Art Installation

While many of us were pondering the world’s fragile state in the early months of the pandemic, the brilliantly inventive and socially conscious Spanish artist Pejac was busy creating art in response to it. And this past fall, he shared his vision in APENA, a ten-day exposition held in a former train manufacturing site in Berlin. Over 40 new artworks — addressing such themes as environmental pollution, climate change, the refugee crisis and inequality —  were displayed in eight different rooms and spaces. Several play on classical paintings; all are at once poetic and unsettling,

The image featured above, “Counterweight,” was fashioned in 2020 with oil, acrylic and spray paint and mounted on a wooden stretcher. Several more images of Pejac‘s artworks — all painted since the early days of the pandemic — follow:

“Urban Albatross,”  Oil, acrylic, spray paint and charcoal on paper mounted on wooden stretcher

“H20,”  Charcoal, Pencil, conté, and gold leaf on paper mounted on wooden stretcher

“Bad Time for Lyrics,”  Brass, bronze and wood

“Swirling,” Oil, acrylic and spray paint on paper mounted on wooden stretcher

“Oppressed IV,” close-up; Chalk and pencil on paper

And you can view the remarkable APNEA Exhibition here:

All images courtesy Majka Tkacik – Project Manager, Suben Art

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Located on 120th Street and Park Avenue in East Harlem, Eugene McCabe Field is now home to two tantalizing public art installations.  Featured above is a close-up from local fiber artist Naomi RAG‘s 12 x 24 foot mural fashioned from yarn.

A larger segment of the mural

The mural, La Flor De Mi Madre, in its entirety

Harlem-based Capucine Bourcart, Eat Me!, a photographic mosaic of approximately 1,500 printed metal square pictures of local healthy food — asking to be eaten!

Photos captured at dusk in the heat by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Recently installed on the embankment of Sajsary Lake in Yakutsk, Russia — the second coldest city in the world —  is a massive sculpture fashioned by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel.  Forged with steel in his infectious signature style, the 4-meter public art object represents the artist’s vision of the primitive man —  a punk-like figure sporting spiked hair, released from civilization’s shackles.

Curated by the National Art Museum of the Republic of Sakha in collaboration with Artmossphere, Okuda’s 4-meter public art object, Ancestral Retromirage, is the final project of the fifth International Yakut Biennale of Contemporary Art that began in April 2018.

Photos courtesy of Artmossphere

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Earlier this month, the French Collective DA MENTAL VAPORZ — consisting of Bom.k, Brusk, Kan, Blo, Jaw, Lek and Sowat — brought their talents to Tel Aviv. At once darkly discomfiting and stunningly mesmerizing, their exhibition, Alone in the Dark, continues through March at the historic Beit Ha’ir Museum on 27 Bialik Street. What follows are a few more images I captured on a recent afternoon visit to the exhibition that made its way onto Beit Ha’ir’s walls, floors and celings:

From the outside looking in:

One of the many details of the installation

A bit of gore, detail

And some buoyant shapes and colors

One of many collaged images

Beit Ha’ir Museum exterior

One of several postcard images

Photos of images: Lois Stavsky

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Celebrated across the globe for his inventive stencil art, Joe Iurato continues to inspire and delight us with his innovatively conceived  and beautifully executed artwork. On exhibit at Castle Fitzjohns through this week is “Bottles + Cans,” an exhibition of new works, along with a life-size instillation of a Bistro. Pictured above is Modern Love (Sunset), 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood. Several more images captured at the exhibit follow:

He Was Here a Second Ago, 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood

It’s All Downhill From Here, 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood

Watering Can (Peace), 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood

Street Stories and Rhymes, 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood

James ‘right to sing the blues, 2018 spray paint on wood cut out, reclaimed wood

Installation, Bottles + Cans, mixed media

Castle Fitzjohns is located at 98 Orchard Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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For the past month Brooklyn-based Sara Erenthal has set up base in Tel Aviv. What follows is a brief interview with the intensely committed multi-disciplinary artist:

What brought you to this region? 

It is where I was born, where I had left my religious upbringing and where, six years ago, I had my first art exhibition. And for the past several years, I’d wanted to return to share my art with the ex-Orthodox community and participate in the vibrant, expressive street art culture here.

Can you tell us a bit about the difference between “getting up” here and back home in Brooklyn?

There is more  freedom of expression on the streets here, and because I’m here for a limited amount of time, the experience has been far more intense.

What have been some of the highlights of this trip?

Visiting and painting in Bethlehem, my first time on the “other side,” and having the opportunity to exhibit my artwork here at the Red House Shapira in South Tel Aviv. And the amazing feature article in Haaretz by Tamar Rotem was, also, a highlight.

Can you tell us a bit your exhibit “Re-Cover” here at the Red House Shapira.  How did it happen? 

Shortly after I arrived in Tel Aviv, I visited the Red House Shapira, a unique space — housed in a historic building — known for its commitment to promoting diversity in the arts. There I met Oren Fischer who invited me to showcase an installation of new works created from found materials in the neighborhood.  My intent was to mirror the diversity of the neighborhood in a unified fashion, while giving new life to discarded matter.

What were some of the challenges you faced in making this happen?

The major challenge was the short period of time I had in pulling it all together. Both Tamar Rotem and Max Streetwalker offered me assistance in the logistics of collecting the varied materials and bringing them over to the studio. I am so grateful to them for their help. And, of course, I could not have accomplished this without the studio space that the Red House Shapira provided.

Congratulations! I look forward to seeing your work in similar installations in other cities, including, perhaps, NYC!

Note: “Re-Cover” can still be seen tomorrow, Sunday, from 11:00 to 17:00; Monday 12:00 to 19:00 and Tuesday 10:00 to 19:00 at the Red House Shapira, Israel MiSalant 39 in Shapira, Tel Aviv.

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky

Photo credits: 1 & 2 Lois Stavsky; 3 Yonatan Ruttenberg and 4-6 Sara Erenthal

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A collaborative hub for artists, the Mana BSMT occupies the entire lower level of Mana Contemporary‘s Jersey City headquarters. After completing their residency there, Apostrophe NYC’s Base 12 artists presented their artworks in a series of installations and performances this past Saturday evening. The image pictured above was fashioned by Ryan Bock, whose talents have also made their way onto walls on the Lower East Side and Bushwhick. Here are several more images we captured:

Also by Ryan BockSacrificial Shanking

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Kolter Hodgson, Cryami, close-up

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James Reyes

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James Rubio with his new Power of Prayer paintings

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The Real Love Child, close-up

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Sei Smith, Yellow and Blue — as observed by Houda Lazrak — with artist as masseur

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Alana Dee Haynes, Photo Booth — with fashions designed by the artist

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Photo credits: 1-7 Lois Stavsky and 8 Houda Lazrak

Note: Hailed in a range of media from Wide Walls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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This past summer, Red Bull reached out to Joe Iurato — one of our favorite artists — to create his signature wooden cutouts to help support and promote the upcoming Washington DC tour dates of Red Bull Flying Bach, a new dance tour that fuses classical music, break dancing and modern dance, set to Bach’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier.”

An interview with the artist follows:

Can you tell us something about the process of creating your distinct cutouts? 

It begins with a photograph of a central subject and a story in mind. Once I have the image I want to work with, I create my layer separations for the stencils.  I don’t use a computer program or a filter to create my layers. I just print the photo out multiple times in black and white at the exact size I want the wood cutout to be. Then, I cut my stencil layers by working directly from the unaltered photos, more or less drawing the tones loosely with a knife.  Once my stencils are cut, I make an impression of the first layer, a silhouette, on a piece of wood.

And how does the piece get cut? At what point is it ready for placement?

The piece gets cut on a scroll saw, which is good for making cuts up to 24”, as it has a thin blade and allows me to maneuver intricate cuts. The cut then gets sanded and primed. Then, I lay in my stencils – spraying them one layer at a time. When the piece is completed, I’ll varnish and seal it. Lastly, I’ll add any hardware to make it stand, float, whatever– all depending on the intended interaction. At that point, the piece is ready for placement.

Joe Iurato

How do you decide where it will be placed?

Sometimes I know where the completed work will be placed; other times, it’s a matter of hunting for the right location. I always install them by myself, mounting them securely. The challenge is finding a location where they will last for awhile! For this project, Red Bull is securing several locations, based on where they will work best, for 10-12 of my 16″ pieces. Three similar large scale wood cut pieces — roughly 6 feet tall — will be on display from January 6-8th at the Warner Theater for the DC performances of Red Bull Flying Bach.

How long does it generally take to create a 16 inch piece? 

It depends on the level of detail in the particular  piece and where I am in the process. If I’m going from initial concept through to final, then it usually takes me about three to four days to create the first one. But once the stencils are cut and it’s a matter of ripping wood cutouts and spraying them out, I can make duplicates within a day.

Joe Iurato

How does creating this work for Red Bull differ from the way you generally work?

I generally work from my own imagery, but in this case, Red Bull has provided me with photographs of the Red Bull Flying Bach dancers to work with and is involved in securing locations. As I don’t know specific locations, I’ve chosen a variety of movements that could work in a range of location.

Can you tell us a bit about your experience of working with Red Bull? 

It’s been very exciting. I, myself, was once a breakdancer! And Red Bull has given me complete creative freedom — something very important to my artistic process.

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Special thanks to Karin du Maire who met up with Joe Iurato at Red Bull Studios in Chelsea last week.

Photo credits: 1 & 4 Karin du Maire; 2 & 3 Drew Gurian, courtesy Red Bull

Note: Red Bull Flying Bach dancers will be performing in DC at the Warner Theater, January 6-8. Check out dates of all upcoming shows here

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In collaboration with the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance and NYC Parks, FLUX Public Art Projects has brought over three dozen arresting sculptures and installations — all rich with cultural references — to Marcus Garvey Park. Pictured above is Bayeté Ross Smith, Got the Power: Boomboxes.  Here are several more:

Jordan Baker-Caldwell, Golem

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Jack Howard Potter, Belvedere Torso

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Richard Vivenzio, Untitled

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Suprina, DNA Totem. close-up

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Jason WallaceCrosshairs

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Capucine BourcartTrompe l’oeil

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Bob Clyatt, (E)scape

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Photo credits: 1, 3 & 6 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen; 2 Lois Stavsky 4, 5, 7 & 8 Tara Murray

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Nepo-at Wix-Lounge-with-art

With their luscious colors and seductive styles, Nepo‘s murals has been enhancing the streets of NYC since the talented artist arrived here from Puerto Rico over two years ago. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to catch up with him after he had finished installing his current exhibit, Fantasia Tropico, at Chelsea’s Wix Lounge.

This space is wonderful, and your work looks perfect here! How did this opportunity come your way?

I’ve known Kamilla Sun, the founder of the creative agency ST.ART, for over a year now.  When she told me about Wix Lounge, a really special co-working, event and exhibit space in Chelsea, I loved the idea of exhibiting my recent series of works, Fantasia Tropico, there.

Nepo-artwork

Can you tell us something about this specific series? 

It references all that I love and miss most from my island, especially my nostalgia for the holidays. This body of works continues to evolve from an exhibit that I was invited to present earlier this year at the University of Wisconsin’s Aylward Gallery. The exhibit here at Wix Lounge, curated by Kamilla Sun, presents several new pieces.

How have the folks here at Wix Lounge responded to your installation?

The reaction has been so positive. People are interested in what I’m doing, and everyone’s been so helpful.

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Have you collaborated with ST.ART on any other projects?

Yes! I was commissioned to paint a mural on the Lower East Side last year.

You’ve been doing quite a bit of traveling. What has that been like?

It’s been great! I recently returned from Brazil where I participated in the Street of Styles Festival. It was an amazing experience, and introduced me to some of the best graffiti I’d seen anywhere. I also had the opportunity to paint a huge mural with Son and Spear Torres.

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And you’ve also been to Dubai. What brought you there? And what was it like?

I was invited to participate in an exhibit during Art Dubai. It was my first time in that part of the world, and I loved experiencing Arab culture and discovering artists from the Middle East.  I, also, got to return home with several commissions! It was a great feeling!

 What’s ahead?

Painting a few murals! And in a few weeks, I will be assisting Rimx with a huge mural that he was commissioned to paint in Newark, New Jersey. I’m planning to visit L.A. in June.  And in the fall, I’m hoping to visit Lebanon and Jordan and further explore Middle Eastern art. I especially love Arabic calligraphy.

That sounds great! Good luck with it all!

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There will be an opening reception for Nepo‘s exhibit tonight, Friday, 6:30 – 9:30 PM at at Chelsea’s Wix Lounge, 235 West 23rd Street. The exhibit remains on view through May.

Photo credits: 1 Lois Stavsky 2 & 4 courtesy of Nepo and 3 Tara Murray; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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