Earlier this fall, the Dodworth Street Mural art project began a wondrous transformation of the area on and around Dodworth Street between Bushwick Avenue and Broadway. Here are just a few of the murals that have surfaced:
Eelco ’Virus’ Van den Berg, Rocko and Vera Times
Miss Zukie and Lexi Bella
Col Wallnuts, Marthalicia, BK, Damien Mitchell & Edob LOV3
Photo credits: 1, 3 – 5 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 6 Dani Reyes Mozeson
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Moving Murals: Henry Chalfant & Martha Cooper’s All-City Graffiti Archive, a mosaic of 850 wall images of subway graffiti photographed by Chalfant — along with a series of Martha Cooper’s artist portraits — continues through this Thursday, December 18 at 4pm. A homage to the boundless creativity of the graffiti artists whose talents and passions paved the way to the global street art movement, Moving Murals is the first exhibit to grace the City Lore Gallery at 56 East 1st Street.
Another close-up from Henry Chalfant collage, featuring the legendary Iz the Wiz
Martha Cooper’s portraits
Including such contemporaries as Lady Aiko (top left)
And next Saturday, December 20, 12pm – 6pm, you will have the opportunity to take home one of Henry Chalfant’s graffiti train prints as City Lore will be offering Chalfant’s train photographs from the Moving Murals exhibit with each membership purchased. Membership begins at $35. Hot cider and a variety of gifts by local NYC artists will also be available for sale at the City Lore Store.
Final photo courtesy of City Lore; photos of Henry Chalfant’s installation by Lois Stavsky; of Martha Cooper’s by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, Genea Barnes began exhibiting her artful photography in 2005. Her current work has taken her into the streets of over 50 cities where she has photographed hundreds of ghost bikes.
When and where did you begin photographing ghost bikes?
I saw my first ghost bike in Brooklyn in May 2010. It struck me. It felt like someone had punched me in the chest. That was the first ghost bike I photographed. I’ve since traveled to over 50 cities photographing them.
Why — do you suppose — you became so committed to this project?
I feel a special connection to these bikes. I am taken by their intense beauty. Their impact was — and still is — tremendous on me. They remind us of lives that were lost and they remind us to keep safe. I knew, at once, that I wanted not only to photograph them, but to share my findings with others.
Have you any particular message you would like your photos to convey?
I am frustrated by people’s lack of spatial awareness. A ghost bike represents the most grievous outcome of this. A ghost bike, like much of street art, is a way to call people out. We must all start paying closer attention to our surroundings.
Why a book?
I had always hoped that my art would make a difference…that it would raise awareness. And after my first exhibit of ghost bike images, I knew that it could. Not everyone will attend an exhibit, but anyone can check out a book and, hopefully, be moved by it. We are so distracted by technology that we often forget to pay attention to our surroundings. And the outcome of that can be fatal.
You can find out more about Genea’s remarkable photography project here and help fund her book at her Kickstarter here.
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Earlier this fall, the wonderfully talented multi-media artist Michael Alan released a book of selected drawings and writings. With the limited edition just about sold out, Michael offers some insights into it all.
Why did you decide to publish this book?
I am tired of artistic control. The government. The police. Most outlets for publication. I am also tired of solo shows in New York. Super stress to basically make some dumb money and hear people talk about beer. So came the idea of the book. My work is too intricate for the web. It needs to be in your hand. People need to slow down. That’s what books do. They slow you down. I also wanted my friends and fans who can’t — or don’t want to — buy a painting to be able to own a handmade affordable piece. The book is a work of art. And I’ve been sick. In case something happens to me, I don’t want anyone rewriting my mind.
How did you decide what to include?
Kristen Collins chose the works. She is a lovely, brilliant artist who made this possible. She is passion.
What are your personal favorites and why?
They are all my favorites. My work is about change. Energy. Life. These differ every day. That’s why I work in multiple styles.
How have folks responded to the book?
The response has been great. It’s attracted a range of fans – from as far as Australia. We had only gotten the word out on Facebook and Instagram, and we are almost sold out. This will be the first blog to cover it.
If you are interested in owning a signed copy of the book, you can contact the artist at artisticrevolution@gmail.com.
All images © Michael Alan
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Last month, Minneapolis-based artist Eric Rieger aka Hottea came to NYC with a message. Here’s what he has to say about his installation on the iconic, recently-purchased building on Bowery and Spring Street:
Can you tell us something about this specific site? What is its significance to you?
This building used to be the old Germania Bank and was built in 1898-99. Today it is no longer a bank, but a residence. For such a big building you would think that there is more than one tenant. Not the case. There is only one family living there, and that is the family of Jay Maisel. Unfortunately, this is not for much longer. He reportedly sold the property for 50 million dollars. That is quite the profit considering he bought it for around 100k. Over the years that Jay and his family lived there, they refused to clean its exterior walls. The outcome was a collage of graffiti, wheatepastes and stickers. This building is significant to me because it made me think of a different way of installing my work.
Why did you choose to install the word “UUGGHH?”
I wanted this piece to be about the recent purchase of the building and the decision to turn it into a condo development/private gallery space. I have seen gentrification taking place all over the world, and NYC is no stranger to it. There are so many iconic buildings that are lost due to the desire for “New.”
What about the process of the installation? How did you go about it? How long did it take?
The process was done in three parts. I did a lot of organizing in my hometown of Minneapolis, such as ordering lumber, reserving a moving truck, etc. The second part was gathering all the materials once in NYC and building the lettering. This proved to be much more complicated than I was expecting. Many of the supplies were hauled via the subway and once on site, there was little room to work. We used an abandoned lot, but got kicked out so we just worked in front of where I was staying. Not much room at all. The third and final part was hauling the letters on site and installing. The whole process from beginning to end took about two weeks.
What kinds of responses has your installation received?
A lot of people were curious when I was installing. They were curious as to what it meant and who it was for. I think a lot of people assume that if you are wearing a reflective vest and working during the day, that you must be doing something for a brand or for the city. This installation was done to remember what NYC once used to be. I was never able to experience it first-hand, but through images and video I was able to sense the energy and spirit behind the work being done. The reactions have been like mine. UUGGHH, not another building lost to gentrification.
And for a wonderful documentation of it all, check out this video.
All photos courtesy Hottea
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In its mission to “make the JMZ lines more colorful – one wall, one gate, one space at a time,” JMZ Walls has brought not only color, but intrigue and charm, to Broadway and Myrtle and its immediate vicinity. Here is a sampling:
Danielle Mastrion‘s homage to Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri
Photo of Claw Money by Dani Reyes Mozeson; all others by Lois Stavsky
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Dorian Grey‘s current exhibit, East Village Alchemy, takes us on a magical foray through the East Village’s 1980’s street art scene presenting a range of artworks by four of its key practitioners. Here’s a sampling:
Keith Haring subway drawing, early 80’s
Paolo Buggiani, Performance Art, Unsuccessful Attack to the World Trade Center, 1983
Ken Hiratsuka, whose intricately-carved artworks have been part of our city’s visual landscape since the early 80’s
Scot Borofsky, whose symbol-based graphics graced the walls of the East Village in the 80’s
The Dorian Grey Gallery is located at 437 East 9th Street at Avenue A in Manhattan’s East Village..
Photos of artworks 2-6 on exhibit by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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Opening this evening from 6-9pm at the Hi-Arts Gallery on 304 East 100th Street is JR’s Inside Out Mi Gente/ Oyáte kiŋ Art Project — focusing on and uniting two communities: NYC’s East Harlem and South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. Here are a few images captured yesterday while visiting the exhibit, curated by Carlos Mare:
Closer-up
And more
And outside with murals by Alice Mizrachi and Part One
Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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An innovative line of hoodies with interchangeable, collectible art-inspired hoods provides a new canvas for artists, including some of NYC’s street artists. Curious about it all, we posed some questions to Amisha Patel, the founder and CEO of Le Collektor.
What inspired you to bring the art that we see on our city’s streets and galleries to hoodies?
The outcry and public debate around the whitewashing of 5Pointz reminded me of what street art is all about. It’s such a pure form of self-expression — truly democratic in nature. At its root is a desire to be seen and heard. And while I think it’s great for artists that street art has been recognized by traditional art collectors and galleries, we wanted to find a way to bring its democratic spirit to its original fans – people on the streets. The hoodie – a streetwear classic – seemed a great way to do it.
How did you select the particular artists who are participating in this venture?
We approached it as if we were curating a group show that artists would want to attend. We wanted to showcase distinct styles that could be seen in cities around the world. We also wanted to work with artists who were on board with what we’re trying to do. Our inaugural artists – Nick Gazin, Chris Uphues, Sonni, Dru Brennan, EWOK, David R. Head, Jr. and Joseph Meloy – have been amazingly supportive, and we very much appreciate that they trust a new brand with their work.
How have the artists responded to your mission?
The artists love the idea. It gives them a direct way to connect to fans — especially those who aren’t in cities that have street art scenes. Everyone also really loves the way the hoodies turned out.
Which artists – based here in NYC – are you featuring?
Joseph Meloy, Nick Gazin, Sonni, Chris Uphues and David R. Head, Jr
How can artists join this project?
We’d love to grow our list of collaborators! Artists can email me directly at amisha@lecollektor.com
Can you tell us something about the hoodie itself? Who will be manufacturing it?
We wanted our hoodie to be the go-to so we made sure that it was worthy of the art on its hoods. It’s being made by a factory in Los Angeles that we found through our friends at Bleick Studio who work with some of the best streetwear brands out there:
Why did you launch a Kickstarter? Can you tell us something about it?
Big brands use artists’ work all the time, but we want to build our brand around the artwork in a way that it will provide artists with meaningful income directly from their fans. Kickstarter seemed the perfect platform to engage directly with artists’ fans and with the creatively-minded community we want to build around Le Collektor. It’s about bringing big ideas to life, and — really more than any other company out there — it has created a new class of everyday patrons of the arts – which is in line with our company’s mission. So far, it’s been very exciting to see all of the support and love for what we’re doing. We’re a Kickstarter staff pick, and artists have written in from all over saying they’d love to be part of the movement.
Note: You can check out and support Le Collektor’s Kickstarter here.
Photo credits: 1. Sonni on Bushwick rooftop, Lois Stavsky; 2. Sonni in the East Village, Tara Murray; 3. Sonni hood, courtesy of Le Collecktor; 4. and 5. Chris Uphues in Williamsburg, Lois Stavsky; 6. Chris Uphues hood, courtesy of Le Collecktor; 7. Joseph Meloy at Welling Court, Dani Reyes Mozeson; 8. Joseph Meloy for the Centre-fuge Public Art Project, Tara Murray; 9. Joseph Meloy hood, courtesy of Le Collecktor
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Topaz – one of the most active members of the hip-hop and 5Pointz communities – began customizing T-shirts when he was in junior high school. His most recent venture is the X-Spot, a unique space at 2 East 116th Street in East Harlem. We recently visited him and had the opportunity to speak to both Topaz and Jay, the manager of Production X.
How did you guys come up with the idea to open such a space?
We grew up together in Rego Park, Queens, and we’ve been working together for years. We’ve actually had two stores before – one in Paterson, New Jersey and the other in South Carolina. We wanted to do something different from what we’d done in the past.
In what ways is this venture different?
Our emphasis here is on providing services and maintaining a gallery. It is production-based. Although we sell graffiti art on canvases, select magazines — like the latest issue of Flashbacks — and CD’s, our space here is not primarily a store or shop.
What are some of the services that you provide?
We provide clients with all forms of graphic design — customized murals, logos, portraits, canvases, T-shirts and more.
It sounds – and looks – great! Whom do you see as your principal clientele?
At this point, it is largely the hip-hop community – rappers and entertainers. But, ideally, the general public, especially as graffiti continues to gain respect and recognition as an art form.
This is such a great location! It’s right off 5th Avenue in East Harlem and down the block from the 2 and 5 subway lines. How did you guys come up with such a great locale?
A lucky set of circumstances – as Jay’s cousin had previously worked at this location.
The artwork on display here is primarily by you, Topaz, Jerms and Treat Street NY. Are you open to other artists participating in your projects?
Absolutely. Talented and committed artists can stop by our space or drop us an email at ProductionX@aol.com or LordRoccolypse@aol.com.
Photo credits: 1. and 2. Topaz by City-as-School intern Tyler Dean Flores; 3. Jerms by Lois Stavsky; 4. Jerms, Topaz & Blone by Lois Stavsky; 5. Treat Street with Jay (X-Productions) by Lois Stavsky; 6. Treat Street, as commissioned by Derek Jeter’s nephew, by Lois Stavsky and 7. Poet, Pace, Jerms, Sav, Ice and more by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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