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The 7th Annual Welling Court Mural Project Launches in Astoria, Queens with: Toofly, Miro, Mr. June, Billy Mode & Chris Stain, Daze & Crash, Vagabonddom, Tamara Heller, OneL NYC, Magda Love and more

June 10, 2016

Organized by Garrison & Alison Buxton, the Welling Court Mural Project is back gracing Welling Court and its neighboring blocks in Astoria, Queens with a wonderfully diverse array of artworks. Here is a sampling of some of the completed murals, along with others in progress, as artists ready for tomorrow’s official launch and block party.

Miro

Mr June

Billy Mode and Chris Stain

Daze and Crash

Vagabonddom at work

Tamara Heller for Crisis Text Line

OneL NYC checking out his mural

Magda Love, with her assistant Jamie, at work

You can view the murals, meet the artists and join the festivities tomorrow — Saturday — from 12-8 along 30th Ave and 12th Street and neighboring blocks.

First image features Toofly, work in progress to be completed tomorrow, Saturday

Photo credits: 1, 2 4-9 Tara Murray; 3 Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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With Valeri Larko at the Bronx Museum of the Arts

June 9, 2016

On view through June 26 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts is Bronx Focus: Paintings by Valeri Larko, an extraordinary visual ode to a borough whose landscape is rapidly changing. Among Valeri Larko‘s paintings are many that are infused with the Bronx’s gritty graffiti. With her impeccable renderings of tags, throw-ups and pieces, the artist has immortalized our favorite art form in the borough that birthed it. On revisiting the exhibit last week, I had the opportunity to meet Valeri, who gave a tour of her exhibit.

We love the way you are keeping some of our favorite walls alive through your paintings. What spurred you to focus on this aspect of the Bronx?

I’ve always been interested in the urban landscape, and when I moved from New Jersey to New Rochelle — just a short drive from the Bronx — I discovered the just how rich the graffiti in the Bronx is. I think it is gorgeous, and I love how sites with graffiti always have great stories to tell.

Can you tell us something about your process? How long does it take from beginning to end to create a painting?

Everything is done on location. If a site interests me, I begin with a quick pen and ink sketch in a small notebook using a uni-ball pen. If I then decide that I want to do a painting of the particular scene, I do an oil sketch of it. For most of my studies, I work on 300 pound watercolor paper that I staple to a board. For the larger version, I typically paint two to three months, also on location.

What are some of the challenges you face in producing this work?

The weather is, by far, my greatest challenge. The wind is my biggest enemy. My car is — many times — my only shelter, and that is where you will often find me painting, especially in the winter months.

How do the graffiti artists feel about what you are doing?

They love it. If they see a blank surface at a particular space where I am painting, they will sometimes ask if they can leave their mark on it — to be included in my painting.

What is your most memorable experience of painting on location?

There are so many, but here is one that comes to mind: I had been working at a site for several weeks on Top Dollar, a painting of a trailer truck. Then one day when I showed up, I was surprised to find a very large boat in front of the truck. I could’t imagine how it got there! Luckily, I had mostly finished the painting, and the boat seemed too clean, too pristine and too out of place to include. But a few days later, the graffiti artist SAET with his friend NARO showed up. Once SAET had christened the boat with his tag, it was totally transformed. And so I decided to add the boat to the painting. I was even thinking of doing a new painting of the boat. But that never happened!

Why was that? Why didn’t you get to do the new painting of the boat?

While I was still working on Top Dollar, Tommy — who was living in the Jay’s Hot Dog Camper — informed me that the site was about to be demolished. That is one of the hazards of working on site. Whoa! I still needed at least a week to finish my painting. Luckily I found the guys doing the demolition work, and they agreed to give me one more week to complete my painting! It actually took me eight days, and within hours after I finished, everything on the site was demolished. And what about Tommy who had been living in the camper? He headed on a Greyhound back home to Kansas City where he and his sons had built two houses!

What’s next? Are any walls calling you? Any sites that particularly intrigue you?

Yes! I discovered an abandoned golf course across from Co-op City. And since I don’t know how much longer it will be around, I’ve been heading there as often as I can!

What an incredible visual history you are creating! And we are already looking forward to your upcoming solo exhibit at WallWorks in the fall.

Images

1. Valeri Larko — as seen last week — at the Bronx Museum

2. Ferris Stahl Meyer Diptych, close-up

3. Corner of Boone Avenye and 173rd Street

4. Bronx Drawbridge

5. Valeri Larko painting at Top Dollar

6. Top Dollar

Photo credits: 1-3 Lois Stavsky; 4 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen; 5 John Wyatt & 6 courtesy of the artist; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky with Sol Raxlen

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Speaking with Graffiti Pioneer Charles Henry aka Flip One

June 7, 2016

A pioneer of the graffiti movement, Charles Henry aka FLIP One was immortalized in Flint Gennari’s classic photo of him tagging a Coney Island-bound train over 40 years ago. And this past spring the now-iconic photo made its way onto a stencil fashioned by Balu for the Centre-fuge Public Art Project. I met up with the artist — now an LA-based Emmy award-winning cinematographer — while he was visiting NYC last month.

When and where did you first get up?

It was back in 1974 in Propsect Park, Brooklyn. I was 15.

What inspired you to?

Flint’s writings were everywhere in my neighborhood. He was my main inspiration. He also got me into photography. Other writers such as Spin, Coco 144 and Mico also influenced me. And I loved the adrenalin rush hitting the trains late nights and the little bit of fame watching my name go by.

What was your preferred surface back then?

The Franklin Avenue shuttle.

How did your family feel about what you were doing?

They were not happy. My dad used to work for the MTA.

Do you have any specific graffiti memory that stands out?

I saw once — and only once — an LL Cool J top to bottom while I was riding the train to school. I will never forget that!

Did you work alone or did you collaborate with others?

I painted with the Ex Vandals and the Soul Stoned Brothers (SSB). But I generally preferred working alone, because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself.

What was the riskiest thing you ever did?

Entering the 7 yard with Flint, Dime 139 and Asp across from Shea Stadium during a playoff game in the World Series. Luckily, the cops — who were supposed to be watching the yard — were too busy watching the game on their little black and white TV to pay attention to us! And so we managed to get in and out and do our thing in broad daylight without anyone noticing.

Has your work ever been exhibited?

Yes, my work has appeared in Flint Gennari’s photos in several galleries and museums. My small trains have been exhibited in galleries in LA.

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

I think it’s great! It suggests that what we did has meaning.

What about the increasing engagement of the corporate world in the graffiti subculture?

I used to hate it, but it doesn’t bother me any more. Writers risked getting arrested, maimed — and more — for what they did. They should be paid!

Have you any thoughts about the graffiti/street art divide?

It’s not an issue. My favorite artists tend to blur the line between both: They include: El Mac, Retna, Obey, Man One and Revok.

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

I love it! I get to see the work of people I used to war against!

Any thoughts as to why the Europeans are more open to graffiti than most Americans are?

I haven’t really thought about it, but maybe it’s because they place a higher value on self-expression.

And there’s probably no art form more expressive art than graffiti!

Photo credits: 1, 3-5 Lois Stavsky; 2 Flint Gennari; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky

Photo 3 features Balu to the right of Flip One and the last photo features Flint to the left and George Colon aka AIM SSB to the right of Flip One

Note: Jan Arnold, the artist’s wife, is in the process of completing a documentary about Flip One’s life. Be sure to check its Facebook page here for some great photos and clips!

Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Scholastic’s Art.Write.Now. National Exhibition Continues at Parsons at the New School and at Pratt Manhattan Gallery through June 12

June 6, 2016

Since 1923, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have identified, celebrated and fostered the talents and visions of our nation’s teens in grades 7-12. Works by this year’s winners remain on exhibit through this week at the Parsons School of Design at The New School and at Pratt Institute’s Manhattan Gallery. Pictured above is Subway Story, a cardboard sculpture, fashioned by 16-year old Shaun Rogers. Here are several more artworks reflecting not only extraordinary talent, but a strong social consciousness, as well.

Vanessa Anthony, Collateral Damage, age 16

Sophia Cai, Faces of Baltimore, age 16

Alexis Peabody, Black Lives Matter, age 18

Eli Lederberg, The Presidentials, age 17

Ryan Sundada Wong, Insatiable Appetite, age 15

Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Art.Write.Now.2016 remains on view through this week. Parsons School of Design at The New School is located at 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street in the Village, and Pratt Institute’s Pratt Manhattan Gallery is just up the block at 144 West 14th Street.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 5 & 6 Tara Murray; 4 Lois Stavsky

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At the Bushwick Collective Museum with: Giz & Ghost, Dan Witz, Tim Okamura, Enx, Anna Orcutt-Jahns, Nicer, See One and more

June 4, 2016

While visiting the Bushwick Collective on Thursday as it was readying for its 5th Annual Block Party, we had the opportunity to spend some time in its wondrous pop-up museum at 198 Randolph Street. The brainchild of Bushwick Collective founder Joe Ficalora, it showcases an extraordinary array of works by Bushwick Collective artists, along with art by community members, local youth, Parsons School of Design at the New School students and more. We also had the chance to speak to the Bushwick Collective Museum‘s director, Asja Gleeson.

This is all so amazing! There are works here by artists who’ve exhibited in museums, along with art by children who live in the neighborhood. Just about every art genre and style is represented here. How did you connect to so many diverse artists?

Joe Ficalora simply gave me a list of the folks he’d already reached out to. In the five years since he’s founded the Bushwick Collective, he’s made so many wonderful connections.

How did you connect to Joe?

Dan Witz introduced me to Joe two years ago, and I worked with Joe and Dan on the exhibit for the Collective’s 3rd Annual Block Party. The experience was so fantastic that I was thrilled to have an opportunity to be involved once again with the Bushwick Collective.

As director, what are some of your responsibilities in managing an exhibit of this scope?

I had to contact all the artists and make sure that their work arrived in a timely fashion. I assisted Stan Sudol the director of the Mana Urban Arts Project, in installing the works. And, basically, I was in charge of organizing the exhibit and assuring that it runs smoothly.

What — would you say — was your greatest challenge?

Getting it all together in the span of a week.

That’s quite an accomplishment! Have you an academic or professional background in art?

Both my parents are artists, and I studied Art History and related fields at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. I’ve also worked in several Chelsea galleries.

How does working here differ from working in Chelsea?

It’s more of a labor of love here! The pace is faster, and there’s far more community involvement here in Bushwick than in Chelsea.

What is your impression of the art on exhibit here? Have you any favorites?

I’m so impressed by the quality of it all. There are so many wonderful pieces. Among my favorites is the one by Enx. It speaks to me!

How can folks see this exhibit? It’s an amazing opportunity to not only view such an eclectic selection of quality artworks, but to purchase art at remarkably reasonable prices — with all proceeds going directly to the artists.

It remains open to the public from 10am-5pm through the weekend.

Images

1. Giz and Ghost, RIS

2. Dan Witz, with director Asja Gleeson

3. Tim Okamura

4. Enx

5. Anna Orcutt-Jahns

6. Nicer, Tats Cru

7. See One

Photo credits: 1, 2, 4 – 7 Tara Murray, 3 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Collaborations at 17 Frost: Crash Collaborates with Stash, Nick Walker, Bio, KAWS, Remi Rough, BR163, James Choules aka She One & more

June 3, 2016

Splendidly curated by Ellis Gallagher, Collaborations features selected works by Crash fashioned collaboratively with both local and global artists. The mural pictured above was painted by Crash in collaboration with Stash. What follows is a sampling of works — representing the diverse range of collaborative styles and sensibilities — inside the gallery at 17 Frost Street in Williamsburg:

Crash with Nick Walker and Bio, Tats Cru

Crash with KAWS

Crash with Remi Rough

Crash with Bio

Crash with BR163

Crash with James Choules aka She One

Collaborations remains on exhibit through June 26 at 17 Frost by appointment only.

Photo credits: 1 & 7 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4, 5 & 6 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen and 3 Tara Murray

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Painter and Performance Artist Gregg Deal on Silenced Indigenous Voices

June 1, 2016

A member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Colorado-based Gregg Deal is an accomplished muralist, painter and performance artist. I first encountered his artwork awhile back on the grounds of the EBC High School For Public Service in Bushwick, Brooklyn. This past weekend, I met him down in DC at the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building, where he was one of 40 artists featured in CrossLines, presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

What spurred you to so fervently embrace your Native American identity?

I don’t know that I specifically embrace it. It is just one of my many identities. I am, foremost, a human being. I am also an artist, a husband and a father.

You are sitting here in a tipi. What does this particular setting represent?

This tipi represents Washington DC. It is where museums, politics, sports and commerce all contribute to a view of Native Americans.

What about the paintings inside this tipi? How did you decide which to include?

I had to include works that would be acceptable to the Smithsonian. They had to be safe. And so I chose identifiable stereotypes of Native Americans — the only image most others have of us.

And as today’s event progresses, you continue to cross out the mouths of your portraits with bold red lines.

Yes! That is because of voices our censored. We have not been permitted to speak for ourselves. I, myself, have been censored.

What about your interpreter? You often speak through an interpreter.

That is because our lives — our experiences, feelings and thoughts — are almost always interpreted through others. Authentic indigenous voices have yet to be heard or recognized.

You are certainly creating awareness of that here.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 4 & 5 Lois Stavsky; 3 Sara C. Mozeson; interview by Lois Stavsky

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At Pow! Wow! DC with The Yok, Sheryo & Persue, Wooden Wave, Caratoes, Hoxxoh, Decoy, Vero, Jacob Eveland, HKS181, Naturel, Drew Merritt & Insa and more

May 31, 2016

Founded in 2010 by artist and curator Jasper Wong, Pow! Wow! has since staged several cultural festivals across the globe. While down in DC this past weekend, we had the chance to check out the final days of Pow! Wow! DC in the Capitol’s NoMa district. Organized by DC artist and designer Kelly Towles, Pow! Wow! DC features the talents of 17 local, national and international artists. Above is a segment from a huge mural painted collaboratively by the Yok, Sheryo and Persue. Here are several more images we captured:

Hawaiian duo Wooden Wave

Hong Kong-based Caratoes

Miami-based Hoxxoh

DC-based Decoy at work

Puerto Rican artist Vero

Richmond, Virginia-based Jacob Eveland, close-up from huge mural

Local artist HKS181 at work

DC-based Naturel

LA-based Drew Merritt and London-based Insa

Photo credits: 1, 3, 5. 7-10 Tara Murray; 2, 4 & 6 Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Coney Island Public Art Wall Project Returns This Weekend with: Tats Cru, Icy and Sot, Lady Aiko, Eric Haze, Pose, Mister Cartoon, Daze, Crash, John Ahearn, Nina Chanel and more

May 26, 2016

Coney Art Walls, one of last summer’s highlights, returns this weekend to its home at 3050 Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island. Joining such internationally acclaimed artists as Retna, el Seed, Miss Van and Ron English, is a wonderfully diverse array of artists, including several who returned this year to paint new murals. The following images were captured these past two weeks in this outdoor museum of street art, curated by Joseph J. Sitt & Jeffrey Deitch and presented by Thor Equities:

Tats Cru at work

Icy and Sot at work

Lady Aiko at work

Lady Aiko‘s completed piece

Eric Haze with his completed mural

John Ahearn at work

Nina Chanel at work with Khari Johnson Ricks to her right

Bordered by Bowery Street, West 15^th Street and Stillwell Avenue near the Coney Island boardwalk and beach, Coney Art Walls encompasses Greenwood Beach featuring popular food vendors including Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Calexico, and Table 87. All murals will be completed in time for the Mermaid Parade on June 18. In addition, three walls will be painted by children and young adults from the local community this summer. Opening tomorrow, Coney Art Walls will remain open from 12pm to 10pm daily — with the exception of Monday, Memorial Day — through October.

Photo credits: 1-4, 6, 9-12 Tara Murray; 5, 7 & 8 Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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At Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem with: Bayeté Ross Smith, Jordan Baker-Caldwell, Jack Howard Potter, Richard Vivenzio, Suprina, Jason Wallace, Capucine Bourcart and Bob Clyatt

May 25, 2016

In collaboration with the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance and NYC Parks, FLUX Public Art Projects has brought over three dozen arresting sculptures and installations — all rich with cultural references — to Marcus Garvey Park. Pictured above is Bayeté Ross Smith, Got the Power: Boomboxes. Here are several more:

Jordan Baker-Caldwell, Golem

Jack Howard Potter, Belvedere Torso

Richard Vivenzio, Untitled

Suprina, DNA Totem. close-up

Jason Wallace, Crosshairs

Capucine Bourcart, Trompe l’oeil

Bob Clyatt, (E)scape

Photo credits: 1, 3 & 6 City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen; 2 Lois Stavsky 4, 5, 7 & 8 Tara Murray

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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