block party

This past Saturday, Green Villain and Writer’s Bench  hosted a buoyant block party at the site of the former 2015 landmark Demolition Exhibition. The hundreds of folks who attended the massive celebration were treated to live painting and music, along with food provided by local vendors. Pictured above is Newark-based Mr. Mustart. What follows are several more images captured Saturday by David Sharabani aka Lord K2.

The legendary Bronx native Skeme aka 3 Yard King at work

On the scene with Skeme aka 3 Yard King’s work in progress

Philly-based Mecro at work

Jersey City-based 4Saken painting with Molly posing

Blackbook signing

NYC-based classic writer Mone TFP

NYC-based graffiti pioneer Curve at work

Young artist takes a break

Photos by David Sharabani aka Lord K2.

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We recently had the opportunity to speak to Bushwick Collective‘s founder and curator, the indefatigable Joe Ficalora, as he readies for this year’s 5th Annual Block Party, June 3-5.

As you prepare for this year’s 5th Annual Block Party, can you share with us some of this past year’s highlights?

Last June’s Annual Block Party was certainly a highlight!  The entire community came together as a family. It was a beautiful sight! A special highpoint of this past year was the Bushwick Collective‘s collaboration with Mana Urban Arts. We had the chance to go down to Miami in December during Art Basel. NYC artists, along with local Miami ones and artists from across the globe, painted together, transforming the inside and outside of the RC Cola Factory. It was a particular thrill to have seven-year-old Lola join us and watch her paint with Chor Boogie. We’ve also facilitated murals in Miami and Jersey City in coordination with Mana Urban Arts. And – more recently — during Frieze Art Week, we participated in Art New York on Pier 54 with Sipros in support of the Perry J. Cohen Foundation.

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What would you say was your greatest challenge this past year?

My greatest challenge was dealing with all the marketers trying to hunt down walls. Now that this neighborhood is “cool,” they feel that they can take advantage of the public space without giving back.

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What can we expect at this year’s Block Party?

There will be live painting, food trucks, local vendors, special activities for families with kids and surprise performers.  A pop-up exhibition at 198 Randolph Street will feature artists from the The Parsons School of Design at the New School, the official sponsor of the weekend, along with local artists. The Museum of the City of New York will be projecting images of Bushwick from over 100 years ago and sharing a huge blown-up photo of Bushwick in 1909. All money from the artwork sold at the exhibit — that opens to the public at 7pm on Friday, June 3, and can be viewed on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-5pm — will go directly to the artists. Local artists will also be exhibiting their work independently. Performers opening the weekend include: The BBoy Rebels (NYC Original Subway Dancers), DJ Mister Cee, Loaf Muzik, Monsters of Brooklyn, Thorough, Thirsting Howl lll, Styles P and Jim Jones. And on Saturday — in addition to JADAKISS — DJ Statik Selektah and friends, Lil Waah, Joell Ortiz, Dave EastChris Rivers, son of the legendary Big Pun, and The BBoy Rebels will perform. Keep posted to our website for updates.

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Who are some artists we can look forward to meeting?

Artists from everywhere will be painting. Among them are: D*Face, Case Maclaim, Sipros, Atomik, Don Rimx and Trans1. Local artists include: Giz, Tats Cru, CrashMeres, Topaz, Plasma Slug, Lola the Illustrator and Hops 1.

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That sounds great! What’s ahead for the Bushwick Collective?

We will continue to grow as an organization and evolve with time. We look forward to further collaborations with Mana Urban Arts.  We also look forward to establishing new partnerships.

Images

1. Giz, Ghost, Such, RIS Crew

2. Sipros

3. Case Maclaim

4. Oji

5. Starfighter

Photo credits: 1 & 3 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen; 2, 4 & 5 Lois Stavsky; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky with Sol Raxlen

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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These past few days have been busy at the Bushwick Collective. New walls have been surfacing daily and the Collective has launched its first indoor exhibit. Here’s a bit of what we captured yesterday and Thursday:

Vexta‘s mural — as seen yesterday — and Vexta at work here

Vexta

Adam Fu at work yesterday

"Adam Fu"

Sexer‘s newly completed mural

Sexer

Solus — in from Dublin — at work yesterday

Solus

 Vers at work yesterday

Vers

FKDL — in from Paris — checks out his progress 

RKDL

FKDL inside the gallery

FKDL-art-exhibit

Jerkface begins

"Brian Jerkface"

Jerkface inside the gallery

"Brian Jerkface"

Also on view in the gallery — located at 426 Troutman Street — in the heart of the Bushwick Collective are works by: Blek le Rat, Solus, Rubin 415, Chris Stain, Dan Witz, Zimad, Joe Iurato, Sexer, Beau Stanton and Atom.   And at tomorrow’s block party you can see and celebrate it all with live street art, bands, food trucks, a beer tent and giveaways.

Photos of Vexta, Adam Fu, Solus and Vers by Lois Stavsky; of  FKDL, Sexer and Jerkface by Dani Reyes Mozeson; gallery images of  FKDL and Jerkface by Houda Lazrak

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During the past few weeks, over a dozen first-rate artists have been busy gracing the walls of the Bushwick Collective with an extraordinary array of images. Here is a sampling of what’s been happening:

Brooklyn-based Beau Stanton at work 

Beau Stanton

 Zimad signs his piece

Zimad

Sexer‘s completed masterpiece

Sexer

Brett Flanigan and Cannon Dill — in from the West Coast

Brett Flanigan and Cannon Dill

Col Wallnuts collaborates with Toofly

Col and Toofly

Brendon Rogers at work during his stopover in NYC

Brendon Rodgers

Creepy — in from Australia; segment of larger mural

Creepy

Melbourne’s Facter at work

Facter

Brooklyn-based Sonni

sonni

And we can expect even more great art — along with: guest food trucks, Miami Food Machine, Mike N’ Willies and Hibachi Heaven; a beer tent, sponsored by Corona Familiar, Bodega Wine Bar, Pearls Social and Billy Club, Mesa Azteca and Codigo Music, LLC; several bands, including Wild Yaks, Dead Sexy Shelia, Big Volcano, Cardboard, Dian’s Coffee, Grand Resor and ShiShi and DJ Jah Star of Ninjasonik — at this Sunday’s block party celebrating the Bushwick Collective’s first anniversary.  Bushwick Collective curator Joe Ficalora reports that among those artists painting live are: Franck Duval — in from Paris — on Flushing Avenue and Scott; Beau Stanton on Troutman between St. Nicholas and Cypress and Zimad and Sexer inside the beer tent, along with some surprise guests! Art, jewelry, clothing and more will be available from local merchants, and Limited Edition Bushwick Collective tee-shirts will be for sale. The official sponsor of this year’s event — held from 11am – 8pm at St. Nicholas Ave. and Troutman St. — is NOOKLYN.COM

Photos by Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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