Public Art Projects

In Azcapotzalco, Mexico City: Tellaeche, Diana Bama, Pyska, Sego and More Mural Art

December 30, 2016

Shortly after I arrived in Mexico City earlier this month, I met up with the wonderfully knowledgeable Soylo. Passionate about the art that surfaces in public spaces — and always eager to explore and share insights into the minds that inspire it — he has been photographing graffiti and street art in his city since 2007. Among the artworks he introduced me to are a series of murals painted by Mexican artists for the project Memoria. Curated by Colectivo C, they surfaced last year in Azcapotzalco, an industrial district in the northwestern part of Mexico City. The mural pictured above is by Tellaeche, who had painted here in NYC at the Bushwick Collective. Here are several more murals inspired by the notion of Memory:

Diana Bama

To be identified

Pyska

Simply signed 7z00, a reference to the 43 missing Mexican students

And Sego who had painted earlier in East Harlem

Special thanks, again, to Soylo for introducing me to artworks I never would have found on my own!

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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At Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City: Where Ecological Awareness Meets Public Art

December 28, 2016

While exploring the streets of Mexico City earlier this month, I meandered into Huerto Roma Verde, a huge urban community garden — largely constructed with salvaged materials — in the South Roma colony. Committed to ecological awareness and sustainable consumption, it features a range of workshops and activities for folks of all ages. It is also rich and varied not only in its offerings and produce, but in its public art, as well. Here is a small sampling:

One of many art pieces on its grounds

And this one capturing its spirit–

As seen from the outside

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Vibrant Public Art In Crystal City, Virginia: Mas Paz, Juan Pineda, Jahru, Miss Chelove, Kelly Towles, Ethan Kerber & SatOne

December 26, 2016

An urban neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, Crystal City is less than three miles away from DC’s Smithsonian Museums. Thanks to its active BID, it boasts a thriving public art scene, featuring a wide variety of works in a range of styles — many painted by local DC artists. And for us street art aficionados, there is much to love. What follows is a sampling:

DC-based artists Mas Paz and Juan Pineda

Annapolis, MD-based Jeff Huntington aka Jahru

DC-based Cita Sadeli aka Miss Chelove

DC-based Kelly Towles

San Francisco-based metal artist Ethan Kerber

Munich, Germany-based SatOne

Photo credits: 1, 5 & 6 Lois Stavsky; 2-4 & 7 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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DISTRICT WALLS: Abstract Mural Art in DC by Robert Proch, Reka, Waone, Jessie and Katey, Remi Rough, Above & Jason Woodside

December 23, 2016

In early fall, Blind Whino x Art Whino brought 10 internationally acclaimed street artists to Washington DC. A melding of abstraction, fine art, graffiti and street art, their murals further enhance DC’s thriving visual landscape. Pictured above is a huge segment of a mural painted by the Polish artist, Robert Proch. Here are several more captured on our recent visit to DC:

Berlin-based Australian artist Reka, segment of huge mural

Ukranian artist Waone of Interesni Kazki

Baltimore-based Jessie and Katey

UK-based Remi Rough

Berlin-based Above, close-up

NYC-based Jason Woodside

Photo credits: 1 & 7 Lois Stavsky; 2-6 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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Richard Best aka Xxist on Baltimore’s SectionI Project

December 19, 2016

While visiting Baltimore, we met up with Richard Best aka Xxist over at the Creative Labs — a DIY incubator for artists and creative entrepreneurs housed in a huge warehouse designed from up-cycled materials. There we had the opportunity to find out a bit about the city’s SectionI Project that he had founded.

Can you tell us something about the SectionI Project? Just what is it?

It is a non-profit dedicated to utilizing urban art to enrich our lives. Among its missions is to provide artists with opportunities to produce and promote vibrant, progressive and creative forms of urban art, while serving and enriching their communities.

How do you go about accomplishing this?

To do this, we seek vacant, underutilized and derelict sites and we work on transforming them into vibrant venues and cultural centers. Among the key projects we are working on is the development of a huge urban art park in the heart of Baltimore, between Station North Arts and Entertainment District. This Section1 Urban Art Park will not only provide nearby communities with a much-needed recreational park, but also serve as a cultural center for the entire city of Baltimore.

When and how did this project first begin?

It began in September 2012, while I was enrolled in Design Leadership — a dual masters program between Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Maryland Institute College of Art. Upon graduation, I was provided with $10,000 in seed funding from Maryland Institute College of Art’s LAB Award. This seed funding was utilized to establish Section1 Inc.

This huge space we are visiting now — the Creative Labs — is a wonderful showcase for urban art — both outdoors and indoors — and provides space for artists to work, as well.

Yes. There are a range of work spaces, including those for woodworking and photography. One of our missions is to provide artists with studio space. Space of this kind is essential in meeting the growing needs of today’s multidisciplinary artists. Upon completion, the Labs will feature a wide variety of resources including a green screen, cyclorama, fab-lab, art gallery, design studios, conference room, paint booth, dark room, washout booth, art storage and over 5,000 sq. ft. of communal space.

That’s quite impressive! How do you get the word out on what you have to offer artists?

It’s largely organic. Artists speak to one another and let each other know. We also advertise on Craigslist.

What you’ve done here is quite amazing. What are some of your biggest challenges?

One of our greatest challenges has been identifying the property owners of potential spaces. It is often quite difficult to track down who owns a space.

And what about funding all of this? How do you do it?

We are always looking to expand our team by engaging talented volunteers.

On the grounds here there is work not only by local artists such as Nether and Pablo Machioli, but by international artists, as well.

Yes! And through a partnership with Urban Walls Brazil, several Brazilian artists — including Mateu Velasco and Mateus Bailon — have painted here.

How can folks contact you? To obtain more information? To visit? To become engaged in Baltimore’s SectionI Project?

They can reach me at Richard@section-1.org. They can also check us out on Instagram and visit our site online.

It’s looking great! Good luck with it all!

Note: The Creative Labs is located at 1786 Union Ave in Baltimore, MD.

Images

1. & 2. Baltimore-based Nether, close-up from huge mural on the grounds of the Creative Labs

3. South Africa-based Corban Lundborg painted inside the Creative Labs

4. Baltimore-based Pablo Machioli and Buenos Aires-based Alfredo Segatori, close-up from mural on the grounds of the Creative Labs

5. Brazilian artist Mateu Velasco on the grounds of the Creative Labs

6. Brazilian artist Mateus Bailon on the grounds of the Creative Labs

Photo credits: 1-4 & 6 Lois Stavsky; 5 Tara Murray; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky with Tara Murray

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London-Based Stik on: Magpie, the Sale of Street Art Pieces, the Upcoming Phillips Auction and Fundraising for the Community

December 5, 2016

London-based Stik — one of our favorite street artists — recently announced that he had signed, dated and authenticated an original street art work to be auctioned at Phillips this coming Thursday, December 8. We spoke to him about it:

Can you tell us something about this particular piece? Where was it first painted? And when?

This piece was painted in 2009 on the former Magpie Social Centre in Bristol, England.

What was the significance of the particular space to you at the time?

Bristol was the capital of street art at the time, and Magpie had always opened their doors to me when I took the four-hour coach trip down from London. Earlier this year, Magpie contacted me and asked me to help them raise funds to relocate after they were suddenly evicted from a building where they’d been for about a decade.

Selling artwork that had once been in a public space is quite controversial. Have you any thoughts about that?

By working directly with communities in order to manage their artworks, we are trying to preserve the true social nature of street art in a creative way that benefits that community without negatively impacting the artist. All proceeds go back to the community the artworks were painted for.

Have you authenticated other works? If so, can you tell us a bit about them?

Most of my murals have a strong social meaning and that is represented by where the proceeds are allocated. There have been two others — a satellite dish and a garage door from 2012 — that raised money for local organizations in Hackney, East London. This wooden panel from the old Magpie building will help build a new Magpie Project Space to support a new generation of artists.

Whom can folks contact if they are interested in acquiring the work?

This piece is going through Phillips London who have been very generous in their support for the sale. Lot 90, New Now Sale, Phillips London 8th Dec 2016. A log of all authenticated street pieces can be seen here

Interview by Lois Stavsky; images courtesy of the artist

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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In Baltimore: Gaia & Pablo Machioli, Decertor, Ernest Shaw, Jessie & Katey, LNY, Betsy Casanas, Nanook, Billy Mode and Michael Owen

December 1, 2016

On our recent visit to Baltimore, we revisited several older murals, discovered some newer ones and came upon some of our favorite artists at work. Pictured above is Gaia with Pablo Machioli to his left, taking a break from working on their now-completed mural for Open Works. Here are several more images that we captured:

Peruvian artist Daniel Cortez aka Decertor for Open Walls Baltimore

Baltimore-based Ernest Shaw, Jr for Open Walls Baltimore

Baltimore-based Jessie Unterhalter & Katey Truhn, close-up from huge mural for Open Walls Baltimore

Newark-based LNY / Layqa Nuna Yawar, close-up for Open Walls Baltimore

Philadelphia native Betsy Casanas for Open Walls Baltimore

Baltimore-based Nanook for Open Walls Baltimore

Baltimore-based Billy Mode at work

Baltimore-based Michael Owen, close-up

Photo credits: 1, 2 & 7 Tara Murray; 3-6, 8 & 9 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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Speaking With Travel and Street Photographer Karin du Maire

November 24, 2016

Since we first discovered Karin du Maire‘s Instagram account, we’ve been fans of her hugely impressive documentation of street art and graffiti. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with her.

We love your documentation of the current street art and graffiti scene – in NYC and in your travels. When did you first turn your lens to urban culture, particularly street art?

As a travel photographer, I developed a strong interest in urban culture in 2006 while in Rio de Janeiro photographing Passinho dancers in the city’s favelas. At about that time, I started paying more attention to the background, and I began using abandoned buildings as settings. And back here in NYC, I often combined my visits to MoMA PS1 in Long Island City with 5Pointz, where I particularly loved photographing B-boy battles.

Are you formally trained as a photographer?

No, I studied Business, and I earned an MBA degree from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. But I’ve taken courses in photography at SVA and I’ve participated in B&H’s Event Space workshops. I also ran a Twitter chat focusing on photography.

When did you first become interested in photography?

It was a passion of mine in the late 80’s and early 90’s. And then in the late 90’s, I began getting paid assignments as a travel photographer.

You’ve photographed dozens of artists at work. How have they responded to you?

In general, they’ve been very welcoming. They appreciate my photography skills and the exposure that I offer them. I always ask for permission first, and I share my photos with them. Many artists have become my friends, and it is fun to chat and watch them paint.

What are some of the challenges that you face in the work you are now doing?

Keeping up with all that is happening on the streets; wanting to capture an image when the light is wrong or when there are cars in the way, and trying to help artists by arranging walls for them.

What — would you say — is your current mission?

There is an intrinsic reward in what I am doing – documenting creativity and helping artists grow. And coming from a travel photography background, I would like to get sponsored to photograph street art in different places.

Do you have any particularly memorable experiences from your work here in NYC?

Watching Nychos paint at Coney Art Walls – his amazing raw energy as he sketched freehand.

Any favorite cities?

Rio de Janeiro and London are among my favorites.

Any proud accomplishments from documenting art on the streets?

My proudest accomplishments generally involve capturing someone in the right place at the right time. It’s the split second that makes the difference! I was so happy, for example, to meet and photograph Sebas Rivas from Córdoba in Argentina while he was sitting aside, off on his own — selling his delightful artwork – amidst all the activity at Art Basel in Miami last year.

We’ve noticed that you use your iPhone as opposed to a standard camera to capture images.

Yes. I use the iPhone to photograph just about everything that is not an assignment. Most cameras these days are good. What matters is not the camera – but the eye of the photographer… the composition, the light, the moment. In addition, iPhones are less intimidating than huge cameras. And the entire process is shorter, as I have very little editing to do.

What’s ahead for you?

I’m now off to Art Basel in Miami and I am planning to return soon to Cuba, where there is a burgeoning street art scene.

Where do you think street art and graffiti are headed?

Street art will continue to beautify our cities. It will continue to become more mainstream, and there will be more opportunities for artists. I also suspect that there will be more art activism.

Thank you! And do keep on doing what you are doing! We love it!

Images

1. Beyond on LIC rooftop

2. Meres mural in background with b-boys at 5Pointz in LIC

3. Icy and Sot in Astoria with the Welling Court Mural Project

4. Nychos at work for Coney Art Walls with Martha Cooper with camera

5. Sebas Rivas in Miami

6. Ces photographing his mural at Broadway Junction

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with Tara Murray

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Faces in NYC Open Spaces, Part XII: Werc, Vexta with Askew, Joel Artista, LMNOPI, Cern, Thiago Valdi and Leticia Mandragora

November 12, 2016

This is the twelfth in a series of posts featuring the range of faces have surfaced in NYC open spaces:

Werc in Bedford-Stuyvesant with the Open Society Foundations

Vexta and Askew in Williamsburg for the Greenest Point, one fragment of huge mural

Joel Bergner aka Joel Artista in Bellerose, Queens with the DOT

LMNOPI in Long Island City with Arts Org

Cern in Williamsburg, close-up

Thiago Valdi in Staten Island with the NYC Arts Cypher

Leticia Mandragora, Bushwick

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

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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In Pilsen, Chicago: Stinkfish, Victor Reyes, Lady Lucx, Jon Burgerman, RAE, Overunder and Gaia

November 10, 2016

Located on the West Side of Chicago, Pilsen hosts some of the city’s most alluring street art works alongside its train tracks. Featured above is by Bogota-based artist Stinkfish. Here are several more that we revisited on our recent trip to Chicago:

West Coast-based Victor Reyes