Expressions of Liberty: Street Artist BINES

libertopia, lewis liberman, bines49, sticker, street art, liberty, peace

Note: The above is my attempt – from one artist to another – to pay a little respect to the work of BINES (a liberty-minded Philadelphia Street Artist). In this piece, I drew the iconic Bines character and Lewis Liberman giving each other a thumbs up, along with the message “Peace and Liberty!”. The text of “Libertopia and Bines” is also on the sticker.

Bines, street art, libertyI recently contacted the street artist known as BINES in regards to the extremely timely “Commentary on Political Atmosphere” (at left – click to enlarge), which they shared on Instagram recently. After receiving permission from this talented artist to post about their work, I found it pretty tough to pick just a handful of examples – as there’s a vast array of Bines art pieces that can be seen throughout Philadelphia. Some of them utilize a strong message of liberty and incorporate such personalities as Adam Kokesh, Rand Paul, Vermin Supreme or Bob Ross, while others are simply designed to add a little bit of individual artistry to a blank wall or abandoned space. Either way, as a fellow artist, I couldn’t help but be encouraged by someone using their talent to not only share something positive with their community – but also sometimes speak a very thoughtful message about some of the crucial issues facing people today.

Bines49, liberty IndependenceAnother piece of art that I thought really stood out is the commissioned work, “Independence Vs. Present” (at left – click to enlarge). I think it really leaves the viewer with a lot of important things to consider. In regards to this work, Bines  writes that, “It is really important to appreciate the founding fathers who had such revolutionary visions and bold action in the creation of our area! However we must remember the true roots of American history…those of civil disobedience against unjust regimes. And even though the current republic of this land might think otherwise…it still remains the duty of Americans to follow Moral Law even if it conflicts with arbitrary things ‘politicians’ write down on paper.”

bines3Lastly, I thought this was another great piece of Bines street art that communicates a relevant taxation is theft message that a lot of people are sure to appreciate (at left – click to enlarge). Employing the eye-catching character designs that Bines is known for, the piece states that, “Well, what happens when you don’t pay taxes? You get a fine? Okay, and if you don’t pay the fine? Men with guns come and take you away, even though you are acting peacefully and not hurting anyone. Basically using force against people who are acting peacefully does not seem just does it? Wouldn’t it be better to only pay your community voluntary without threat of force for services?”

To see more of Bines and their impressive array of amazing work, check out the Instagram page @bines49. Also don’t miss this great interview, Philly Street Art Interview: Bines.

Curious to learn more? Want to get in on the fun? Let us know if you’re an artist or creative who would like to be featured in an interview, or have your artwork displayed on our site! Also, be sure to check out our libertarian artists page for our artist interviews and artwork from a variety of different artists in our diverse community! You can also check out Libertopia’s own artwork page here, or download our 60 page art ebook at Libertopia: Collection One!


Source: Libertopia Cartoon