Who is this on posters in DC?

December 11, 2010 3:10 PM

Who is this pasted on posters on the street in Washington DC? I've seen the posters on utility boxes and they seem to be becoming more common. What's the story?
posted by exogenous to Grab Bag (29 answers total)

I found an application called tin eye that might help in your search.
It's not Malcolm X, because the glasses and nose are wrong.
posted by annsunny at 3:41 PM on December 11, 2010

That looks like the avante-garde saxophonist Anthony Braxton.
posted by facetious at 3:43 PM on December 11, 2010

I tried tin eye and got nothing. I hope someone has the answer! Intriguing pic.
posted by parkerjackson at 3:46 PM on December 11, 2010

looks like anthony braxton to me, too.
or sly stone...
posted by artof.mulata at 4:20 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

Looks a bit like Charlotte Hawkins Brown.
posted by Beardman at 4:28 PM on December 11, 2010

What neighborhoods? If it is bar and club young people areas, I'd bet $8 it is a member of a local band dressed up (or photoshopped) to look that way.
posted by gjc at 4:56 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

You should e-mail dcist ([e-mail]) and ask. Or TBD.com or CityPaper.

*also curious*
posted by longdaysjourney at 6:00 PM on December 11, 2010

It looks like Richard Ayoade to me, though I can find nothing tying it back to him . . .
posted by datacenter refugee at 7:18 PM on December 11, 2010

They must have deleted my earlier answer, but I'm serious - it's Eleanor Holmes Norton. I don't know why, but it is.
posted by yarly at 9:06 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's not Eleanor Holmes Norton, but it's a good guess. The nose shape isn't quite right, and her cheeks are fuller. Also the upper lip area doesn't match. They have different philtrums.
posted by gjc at 9:14 PM on December 11, 2010

I think you're right, although my immediate reaction was it's Johnny Depp in Dead Man but that can't be.

That looks like the avante-garde saxophonist Anthony Braxton.
I disagree, but I've always wondered if he's related to Toni Braxton.
posted by Rash at 9:14 PM on December 11, 2010

There's another street-art type poster around that's more clearly EHN, so I think it's some kind of statement - maybe voting rights?
posted by yarly at 9:18 PM on December 11, 2010

Here's a picture of her resembling the poster (sorry bout the bad links; I'm using my phone): http://thumbnails.truveo.com/0012/EF/3B/EF3B94C1B4B03B7F3C1EFA_Large.jpg
posted by yarly at 9:25 PM on December 11, 2010

looks a lot more like anthony braxton than ehn.
posted by outlandishmarxist at 10:37 PM on December 11, 2010

Response by poster: For what it's worth, the posters are around Capitol Hill. One on the SW corner of 11th and Penn SW has been there for months I think.
posted by exogenous at 5:07 AM on December 12, 2010

I bet you mean 11th and Penn SE right? There is so Penn in SW. I live right near by I'll go take a look later today. I don't think it's eleanor holmes norton though. If I don't come back assume the illuminati ate me.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:17 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

i wish it were brother mouzone
posted by arveale at 9:01 AM on December 12, 2010

Ok, here is the other EHN voting rights street art.
posted by yarly at 9:40 AM on December 12, 2010

Response by poster: I bet you mean 11th and Penn SE right?

Oops - you are correct, sir.
posted by exogenous at 11:08 AM on December 12, 2010

OP---are you going to email the sites longdaysjourney suggested? I really want this to be resolved eventually!
posted by parkerjackson at 4:19 PM on December 12, 2010

Response by poster: I've emailed dcist, TBD, and shcitypaper.
posted by exogenous at 6:29 PM on December 12, 2010

Any news?
posted by NortonDC at 9:59 PM on December 16, 2010

Response by poster: No news.

If anyone wants to get a look in person, the photo is of a poster on the 500 block of barracks row (8th St. SE) on the east side of the street, near Belga. It's newer and in better condition than the one on 11th and Penn. I kind of remember seeing a third on Penn somewhere in that area as well.
posted by exogenous at 5:16 AM on December 17, 2010

Response by poster: I just noticed another poster on the north side of Mass. Ave. NE near Lincoln Park (between 10th and 11th).

It's like they're taunting me!
posted by exogenous at 11:59 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Maybe call the local papers (the ones you emailed), or ask someone in the area around the posters who looks like they might be "in the know"? Ask multiple someones. You've got to get your answer!!
posted by daikon at 5:01 PM on December 20, 2010

Response by poster: I emailed a neighborhood blog and they thought the posters might have been "leftover from the Tweed Ride." This afternoon I emailed the Tweed Ride folks, but haven't heard back yet. I never heard back at all from TBD, City Paper, or dcist.
posted by exogenous at 5:54 PM on December 20, 2010

Response by poster: An informant sent me a picture of a similar poster, damaged, but with the text "ARTUARE (AHR-TU-AHRÉ)" - from that I was able to google up this (a small sticker sized version showing the text) and these.
posted by exogenous at 2:42 PM on December 21, 2010

Best answer: Funny thing - at a party last night someone brought out a bottle of wine that had one of these stickers applied to an empty space on the back. Turns out that the person who brought the wine knows the person depicted on the sticker and the posters. From her I learned that it is the artist Steven M. Cummings, seen on the left in this picture and in the ninth slide in the photo gallery accompanying this story.
posted by exogenous at 8:01 AM on January 1, 2011 [3 favorites]

Thanks for the followup! This has been driving me nuts! And the best part is, the Art Man and Steven M. Cummings are fascinating people!
posted by facetious at 10:47 AM on January 1, 2011