Within the last month ArtBattles local champion, Cernesto, and European ArtBattles champ, El Niño de Las Pinturas, have painted — to our delight — huge murals in the East Village and in Soho.
Cern‘s completed mural in the East Village
El Niño de Las Pinturas, completed mural in the East Village
El Niño de Las Pinturas, close-up in the East Village
Cern in Soho
El Niño de Las Pinturas in Soho
Photos: 1-3 & 5-6 Tara Murray; 4 Lois Stavsky
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Committed to healing and transforming communities by beautifying the urban landscape, Wall\Therapy has brought dozens of magical murals to Rochester, New York. Here are a few we discovered on our brief stopover last week:
Montreal-based Omen
Italian artist Peeta
West Coast-based Troy Lovegates aka Other
Tel Aviv-based Know Hope
Rochester’s own Mr Prvrt
West Coast-based Sam Rodriguez
Brazilian artist Binho
And kicking off this Friday, July 17, is WALL\THERAPY 2015 featuring an extraordinary array of artists including NYC-based Li-Hill, Vexta and Daze.
Photos: 1,2, 4-6 Lois Stavsky; 3 & 7 Sara C Mozeson
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With its extraordinary array of wonderful artworks crossing styles, genres and cultures, Rochester’s abandoned subway tunnel is a graffiti hunter’s dream. Here’s a small sampling of what we saw last weekend, while making a few stops in Upstate New York:
Brazilian artist Eder Muniz
Chris Pape aka Freedom and Taro AAK
Special thanks to Fresh Paint NYC for introducing us to this space.
Photos: 1 with segment of Roa piece, 3 & 4 Sara C Mozeson; 2, 5 – 7 Lois Stavsky
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Penned by London native David Sharabani aka Lord K2, Street Art Santiago is a fascinating foray into 14 neighborhoods within Santiago, Chile. With his stunning photography and revealing conversations with the artists, the author presents us with an intimate, striking portrait of an historic capital city. I recently had the opportunity to meet with David and ask him a few questions.
Street Art Santiago is quite amazing. When did you first start documenting street art?
It was in 2012. I was on vacation in Bogota, Colombia, and I was struck by the texture and quality of the pieces on the walls there.
You’ve been quite passionate about public art since. I’m a huge fan of your site the Museum of Urban Art. What other cities have you explored?
I’ve also photographed street art in Buenos Aires, São Paulo and here in New York City.
Why did you choose the street art in Santiago as the subject of your first book?
I discovered so many distinct styles that I loved, many representing the rich political and social history of the city. And I also felt a special bond with the Chilean artists whom I met. They love to share walls, and they love to collaborate. They invited me to paint with them, and they are extraordinarily humble.
You have a formal education in art. Did what you see on the streets impact your work as an artist?
Yes, after a few months in Buenos Aires, I was inspired to learn how to do stencil art. And I’ve been doing it since!
What were some of the challenges you faced in producing this book?
I was working with an inexpensive pocket camera. I was new to graffiti and street art, so I lacked any credibility. My knowledge of Spanish was limited. And I didn’t have a clue as to how to publish a book.
You seem to have brilliantly overcome these challenges. What’s next?
I’m off to Thailand at the end of the month where I will be documenting another kind of art, the art of Muay Thai, Thailand’s principal spectator sport.
What about street art? Any other books on the way?
Yes, my next book will focus on the street art in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
That sounds great! Good luck with it all!
Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky
Photos: 1 Piguan 2 Piri 3 Salazart 4 Piguan, Piri & Guztok 5 Grin, Cubdos, Derik & Sick 6 Brillos Graffiti Crew 7 Jony
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Busy last week in the lovely backyard garden of SoHo’s Henley Vaporium were Gilf! and LMNOPi — two Brooklyn-based activist artists — collaborating on a mural in tribute to Kalief Browder. When we stopped by, I had the chance to speak to Gilf!
It’s wonderful to see the two of you working together. How did this collaboration come to be?
When Kimyon Huggins, the curator of the Secret Garden Series, hit me up to paint a mural, I immediately thought of LMNOPi.
Yes, it seems like such a natural collaboration. How did you decide on the subject of this mural?
My work has recently focused on the kinds of issues and injustices related to the case of Kalief Browder. And since LMNOPi is such a wonderful portrait painter with a strong social and political consciousness, I thought we would work well together.
What — would you say — is the intent of your art?
The only reason I make art is to change the world.
And what is it about Kalief Browder‘s story that has triggered your work?
What happened to Kalief is, sadly, not unique. And it is outrageous. Yet, many people aren’t aware of these kinds of widespread injustices. Kalief was incarcerated at Rikers Island at age 16 for three years for a crime he never committed. Two of those three years were spent in solitary confinement. Eventually his case was dismissed. This past June, Kalief Browder committed suicide by hanging himself.
What would you like people who see the mural that you have fashioned with LMNOPi walk away with?
I would like them to question what happened and demand justice.
Yes, what happened to Kalief is such a blatant, horrific injustice. We certainly need to raise awareness of the need for radical change within our prison system.
Note: The mural will be unveiled this Saturday, July 11, at Henley Vaporium‘s backyard garden at 23 Cleveland Place, between Spring and Kenmare Streets, in Soho. The event is free and open to the public — with a BBQ and DJs — from 2-10pm. There will be a Q+A with the artists and curator at 7:30 pm.
Interview with Gilf! conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky.
Photos: 1 & 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2 & 4 Tara Murray
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We love the way discarded and found objects — or fragments of them – are transformed into public art. Here’s a small sampling:
RAE BK in Manhattan
Jim Power aka the Mosaic Man captured at work in the East Village
Fragment from a pole fashioned by Jim Power
Michael Cuomo in the Bronx
Unidentified artist on the Lower East Side
Photos: 1, 3-5 Lois Stavsky; 2 Dani Reyes Mozeson
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Featuring over two dozen beautifully-executed murals representing a diverse range of artistic styles, Coney Art Walls is a cause for celebration. Here are a few images captured this weekend.
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh pays homage to the long-time residents of Coney Island
Roa, close-up
Curated by Jeffrey Deitch, Coney Art Walls is located at 1320 Bowery Street off Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island. And on Sundays — through September 6 — a curated summer music series and dance party happening takes place from 5pm – 11pm.
Note: First image is of mural by Lady Aiko. Keep posted to the StreetArtNYC Facebook page for many more photos of Coney Art Walls.
All photos by Lois Stavsky
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Currently gracing the walls of Graffiti Universe up in the Bronx is a range of styles from photorealistic portraiture to stylish graffiti. Here is a sampling of the work fashioned by both international and regional artists:
Italian artist Jorit does the legendary TAKI 183
Vins and Signl, EOS
Norwegian artist Stay One, KD
Graffiti Universe is located at 2995 Boston Road in the Allerton section of the East Bronx.
Note: First image is by London-based Trans1
Photos by Lois Stavsky
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The Centrefuge Public Art Project made its way to Staten Island this past spring, bringing color and intrigue to Wave Street off Bay, a short walk from the ferry. Among the works are these:
ChrisRWK and Kwue Molly
And great news — especially for us Manhattanites — is that the Centrefuge Public Art Project‘s 17th cycle of murals is currently underway on the trailer at First Street and First Avenue.
First photo is of image by Erin Kelli
Photos: 1, 3-6 Lois Stavsky; 2 Tara Murray
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Always a showcase for NYC — mostly veteran — writers, the always-rotating walls off the 1 train on 207th Street and 210th Street increasingly host artists from abroad. Here is a sampling of what was sighted this past week:
London-based Trans1
London-based Noir
NYC-based veteran writer Ree
Bronx-based veteran writer Rocky184
Veteran writer Keon1, mgs gnd
Legendary Bronx-native T-Kid
Photos 1-5 and 7 by Lois Stavsky; 6 courtesy of Keon1
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