Don Rimx

When Don Rimx began painting his portrait of Nuyorican poet Jesús “Tato” Laviera last month, I had the opportunity to speak to the poet’s sister, Ruth Sanchez Laviera. “Don Rimx represents my spirit and my brother’s spirit,” she said. “As soon as I met him, I knew he was the one to paint a mural honoring my brother.” And last Saturday, Oct. 28th, after the mural was officially unveiled at Taino Towers and 123rd Street was renamed for Jesús “Tato” Laviera, I posed a few questions to Rimx:

Your mural depicting Jesús “Tato” Laviera is wonderful. When were you first offered the opportunity to paint his portrait?

I was contacted about a year ago.

Can you tell us a bit about your process? What steps did you take to make this happen?

I began by reading or watching every interview I could find that had been conducted with Jesús “Tato” Laviera. I spent time at Hunter College’s Centro: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies reading Jesús “Tato” Laviera‘s poetry and whatever literature and criticism I could find by him and about him. I came to understand and appreciate just how important a voice he was in the Nuyorican movement. I even had the opportunity to  live in the same apartment in Taino Towers that Jesús “Tato” Laviera lived in and to speak to many folks who knew him.

How about the painting itself? How long did it take you?

I worked 12 hours a day for five days.

And the mural unveiling, along with the renaming of this corner? What was the experience like for you?

It was wonderful! I feel so blessed to have experienced it all. Among the speakers were City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Maria Cruz, executive director of Taino Towers. There was also a poetry reading, along with reminiscences by family and friends.

Congratulations!  We are so happy that this opportunity came your way. It’s great to have your vision and talents shared with us — once again — here in NYC.

Photos: 1 & 2 Lois Stavsky; 3 & 4 courtesy of the artist; featured in the third photo are: Ruth Sanchez Laviera to the left of  Don Rimx and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to his right

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.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

This past Saturday, September 9th, Boston’s new urban playground, Underground at Ink Block, officially opened to the pubic. Earlier in the week, eleven acclaimed artists — both local and national —  converged on this distinct space, located under the highway between the city’s South Boston and South End neighborhoods. By week’s end, 100,000 square feet of walls were transformed into a visual wonderland. The mural pictured above was painted by Miami-based Hoxxoh. What follows are several more images of artworks — some captured in progress — that have made their way onto Underground at Ink Block.

Marka 27, Don Rimx & Problak

The legendary NYC-based Cey Adams at work

Los Angeles-based Vyal Reyes aka Vyal One

Boston-based Percy Forting-Wright 

Boston-based Sneha Shrestha aka Imagine

Los Angeles-based Pen Taylor aka Upendo

Curated by Street Theory GalleryThe Underground Mural Project is powered by Reebok in partnership with National Development.

Photos: Above the Sky, ATS Photography

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.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

This is the eighth in a series of occasional posts featuring the range of faces that surface in NYC open spaces:

Dasic in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Dasic

Rimx and Ricardo Cabret — in progress for NY Street Gallery — on the patio outside Exit Room NY, in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Rimx-and-Ricardo-Cabret

Long-running ECB in Bushwick, Brooklyn

ECB

Jordan Betten in Midtown Manhattan

"Jordan Betten"

Alice Mizrachi in Bushwick playground

"Alice Mizrachi"

Long-running Chris Soria  — created with Groundswell youth — in Red Hook, Brooklyn

"Chris Soria"

FoxxFace for the LISA Project in Little Italy, Manhattan

Foxxface

Sexer for the TAG Public Arts Project in the Bronx

Sexer

Photos: Dasic, Jordan Betten and Chris Soria by Dani Reyes Mozeson; all others by Lois Stavsky

{ 5 comments }

Marka27

Both on the streets and in their studios, Marka27, Don Rimx & Ian Kuali`i fashion extraordinarily rich tantalizing images. An intriguing selection of their largely character-driven mixed-media paintings, prints and more were presented by M27 Designs in the remarkable one-night pop-up exhibit TR3SPASS at the Dumbo Spot this past Friday evening. Here’s a small sampling:

Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez

Marka27-character

Marka27

Ian Kuali`i

Ian Kuali`i

Ian

David “Don Rimx” Sepulveda

Don-Rimx-character-art-Trespass

"Don Rimx"

Photos of artwork by Sara C. Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

The rooftop of the former Seward Park High School on Manhattan’s Lower East Side has evolved into one of NYC’s most enticing graffiti canvases.  Following is a sampling of what we saw this past Sunday as Rooftop Legends, curated by New Design High School dean, Jesse Pais, celebrated its sixth anniversary.

Marka27 and Don Rimx

Mark27 and Rimx

Fever

fever-graffiti

Graffiti pioneer Part One

Part-one

Smoke

smoke-graffiti

Toofly and Werds

Toofly and Werds

Style masters Shank aka Dmote, Wane and Aplus

Shane, wane and a-plus

Slave

Slave-graffiti

Dr. Revolt

Dr.-Revolt-graffiti-rooftop-legends-NYC

Ces

Ces

KR.One

KR.One

Pesu

Pesu

Queen Andrea

Queen Andrea

Vers

vers

Photos by Lenny Collado and Tara Murray

{ 1 comment }