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Legendary European Graffiti Writer Bates Brings His Splendid Skills to Lazy Susan Gallery on the Lower East Side

April 8, 2019

Emerging in the mid-80’s as one of the most prolific writers in his native Copenhagen, Bates has since made his mark across the world. With his swooping patterns, vibrant abstract shapes and masterful manipulation of letters, he has attained legendary status. Here in NYC to celebrate his birthday, he has graced the Lazy Susan Gallery with a selection of works fashioned largely with spray paint, acrylic and roller paint. Several more images from his solo exhibition Bates New York Bash— that opens tonight and will remain on view through Thursday — follow:

Bates on Blue with Yellow

Bates with Gold Outline

Camoflauge

You can meet the Great Bates and celebrate his birthday with him tonight — starting at 6pm — at Lazy Susan Gallery, 191 Henry Street, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

All images courtesy Lazy Susan Gallery

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Will Power Solo Exhibition –“wRAPped N BLACK” — Continues through Sunday at Lichtundfire on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

April 5, 2019

A visual ode to the early days of hip-hop and the city that birthed it, Will Power‘s first solo exhibition, wRAPped N BLACK, features 10 large-scale, hugely impressive artworks — each fashioned with white charcoal on black wood panel. Curated by Anthony Bowman, the exhibit continues through Sunday, April 7, at Lichtundfire, 175 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side. Featured above is King of Funk, a  beautifully executed portrait of Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton.  Several more images from wRAPped N BLACK follow:

Hoop Dreams, White charcoal on black wood panel, 60″ x 48″

Da Original BBoy, White charcoal on black wood panel, 60″ x 48″

Child at Play, White charcoal on black wood panel, 60″ x 48″

On Da 1&2, White charcoal on black wood panel, 60″ x 48″

Concrete Summer, White charcoal on black wood panel, 60″ x 48″

The gallery will be open today and tomorrow, Saturday, from 12-6pm and on Sunday, from 1-6pm. For further information, contact gallery director Priska Juschka at info@lichtundfire.com.

Photos of images by Lois Stavsky

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Scottish Artist Mark Worst to Bring His Outstanding Talents to NYC

April 2, 2019

A masterful painter, tattoo artist and portraitist, Scottish artist Mark Worst has fashioned — in a range of spaces — extraordinary portraits blurring the line between street art and fine art. Featured here are several he painted within the past several months:

Portrait of the artist’s “Lady” —  painted in Derry, Northern Ireland

Portrait of Action Bronson — painted in Leith Docks, Scotland

Portrait of  the artist’s “mate” — painted in Paisley, Scotland 

Indoor commission

Sponsored by Montana Cans UK, Mark Worst will soon be on holiday in NYC, where he is seeking opportunities to network with other artists. The artist can be contacted at markwrst@gmail.com.

All photos courtesy of the artist

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PERSUE: “LIMINAL SPACE” Continues at GR Gallery through March 10

March 2, 2019

LIMINAL SPACE, Dave Persue‘s first solo exhibition at GR Gallery, showcases the varied and ever-evolving aesthetic of the acclaimed, pioneering West Coast urban artist. Along with works on paper and large canvases are images painted directly onto the gallery walls. On display, too, is a sampling of  classic merchandise — including a children’s book — featuring the legendary Bunny Kitty. Pictured above is the exhibit’s exuberant title piece, Liminal Space, fashioned with acrylic on canvas and glued onto a board in the artist’s frame. What follows are several more images I captured while visiting the gallery:

Dreamstate (Reprise), Acrylic on canvas

A series of artworks inspired by the West Coast artist’s current city, NYC, and its sprawling subways

Luck Dragon painted onto gallery wall

New York Wet Paint, acrylic on canvas, collaboration with WANE

And from graffiti art to the aesthetics of fine art with Lafayette, Acrylic on canvas

LIMINAL SPACE continues at GR Gallery, 255 Bowery, through next Sunday. The gallery is open Tuesday – Sunday from 12-7pm.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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At the Basel House Mural Festival: Sipros, Danny Osorno, Hugo Mulder, Claudio Picasso, Javier España, See One, Optimo NYC & Illuminaries

February 28, 2019

The 7th edition of the Basel House Mural Festival took place from December 7 through December 9 at the RC Cola Plant, 550 Northwest 24th Street, bringing three days of live music and art to the heart of Wynwood, Miami. As in previous years, artists from across the globe, along with local and national ones, restyled the industrial space with dazzling, brilliantly-hued images. Featured above is the work of Brazilian muralist Sipros. Several more artworks — all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

Miami-based, Colombia-born Danny Osorno aka Anonymous

Amsterdam-based Hugo Mulder

Miami-based painter Claudio Picasso

Guatemalan artist Javier España

NY-based See One and Optimo NYC

Bay Area muralists Illuminaries, Kemest 510

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad

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Jerusalem-Based Artist Meydad Eliyahu on Red Crown Green Parrot, a Public Art Project in Collaboration with Thoufeek Zakriya in Kochi, India

February 24, 2019

Presented at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018 and continuing though March 30 is Red Crown Green Parrot, a public art project by Kashi Gallery — conceived and fashioned by Jerusalem-based artist Meydad Eliyahu, a descendant of Malabar Jews, in collaboration with Dubai-based Thoufeek Zakriya, a Muslim who was born and raised in Kochi. I recently had the opportunity to speak to Meydad about this impressive project.

First, can you tell us something about the project’s title — Red Crown Green Parrot? What is its significance?

The title is inspired by the themes of the crown and the parrot which frequently appear in the  cultural expressions  of Malabar’s Jews — such as women’s folksongs, illuminated Jewish marriage contracts and synagogue decorations.The parrot is also a symbol of the storytelling in ancient local literature and culture.

What is the project’s principal mission? 

The presence of the Malabar Jews has almost completely disappeared — not only from Mattancherry’s physical space, but also from its collective memory. The project’s primary missions are to preserve the memory of Malabar Jews and to shed light on the loss of the unique multicultural dialogue that characterized Mattancherry in the past.

How did you go about trying to accomplish this?

Through a public intervention of a series of paintings and calligraphic wall works in Malayalam, English and Hebrew. The project is a walking route through the neighborhood that the Jews once lived in,  It includes a demolished cemetery with only one tomb left in an abandoned synagogue from the 14th century, along with several other hidden sites.

What were some of the challenges you encountered in seeing the project through?

We were uncertain as to how local residents would react to our reawakening a memory of a chapter that had ended 70 years ago. We did not know if and how they would accept it and whether they would want it to play such a prominent role in their present-day visual lives. That was one challenge.  Another challenge was  securing permission to work on the walls that we wished to use. That was something we couldn’t do until we arrived. But Thoufeek and I were determined to overcome any obstacles that came our way.

How have the city’s residents and visitors responded to the project?

Our most generous partners were the local residents. They welcomed us with great warmth and enthusiasm. When we were hesitant to put the first brush stroke on the first wall, they prodded us to start painting. Some helped us choose the right motifs and helped us secure walls; others helped with ladders and assisted with the clean-up. And we feel that we accomplished our mission.

“I’ve been living in Kochi for over 40 years, and this is the first time I’m seeing and learning about the Malabari Jewish sites,” commented one of the local residents.

Note: Created and performed in ‘Jew Town’, the historical Jewish urban area of Mattancherry, Kochi, India, Red Crown Green Parrot was supported by the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and curated by Tanya Abraham.

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; all photos courtesy Meydad Eliyahu. 

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Renowned Multidisciplinary Spanish Artist Okuda San Miguel Installs the World’s Northernmost Permanent Sculpture in Yakutsk, Russia 

February 17, 2019

Recently installed on the embankment of Sajsary Lake in Yakutsk, Russia — the second coldest city in the world —  is a massive sculpture fashioned by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel.  Forged with steel in his infectious signature style, the 4-meter public art object represents the artist’s vision of the primitive man —  a punk-like figure sporting spiked hair, released from civilization’s shackles.

Curated by the National Art Museum of the Republic of Sakha in collaboration with Artmossphere, Okuda’s 4-meter public art object, Ancestral Retromirage, is the final project of the fifth International Yakut Biennale of Contemporary Art that began in April 2018.

Photos courtesy of Artmossphere

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The RAW Project Brings Color, Intrigue and Inspiration to South Miami K-8 Center: WESR, My Dog Sighs, Otto Schade, Remoteroc, Luis Valle and Patrick Kane McGregor with Mr. June

February 10, 2019

Conceived in 2014, the RAW Project has been bringing color, intrigue and inspiration to schools in Miami and beyond at a time when American schools continue to see their art programs defunded. During the week of Art Basel, a group of outstanding local, national and global artists transformed magnet school South Miami K-8 Center into an open-air museum. The image pictured above was painted by Berlin-based Peruvian artist Danny Figueroa aka WESR.  Several more images — all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

U.K.-based My Dog Sighs

London-based Otto Schade

Miami-based Jay Bellicchi aka Remoteroc

Miami-based Nicaraguan artist Luis Valle aka El Chan Guri

Denver-based Patrick Kane McGregor with Netherlands native David Louf aka Mr. June 

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad 

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Jean Claude Geraud on Learn and Skate: Its Beginnings, Its Mission and Its Goals for 2019

January 31, 2019

For the past several years, a huge array of  first-rate street artists and graffiti writers have designed dozens of stylish skatedesks to raise funds for Learn and Skate. But just what is Learn and Skate? What is its mission? And what are its goals for 2019? Jean Claude Geraud, its principal founder, has some answers:

Just what is Skate and Learn? 

It is a skateboard association that I created back in 2012 with the help of Richard Schenten. Passionate skaters ourselves, one day we came upon a video featuring skaters practicing skateboarding in Africa’s Ugandan countryside. We were struck at once by its bad state and its obvious lack of materials. We wanted to do something!

What was your goal at the time?

Our initial goal was to develop the practice of skateboarding in disadvantaged places throughout the globe. We wanted to provide opportunities for young people who are curious about the sport to develop their skills. It soon became obvious to us that their passion for skateboarding — and the discipline that it demands — evolved into a passion for living a meaningful, productive life. And so our initial mission evolved!

How would you define your present goals?

We would like to be able to provide new and used skateboarding materials — such as boards, wheels, screws and shoes — to children who need them. We would also like to provide them with skating lessons. We are engaged in raising funds for the construction of skateparks, schools and additional classrooms — where needed. And we want to send school materials — such as books, pens, notebooks — to needy schools every trimester.

How do you go about engaging the communities — parents, teachers, the public, in general? I imagine that is essential to accomplishing your mission.

Yes. Key to our mission is the notion of sharing, and that involves an ongoing dialog with the community. To involve generations beyond those interested in skateboarding, painting workshops are organized to start the dialogue with young and old.

How do you raise money to support your projects?

Since 2014, the association has been producing skateboard exhibitions every year. The skate boards — customized by urban artists recognized throughout the world — are auctioned on the Paddle8 platform, and all the income they generate are used to create our projects. We’ve exhibited in: Toulouse at Agama Gallery; Paris at the Quartier General; Madrid at the Swinton Gallery and at the Urvanity Art Fair; Zurich at the Kolly Gallery; NYC at The Made Hotel; Denver at Crush Walls and last month at Miami Art Basel.

Among your many remarkable accomplishments was the establishment of a skate park in Uganda. What’s ahead? What is your principal goal for 2019?

Our main goal to build a skate park in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, by September of this year. We are also considering constructing school classes, where necessary, in close collaboration with local authorities. And we are working to connect with new donors, patrons, and foundations cause to ensure the sustainability of the project and have the chance to extend it on a global scale.

Good luck with it all! StreetArtNYC is delighted to partner with you in realizing your current project.

Note: You can help support Learn and Skate by purchasing its products here or making a donation by contacting roulepetitougandais@hotmail.fr

All images courtesy Jean Claude Geraud

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Methodology Continues at Martinez Gallery / Pediatrics 2000 with: Bob 59, Bortusk Leer, MazeOne, Fake, Roice, Glow, Staze, Super 158 & more

January 26, 2019

A brilliant community-based arts and health collaborative, Martinez Gallery / Pediatrics 2000 is codirected by longtime associates Hugo Martinez and Juan Tapia, MD. Its current exhibit, Methodology, featuring a broad range of global artists, is an exuberant visual ode to my favorite art genre. Several images I captured while visiting yesterday follow:

French artist Bob 59

Amsterdan-based Bortusk Leer, segment of paste-up installation of his signature monsters

 Bulgarian artist MazeOne

French artist Fake

Spanish artist Roice

Bulgarian artist Glow, center 

And outside Staze and Super 158

According to the Martinez Gallery Instagram, the exhibit continues through March 10 with gallery hours 10-5,  Monday through Friday. Martinez Gallery / Pediatrics 2000 is located at 3332 Broadway and 135th Street.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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