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Magda Love, Al Diaz and Eduardo Kobra Paint NYC’s Largest Wall at City-As-School in the West Village

November 8, 2018

Teeming with color and charm, the huge wall at City-As-School on Hudson Street between Clarkson and West Houston in the West Village has been the talk of the town. I had the opportunity to visit it while it was still in progress and speak to CAS educator Maria Krajewski, who’s been devotedly involved with this project since it first began.

When did this impressive project begin?

Magda Love actually started her mural in May, 2016. But due to permitting issues, the painting had to be stopped four days after it had begun. We were told that we needed formal approval not only from the Department of Education, but, also, from the Department of Environmental Protection.  About 25 people in the DOE and DEP had to approve the process. We had to work out insurance, liability, releases… That took about a year. We were so grateful to get the permit!

What is happening here is described as a project of the Mad Academy that you had co-founded. Just what is the Mad Academy?

It is a pre-professional training initiative that was developed as a collaboration among students, teachers and mentors. Its goal is to provide CAS students direct training in design, arts and music under the guidance of NYC’s top creative industry professionals.

I know that Magda Love has been involved with City-as-School now for several years. I remember the first mural that she had painted here. But how did you engage the Brazilian muralist Eduardo Kobra? His popular appeal is enormous!

Eduardo Kobra’s team actually approached us, as it was a great opportunity for him to paint on such a huge wall adjacent to a school building and to engage with students.

Working on a project this enormous must have posed many challenges. What were some of the main ones?

The enormous bureaucracy that confronted us in obtaining the necessary permissions to seeing it through was our greatest challenge. And funding, of course was another huge challenge. Once we got the permit, we didn’t have any money! When Lisi Gehrend joined the team to fundraise as part of her Master’s Degree in Art, Law and Business at Christie’s Education, the largest mural in NYC was finally underway

You’ve had quite a team. And how has the response been — from students and the community?

It’s been amazing. The community loves it, as do the students. They are, in fact, painting their own murals now on our building.

Congratulations! It is amazing! And it’s so wonderful how it all came together.

Images:

1 & 2 Magda Love

3 Al Diaz

4 Eduardo Kobra & team

5 City-As-School  students Charlie Federico & Kaira Wong

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.

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The Ngozy Art Collective Presents Another Cultural Happening in Da’ Bronx with: Lady Pink, Erotica67, Shiro, Gia, Anjl, Steph Burr and more

November 6, 2018

The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak

This past Saturday, The Point’s Riverside Campus for Arts and the Environment in the South Bronx was the site of the Ngozy Art Collective‘s second live painting event. Curated by Sade TCM, the joyous afternoon featured over a dozen female graffiti writers and muralists painting away.

The legendary Lady Pink

The classic Bronx-based graffiti writer Erotica 67 Fly ID

 Shiro

Gia and Anjl

Steph Burr

And some more action — with Zera to the right of Shiro

Also featured was an art gallery photography exhibition by Gloria Zapata that continues through Saturday, November 17. Here is one of Gloria’s photos featuring her original work:

Photos 1-7 by Houda Lazrak; final photo Gloria Zapata

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Artmossphere 2018 in Moscow: Shepard Fairey, Adele Renault, Hyland Mather, Finsta, Faust, 1Up Crew and more

November 3, 2018

Introducing the general public to an eclectic range of outstanding street artists from across the globe while boosting the development of the local street art scene, the third Russian biennale Artmossphere is now near completion. A particular highlight of this year’s Artmossphere was Shepard Fairey’s huge outdoor mural, Tunnel Vision, inspired by the bold aesthetics of Russian Constructivism. Several more images — representative of the wonderfully diverse artwork that made its way into Artmossphere 2018 — follow:

Shepard Fairey at work earlier on with a little help from his friends

Amsterdam-based Adele Renault at work on one of her signature birds with the legendary Martha Cooper capturing it all

Brooklyn-based assemblage artist Hyland Mather at work as he repurposes discarded materials into an intriguing installation

Swedish graphic designer Finsta’s completed installation

NYC’s masterful FAUST

Berlin’s 1Up Crew’s installation”Burner Phones”

Photo credits: Vasiliy Kudryavtsev

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.

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POW! WOW! San Jose, Part II: Ivan Gonzalez, Drew Flores, Dragon 76, Woes, Icy and Sot, Sixcoin, Apexer & Cory Taum

October 27, 2018

POW! WOW!, the international art movement that celebrates culture, music and art in cities throughout the globe, continues this week to enhance the city of San Jose. The image featured above was painted by Ivan Gonzalez. Several more works — many in progress and all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

Local artist Drew Flores at work — on ladder — with a little help from his friend

Dragon 76 and Woes — along with local students — posing in front of their mural

Iranian brothers, Icy and Sot at work on “Ladders to Nowhere,” a metaphor for the inhumane  US prison system, which makes it almost impossible for a released prisoner to move up in society

Korean artist Sixcoin at work on “Gulliver”

West Coast-based Apexer at work

Hawaii-based Kamehanaokalā aka Cory Taum at work

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad

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POW! WOW! San Jose Underway with: How & Nosm, Sean Boyles, Roan Victor, the 123 Klan, Spenser Little, Skinner, Jesse Hernandez & Shrine

October 25, 2018

Founded and directed by Jasper Wong, POW! WOW! is an international art movement that celebrates culture, music and art in cities throughout the globe, as it engages the broader community.

In 2017 — its inaugural festival in San Jose, California — it added 20 murals to the city’s landscape  It is back again this week with new public murals, musical gatherings, educational programming and a range of diverse activities. Featured above is a close-up of a huge mural in progress by the extraordinarily talented twin brothers How and Nosm. Several more images from earlier this week — all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

The entire How and Nosm wall in progress

West Coast-based Sean Boyles  and his wife, Roan Victor

Montreal-based French duo Scien and Klor of the 123Klan

Self-taught West Coast wire sculptor Spenser Little

Bay area artists Skinner and Jesse Hernandez

Local artist Shrine

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad 

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OG Millie Showcases Her Portraits and Paints Live at Long Island City’s Paper Factory Hotel, Hosted by LG USA Mobile

October 20, 2018

Self-described as a “NYC-based visually impaired Street-Pop artist with a vintage flair,” the lovely OG Millie primarily fashions infectious portraits of iconic international figures. Ranging from the Buddha to Biggie, they are customarily painted with brilliant hues onto vintage decorative mirrors, exuding a distinctly enchanting aura.

A wonderfully diverse sampling of the artist’s portraits were exhibited this past Wednesday at a reception held at Long Island City’s magical Paper Factory Hotel, celebrating the Queens launch of LG USA Mobile‘s impressive, new five-camera LGV40 ThinQ. Pictured above is OG Millie‘s rendition of the Buddha. Several more images follow:

The famed Brooklyn-based rapper Biggie Smalls

The legendary American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix

The German-born brilliant physicist Albert Einstein

And all eyes upon her  — or the phone capturing her! –as she intently begins to paint live

Note: You can see the final piece painted live by OG Millie here.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Step Inside Shepard Fairey’s Massive and Hugely Significant West Coast Exhibition “Damaged” with VRt Ventures Newly Launched App

October 18, 2018

If you missed Shepard Fairey’s massive, hugely significant, exhibition Damaged in late 2017, it is still possible to experience it. West Coast-based VRt Ventures – in its mission to make provocative exhibitions accessible to all – has created the experience for us in virtual reality with a mobile app that enables us to move around the entire gallery, tap on all artworks and listen to two hours of outstanding narration by the artist.

Experiencing Damaged now couldn’t be more timely, as Shepard Fairey focuses on those Americans most affected by current policies and social issues in our increasingly troubling political climate. Among the issues tacked are: xenophobia, racial bias, Wall Street corruption, economic inequality and sexism.

“I definitely think that art can be part of the solution because it can inspire people to look at an issue they might otherwise ignore or reject,” commented the artist.  Damaged is an honest diagnosis, but diagnosis is the first step to recognizing and solving problems.

Officially launched earlier this week in collaboration with Juxtapoz, the app that will make it possible for you to experience Damaged can be downloaded for $4.99 via the iOS App Store and the Google Play store for Android, and on Oculus, HTC and Steam. You can also check it out at the Damaged pop-up open to the public through Sunday, October 21, at 136 Bowery.

Images: 1 & 4 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 3 courtesy VRt Ventures 

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0H10 M1ke at 198 Allen Street Tomorrow Evening with Live Drawing, Performance Art and more

October 16, 2018

If you haven’t yet had your portrait drawn with one line in under one minute by the wonderfully passionate, nomadic Brooklyn-based 0H10 M1ke, tomorrow is your chance. From 6 – 10pm, Mike promises to do that and lots more at 198 Allen Street. Last week, we met up and caught up a bit.

When we last spoke in 2014, you said that your goal was to create 100,000 one-line matchbox portraits? Mine was 11,206! How close are you to your goal?

My most recent was #13,021! I’ve done quite a few at 17 Frost, at 198 Allen, on the trains, on the streets — anywhere I can!

How do you approach folks? And how do they respond?

I simply say, “Give me a New York moment; I’ll draw your portrait in one line on a matchbox in one minute.” They generally respond with skepticism. But once they see the portrait I’ve created, they like it.

In addition to your ongoing matchbox project, what other projects have engaged you as of late?

I’ve been preparing for my upcoming solo show and performance If Basquiat and Keith Haring had a baby…reimagining the works of Basquiat and Haring in one-line drawings. I’ve, also, been working on creating sculptures inspired by Warhol; instead of using Brillo boxes, I use Nike boxes. And I’ve been staging wrestling as dance, which will be projected –along with large portraits — onto a huge screen outside 198 Allen.

What inspires you to keep creating?

I’m compulsive. I have to. And people, the street art community in particular, have been welcoming and supportive.

Are there any particular artists out there who continue to influenc your aesthetic?

Obviously Haring and Basquiat. But other main influences include UFO and Neckface.

Anything else new — in terms of your art-making?

I’ve been getting my original drawings into hand-made books. I recently constructed a 3o-pocket rotating magazine rack, and I’ve filled it with all hand-made original artbooks and magazines. I also create on a larger variety of surfaces.

What’s ahead?

Murals, prints and reproducibles.

Good luck with it all!

Note: You can keep up with 0H10 M1ke here — now that he’s posting on Instagram!

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; all images courtesy of the artist

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Al Diaz/SAMO© Continues at Same Old Gallery at 57 Great Jones Street Through October 20 with Book Launch This Weekend

October 13, 2018

Since September 26, 57 Great Jones Street — the former home and studio of Al Diaz collaborator, Jean-Michel Basquiat — has been the site of Same Old Gallery, a multimedia exhibit showcasing Al Diaz ‘s masterful wordplay and inventive aesthetic. Curated by Adrian Wilson and Brian Shevlin, it features a diverse array of new work by Al Diaz, in addition to historic photos and memorabilia from back in the day when the SAMO© tag that he and Jean-Michel Basquiat had conceived was the talk of the town. Several photos I captured while visiting the space follow:

Mixed media with stencil art

Another contemplation on the brevity of it all

Mixed media musings

With a message for these times

The 1978 Village Voice article that reveals SAMO©’s identity

And this weekend marks the launch of Al Diaz‘s book with a signing and talk

Photos 1-6: Lois Stavsky

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Sonny Sundancer and ASVP Murals Surface on the Walls of IS 318 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for Climate Week 2018 with The Point NYC

October 11, 2018

Two brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed murals – one by Sonny Sundancer and the other by ASVP – surfaced last month on the exterior walls of IS 318 in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sonny’s mural– at the corner of Lorimer Street and Throop Avenue – depicts a Yawanawa girl from Acre, Brazil, along with a jaguar, representative of a species that is sacred to the indigenous peoples and at risk of extinction. ASVP‘s black and white tower mural — painted on the opposite wall — features an elephant, bear, tiger and more, all interdependent and threatened or endangered in some capacity.

While visiting the school last week for the murals’ dedication and ribbon cutting, I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Greenpoint Innovations founder Stephen Donofrio, who had organized the The Point NYC project.

These hugely impressive murals are one component of The Point NYC initiative. Just what is The Point NY?

It is a collaborative venture — among Comics Uniting Nations, Greenpoint Innovations, Hypokrit Theatre Company, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and UNICEF — that brings together artists, producers, educators and local environmentalists for a series of artistic productions and events. Among these are: a comic book, public murals, a theatrical experience, open dialogue and an educational toolkit.

What is its ultimate mission?

Its mission is to respond to the human impact of climate change and to exercise the power we all have, particularly the youth, to take action for a better future.

And what inspired the direction that this project has taken?

It was inspired by a comic book story —Tre, by Sathviga ‘Sona’ Sridhar — about a climate change superhero. Sona had become passionate about climate change when her town in Chennai, India was flooded and when she heard about the Climate Comic Contest by UNICEF and Comics Uniting Nations, she decided to submit her art.

How did you connect with Sonny Sundancer and ASVP? Their murals are perfect for this project, as they are exquisite and brilliantly reflect environmental issues.

Karin du Maire introduced me to Sonny, and I met ASVP at the Moniker Art Fair in Greenpoint this past spring. Both Sonny and ASVP were ideal to work with, as they are not only wonderful artists, but caring people.

Were you presented with any particular challenges in seeing the project through?

Coordinating with the Department of Education was somewhat of a task. And then discovering that a segment of the wall that Sonny had completed had been coated to protect it from any lasting paint was another challenge. But – with considerable effort — we overcame them both!

How have the members of the local community responded to these two murals?

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. They love them.

And thank you for initiating this project!

Photo credits: 1 & 2 Lois Stavsky; 3 Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; 

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