Stickers

frank-lexi-Bella-Kosbe-the-best -of-the-worst

The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak, a graduate student in Museum Studies at New York University.  

This past weekend, Hanksy’s much-anticipated show, The Best of the Worst, drew hundreds of street art fans to the former Chase Bank at 104 Delancey Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Along with some of NYC’s most notable graffiti writers and street artists, Hanksy transformed the space into a NYC playground-like arena — with a skate ramp, a Chinese massage parlor and more wonderfully-engaging site-specific installations. Dozens of intriguing, overlapping pieces, paste-ups and stickers paid homage to street art, while, also, poking fun at the scene.

Miss Zukie

Miss-Zukie-

CB23 

CB23

Magda Love and Hanksy and more

Magda-Love

Meres and more

Meres-the best-of-the-worst

Russell King, Col and UR New York

Russell-King-& more

Hanksy

Hanksy-the best of the-worst

Included, too, was a rather formally installed art exhibit in the wittily-titled Gag-Osian Gallery featuring some of NYC’s most popular street artists.

Mr. Toll at the Gag-Osian

Mr-toll

El Sol 25 at the Gag-Osian

El-Sol25

All photos by Houda Lazrak; pictured in the first photo are Frank Ape, Lexi Bella and Cosbe

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Motohiro-Nezy-sticker-sticker-bomb-skulls

Researched and edited by Ryo Sanada and Suridh Hassan of Studio Rarekwai, Stickerbomb Skulls is an extraordinary collection of skull stickers certain to appeal to those of us who love street art. Ranging from the humorous to the morose, the stickers included in the newest addition to the Stickerbomb peelable sticker book series encompass an array of styles and cultures.  And as Finland’s  Micke Nikander – whose image is the first one featured in the book — suggests, the skull is the one thing we all share as it “follows us from cradle to grave.”

Micke Nikander

Micke-Nikander-sticker-skull

Colombian artist Matacho Descorp

"Matacho Descorp"

Australian artist Mike Watt

"Mike Watt"

Singapore-based artist One Two Delta

One-Two-Delta-sticker-bomb-skull_edited-2

Welsh artist Mr. Kobo

"Mr. Kobo"

Here in NYC, the Stickerbomb peelable sticker book series, published by Laurence King, is available at StrandBarnes and NobleMcNally Jackson and at the Museum of Modern Art Bookstore.

"Stickerbomb Skulls"

 Book review by Dani Reyes Mozeson; first two stickers — Run DMC & the Notorious Big — by Japanese artist Motohiro Nezu

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Following its hugely successful presence in last week’s Fridge Art Fair, The Sticker Social Club was invited to participate in this weekend’s LIC Arts Open. During the opening reception this past Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak to Cosbe, an active member of the the club, along with one of its newer members, Fling.

"Kainjune"

Tell us something about the beginnings of the club. When and how did the idea of a sticker club begin?

Cosbe: It began about two years ago.  This Is Awkward and I were looking for a way to involve more people in what we were doing, and we wanted a place where we could all meet up. Also, that was the year that Red Bull sponsored me to exhibit at the Scope Art Fair. And I wanted to have some fun with my friends before heading down to Miami for Art Basel.

"sticker social club"

DB Burkeman, the author of Stickers: Stuck-Up Piece of Crap: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art, says that one aspect of the club that he loves is that “it’s like a swap club. Not everyone can draw!” And This Is Awkward, who loves “the idea of sharing, trading and creating art that can then go out to a broader public,” suggests that the Social Sticker Club “helps to facilitate our collective need to create.” What is the purpose of the club? Has it any one goal?

Cosbe: No, it doesn’t have any one specific purpose. It’s organic and  always evolving.

"Wisher 914"

Where do club members meet?

Cosbe: That varies. We’ve met at Governors Island, at Katz’s Deli, in Dumbo…

"This is awkward"

It was originally called the Secret Sticker Club? Why the name change?

Fling: The secret is out!

Fling

How did you find out about it, Fling?

Fling: I first met Cosbe and Wisher 914 when they were painting at Welling Court. We then ran into each other again at Comic Con.

Ryan-Roi-sticker-social-club-LIC-Arts-Open

What keeps you coming back?

Fling: I’ve met so many great people, and I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with artists such as Cosbe, CB 23, Roycer and Abe Lincoln, Jr.

"Abe Lincoln. Jr."

About how many members does the club have?

Cosbe: Somewhere between 50-60.

Baser

What’s ahead? 

Cosbe: More stickers, more shows and more interesting places to meet. We’re also working with Bomit to organize something on a large scale that involves other cities.

"Sticker Social Club"

You guys have been quite a hit here in Long Island City – both at the Fridge Art Fair and at the launch of the LIC Arts Open.  Your installation is amazing, and you’ve worked so hard. You are also so welcoming.  Everyone is invited to create a sticker, share it and sell it. yungmoonshine, who met up with you guys at this space during the Fridge Art Fair last week, reports that she now has not only “a space and materials to make stickers,” but “also new friends to share materials and make stickers with.”  What has this experience been like for the two of you?

Cosbe: It was more than I had expected. I’m grateful to StreetArtNYC for making it possible.

Fling:  It’s been a great learning experience. I’ve learned so much – how to build walls, curate, install…

You can visit the Social Sticker Club today and tomorrow — from 12-6pm — at 525 46th Avenue off Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City.

LIC Arts Open

Photos: 1. Kaijune by Rachel Fawn Alban; 2. SSC at “LIC Arts Open” reception by Rachel Fawn Alban; 3. Wisher 914 by Rachel Fawn Alban; 4. This Is Awkward by Lois Stavsky; 5. Fling by Lois Stavsky 6. Ryan Roi at LIC Arts Open reception by Lois Stavsky; 6. Abe Lincoln, Jr. by Lois Stavsky; 7. Baser collage by Lois Stavsky and 8. SSC at “LIC Arts Open” reception by Lois Stavsky

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Located at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City — just minutes from Manhattan — the Fridge Art Fair has much to offer us street art aficionados. Here’s a sampling:

John Matos aka Crash presented by Dorian Grey Gallery

Crash

Cosbe

Kosbe

Deps1

Deps1

Cody and Youth Waste

"Cody and Youth Waste"

Alone One with the The Sticker Social Club aka the Secret Sticker Club

"Alone dfm"

The Sticker Social Club aka the Secret Sticker Club  — under the curatorial direction of Cosbe

"Secret sticker club"

Conceived by Eric Ginsburg, whose portraits of pets are on display at the fair’s Dorfman Projects booth, the Fridge Art Fair  — now in its second year —  presents an eclectic array of art in all media and styles. It continues through Sunday with live art and performances throughout, as well as pets for adoption today and tomorrow!

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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This is the fourth in a series of occasional posts showcasing sticker art that surfaces on an array of NYC public surfaces:

Screwtape’s homage to Army of One

Screwtape

Skullphone goes small

Skullphone

One of Kosby‘s many musings

Kosby

Fling’s curious creature

Fling

RAE’s lovable, zany character

RAE

Faust‘s calligraphic handstyle

Faust

Milwaukee-based RealAbstract‘s magnetic sticker

"Real Abstract"

CB 23’s now-iconic character in the rain

"CB 23"

Zato’s much-loved fellow

Zato

And for those stickerheads who’d like to participate in the upcoming Sticker Nerds 3, organized by the inimitable Skam Sticker, the deadline to get your slaps in is this Friday, March, 14th.  Send them to Sticker Nerds 3, Post Office Box 13492, Portland, Oregon 97213.

sticker-nerds-3

Photos of NYC sticker art by Lenny Collado, Dani Reyes Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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This is the third in a series of posts showcasing NYC’s stylish stickers that surface on an array of public surfaces:

UK artist, Paul Insect 

Paul Insect sticker

French artist Franck Duval aka FKDL in Bushwick, Brooklyn

FKDL sticker

The ever-present Crasty

Crasty

See One in downtown Manhattan

See One sticker

Baser sticker collage in Chelsea

Baser sticker collage

 Shepard Fairey aka Obey

Shepard Fairey sticker

SkinTone on Manhattan’s Upper West Side

skintone-street-art-sticker-in-NYC

Reka in downtown Manhattan

Reka sticker

2Esae in Chelsea, Manhattan

2Esae sticker

Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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Featuring a wondrous array of sticker art from first-rate handstyles to images of alluring women, SLAP: Adhesives and Egos, a DIY Sticker Exhibition opened this past Wednesday evening at Con Artist Gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Here are some images from the exhibit that continues through April 3 at 119 Ludlow Street.

Lady Millard

Lady Millard sticker

Luv1

Luv1 Sticker Art

Choice Royce

Roycer sticker art

Lady Aiko

Lady Aiko sticker art

WKST

WKST sticker

Shaina

Shaina sticker art

Klops

Klops sticker art

Amongst Thieves

Amongst Thieves sticker

Serp 

Serp sticker art

And from Wednesday evening’s opening party

Con Artist Gallery

Opening Party at Con Artist

Check us out on Facebook next week for more sticker images from the exhibit.

Photos by Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky 

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This is the second in a series of posts showcasing NYC’s stylish stickers that surface on an array of public surfaces:

Tokyo native Lady Aiko

Aiko street art

NYC-based Read

Read sticker

Harlem-born artist and curator Choice Royce

Choice Royce

Chicago-based Don’t Fret

sticker

The ubiquitous KA and MTK 

KA and MTK

Jos 1’s signature style

Jos 1 stickers

Zato’s character in one of his many poses

Zato sticker

 Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky

 

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Boasting first-rate hand styles, cunning commentary and intriguing characters, the stickers that surface on NYC streets are among the best anywhere. Here is a brief sampling:

Australian born painter and installation artist Anthony Lister

Anthony Lister

First-rate hand stylist(s) Aidge and Serch

Aidge

Queens-based artist, curator and educator Alice Mizrachi aka AM

Alice Mizrachi

One of Curly’s playful statements — though usually handwritten

Curly

Brooklyn-based artist RAE

RAE

NYC’s prolific Katsu

Katsu

The legendary NYC-based artist Billi Kid in collaboration with the Russian-born graphic designer and illustrator Street Grapes

Billi Kid and Street Grapes on sticker

 Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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Speaking with Kosby

January 31, 2013

Kosby-in-Brooklyn-NYC-studio

We’ve been huge fans of Kosby since his stickers and paste-ups began gracing NYC’s public spaces a number of years back. Since, his artwork has surfaced in galleries and is currently on view at the Woodward Gallery Project Space.

When did you first become interested in art?

I have been drawing since I was a kid.  I was lucky that my mom loved what I was doing and bought me comic books to encourage me. My mom also taught me to accept people for who they are. I think that shows in my art.

When and where did you first start hitting the streets?

I started in Chicago between 1993 and 1994, and I began bombing buses. Then I met DREL and he introduced me to street bombing.

How did you guys meet?

He sat on a bench – next to me in church — and I was drawing a graffiti character on a piece of paper.  He was intrigued and we kicked it off. He went as Drel of KMD, BTC and MOM Crew. He also got me to do my first fill-in. He said if I did it at a specific spot on Fullerton Avenue – a particularly busy and dangerous one — I would be set, established as a graffiti writer. And I did it.

Kosby-red-bull-artwork-winner

How did your family react to the whole graff thing?

I’m sort of the black sheep of my family.  Ironically, though, graffiti saved my life. Logan Square — where I grew up — was gang-infested, and graffiti was a pass. When gang bangers stopped us, we explained what we were up to and they mostly left us alone.

Respect to the writers! Are you trying to get a specific message across with your work?

No specific message, but I like to be brutally honest. When I was younger, I was often isolated and shy because my family moved around a lot. Today, I’m more open. And that’s difficult for graffiti writers, as we usually play the whole smoke and mirrors game. But I like to be honest about who I am. I struggle with that in my art.

From where do you get your ideas?

My head. I have worked with plenty of people like Sure RIP, Overconsumer and Wisher914. Sure inspired me and prodded me to get better. And I’ve always liked what Cost and Revs were doing. Their poetic messages seem spontaneous and off the head. I ran away from home when I was younger to California and that’s when I was exposed to Mike Giant, Twist, Reminisce and Revok.

Kosbe-street-art-in-Bushwick-NYC

Have you collaborated with any artists?

I’ve done work lately with Cekis, Zato and Crasty. And I have a ton of homies I would like to collaborate with.

Tell us something about your process.

I care less about how something looks and care more about the act of doing it. I did a tribute piece for Nekst RIP recently on a rooftop.I was thinking about how he would never get a chance to paint again, I didn’t like how the piece was turning out, but it was just about doing it. I like having fun and I hope that translates through the work.

What materials do you like to work with?

Anything…spit. ink. markers, vintage paper, cloth.  The other day I tagged with Montana refill paint, mistaking it for an acrylic paint marker.

Have you any favorite artists?

I am a fan of Abstract Expressionism. Some of my favorite artists include: Robert Rauschenberg, Chuck Close, Espo, EKG, Michael Allen Alien, Dee Doc, Anthony Lister, L’amour Supreme, Suck Lord and Rammellzee.

Kosby-street-art-at-Woodward-Gallery-Project Space

Have you ever been arrested?

Yes. I was often bailed out of jail by mom. She always worried about me when I stayed out past my curfew. Even though my disposable cameras – that I stole to shoot my work — were confiscated at the time of my arrest, I always got them back in time to get a flick of my mom bailing me out. ‘sorry, Mom.

What are some of your other interests?

I love photography, spending time with my friends and girlfriend and exploring the city.

How has your work evolved?

I’ve never been a good judge of my work. I am actually dangerous with it because I can’t tell when a particular piece of work is done. I keep drawing on it and drawing on it. I’m more interested in people’s reactions to it. I believe I’ve gotten looser and more chill. I don’t like the trendy. I have been careful not to lose that looseness to my work. It’s really a balance I’m looking for.

What do you think about the graffiti and street art divide?

I don’t think there is a divide. It’s a culture within a culture. I’ve seen street artists going over graffiti not knowing what they were doing. If you’d like to learn the proper etiquette, call me at 1 (800) GRAFFPRO.

Kosby-portrait-in-studio

What do you think about the Internet in all of this?

It’s good. It’s such a part of our mass culture.

Do you see any danger in Internet oversaturation?

Sure. There should be a “Get off the Internet Day.”  I often put messages like this on my stickers, like “Don’t Use Your Cell Phone Day.” I usually use the Internet in the morning when I check out www.theworldsbestever.com. I’ll be checking out StreetArtNYC.org from now on too. But that’s it.

How do you feel about your work being shown in galleries?

I love to share my art; it makes me happy. I like to stand next to people at galleries as they check out my art. I like getting their honest response to it.

When you’re not getting up on the streets, where do you tend to work?

It’s changed over the years. My mom gave me my first studio. For a while, my kitchen served as my work space, and I had collectors call me wanting to see my work. I said, “Of course, just come to my kitchen.” I’d say I’m in a better space now.

Kosby-studio-artwork

Who do you follow these days?

I’m looking at Lois Stavsky, as well as Martha Cooper, Angelo from Doyle Auction House, Royce Bannon, Brooklyn Street Art, Alex Emmert, SuckLord, who’s a major mentor, and Simeon from Art Hustle.

What do you see yourself doing in the next five years?

Chilling with my family and friends, enjoying a nice glass of wine, while we laugh with some purple kicking it back with my boy, Lenny.

‘sounds cool!

I want to say thank you to StreetArtNYC for being so supportive of NYC artists and to Lois for being so positive. And don’t forget, guys, to check out the StreetArtNYC app!

Interview by Lenny Collado; photos by Dani Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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