Events

The Girls Up on Boone Avenue: UK Girls on Top (G.O.T) Join Local Writers for “My Thuggy Pony All-Girlz Jam”

June 26, 2013

Last month, Girls on Top aka GOT, UK’s all female crew established in 2000, visited NYC. Along with some of NYC’s finest female graffiti artists, they hit up a huge wall on Boone Avenue in the Bronx on one of the rainiest days of the season. Here are some images captured this past week from the historic My Thuggy Pony All-Girlz Jam.

Manchester-based graffiti artist and educator Chock and founder of G.O.T

London-based active G.O.T. member Pixie

Bronx-based artist, educator and leader Miss 163

Queens-native visual artist Abby — with 1980’s graffiti roots

Passionate Bronx-based graffiti artist and jam facilitator Erotica 67

NYC-based designer and graffiti writer extraordinaire, Queen Andrea

And Neks

A range of art works by members of G.O.T can be seen and purchased through this weekend at an exhibit curated by Jessica Pabon at bOb Gallery at 235 Eldridge Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Here are two of the many on view:

Syrup

Lyns, Da Crew, 2013

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Brooklyn-based Artist Joshua Gabriel Fashions Two Elegant Murals in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

June 25, 2013

The corner of Myrtle Avenue and Spencer Street in Brooklyn’s historic Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood is now home to two huge distinct murals. The works of Brooklyn-resident Joshua Gabriel, they exude a soulfully mystical aura. We spoke yesterday to the artist about these distinct works.

We’ve been captivated by these walls since you began fashioning them awhile back. How did they happen — at such a well-traveled intersection?

The owners of International Stone Collections, a custom stone artisan shop at 703 Myrtle Avenue, had placed an ad on Craigslist seeking an artist to create a “textural mural.” I wasn’t exactly sure what a textural mural was, but I brought it my portfolio, and I was hired.

Wow! Had you worked on the streets before?

I had gotten some stickers and posters up — mainly promoting my music events — but, no, I never painted a public mural before.

What was the experience like?

At first, I was somewhat self-conscious. I had some anxiety about working in public. The entire process is definitely more challenging than working in a private space. But then I came to love it. I loved the engagement of the passersby.

What was that like?

In the past year, since I began these murals, hundreds of folks have stopped to talk to me. The Hasidim — whose presence seems to be increasing in the neighborhood — ask questions like, “Are you allowed to do this?”… “Do you make a living from this?” The local teens love it and ask me to do their tattoo for them. Artists speak to me about the process. And long-time local residents keep thanking me! Everyone has been respectful.

What’s going on here?

The murals weave together patterns and images from nature — such as the ripples in water, the textures of leaves, the shapes of clouds with figurative elements, including a giant lion’s head, a sea of eyes, and a pair of ancient Egyptian heads. It’s my subconscious at work!

Have you a particular message or theme that you wish to convey?

The corner of Myrtle Avenue and Spencer Street is the intersection connecting three diverse communities. Pratt art students, born and bred Bed-Stuy residents and members of Williamsburg’s Hasidic populace all meet here. The theme of my work is that all of us — despite our differences — are interconnected.

There’s quite a bit of mixed-media here. What materials did you use?

I used exterior paint, spray paint and over 100 metallic paint markers.

There are lots of shades of blues and metallics here. Can you tell us something about your choice of colors?

The wall had originally been painted dark blue, and I liked the way it looked. I decided to repaint in a similar color, and I chose to work with metallics because I love the way they pop out.

Did you work with a sketch-in-hand?

I don’t work with sketches, but I do use photo references. And I always have notes with me. The actual process, though, is spontaneous.

Have you any influences? Or artists who particularly inspired you?

Alex Gray is a definite inspiration. Others include Keith Haring and my mother, Rochelle Marcus Dinken.

Are you satisfied with the results of these murals — your first public artworks?

Yes. I’m quite critical of my works, but the reaction has been so positive. And they do look cool!

You can view the murals and meet Joshua Gabriel at a reception to be held this Thursday, June 27, 5-8pm at 703 Myrtle Avenue.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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A Whirl of Walls Marks Welling Court Mural Project’s Opening Festivities: with Icy & Sot, Chris Cardinale, Vexta, Cern, Queen Andrea and more

June 16, 2013

The Welling Court Mural Project officially launched its fourth year yesterday with a wide array of wonderful walls fashioned by a remarkable range of artists. Here are a few of the dozens that continue to alter the visual landscape of this Queens community:

Icy and Sot — wall in progress

Korel and Honexl Xi

Christopher Cardinale at work

R. Nicholas Kuszyk

Vexta at work

Cern

LMNOP

Queen Andrea

You can help fund Ad Hoc’s wonderful work in collaborating with members of the Welling Court community and the dozens of artists who made this project possible by making a donation here.

Photos by Tara Murray

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4th Annual Welling Court Mural Project Kicks off Tomorrow with Wondrous Art and Huge Block Party

June 14, 2013

One of NYC’s most spirited public art events celebrates its fourth year tomorrow with a huge block party at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens. For the past week, dozens of artists have been busy at work for this dynamic project, curated by Ad Hoc Art. Following is a glimpse of what we saw earlier this week:

Billy Mode and Chris Stain

Toofly at work with Fumero to the left

Lady Pink at work

Alice Mizrachi and Olek

The Royal Kingbee at work

Logik One at work

Dan Witz

Dennis McNett, close-up

Keep posted to our Facebook page for many more images in the week ahead.

Photos by Tara Murray

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Speaking with Al Diaz on Graffiti, SAMO©, Word-play and His Upcoming Workshop for “Writing On It All” on Governors Island

June 12, 2013

Veteran NYC graffiti writer Al Diaz will be a featured artist this Sunday, June 16^th, in the exciting Writing On It All project at Governors Island. We recently met up with Al who spoke about his early years as a graff writer on the Lower East Side and his text-based graffiti, rooted in his early collaborations with the legendary Jean-Michel Basquiat.

When and where did you start getting up?

Back in 1972 on the LES. I was 13. I hit mostly trains and trucks back then.

What was your tag at the time?

Bomb-One.

Is that because you were bombing lots?

No. That term didn’t even exist at the time. My friends gave me that name because I used to panic and blow-up.

What inspired you to get up back then?

My cousin was close-friends with Snake 1. And we spent a lot of time with him and other writers up at the Writers Corner 188 in the Heights.

Do you have a formal art education?

As a kid, I took painting and drawing classes, and I went to the High School of Art and Design.

Have you ever been arrested for graffiti?

Once they picked me up and held me over night in Coney Island. But, no, I was never arrested for graffiti.

Have you any early graff-related memories that stand out?

I remember when a truck driver caught me writing on a truck and beat the hell out of me, mangling my wire-framed glasses. It was probably not even his truck.

How did your family feel about what you were doing?

They hated it. Back then we were considered juvenile delinquents.

How did you transition into the word-play that you do today?

In 1977, I became friends with Basquiat. We met at City-as-School. I introduced him to writing on walls. We came up with the term SAMO (Same Old Shit). That was the beginning. What Basquiat and I did was soon picked up by the SoHo Weekly News and the Village Voice.

Any thoughts about Jean Michel Basquiat’s commercial success?

That’s the art market. It is what it is.

How do you feel about the movement of street art and graffiti into galleries?

Why not? I’m too old to be idealistic.

Who were some of your influences?

Jackson Pollock. I love his manic energy. Picasso, Charles Bukowski and Tom Waits.

Tell us something about what you are doing now.

In 2008, I started pulling WET PAINT signs off the subways, cutting them up and making anagrams from its letters. At first I did it just to entertain myself. But the project continued to evolve and three years later, in 2011, I began posting these redesigned, recycled signs back on the walls in the train stations.

How has your work evolved in the past few years?

I’ve always loved words and language, and I’m continually becoming more adventurous in my wordplay. I now have a list of almost a thousand words made from WET PAINT!

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

I see my art as social commentary. The masses are generally asleep. It is the responsibility of the artist to wake them up.

You can register here to participate in Al Diaz’s WET PAINT project this Sunday from 12-3pm in the interior of an early 20^th century house that had served as senior officer housing when Governors Island was a military base.

All photos courtesy of the artist

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Speaking with Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love

June 5, 2013

During the past few weeks, Argentinian artist Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love has brought beauty and intrigue to Brooklyn’s Pacific Street with her inventive and infectious murals. We recently met up with Magda and had the opportunity to pose a few questions to her.

When did you first share your vision in a public space?

The first time was earlier this year in Miami’s Arts Wynwood District.

What inspired you to do so?

I was offered a wall, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity. Growing up in Argentina, I know just how strong the impact of public art can be.

Any early memories of it?

I mostly remember the political slogans that surfaced throughout my native Buenos Aires.

What is your preferred medium for getting up on the streets?

I love wheat pastes. Its ephemeral nature adapts beautifully to the environment. And it keeps on evolving.

Have you a formal art education?

Not a formal one. But my father is a sculptor, and I grew up among artists. From an early age, I assisted my father in his studio. He used to tell me, “Magda, you have a special eye, and it will take you far.” And by age 18, I was working as a fashion designer and photographer and running my own business.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art these days?

Just about all of it! When my 9-year-old son isn’t in school, he’s often with me in my studio.

Have you exhibited your work in galleries?

Yes. I’ve shown my work in Buenos Aires, New York and in Miami. I had a solo exhibition at Gowanus Print Lab here in Brooklyn. And I’ve also participated in group shows at the Scope Foundation, Miguel Paredes Gallery, Peanut Underground, BOOM, The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition and The Urban Folk Art Gallery.

What is your main source of income these days?

Art sales and commissions.

Are there any particular themes or ideas that drive your work?

I’m particularly interested in the connections we forge among one another and how we treat each other.

How has your art evolved through the years?

It has reflected my personal growth, as a woman and as a parent.

Do you prefer working alone or collaborating with others?

I haven’t yet collaborated with anyone, but I’d love to.

Do you work from a sketch or do you just let it flow?

I don’t prepare a sketch – but I do have some images with me to give me a basic idea of where I’m going. But once I begin, my work takes on a life of its own.

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

I know the next day.

Any favorite artists – particularly among those whose work you’ve seen on the streets?

Swoon, Rone, Roa, the Fleshbeck Crew, Reka, Lamour Supreme, Faile and Herakut come to mind.

What about cultures that have influenced your aesthetic? Are there any particular ones?

Certainly the Argentinian sensibility and its general openness to art. And from my father I developed a love for traditional German painters.

You moved to NYC 12 years ago. How does the general attitude towards art differ here from back home in Argentina?

Back in Argentina, people are more appreciative of art. There is more emphasis on culture, in general. And there’s more of a collective consciousness that its culture reflects. In Argentina, just about everyone goes to art fairs, not just a select few. But I do love the mix of cultures, along with the art that this mixture produces, here in NYC.

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

I don’t know if we can change the world, but we can make a difference.

What’s ahead?

I begin working this week with 5^th graders at PS 127 on an indoor mural project. This – I hope – will be the first of many collaborations in an educational setting. And I want to keep working on the streets and travel more in the years ahead. I’d also love to participate in street art festivals and events.

Tomorrow — June 6 from 7:00 P.M.- 8:30 P.M. — you can meet Magda, see her new works and view her mural room at Brooklyn’s NU Hotel, as she celebrates the unveiling of her murals commissioned by the Pacific Street Association.

7:00 P.M Meet-up in lounge of Nu Hotel

7:30 P.M. Walking tour of murals

8:30 P.M. Q&A and NU Hotel mural tour with Magdalena

R.S.V.P. to Events@independentcollection.com

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Rooftop Legends Celebrates Its Sixth Anniversary with: Marka27, Don Rimx, Fever, Part One, Smoke, Toofly, Werds, Dmote, Wane, Aplus, Slave, Dr. Revolt, Ces, KR.One, Pesu, QA, Vers & more

June 4, 2013

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

Fever

Graffiti pioneer Part One

Smoke

Toofly and Werds

Style masters Shank aka Dmote, Wane and Aplus

KR.One

Photos by Lenny Collado and Tara Murray

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Crasty and his Characters on NYC Streets and at NBKC

May 31, 2013

Crasty is just about everywhere here in NYC — from the footpath of the Williamsburg Bridge to way up high in Bed-Stuy. And — along with his variations — he can be found fashioned onto stickers throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. We recently caught up with him at the North Brooklyn Collective aka NBKC at 121 Knickerbocker Ave., where he’s been busy at work.

When did you first hit the streets?

Back in 2000, when I was eighteen.

Have you any preferred surfaces?

I love getting up everywhere and anywhere.

We see your characters everywhere. What keeps you so active on the streets?

I love getting up. I want to see my characters everywhere, and I feel I have a duty to keep graffiti alive.

Much of what you do is illegal. Have you ever been arrested?

Yes, a couple of times. But I’ve learned how to run fast.

Do you prefer working legally or illegally?

I enjoy both, but there is more fun and satisfaction from doing it illegally.

What percentage of your time is devoted to the streets?

I can’t measure it in hours. It’s my life style.

What was the riskiest thing you ever did?

Getting up on elevated trains as they were going by.

And why were you willing to take that risk?

The sense of adventure.

How does your family feel about what you are doing?

My mother worries.

How do you feel about graffiti and street art moving into galleries and commercial spaces?

It’s good. It gives me an opportunity to earn money from my art. And artists need to make money to do what they do.

Where have you exhibited?

I showed my work in Bed-Stuy at the Meat Market. I also exhibited along with Sucklord and Kosby in Chinatown. And I’m now here at the NBKC.

Any thoughts on the street art/graffiti divide?

I appreciate them both. I have somewhat of a preference for graffiti, but I see my work as blurring the line between both.

We see your stickers everywhere. Have you any favorite sticker artists?

Kosby, MQ, Kech, OC, Ader, Baser, Desa, 23145 and Pez from the coast.

Do you prefer working alone or collaborating with others?

I usually work alone, but I love collaborating with artists I like.

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

It’s good and bad. It’s good because it allows people to see fresh graffiti. But it’s bad because it can make somebody famous who doesn’t get up much, and it encourages snitches.

What are some of the sites you follow?

I follow different tumblrs, 12oz Prophet, Fresh Paint and StreetArtNYC.

How has your work evolved through the years?

I began with one character and added three more. So there’s Crasty, Kami-kun, Money Cloud, and Joint-Kun. And my skills get better all the time.

What are some of your other interests?

Hip hop music. I’m a big fan of Big L, A Tribe Called Quest, Pro Era, Biggie, Smif-N-Wessun, J-Dilla, Wu-Tang and J-Billion. I love taking photos and making zines and videos.

What’s ahead?

More Crasty on the streets. Crasty toys and Crasty jewelry.

That sounds great! Good luck!

You can check out Crasty’s work, along with art by Vato, Kosby, Tone Tank, Wizard Skull and Trice this weekend at BBKC at 121 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick, alongside other openings in conjunction with Bushwick Open Studios. You can soon find more of Crasty’s work here and over at Making Deals. And Crasty sticker packs will be available for purchase this weekend.

Photos by Dani Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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It’s Been Busy at the Bushwick Collective — and It Will Get Even Busier at Sunday’s Block Party!

May 30, 2013

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

Zimad signs his piece

Sexer‘s completed masterpiece

Brett Flanigan and Cannon Dill — in from the West Coast

Col Wallnuts collaborates with Toofly

Brendon Rogers at work during his stopover in NYC

Creepy — in from Australia; segment of larger mural

Melbourne’s Facter at work

Brooklyn-based 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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Gorey and Paris’s PAL Crew on Lower East Side Streets and at Klughaus with Sunday Closing Party

May 17, 2013

The French NYC-based artist GOREY and Paris’s prolific PAL Crew, consisting of HORFE, CONY, TOMEK, SAEYO, MOSA, ESSO and SKUB, have brought their expressive aesthetic to the streets of the Lower East Side and to Klughaus’s pop-up location at 154 Stanton Street. A closing reception for the exhibit PALINGENESIS — that showcases the artists’ rebirth as evolving fine artists — will be held this Sunday, May 19 from 2-6pm.

On the streets — at Suffolk and Stanton

Close-up from huge mural on Attorney and Delancey

Gorey in the gallery

Photos from the streets by Lois Stavsky; image of Gorey in the gallery courtesy of Klughaus

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