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The Bushwick Collective x Mana Urban Arts Project at Wynwood’s RC Cola Factory with Rimx, Jimmy C, Shok1, Giz, Lady Aiko, Mr. June, Hoxxoh and Christina Angelina

January 16, 2016

In collaboration with the Mana Urban Arts Project, the Bushwick Collective transformed Wynwood’s former RC Cola Factory into a Mecca of first-rate street art and graffiti. During Miami Art Week, celebrated artists from across the globe painted alongside local Miami and NYC-based artists. Here are a few more images from among the dozens of murals I saw last week while visiting Wynwood:

London-based James Cochran aka Jimmy C

London-based Shok1

NYC-based Giz RIS

NYC-based Lady Aiko

Dutch artist David Louf aka Mr June

Miami-based Hoxxoh

West Coast-based Christina Angelina

First image is a close-up from a huge mural by David Sepulveda aka Rimx

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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At Wynwood’s Space 52 Mural Project with: Tristan Eaton, Esao Andrews, Hauser, Drew Merritt, David Flores, Cyrcle and Askew One

January 14, 2016

A stylistically diverse series of portraits of musicians — ranging from Beethoven to David Bowie, RIP — can be found on NW 22nd and 1st Avenue in Wynwood. Curated by Tristan Eaton for Space 52, this mural project was presented by B&A during Art Basel Miami. Here are a few more of the beautifully executed portraits:

West Coast-based Esao Andrews does Bob Dylan

West Coast-based Richard Henderson AKA Hauser does Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk

West Coast-based Drew Merritt does George Harrison

West Coast-based David Flores does David Bowie

West Coast-based Cyrcle does Beethoven

New Zealand-based Askew One does Billie Holiday

Opening image: Project curator Tristan Eaton’s portrait of Afrika Bambaataa

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Esteban del Valle on Contemporary Colonialism: Displacing Waves to Open January 9 at Superchief Gallery LA

January 4, 2016

Brooklyn-based artist Esteban del Valle has been busy! The culmination of seven months of travels throughout the United States, Displacing Waves, his upcoming exhibit, reflects on the artist’s role as a member of the “creative class” that creates new settlements, while displacing others. Esteban’s distinctly adroit mixed-media approach — blurring the lines between drawing and painting — brilliantly captures the anxiety, along with the comical irony, that the threat of gentrification poses to various communities, including the gentrifiers themselves. Here is a sampling of Esteban’s painterly musings on contemporary colonialism that will be on exhibit at LA’s’ Superchief Gallery opening this coming Saturday.

Appetite, Acrylic ink and collage on panel, 9″ x 12″

Cocktails near the poor man’s riviera, Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 48″ x 60″

We are running out of cities, Ink and collage on paper, 11″ x 8.5″

And the artist at work at Superchief Gallery as he readies for his West Coat exhibit

Opening this coming Saturday, January 9, at Superchief Gallery, 739 Kohler Street, in Los Angeles, Displacing Waves remains on view through January 31.

Note: Opening image is Looking for sediment, Acrylic ink and collage on panel, 8″x 10″

All photos courtesy the artist

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Kristy McCarthy aka D Gale on HART: the Harlem Art Collective

January 3, 2016

A collective of artists based primarily in Harlem, HART has become an active force in the uptown arts scene. While visiting its space, I had the opportunity to speak to one of its founders, Kristy McCarthy aka D Gale.

Can you tell us something about HART’s mission?

Our mission is to use art as a tool to engage, educate and empower the members of our Harlem community. We are especially interested in beautifying abandoned and neglected spaces.

When was the Harlem Art Collective first born? And was anyone – besides you – involved in its conception?

It officially began last February. Gia Gutierrez and I had talked about starting some sort of Harlem-based artist organization. But as she didn’t have enough free time at that point to devote to launching it, Harold Baines and I organized the first few meetings with about 10 other artists and community members.

How did you get the word out? And how many artists are currently involved?

We initially got the word out mostly via emails and through our personal networks. About 40 artists currently participate.

Here at HART’s base, you provide space for local artists to live and free studio space for artists to create. In addition, you rent out two of the bedrooms to folks who are in NYC for short periods of time. How did you come upon such an amazing 5-bedroom space in the heart of East Harlem?

We found out about it from the building’s landlord. And its size and location made it a perfect match for our needs.

Among your projects is the always-engaging Guerilla Gallery on 116^th Street off 2^nd Avenue. It has introduced us to many new artists, and it also showcases art by some of our all-time favorite ones. What other projects have you initiated?

We have partnered with other community organizations — such as the East Harlem Block Nursery, Concrete Safaris and the Manatí Community Garden — to paint murals at block parties and community events. We worked with Urban Innovations to paint and install little free libraries in community gardens around Harlem, and we have hosted free art workshops at the HART house.

How can an artist join your collective?

We hold meetings twice a month. Anyone interested in attending and finding out more about HART can contact us via our Facebook page. We are also going to start a monthly newsletter this spring and, hopefully, add a community calendar to the Guerilla Gallery.

What’s ahead?

We are working on organizing a spring show that will feature artists from the collective and from the neighborhood. We are also working on starting other Guerrilla Galleries on abandoned construction walls around Harlem. And we are planning to paint more murals that directly involve the community. We have, also, recently formed a women’s caucus within the collective to organize projects specifically dedicated to women’s issues and female empowerment.

That sounds great! Good luck with it all. We are looking forward!

Images:

1. El Nino de las Pinturas, inside the Hart House

2. Lexi Bella, Danielle Mastrion and Kristy McCarthy in East Harlem

3. Kristy McCarthy in East Harlem

4. The Guerrilla Gallery in East Harlem, as seen earlier this year

5. Steve Perez, Zerk Oer and Bio,Tats Cru at the Guerrilla Gallery in East Harlem, as seen this past week on massive wall spelling out E-L B-A-R-R-I-O

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

Interview by Lois Stavsky

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At First Street Green Art Park in the East Village: Topaz, Meres, See TF, Python, Demer and Jerms

January 2, 2016

Meres, Jerms, Topaz, See TF, Python and Demer made their way — several weeks back — to First Street Green, where they painted an ode to the historic East Village/Lower East Side neighborhood. Here are a few more images:

Python aka Kenji

Meres One

Python, Demer & Meres One

Jerms

The huge mural was painted in collaboration with the Centrefuge Public Art Project and First Street Green. The art park is located at 33 East First Street on the site of — what was once — a derelict building.

Note: First image features Topaz, Meres One and See TF

Photos: 1 & 2 Tara Murray; 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson and 4 & 5 Lois Stavsky

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Syrian Artist Issam Kourbaj’s Installation Another Day Lost Continues through January 5 on the Grounds of Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan

January 1, 2016

Since 2011, over 10 million Syrians have been uprooted from their homes. Another Day Lost, a mixed-media installation by Syrian UK-based artist Issam Kourbaj, offers a powerful look into the crisis crippling his homeland.

Inspired by the aerial imagery of the refugee camps in the Jordanian desert, the artist fashioned his installation — reflecting on the lives of refugees living in tents — from waste materials, such as medicine packaging and discarded books.

Each day of the installation, another match is lit and then blown out to mark one more day of Syria’s devastation.

U.S. residents visiting the site are invited to compose and electronically submit a letter to their elected representatives encouraging them to support increasing the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S.

On the grounds of Trinity Church — at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street in Lower Manhattan — Another Day Lost can be viewed through January 5^th.

Note: This post was written in collaboration with Kristin L. Wolfe.

Photo credits: 1, 3 & 4 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2 & 5 Kristin L. Wolfe

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The Blaze of Hackensack: Pase, Per One & Hef, Crash, Ces, Sade, Bio, Zimad, BG 183, Sonic and Part One

December 30, 2015

Produced by Sade TCM for Nasty, Neo FC, the Blaze of Hackensack has refashioned the always-brilliant graffiti walls in Hackensack, New Jersey’s famed open-air gallery. Here’s a sampling of what surfaced last month:

Bronx-based Pase

NYC artists Per One and Hef

Bronx-based John Matos aka Crash

Bronx-based Ces

The Blaze of Hackensack curator Sade TCM

Bronx-based Bio, Tats Cru

Bronx-based Zimad

Bronx-based BG 183, Tats Cru

Veteran graffiti writers Sonic and Part One, Dedicated to the Victims in Paris

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Invader in the Big Apple with Joey Ramone, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Michelangelo, Leonardo and more

December 19, 2015

For several weeks this fall, Invader was here in NYC installing dozens of his ingenious tile mosaics throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Among them were several NYC icons, along with a range of images and characters representing popular culture. Here are a few of our favorites:

Joey Ramone at the Bushwick Collective

Lou Reed in the East Village

In the East Village with the Lisa Project

Andy Warhol in the East Village with the Lisa Project

Michelangelo on the Lower East Side with the Lisa Project

In Crown Heights

Leonardo on the Lower East Side

In the Village

Note: This blog will be on vacation through December 27th. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

All photos by Tara Murray

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Houda Lazrak Curates NYU Abu Dhabi First Live Painting Event: Fats, Steffi Bow, SyaOne, Enforce1 and Just1

December 18, 2015

Earlier this month, five UAE-based street artists: Fathima Mohiuddin aka Fats, Gary Yong aka Enforce1, Justin MacMahon aka JustOne, Steffi Bow and SyaOne participated in NYU Abu Dhabi’s first Live Painting Event. Students, faculty members, staff and visitors were also invited to share their visions and talents with the NYU Abu Dhabi community . Curated by Houda Lazrak, an M.A. Candidate in Museum Studies at NYU, the Live Painting Event began at noon on December 7 and continued through 7pm.

Fathima Mohiuddin aka Fats

Steffi Bow in action

Steffi Bow, completed mural

SyaOne in action

SyaOne, completed mural

Enforce1 at work

Enforce1, completed mural

Just1 at work

Just1, completed mural

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRf_RB2H3M4&feature=youtu.be

Photos 1-3, 5, 6, 8-10 Michelle Loibner; 4 & 7 Houda Lazrak

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Lady K Fever Curates The Art of Peace at Al Iman Community Center with Rocko, BG183, Meres, Chris Riggs, Scratch, Lexi Bella and more

December 17, 2015

Curated by Lady K Fever and hosted by Aldo Perez, Ihe Art of Peace, an exhibit of mural and graffiti art celebrating peace, opens tonight at the Al Iman Community Center. I had the opportunity to speak to Lady K Fever while visiting the space at 2006 Westchester Avenue earlier this week.

Can you tell us something about the concept behind this exhibit?

It is an exploration of the notion of peace from the perspective of artists representing a range of ideologies, nationalities, religious backgrounds and ethnicities. The title is a take on The Art of War by Sun Tzu written in the 6th century B.C.

What inspired it?

It was inspired by Peace December, an organization started five years ago dedicating the month of December to celebrating peace. As Sheikh Musa Drammeh of Peace December contends, trillions of dollars are spent on defense and none are allocated to promoting peace.

As curator, how did you decide which artists to engage in this exhibit?

When Aldo Perez approached me to curate it, I sought artists from a range of backgrounds and communities. Many, in fact, had already been engaged in community-based projects promoting co-existence.

What were some of the particular challenges you faced in curating this exhibit?

My main concern was that the imagry would not offend the community. I also had to keep the artists’ egos in check, reminding them that The Art of Peace’s principal mission is to promote peace. And I was working with a limited budget.

The exhibit opens this evening from 6-10pm. How might folks — who can’t make it this evening — see it?

Yes, there will be a reception tonight with DJ Prince Tafari, the artists and special guests — including Assemblyman Jose Rivera. There will also be select artworks for sale. Folks who won’t be able to attend can email artists4peacebx@gmail.com and arrange a time to visit The Art of Peace.

Images:

1. Rocko

2. BG183, Tats Cru with Lady K Fever and Aldo Perez posed in front

3. Meres One

4. Chris Riggs

5. Scratch and Lady K Fever

6. Lexi Bella

Interview and photos by Lois Stavsky

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