the devious villain of the times seemed...
It was a social message that first inspired Alec to start spreading his Monopoly Man mischief around town. As the economy collapsed and crooks were called out, the devious villain of the times seemed...
 
 
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10:12 AM on 01/04/2011
Hey is that Thierry Guetta…AKA…Mr. Brainwash filming. Just finished watching Exit Through the Gift Shop…Excellent…True documentary or Banksy prank? With the film in mind, it makes me wonder if Alec is really making a statement about Clear Channel or the fact that he’s cashing in on street arts popularity.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
arneader
04:57 AM on 01/04/2011
WIKILEAK II
06:47 AM on 01/04/2011
loved it. was thinking the same thing!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
arneader
11:37 AM on 01/04/2011
Transparency!!! We need more of it or...should I say we need to TAKE IT!
04:03 AM on 01/04/2011
why is having an oil well, that so inobintrusive that no one even knows about it, something that this guy would want to vandalize, and try to imply is a bad thing?

it seems that this oil well can operate in such a manner would be a good example of how to operate a clean, safe well, even in areas near people or wildlife.
04:12 AM on 01/04/2011
I'm not sure, but I'll try. Maybe because profits don't go to the city or the people, but to more big companies. Mineral rights were sold years ago and it only profits the few.
05:51 AM on 01/04/2011
well, i live in LA

and as a resident of the second highest taxed state in the entire nation, i can assure you, that CA if more than getting its fair share of ANY and ALL money made in this state
07:26 AM on 01/04/2011
oh, and btw,

you did know that theres an oil well on the campus of beverly hills high school?

it pays for the school

and saves the taxpayers hundreds of thousands

oil, paying for education....

even a leftie couldn't be against that, or could he?
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conservicide
I don't play nice.
03:31 AM on 01/04/2011
Excellent work.
Just beautiful!!!!
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flossophy
Liberalism is not liberal.
02:43 AM on 01/04/2011
... going after 'talk radio'? 

What Alec doesn't seem to realize is that 'talk radio' is going after the Establishment. 

Many of these street artists are confused about who and what the Establishment is in society.
04:54 AM on 01/04/2011
I am confused....Do you mean Disney takes the loss as opposed to Clear Channel? Explain.
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flossophy
Liberalism is not liberal.
06:02 AM on 01/04/2011
Well... I'm saying that these street artists reflexively think that it's 'eviI corporations' that are the problem in the world. 

They are not. They're the least of our worries. 

It's the entrenched political Establishment that expIoits it's power and crippIes economic activity for the lower and middle classes. It's fine to poke fun at the corporations... but it's really missing the bigger point.
06:44 AM on 01/04/2011
well, unfortunately,
many of the so-called "street artists" and anarchistTypes

aren't actually for the true and free expression of ideas

...rather they are only for the free expression of ideas if they are left-wing ideas 

they are, in many cases, whatLenin called "usefuI you-know-whats"
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breakingpoint
War is a Racket - Smedley Butler
01:14 AM on 01/04/2011
how appropriate
monopoly banker

like to see him get even more political
expose the banks
04:57 AM on 01/04/2011
Me too
11:01 PM on 01/03/2011
'V' FOR VENDETTA....
10:54 PM on 01/03/2011
see "Exit Through the Gift Shop"
garystartswithg
el sueno de la razon produce republicans
12:02 AM on 01/04/2011
brilliant -- by far the best film i have seen in a long time. i want to like alec more, but his tags aren't exactly social commentary. however the exit is through the gift shop so you can pick up something clever on your way out.
10:49 PM on 01/03/2011
he knows the risks and weighs them in a risk reward ratio.
11:53 PM on 01/03/2011
What risks? He might spend a night in jail, but he's never getting prison time in the overcrowded CA prison system. The reward is him getting a shitload of money at auction once his "art" gets attention. Hint hint, that is why there's a youtube video of him doing this.

At least banksy had some creativity and originality in his works, this is just plain opportunism.
06:58 PM on 01/04/2011
basically I agree
garystartswithg
el sueno de la razon produce republicans
12:03 AM on 01/04/2011
puddin, get a can a spray paint and live. the risks are busy eating donuts. its a win/win.
10:22 PM on 01/03/2011
John, call me old school. Some of his work seems like vandalism to me. It seems you approve of this behavior. Please don’t press charges if someone uses your studio walls as a canvass.
garystartswithg
el sueno de la razon produce republicans
12:05 AM on 01/04/2011
Vandalism implies you are doing something, i find most of his work not offensive enough to be vandalism. Of course you love your corporate dogs and have an altar to them, so i don't know why i am bothering exactly.
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AG creative
Ba Gawk!
10:19 PM on 01/03/2011
I highly approve of this type of vandalism...*cough cough, {AHEM} I mean,art.

While I'm weary of the guerilla artists' aka 'street cred' narcissists in general (taggers) - takes a pair to go up there and risk your freedom and your life itself to bring a poignant message to the masses.
10:18 PM on 01/03/2011
so awesome
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mcdaidusa
10:11 PM on 01/03/2011
Art Power. Great story.
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Estevan Benson
10:10 PM on 01/03/2011
I like his work.
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ThomasPaine1776
Left is right; Right is wrong
01:03 PM on 01/02/2011
Fight the power.
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mcdaidusa
10:13 PM on 01/03/2011
PS What happened to all the stories about the student protests in England? I guess that was too subversive. As long as it isn't covered, it didn't happen. Back to the fries and the Netflix.