Street Artists

Last weekend — as the Bushwick Collective presented its 13th Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party — a wonderful array of local, national and international artists shared their talents and visions with us. The captivating image featured above was painted by the masterly Chilean native artist Claudio Picasso aka CP Won. Several more images that we captured follow:

The delightfully versatile Carson DeYoung aka Deps One

The ever-clever gifted nomadic artist and designer Never Satisfied

The ingenious Peruvian native artist Sef

Sef captured in action

The legendary South Bronx-based Puerto Rican artist Sandro Figueroa aka Sen2

The indefatigable Bushwick Collective founder and curator Joe Ficalora to the left of Queens-based artist madvaillan

Photo credits: 1-4 and 6 Lois Stavsky; 5 & 7  Ana Candelaria

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On Thursday May 15, Woodward Gallery held an elegant reception at the Down Town Association, 60 Pine Street, for 12 in 24. Presenting an intriguing array of artworks by 12 artists — all working in distinct styles — 12 in 24  continues through July, 2024.

The image shown above features Cosby, along with his first-born son, standing in front of his 2022 work Soft Spot. Fashioned with acrylic and mixed media on acrylic panel, it is representative of Cosbe’s raw, instinctive, signature aesthetic.

In addition to Cosbe— who is well-known to many of us street art aficionados — several other artists who have made their way onto public space are celebrated in this exhibition. What follows is a sampling:

The wonderfully talented BK Foxx, “Featherweight,” 2016, Freehand spray acrylic on linen

The late, legendary Richard Hambleton, “Sunset in Studio Valley,” 1985, Acrylic on canvas

NYC-based painter and muralist Jose Aurelio Baez, “Winter Bouquet,” 2023, Acrylic and wallpaper on canvas

The wonderfully versatile Moody, “From the Ground Up,” 2021, Enamel and high gloss acrylic on wood

Wide view of the elegant gallery space 

And the delightful “12 in 24” opening night

You can visit the exhibition through July by appointment (Art@WoodwardGallery.net) or view it on online at Artsy here.

Photo credits:

1-4 Lois Stavsky; 5-7 Courtesy Woodward Gallery 

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The following post is by guest contributor Kristy Calabro 

On May 15, I attended the opening reception for the wonderfully inventine NICK WALKER | A PORTRAIT OF A VANDAL. Continuing through the summer at 685 Third Avenue, the exhibition features a delightful series of works on canvas and on paper — largely referencing Nick Walker‘s iconic vandal.

Faceless, concealed subjects, all enveloped in an air of mystery, abound. Among these are tantalizing variations of  the bowler-hatted “Vandal” — reputedly his alter-ego.

A particular highlight of the exhibition is Nick Walker‘s beloved “Vandal Child,” sporting a ski mask and clutching a spray can in each hand, inspired by a photo of the artist’s daughter.

A pioneering stencil artist, Nick Walker has been enriching urban landscapes from London to New York City, from Honk Kong to Paris and beyond for decades. Produced by DK Johnston with support from BGO, NICK WALKER | A PORTRAIT OF A VANDAL presents a rare opportunity to view the legendary artist’s remarkable talents in another setting.

Post and photos submitted by street art enthusiast, arts writer and photographer Kristy Calabro and edited by Lois Stavsky

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On October 7, 2023, 27-year-old Haifa-based art student and graffiti writer Inbar “Pink” Haiman aka The Pink Raven went down to the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel to serve as a volunteer. While there, she was kidnapped — along with dozens more partygoers — by Hamas terrorists riding motorcycles and armed with knives. On December 16, her family was informed that she was dead and that her body was still in Gaza. Approximately two weeks later, a huge group of artists celebrated her all-too-brief life in a painting session in Tel Aviv.

The image featured above is a portrait of Inbar painted by the hugely talented Dudi Shoval. Several more images that we captured while visiting the site last month follow:

Stylemaster Logikal 

Street artist and painter Tru Amta

Graffiti writer and muralist Hami Art

The distinctly gifted Solomon Souza

Multidisciplinary artist Aviva Charles aka Ladybug Art

Artist, arts educator and tour guide extraordinaire Dina Segev

Unidentified artist

Photo credits: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 6 Sara Ching Mozeson

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While there are only a limited number of legal murals in Bratislava, the streets of the Slovakian city teem with unsanctioned tags, graffiti bombs and motley urban interventions. What follows is a small sampling of what we captured on our recent visit to this captivating city:

Cork, Ireland native Fin DAC

One of several stenciled messages

French artist Cart’1, segment of larger mural

Local artists Daor & Dano

One of many several elegantly crafted tags

Poland-born, UK-based TANKPETROL

One of many distinctly stylish graffiti bombs

Photos: Sara Ching Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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Calle Libre, an urban art festival founded in 2014, has since brought dozens of luscious murals to the streets of Vienna, Austria. The brightly hued mural pictured above was painted by the Colombian artist Ledania for Calle Libre Festival 2023. Several more alluring murals painted for Calle Libre that we captured on our recent visit to Vienna follow:

Berlin-based Ju Mu for Calle Libre Festival 2021

Vienna-based Frau Isa for Calle Libre Festival 2023

Uruguayan artist AlfAlfA for Calle Libre Festival 2017

French artist Mantra for Calle Libre Festival 2017

The Weird Crew — comprised of German and Austrian writers — for Calle Libre Festival 2016

Italian artist Luogo Comune, “Entropy”  for Calle Libre Festival 2023

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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The streets of Budapest’s seventh district teem with a huge range of urban art. The brightly-hued image featured above — painted by the Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel — is a tribute to the Spanish diplomat Ángel Sanz-Briz, who saved the lives of thousands of  Hungarian Jews during the Second World War. Several more images of public artworks we captured in Budapest follow:

Neopaint‘s rendition of the Rubik Cube, invented by Hungarian native Ernő Rubik

Mosaic mural titled “Hesztia” created by Budapest-based artist Hegedűs Márton

A recreation by Szine Varos of the 50-year-old classic LGT Bummm! album cover originally designed by the highly acclaimed Budapest artist Kemény György

Hungarian artist and ALL CAPS COLLECTIVE member Gergely Void

  Budapest-based Balogh Attila for Tereza, a Mexican restaurant in Budapest’s  sixth district

One of many charming wheatpastes by the nomadic qWeRT

Photos by Lois Stavsky and Sara C. Mozeson

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We returned last week to revisit the treasure trove of graffiti in an a Illescas, Spain abandoned lot that we’d discovered by chance last year. In addition to discovering some pieces that weren’t visible to us then, we came upon some newer pieces, including the one featured above. Several more follow:

Pichação and more

Color amidst the ruins

Marian and more

Burning in Illescas

Raek and Soker

Oca Rubinho, Raek and more

Photos by Sara C. Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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While visiting Brussels last month, we discovered a treasure trove murals by 20 different artists, all members of the  Propaganza collective. Commissioned by the municipality of Ixelles, the murals — collectively known as the Boondael Project — add flair and intrigue to the long wall behind the STIB tram depot in Ixelles.

The calligraphic mural pictured above painted by the masterful Brussels-based artist Solo Cink, who discovered the art of calligraphy in his travels. Several more artworks from this striking 2020 public art project follow:

Antwerp-based classically-trained artist Dzia

Brussels-based visual artist Dake 25

Belgium-based multidisciplinary artist Matthew Dawn

Brussels-based artists Samuel Idmtal & Orlando Kintero, portrait of Pierre Rabhi, French writer, farmer, and environmentalist

Belgium-based contemporary artist Defo

The largely elusive, beguiling Belgium-based artist million.16cts

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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Back in 2019, Amsterdam Street Art organized a street art festival, If Walls Could Speak, that produced ten captivating murals painted on a row of large apartment buildings in Platanenweg in East Amsterdam. We had the opportunity to visit these hugely impressive murals while in Amsterdam earlier this month. The alluring image featured above  — representing Amsterdam’s free spirit — was fashioned by Netherlands-based Niels van Swaemen and Kaspar van Leek, known collaboratively as  Studio Giftig. Several more murals painted during this groundbreaking street art festival follow:

German artist Case Maclaim

Australian artist Smug One

UK-based Dan Kitchener

  Netherlands-based Sjem Bakkus & IVES One 

Netherlands-based Leon Keer

German artist HERA of Herakut

Photo credits: 1 Sara C Mozeson, 2-7 Lois Stavsky

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