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Veteran NYC writers—members of the original MSK (Manhattan Subway Kings)—recently reunited in Inwood for their annual graffiti jam. Working in their distinct styles, they and their invited guests dedicated this year’s production to the memory of graffiti legends Tracy 168, Sane, Omni, Flite, Tech, RaM, Mean, Fraze, Blitz, Near, Louie 167, Five Justice and KAR FK.

The image featured above was painted by the iconic graffiti pioneer Smith. Several more pieces follow:

Veteran NYC subway king KC One in collaboration with his niece, Vicky

  Pioneering NYC subway writer Sakk

MSK Vice President and event co-organizer 2New by Luis Hernandez

    Iconic NYC writer Fernando Bermudez aka Most who had spent over 18 years in prison for a murder he hadn’t committed

Special shoutout from event co-organizer and MSK president Kister to the Hec, Zook and the Fresh Kings Crew. 

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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A new Troutman Rock production in Ridgewood, Queens once again spotlights an impressive mix of NYC graffiti writers. The mural featured above was painted by Queens-based style master Carlo Nieva aka Diego 127, OQB.  Several more images captured at this site  — where Queens meets Brooklyn — follow:

  NYC graffiti pioneer Spar One, TNS, TFP

Native Queens veteran writers Benny Guerra aka FCee and Mike 79, RIS, OQB

Pioneering Queens graffiti writer Vinny, 3YB, OQB

The innovative Queens-based multidisciplinary artist Chip Love aka Whisper

   Brooklyn-based legendary writer and designer Stash

NYC-based veteran stylemaster Strider

Classic NYC writer Team

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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Barcelona-based artist Germán Bel, aka Fasim, recently fashioned a large-scale mural for BesArt The River Museum. Titled Stop Wars!, the hugely impressive work is a poetic reflection on armed conflict, blending classical iconography with images of war, fragmented bodies, snakes, hybrid figures, and other symbolic forms in Fasim’s distinctive visual language.

The mural is part of BesArt The River Museum, a momentous open-air urban art project promoted by the Mediterranean Street Art Association (AMSA). Founded and directed by David Hernández and curated by Jordi Rubio, the museum stretches for more than 18 kilometers along the Besòs River, linking Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs, and Santa Coloma de Gramenet in one of Europe’s most extensive public art initiatives.

Featured above is the mural in its entirety. What follows are several close-ups — including those documenting the artist at work:

First segment of the mural with assembled elements: Greek mythology, a tank, a tiger, and a piece of Spider-Man

Second segment of the mural with assembled elements: Artemis, the goddess of the hunt; the Hydra from Greek mythology; a tiger; and characters from the Marvel universe

Fasim at work with cyclist passing through 

Fasim at work, close-up

All photos courtesy BesArt 2026

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From the crudely simple to the crisply stylized, graffiti tags increasingly reclaim NYC’s public spaces. Featured above are the signatures of Mastro, Dek, Whie, Pardon CCLB, ACS KWC, Joel R2K, KSTER, IR, XCLAIM, TERE, Thane, SCES aka Belowkey & more. Several more images of tags we’ve recently captured on a variety of surfaces throughout NYC follow:

The ubiquitous Zoot

LS  OSW

SprayExoe, AngrRemand, CrekGuard, Judge, Kaste, Seven, Smez & more

The prolific Homesick and ZABEL

Sager

Wild Boy West, Snach, Homesick, Dek, WhieYes2, Jakee, Net, Joel R2K, Thane, Shock, Steel, Touer & more

LASE GOMD 

MQ Charm OTR, Cult, SAE & Awie 

STAR CTO GOMD 

NEKO KAS crew 

Photo credits: 1-5, 7, 10 & 11 Lois Stavsky; 6, 8 & 9 Giulia Shine

 

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Established by local community members in 2024, Welling Walls continues the transformation of Welling Court and its neighboring blocks into an intriguing open-air gallery. The mural pictured above was painted by Queens-native illustrator and muralist Annabelle Popa. Several more murals captured last week in the blazing heat at this western Astoria site follow:

Colombian American artist Felix Morelo 

NYC-based Mad Vaillan

 Brooklyn-native Panic Rodriguez

NYC-based Japanese artist Shiro One 

Veteran style master Yes One

Japanese American artist  Kosuke James

Queens-based Mexican artist Onel

Astoria-based self-taught Filipino artist Jason B 

Colombia-born, NYC-based art director and artist Jonathan Ramírez Ceballos

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Under the curatorial direction of Giulia Shine with the support of Empty Cans NYC, six style masters have recently transformed a Long Island City block into an enchanting oasis of bold beauty and intrigue. The blazing mural featured above was painted by veteran graffiti artist Curve, an active member of the famed TGE Crew. Several more images captured of the huge production follow:

Curve captured at work by Giulia Shine

Bari, Italy-based Rats (alongside character by Curve)

Rats captured at work by Giulia Shine

Paris-born Seb Gorey

Gorey captured at work by Giulia Shine

Connecticut-based 3Modes

3Modes captured at work on his character by Giulia Shine

Australian writer Dmote

Dmote captured  at work by Giulia Shine

   SP.One

   SP.One captured at work by curator Giulia Shine

 Photo credits: 1, 5, 7, 9 & 11 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 Giulia Shine and 3 Tara Murray

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Under the curatorial direction of  Staten Island-born actor, producer, artist and spiritual advisor Gano Grills, a new mural has surfaced in the Wu-Tang Clan District in the Park Hill neighborhood of Clifton, Staten Island. Honoring Wu-Tang Clan visionary co-founder Oliver “Power” Grant who died earlier this year following a battle with pancreatic cancer, it features the talents of Gano, Austin Sepulveda, John Echo and Will Power.

Featured above is Gano at work. More images captured last week in Park Hill follow:

Gano, closer-up

Texas-based muralist Austin Sepulveda‘s portrait of Oliver “Power” Grant

Staten Island-based veteran graffiti writer and tattooist John Echo and Texas-based Austin Sepulveda, Wu-Tang hand gesture

Will Power at work on a younger version of Oliver “Power” Grant

Will Power‘s completed mural 

Photo credits: 1, 3, & 5 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 4 Tara Murray; and 6 Will Power; special thanks to Will Power for sharing the mural’s backstory with us.

 

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Featured above are the iconic “COMPANION” characters fashioned by legendary Jersey City native KAWS installed on the riverfront in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. What follows are several more images of curious characters captured in NYC open spaces:

Bristol native and renowned stencil artist Nick Walker at the Bushwick Collective

Gowanus-based artist David Barthold with Beam Center youth apprentices, “Hurly-Whirly”  at 4th Ave and 2nd St in Brooklyn

Miami native Woody De Othello,”Inner Knowing” on view in his outdoor sculpture exhibit “Guardian Spirit” at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Hawaii native Buff Monster on the Lower East Side

LA native Frank Ape outside the Ridge Hotel on the Lower East Side

Miami-based Golden at Boone Avenue Walls in the Bronx

Photo credits: 1, 2, 5-7 Lois Stavsky; 3-4 Tara Murray

 

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Earlier this month, the distinctly innovative Valencia-based duo PichiAvo brought their talents to Athens, Greece. Working in their signature style—fusing classical figures with bold graffiti writing—they pay homage to Athena, the city’s patron goddess, whose mythological gift of the olive tree symbolizes peace and prosperity.

Conceived as a self-funded artistic gesture to Athens, the duo’s first major project in Greece stylishly fosters a dialogue between ancient mythology and contemporary urban culture.

Developed over the course of more than two years,  PichiAvo’s gift to the city has strikingly exalted Athens’ visual landscape.

Close-up

Aerial view 

Work in progress

The artists

All photos courtesy Maximus Communications

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Under the curatorial direction of Jeff Beler, the walls on Washington Avenue off Clark Place have once again been transformed. Celebrating pop culture anniversaries through a range of styles and subjects, the new murals brim with whimsy and charm. Pictured above is Brooklyn-based artist Kelvin Morel aka Kam’s vibrant salute to the Chinese Year of the Horse. A small selection of images I captured follow:

NYC-based artist and arts educator Marissa Molina celebrates 35 years of Sonic

Rio de Janeiro-born, Brooklyn-based artist Barbtropolis celebrates the World Cup 2026

Queens-based artist LeCrue Eyebrows dedicates his mural to 50 years of Hotel California

GRAFSTRACT originator Fumero celebrates Tina Turner

Multidisciplinary artist Jordana Alexis Abrenica celebrates 100 years of Miles Davis

The prolific Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Jason Naylor salutes Wu Tang

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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