subway art

Back in 1984, Bronx-based artist and designer Eric Orr and the legendary Keith Haring partnered to create a series of chalk drawings in the NYC subways. The two artists then went on to produce a suite of drawings. Among these drawings is Repeat which had made its first appearance in the 23rd Street IRT uptown station. Six years later, the recreated drawing was auctioned at Christie’s!

This year signals a new beginning for Repeat, a unique silkscreen print that illustrates and celebrates a fierce friendship that began in the early 1980s at The Roxy roller rink in NYC, when two young artists decided to trade t-shirts on the dance floor.

Signed and numbered in pencil by Eric Orr with a plate that had been signed by both Eric and Keith Haring, the print was released last month by Gary Lichtenstein Editions to a wildly enthusiastic response. For further  information and to  join a Waiting List on a First Come, First Serve basis, check here.

Note: The final photo features Eric Orr and Gary Lichtenstein

Images courtesy Gary Lichtenstein Editions

{ 0 comments }

With his extraordinary passion for art and his penchant for sharing it with others, Nic 707 touched so many of us. Beginning in 2013, I accompanied Nic several times a year — often along with other artists and photographers — on his subway train interventions, as he transformed dull, ad-saturated subway cars into vibrant moving canvases. Nic 707 was as eager to showcase other artists’ work — from old school writers to contemporary creatives — as he was to share his own, and he always had a “new” artist to introduce me to.

Each trip with Nic was a distinct adventure. And I was waiting for the current crisis to end, so that we could hit the trains — where I would, once again, serve in my dual role as look-out and documentarian. Sadly, that won’t happen, as Nic passed away last Sunday, April 12 — a victim of the cruel Coronavirus.

The image pictured above features Nic 707 and the legendary Taki 183 — whose tag Nic brought back to the trains — outside Taki 183′s Yonkers workplace. What follows are several photos of Nic 707 and his artworks riding the trains:

Nic 707 eagerly waits for the train to arrive

Nic 707′s iconic character, Kilroy

Kilroy in love

Kilroy as spaceman

Nic 707 schooling a subway rider on the history of subway graffiti

Two Upper East Side ladies on the 6 train discussing Nic 707‘s abstract art with him

Keep posted to the StreetArtNYC Instagram feed for images of works by other artists who participated in Nic‘s InstaFame Phantom Art project.  You can check out the interview I conducted with Nic 707 back in 2013 here.  And you can read David Gonzalez‘s obituary of Nic (Fernando Miteff ) in The New York Times here.

R.I.P. Nic 707. We will miss you.

Photos of images by Lois Stavsky

{ 2 comments }

Curated by Nic 707, the ingenious InstaFame Phantom Art continues to bring old school writers, along with a diverse range of younger artists, onto New York City subway trains. Pictured above is photographer/arts educator Rachel Fawn Alban snapping graff pioneer Dr Revolt, an original member of the historic NYC subway graffiti crew the Rolling Thunder. Several more images captured while riding the 1 train last week follow:

Al Diaz aka SAMO©

NYC-based multi-disciplinary artist Paulie Nassar

Bronx-based InstaFame Phantom Art founder and curator, Nic 707

Sweden-born, East Harlem-based Scratch

       Japanese painter and performance artist Pinokio

Social worker Luca Sanremo checking out the legendary Taki 183 with background by Nic 707,

Photo credits: 1, 3, 5-8 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 4 Rachel Fawn Alban

{ 0 comments }

Conceived and curated by Nic 707, the ingenious InstaFame Phantom Art continues to bring old school writers, along with a diverse range of younger artists, from NYC and beyond onto New York City subway trains.  Pictured above is Nic 707; several more images I captured while riding the 1 train last week follow:

South Carolina native Thomas Crouch

The legendary KingBee — with background by Nic 707

Veteran graffiti writer Spar One

Yonkers-based Fabian “Skaer” Verdejo

Brooklyn-based mixed-media artist Bianca Romero

Japanese artist Minori

Photos 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.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

rocky184-and-kerz-graffiti

Nic 707’s InstaFame Phantom Art movement continues to bring dozens of classic writers back into NYC subway trains. Pictured above is Rocky 184 and Kerz. Here are a few more images recently captured while heading from the North Bronx to Midtown Manhattan:

Kerz

kerznyc-graffiti-art-subway-nyc

Lava

lava-graffiti-subway-nyc

Taki 183 & Easy

easy-and-taki-183-graffiti

Slave, FAB 5

slave-fab5-nyc-subway-graffiti

Ree

ree-subway-graffiti-nyc_edited-1

Nic 707

nic-kilroy

And a recent Nic 707 abstract

nic-707-abstract-art

Quik

quik-graffiti-subway-train-nyc

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Tracy168-graffiti-Bushwick-Collective-NYC

With his outstanding sense of color, style and design, Tracy 168 achieved legendary status early on in the most significant art movement of our time. The personification of wild style and the first writer to hit the subways with cartoon characters, the prolific artist wielded tremendous influence. On reviewing Tracy 168‘s work on exhibit back in 1999, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times art critic Holland Cotter had the following to say: “Tracy offers an astounding variety of styles, from 3-D to space-age spiky to Cubistic. He floats out words on cushions of colors, and ties them up in unreadable knots, festooned with tendril-like flourishes.”

When did you first get up?

I first got up with a crayon on a wall in my house when I was four years old. I remember drawing a tortoise and a hare. I lived across from the Bronx Zoo, and I always heard the sounds of animals from my window.

What about the streets? When did you first hit the streets? And the trains? When did you first hit them?

In 1969 when the Mets won the World Series, I first hit the streets. And I tagged my first train the same year. I was 11.

tracy-168-mets-yankees-graffiti-train-Bronx-NYC

Tracy-flint-photo

What inspired you to do so?

I loved the sense of adventure…the adrenalin rush. I envisioned myself as a Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn. And I loved seeing my name on the trains.

Had you any favorite spots?

I was all-city, and I loved painting anywhere with people whom I loved. But my favorite spots were New Lots Avenue and Utica Avenue on the IRT line in Brooklyn. Any train I painted there would run right away, and so I didn’t have to hang around too long to see my piece pass by.

tracy168-cartoon-on-subway-train

What about crews? Did you get up with any crews?

I founded the Wanted crew. It was one of the largest crews ever, and just about anybody who was anybody of worth was in that crew. It represented Wild Style.

Had you any early role models or inspirations?

My mother, my grandfather, Jack StewartMichael Stewart… Michael Stewart gave his life so that others would live. After his death in 1983 — and the trials and investigations that ensued — the police were somewhat afraid of treating writers so brutally.  We are the true prophets…

Any particular risky ventures stand out?

I was always wild, always doing dangerous things.

tracy168-painting

How did you support yourself back in the day? What was your source of income?

In the late 70’s, I began to create all kinds of art-related jobs for myself — painting storefronts, memorial walls, murals… I was the first writer to do that kind of thing. I also worked in an advertising agency. Jack Stewart taught me about copyrights and trademarks. He was a true mentor. He told me real stories — not the ones from Fantasy Island.

Your work has been shown in all kinds of settings across the globe!

Yes!  I’ve been in museums and galleries all over the world. I was always breaking boundaries, Here in NYC my work has been exhibited in dozens of spaces including the New York Historical Society, the Brooklyn Museum and NYU.

I remember seeing your work at the Brooklyn Museum back in 2006.

Yeah! When I came by, I made some adjustments to my canvas with a paintbrush. That didn’t go over well with the security guards. They got the curator of the exhibit involved, who insisted that I couldn’t change anything, since it had already been photographed for their catalog.

tracy168-graffiti-Bronx-NYC

Did you have a formal art education?

My education is hands-on.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in this scene?

It can be used as a tool — if you know how to read the truth.

tracy-sketch

What’s your ideal working environment?

Anywhere outdoors. Even when I paint canvases, I like to paint outside.

What inspires you these days?

My main inspiration is to express myself and grow as an artist in a world that is reluctant to see me as one.

Are there any particular cultures that have influenced your aesthetic?

Every culture. NYC is a melting pot, and I’m in the center of it painting.

tracy-168-abstract-art-in-black-book

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

I’m not done until I’m happy. As long as I’m alive, I can improve on it. But it must have meaning and exude positivity. Otherwise, why bother?

A few years back you were reported dead. What was that all about?

If I hadn’t died then, I wouldn’t be alive now. It had to happen.  When I vanished, I saw the world going in the wrong direction. This art form can save it.

How has your work evolved in the last few years?

It’s constantly evolving.  This movement is to art like jazz is to music. It’s a fusion of styles and cultures that knows no boundaries. It is a universal language. And the message of Wild Style is “Be yourself. Find out what your talent is and get good at it.” I love everyone, but I will not surrender the truth and lose my integrity.

Photos: 1, 6-8 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4 & 5 courtesy of the artist; 3 Flint Gennariinterview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky

Note: Photos 7 & 8 were captured from Tracy’s current black book; special thanks to Flint for the introduction!

{ 12 comments }

nic707-space-man_edited-1

After a brief hiatus, I was again riding the subway trains with Nic 707 as he continues to bring Old School writers, along with new artists, back to where it all began. Here are a few more images captured yesterday from another chapter in the Instafame Phantom Art movement:

Nic 707, Surround Yourself with Love

nic-707-graffiti-nyc

Nic 707, Fill Your Heart and Mind with Love

nic-707-love-subway-nyc

 Part One

Part-one-graffiti-nyc-subway

Styx

styx-acid-writers-graffiti

Gear One

gear-one-d-train-nyc

Gear One does Che Guevara

gear-one-che-art-on-train

First image is: Nic 707, Love Is Not Alien Technology

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Our highly acclaimed Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

As featured earlier this year in the New York Times, Nic 707’s Instafame Phantom Art movement continues to bring dozens of artists — from Old School writers to contemporary painters — back into NYC subway trains. Here are a few recently-captured images:

The legendary Skeme of Style Wars fame

skeme

Gear One

gear-one-subway-art

Nic 707

Nic-707-instafame-phantom-art

Ivory

ivory-graffiti-

The legendary Taki 183

taki-183-subway-graffiti

Michael Cuomo

michael-Cuomo-abstract-subway-art

Kingbee — with fragment of Michael Cuomo on left

kingbee-subway-art-nyc

Misha Tyutyunik

M-Dot-subway-art

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Featured in this past Monday’s New York Times, Nic 707’s ingenious Instafame Phantom Art project continues to transform NYC subway cars into instant galleries. These are some images I captured on a recent ride from Yankee Stadium to Coney Island:

The legendary TAKI 183

Taki 183

Kingbee

Kingbee

Veteran graffiti writer Snake 1

snake-subway-art

Praxis 

Praxis-stencil-art

Nic 707

nic-707-kilroy

Sketch

Sketch

Graffiti legend T-Kid

T-Kid-tag

Brian M Convery

Brian-Convery-subway-art

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Nic 707‘s InstaFame Phantom Art continues to share a range of art — from tags by legendary writers to works by global artists — with NYC subway riders. Here are some images captured on a recent ride from East Tremont in the Bronx to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.

Veteran UK graffiti writer, Pulse

Pulse

Bogota native Praxis

Praxis

The legendary TAKI 183

Taki 183

Praxis

Praxis

Nic 707

Nic707

Graffiti pioneer Skeme of Style Wars fame

skeme

Mulit-media artist Michael Cuomo 

michael-cuomo-art-in-transit

Nic 707

Nic707

Michael Cuomo

Michael-Cuomo

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }