I was struck yesterday by a series of truly stunning “Street Art” or graffiti photographs by in Kathmandu by BBC photographer  Richard Fenton-Smith. As in America graffiti of this sort is officially illegal and is a fairly recent phenomenon on Nepal’s capital city. Lovers of Keith Haring are sure to be delighted by these images, which wonderfully combine the modern with the traditionally mythic.  Consider for instance this image of the Hindu Cyclops deity Bishnu reclining with his IPhone by Deadline or the deity Bhairava, Lord of Destruction, with his own can of spray painting, this a collaborative effort Sadhux, Deadline, and #H11325.

This kind of art, photographs of paintings, raises the significant issue of which is the art, the painting or the photograph.  I believe that the answer is both.  The photograph, drawn obviously by color and form, chooses the details to concentrate on and chose the context in which to take the photograph, dramatically, for instance, in this image which juxtaposes street art with street dog.  The photograph in this case is derivative art, a reinterpretation of the original theme. And besides we have to be grateful to Mr. Fenton-Smith because otherwise most of us would never have seen these images.