Graffiti

This is the third in an ongoing series featuring the range of faces that surface daily on NYC’s public spaces:

Pose and Revok on the Bowery and Houston, close-up

Pose and Revok

Argentinian artist Ever on Williamsburg rooftop, close-up

Ever

Australian artist Vexta at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Vexta

Cern on truck spotted on Manhattan’s Upper West Side

Cern

Mata Ruda and ND’A at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

mata ruda and ND'A

Crystal Clarity on Lower East Side rooftop

Crystal Clarity

Danielle Mastrion with signature by El Niño de las Pinturas at 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens

Danielle Mastrion

 Phetus in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Phetus

Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray & Lois Stavsky

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This is the first in a series of images of males who surface on NYC public spaces:

Icy and Sot at the Bushwick Collective

Icy and Sot

Nick Walker on Manhatan’s Lower East Side

Nick Walker

Meres at 5Pointz in Long Island City

Meres

SinXero and Joe Conzo do the Cold Crush Brothers in the Bronx

SinXero and Joe Conzo

Fumero at the Bushwick Collective

Fumero

Tito Na Rua on Lower East Side rooftop

Tito Na Rua

Belin and the Royal Kingbee in the Bronx

Belin and King Bee

Erik Den Breejen does David Bowie in NoLita

Erik Den Breejen

Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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An astonishing array of first-rate murals have transformed three Bushwick blocks into a spellbinding tribute to the late graffiti writer NEKST.  Here’s a selection of the varied, strikingly stylish murals — many fashioned by MSK members — that recently surfaced in the vicinity of the L train’s Morgan Avenue station.

Pose

Pose

Dabs Myla

DabsMyla

Rime aka Jersey Joe

Rime aka Jersey Joe

Dmote

Dmote

Skrew

Skrew

Fas and El Kamino

Fas & El Kamino

Vizie

Vizie

Steel

Steel

Trav

Trav

Owns

Owns

Omens

Omens

Wane

wane

Revok

Revok

Keep posted to our Facebook page for more outstanding Bushwick NEKST tribute murals.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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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

Chock

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

Pixie

Bronx-based artist, educator and leader Miss 163

Miss 163

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

Abby

Passionate Bronx-based graffiti artist and jam facilitator Erotica 67

Erotica

NYC-based designer and graffiti writer extraordinaire, Queen Andrea

Queen Andrea

And Neks

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

Syrup

Lyns, Da Crew, 2013

G.O.T Crew

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Speaking with Wes21

June 24, 2013

A member of schwarzmaler, a collective of outstanding graffiti writers, street artists and illustrators, Swiss artist Wes21 creates stunning, detailed works that blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy.  We recently spoke to him during his visit to 5Pointz.

Wes2, Semor, Onur and KKade

When did you first start getting up?

I was about 11 years old when I hit my father’s garage.

Where was this?

In a small town near Berne.

What inspired you at the time?

Graffiti was all around me. I grew up without a TV, and I was always drawing. So it seemed like the natural thing to do.

Wes21

How did your parents feel about what you were doing?

They encouraged me.  My father used to bring me photos of graffiti.  They love it.

Have you any preferred spots?

I love painting anywhere but I especially love rooftops and places near water.

Have you ever exhibited your work?

Yes, and I do many exhibitions every year.  I’ve shown my work in both group and solo shows in Switzerland, Germany, Hungary and Italy.

Wes21

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

I feel fine about it, so long as it’s well-done. Showing in a gallery pushes me to the next level. And then I’m a better artist when I paint in the streets!

Have you a formal art education?

Yes. I studied graphic design and illustration in art school for four years.

Any thoughts about the role of the Internet in all this?

I don’t pay much attention to it.

Wes21

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

Not completely. If I were, I wouldn’t be motivated to paint another one!

Is there much of a graffiti/street art divide back home

Not really. Most of the artists who hit the streets are open-minded.

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

To capture a moment — real or imaginary — for eternity.

All photos courtesy of the artist

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This is the second in an ongoing series featuring the range of faces that surface daily on NYC’s public spaces:

Australian artist Jess Busj at 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens — close-up

Jess Busj

Russell King and Matt Siren at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Russell King and Matt Siren

Mata Ruda at the Bushwick Collective

Mata Ruda

Joseph Meloy at 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens

Joseph Meloy

Toofly at the Bushwick Collective

Toofly

Australian artist Daek on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

daek william

Nelson Rivas aka Cekis in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx

Nelson Rivas aka Cekis

Photos by Lenny Collado, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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This is the fifth in an occasional series of artwork on NYC shutters.

Kenji Takabayashi at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Kenji Takabayashi

Kosby at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Kosby

Zam Art at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Zam

Sheryo and the Yok in Manhattan’s Little Italy

Sheryo and the Yok

Phetus in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Phetus

Hef atWelling Court in Astoria, Queens

Hef

Joseph Meloy at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Joe Meloy

Fumero in NoLita

Fumero

Wisher914 at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Wishe914

Photos by Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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As part of the fifth edition of the World Nomads festival, Tunisian artist eL Seed brought his soulful, lyrical calligraffiti to NYC last month.   With its synthesis of Arabic writing, calligraphy and graffiti, eL Seed’s distinct style made its way to Manhattan’s Lower East Side and to 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens.  While he was here, we had the opportunity to ask him a few questions.

eL-Seed

When and where did you first get up?

I started in the late 90’s in the suburbs of Paris. I was 16.

What inspired you to do it?

As a B-Boy, I was into the whole hip-hop culture. And I always liked art.

Have you any early graffiti memories?

A standout is when Zefa from the GAP Crew painted me doing a head-spin.

Any favorite spots?

I especially like abandoned places.

el-Seed

Do you work with a sketch in hand or do you just let it flow?

I do everything freestyle.

Do you prefer working alone or would you rather collaborate with others?

I tend to work by myself, but I also love collaborating with others.

What is the attitude of your family towards what you are doing?

I studied business at the university, and then I worked as a business consultant. My parents were somewhat concerned when I left that world. But now, when they see how happy I am, they’re fine about it.

Any thoughts on the graffiti/street art divide?

I don’t like the definitions. I don’t like the terms.

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

On one level, it’s cool because it gives us opportunity to share our vision with other people. But, on the other hand, artwork loses its context when it’s online

eL-Seed

What is the riskiest thing you ever did?

Painting on top of a mosque 47 meters high in Tunisia.

Why were you willing to take that risk?

It was a way of returning to my roots.

Do you work with a sketch in hand or do you just let it flow?

I do everything freestyle.

What inspires you to paint in public?

It’s a quest for identity. I was born and raised in France, but French people tell me that I’m not French – that I’m Arabic. And I want to maintain pride in my native culture. I do not want to lose it. That’s a reason why I write in Arabic.

eL Seed, Meres and Jaye

Do you have a message to convey?

Despite our differences, we are all the same. We’re all human and we all have the same struggle.

How has your work evolved through the years?

I’ve learned to adapt to any surface, and the flow and shapes of my letters keep on evolving.

You’ve travelled to many cities. Have you any favorites?

My favorite city is Gabes in Tunisia. I have a strong emotional connection because it’s my family’s native land.

eL Seed and Jaye

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

I’d rather paint on walls, but to sustain myself, I’ve shown in galleries.

What are some of your other interests?

I love to cook. I cook everything for my family. And I love to read, especially about history.

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

To give visual expression to what people think. The artist is the ambassador of our society.

Photos by Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky; the fourth photo also features Meres and Jaye, along with eL Seed, and the fifth features a collaboration between eL Seed and Jaye

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Veteran NYC graffiti writer Al Diaz will be a featured artist this Sunday, June 16th, 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.

Basquiat-&-Al-Diaz

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.

 The Sedate - SAMO© is Dead

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.

Samo-As-a- Conglomerate- of Dormant-Genious...

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.

Samo-As-an -End-2-Amos-'N-Andy 1984...

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.

Al-Diaz-Wet-Paint-anagram

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!

Al-Diaz-Wet-Paint-Anagram

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 20th 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 Kkade

June 10, 2013

Swiss artist Kkade shared his splendid skills with us last month at 5Pointz. While he was here, we had the opportunity to find out a bit about this talented member of the Schwarzmaler Collective.

semor and kkade

When and where did you begin writing?

I started writing in my hometown of Murten, Switzerland in 1999. I was 16 years old.

How did you get into it?

I used to love looking at graffiti magazines and watching films on graffiti bombing.

5pointz rooftop

How did your parents feel about what you were doing?

They didn’t like the police calling them. But they were always supportive.

Any early inspirations?

My crew members Kese 27 and Mower gave me my first, big start. And, since, I’ve done lots of writing and traveling with them.

Kkade

Have you any favorite writers?

This is hard to answer, but crews like HA or JBCB are dope.  And my favorite Swiss writers are Kesy, Irons and Toast.

Besides 5Pointz here in NYC, where else have you painted?

I’ve painted throughout Switzerland and in many European cities. Among them are: Milan, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam and Budapest.

Kkade

Have you exhibited your work?

I have my first solo exhibit coming up on June 27 at the Trace Gallery in Zurich. And I’ve exhibited many times with the Schwarzmaler Collective.

Any thoughts about street art and graffiti divide?

Street art wouldn’t exist without graffiti. Graffiti started on trains and made its way onto the streets. Some people think they can do stickers and stencils and that they’re graffiti artists. But that’s not what graffiti is about. These days, street art has a bigger hype than graffiti. Back in Switzerland, the media recently promoted Wes 21 as a street artist – rather than as graffiti writer – when he was exhibiting his work in a gallery. It’s scene thing. But we don’t let the hype get to us. Graffiti saved my life. It kept me from doing drugs and behaving aggressively.

How do you see the Internet in all of this?

I think it’s really good in connecting people with the art. But it also exposes people to too much crap. And not everyone can tell the difference.

KKade

Do you have any formal art education?

I went to art school and got an apprenticeship in graphic design. I studied it for three years. It taught me to be more open-minded, and it did push me to do better and better.

What’s ahead?

Perfecting my letters and sharing my skills with others.

Interview by Lenny Collado. First photo by Lois Stavsky; all others courtesy of the artist

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