public art

The streets of Budapest’s seventh district teem with a huge range of urban art. The brightly-hued image featured above — painted by the Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel — is a tribute to the Spanish diplomat Ángel Sanz-Briz, who saved the lives of thousands of  Hungarian Jews during the Second World War. Several more images of public artworks we captured in Budapest follow:

Neopaint‘s rendition of the Rubik Cube, invented by Hungarian native Ernő Rubik

Mosaic mural titled “Hesztia” created by Budapest-based artist Hegedűs Márton

A recreation by Szine Varos of the 50-year-old classic LGT Bummm! album cover originally designed by the highly acclaimed Budapest artist Kemény György

Hungarian artist and ALL CAPS COLLECTIVE member Gergely Void

  Budapest-based Balogh Attila for Tereza, a Mexican restaurant in Budapest’s  sixth district

One of many charming wheatpastes by the nomadic qWeRT

Photos by Lois Stavsky and Sara C. Mozeson

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On my most recent visit to this year’s Grandscale Mural Project in East Harlem, I came upon dozens of more alluring murals that have recently surfaced. The mural featured above was painted by Mas Paz and Guache, two Colombia-born multidisciplinary artists. Several more images representative of the extraordinary range of mural art gracing East Harlem in the vicinity of 125th Street follow:

New Jersey native Diego Molina

Local artist DaQuane Cherry 

 Queens native Al Ruiz 

Local artist Marthalicia Matarrita

Bronx native  Jose Aurelio Baez

Bronx-based Chelsea Garcia and Jio assess their work in progress

Photos; Lois Stavsky

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Showcasing some of my favorite artists, along with others who are new to me, First Street Green Art Park — located where  Manhattan’s Lower East Side meets the East Village — is one of our city’s treasures. The image featured above was fashioned by Carson DeYoung aka Deps One, a former Brooklynite now based in Tucson, Arizona. Several more images that have surfaced in the past few months at First Street Green Art Park follow:

NYC-based Cram Concepts, Ratchi and Outer Source — segment from a huge collaborative production

Brooklyn-based Jeff Henriquez 

Mexico City-based Trasheer

Mexico City-based Nerik Martinez aka Ramsteko

Ezra Cumbo aka Rah Artz

The prolific OptimoNYC  for Dopey podcast

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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The Grandscale Mural Project is once again transforming the streets of East Harlem into an oasis of beauty and intrigue. While visiting this past Sunday, I came upon dozens of completed walls, along with dozens of works in progress representing a wide range of styles and themes. Featured above is the lovely Colombia-born, East Harlem-based artist Gia Gutierrez — standing to the right of her newly-completed mural. Several more images captured this past Sunday follow:

South Bronx-raised, Puerto Rican artist Olga Correa

East Harlem-based, Stockholm-born artist Scratch

New York-based, Chilean artist Cekis

NYC-based Caryn Cast diligently at work on her portrait of the legendary singer, songwriter & guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe

NYC-born and based artist Cram Concepts

NYC-based, New Jersey-bred illustrator Anna Lustberg

BC1 and Al Ruiz collaborative mural featuring the late, legendary Tito Puente

Note: Keep posted to Street Art NYC Threads for more images from this year’s Grandscale Mural Project curated by Uptown Grand Central.

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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Founded and curated by Miki Mu and Frankie Velez, the BedStuy Walls Mural Festival has once again transformed Lexington Avenue between Stuyvesant and Lewis Streets into a delectable visual feast, while actively engaging the local community and beyond.

The sumptuous image featured above was painted collaboratively by members of Mz. Icar, a collective of primarily Black female interdisciplinary artists “creatively taking up space.”  Several more images captured this past Sunday follow:

Brooklyn-based Vince Ballentine paints the Nigerian-American singer and composer Mary Akpa

Brooklyn-based Jeff Henriquez captured at work

Chicago-based Caesar Perez

Long Island-based master of monsters Phetus88

Brooklyn-based Question Marks at work with Alana Tsui above Matt Siren’s iconic character

Manhattan-based Funqest

Bronx-born and bred Andre Trenier at work

As it “takes a village” to launch such a remarkable event, among the many who helped make it possible are: NYC Thrive Collective, The Philos Project, Philos Latino, Jesse Rojo, Good Times Deli, Pastor Robert Waterman and Atiba Edwards.

Keep posted to the Street Art NYC Instagram and Threads for more images from this year’s edition of the BedStuy Walls Mural Festival. And you can help sustain this model of community engagement by contributing to the fundraiser, organized by Miki Mu.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 & 8, Lois Stavsky; 3 & 6 Ana Candelaria

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Founded and curated by the veteran Bronx writer WEN COD, Boone Avenue Walls now brings an alluring array of vibrant graffiti and mural art by local, national and international artists to two locations in the Bronx. This first of a two-part post focuses on the walls that have surfaced along Boone Avenue during its recent Beautification and Artists Festival.

Featured above is Philly-based, Spanish artist Saoka at work. Several more images of both artworks in progress and completed murals follow:

Philly-based, Spanish artist Imse captured at work

BedStuy Walls founder and curator Miki Mu

Veteran uptown writer Kron

Sao Paulo-based muralist and tattoo artist Bits PMA

The legendary Tats Cru member BG 183

Bronx-based Sebar7 in collaboration with Oslo, Norway-based artist Mucho

Photos by Sara C Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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Under the curatorial direction of Sharif Profit, this past weekend’s Graffiti Hall of Fame — located on 106th Street and Park Avenue in East Harlem — teemed with tantalizing talent. Among the featured pubic artworks in this event’s 43rd annual edition were walls and cubes fashioned in a wide range of styles by legendary writers and noted urban artists from NYC and beyond. The scintillating piece pictured above was painted by graff master Skeme, also known as 3 Yard King. Several more images of artworks captured this past Sunday afternoon follow:

BedStuy Walls founder and curator Miki Mu at work

Veteran writer and aerosol artist Renard Kelley aka Vens adding the final touches to his mural

 Delta 2’s masterful mural complemented by an adorable passerby who instantly poses!

The wildly prolific Cope 2

French artist Louis Vicius aka Jaek El Diablo

Will Power‘s tribute to the late writer and DJ Dez aka Kay Slay— with Al Diaz‘s iconic tag finding its way to the bottom!

Barcelona-based artist and tattooist Phen

  Bronx-native NAC 143 at work

 Stockholm-born, East Harlem-based Scratch

Note: Keep posted to the Street Art NYC Instagram and Threads for more images of artworks that surfaced in this year’s Graffiti Hall of Fame .

Photographs by Lois Stavsky and Dani Reyes Mozeson

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This past Sunday, Welling Court Mural Project director Alison C. Wallis introduced us to the distinctly talented Dutch artist, Ottograph, who had just graced the exterior of a three-story local home with his delightfully playful aesthetic. What follows are excerpts from an interview conducted then at Welling Court with the renowned international artist by Street Art NYC contributor and UP Magazine staff member Ana Candelaria.

When did you begin painting? 

I started about 40 years ago. I was 12.

What inspired you at the time?

My inspiration came from a Chaka Khan music video. I saw a guy who was roller skating and at the same time painting on a wall with a spray can. I said to my mom, “Mom I’ve got to do that!“ I then painted my first piece in a suburb in Amsterdam and was instantly hooked.

What was your tag back then?

I didn’t have any reference to graffiti. I’d never seen it before, so I copied the tag BEAT, the name of the guy painting in the Chaka Khan video.

Have you had you other names?

As we were watching the subway trains go by, we would always say “Oh shit! You saw that one?” And so when I was a teen, I took on my second tag, SHIT. Later I changed my name to ZEY because I liked the letters, and you can almost make it like a COCA COLA logo with the sling from the Y going under the other letters. But then I figured it was too short, so I added an apostrophe and an S, and it became ZEY’S. Then later there was ZEIS and finally ZEISER. That was the last one before my current one.

How did you get your current name OTTOGRAPH

My real name is OTTO. I was listening to a song by N.W.A and one of the artists Eazy-E,  shouted “And all the ladies want my autograph,” and I was thinking Otto? Autograph? Hey, that’s me! Do you know what’s crazy? Over in Europe no one gets it, but in America people instantly start smiling when I tell them my name. I’ve stuck with that name for the past 15 years.

Had you a preferred style back then – when you were bombing?

I really liked doing blockbusters. I made a lot of giant blockbusters on the subways. This was around 1985. It was so scary, and, like, the biggest adrenaline rush ever!

Were you involved with any crews back then? 

When I was like 17 or 18, I created the SHIT HAPPENS posse and for the first three months I was the only member. Now it has over 300 members! I see people putting S.H.P on their pieces and I don’t even know who they are.

What were some of the highlights of your career as an artist?

Painting last week on Sedgwick Avenue at the birthplace of Hip Hop was definitely a highlight. They had an open mic the whole night. It felt like I was playing music in my studio, but then I would look up, and they’re actually rapping in front of me. I felt like I was in a movie. And one special memory I have that stands out is from when I was painting at 5Pointz. I remember standing between seven guys in their 50s or 60s who all had massive pickup trucks. They found a way to link up their sound systems together and played Busta Rhymes songs the whole day. The scene was amazing! The kids were playing soccer, and we were just painting. I will never forget that day. Busta Rhymes, BBQing and painting.  Holy moly!  it’s perfect.

Where else – besides NYC and Amsterdam – have you painted?

Within the states I’ve painted in Hawaii, San Francisco, Denver. I’ve painted in Russia like 15 times, mainly in Saint Petersburg. I’ve also painted in Japan, Berlin, Spain, Italy. I’ve painted in Africa — in Gambia and Zanzibar. The next big project I have coming up is in Nigeria. I’m supposed to go out there in three weeks, but the political situation is a little out of hand at the moment, so I may have to push it to a later date. I can’t wait for it to happen!

Are there any cultures that influence your aesthetic?

Yes, my style is largely influenced by Aboriginal and Native American art. I love their patterns. I tend to put a lot of dots in my work, and that comes from the aboriginals who used to make artwork using only dots. The dots for me are a good way to fill in spaces. I always try to fill out a drawing. I usually start with my character, King Canary; then I work my way around it.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? 

I see myself doing the same thing. Traveling the world, painting as many murals as I can and meeting interesting people.

Interview conducted by Ana Candelaria and edited by Lois Stavsky; photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Keep posted to UP Magazine for a comprehensive portrait of the artist, also penned by Ana Candelaria

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On my recent visit to this year’s Welling Court Mural Project in Astoria Queens, I discovered a wondrous array of art fashioned in a multitude of styles. The distinctly striking mural pictured above was painted last week by Meres One in his singular stained-glass style. Several more images of new artworks follow in this first of a two-part series documenting WCMP23, a community public art project organized and curated by Alison C. Wallis

Bronx-based BG 183, Tats Cru

Ecuador-born, Queens-bred multidisciplinary artist Toofly

Nepalese artist Imagine 876

Fumero in his distinct GRAFSTRACT style

Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Kimyon Huggins

Veteran UK writer Noir

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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On our recent visit to DC, we came upon several tantalizing new murals that had surfaced within the past few months at the DC Walls Festival in the ever-evolving NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood. The  mural pictured above — featuring a jazz musicians trio and a portrait inspired by AP*ART — was painted by DC-based artist and activist Luther Wright. Several more images captured while exploring NoMa follow:

Seattle-based Chinese-American illustrator and muralist Stevie Shao

Masterful graffiti writer and photorealistic painter Grace

The itinerant Canadian-born muralist Emmanuel Jarus

DC area muralist Nicole Bourgea

LA-based artist Tommi Lin, now on a 2023 International Mural Tour

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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