Street Artists

Ron English Brings His Vision to the Legendary Houston & Bowery Wall

April 18, 2015

Yesterday famed artist Ron English brought his vision to the legendary wall on Bowery and Houston. We are thrilled that this space is once again serving as Downtown Manhattan’s most exhilarating, rotating, outdoor canvas.

The artist and his mural — to be further enhanced — featuring his iconic Temper Tot and his take on the American flag

Ron English‘s wonderfully sardonic commentary on it all

Another close-up

Note: Ron English continues to work on his mural on Houston and Bowery; he is to begin painting it today, further enhancing his amazing work!

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Brooklyn Is the Future to Open This Evening at the Vazquez in Bushwick: N Carlos J, Chris Soria, Eelco, Marc Evan, Savior Elmundo, Ben Angotti, Rob Plater, LMNOPI and many more

April 17, 2015

Featuring an awesome array of outdoor and indoor murals, along with a range of smaller works in different media, Brooklyn is the Future opens this evening at the Vazquez at 93 Forrest Street in Bushwick. Here is a small sampling of what I saw when I stopped by yesterday.

Brooklyn is the Future curator, N Carlos J at work.

Chris Soria at work

Eelco at work

Marc Evan at work

Savior Elmundo, close-up

Ben Angotti, close-up

Rob Plater

The two-weekend long exhibit and charity event opens this evening at 6pm.

Photos by Lois Stavsky; the first photo features LMNOPI

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NYC’s Stylish Trucks & Vans – from the Whimsical to the Wild, Part XII: Cern, CashRFC, Keely, Cone, YNN, NME, Frank Ape and more

April 13, 2015

This is the twelfth in a series of occasional posts featuring the diverse range of trucks and vans that strike our streets.

Keely, Deeker…

YNN

Photo Credits: 1 Tara Murray; 2, 3, 6 & 7 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 4 Lois Stavsky; 5 Houda Lazrak

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Speaking with Brooklyn-Based Artist N Carlos J

April 9, 2015

Fusing elements of graffiti, painting, drawing and graphic design, N Carlos J creates masterful, atmospheric works both on and off the streets. He is particularly interested in the unconscious as it reflects our inmost emotions. We recently met up with the Brooklyn-based artist and had the opportunity to speak to him.

You have quite a presence in Bushwick and beyond these days — painting murals, organizing projects and now curating. Can you tell us something about your background?

I attended Art & Design in the 80’s, and I was around graff heads all the time back then. Like just about everyone else there, I got up when I could.

Do any early graffiti-related memories stand out?

The first time I tried to spray my name, I ended up covering my entire hand with Krylon paint. It was impossible for me to wash it off, and I knew I had better before my mother would see it.

I suppose your mom wasn’t too happy about what you were doing!

She wasn’t. She thought I was crazy!

Did you continue to study art in a formal setting?

Yes. I attended F.I.T., where I earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. But soon after, I took a 15-year break from art.

Why was that?

I was married, and I felt pressured to earn money.

But these days you are back into it.

Yes, 100% of my time now is devoted to art. When I’m not doing my own art, I am organizing projects, working on commissions or teaching art. And I am busy now curating an exhibit to open next Friday.

Now that art is playing such a central role in your life, do you feel that your formal art education was worthwhile?

Absolutely. It taught me discipline, and it helped me master technique and color theory.

Any thoughts on the graffiti/ street art divide?

I feel that they must coexist. It is a conversation that we must have.

What do you see as the future of street art?

Street artists are going to continue to treat themselves more like businessmen.

Yes, I can see that happening. But that’s a whole other conversation! How do you feel about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries?

I love it!

Have you shown in galleries?

I’ve participated in many group shows and I’m working on two solo exhibitions for fall, 2015.

What about the corporate world’s engagement with graffiti and street art? How do you feel about that?

If it pays well enough, I have no problem with it.

What about the role of the Internet in this scene?

It is a blessing and a curse. It gives us exposure, and that is, of course, a good thing. But it makes it too easy for others to steal styles and ideas from us.

How would you describe your ideal working environment?

Painting outside on a summer day with hip-hop music blasting.

What inspires you these days?

Listening to music by Kendrick Lamar or CyHi the Prynce inspires me. And reading excerpts from books like A Tale of Two Cities or The House of Rothschild gets me in the right space.

Are there any particular cultures that you feel have influenced your aesthetic?

American pop culture, but Renaissance and post-impressionist painting have also influenced me.

What about artists? Who are some of your favorite artists?

Among those I particularly love are: Borondo, Connor Harrington and Alexis Diaz

Do you work with a sketch in your hand or do you let it flow?

Sometimes I work with a sketch, and sometimes I don’t.

Are you generally satisfied with your work?

No! I am a perfectionist.

How has your work evolved in the past few years?

I tend to more freely fuse figurative and expressionistic elements.

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

The artist is the keeper of the flame. We are what moves this planet.

What’s ahead?

I’m currently curating, Brooklyn is the Future, a huge, two-weekend long exhibit and charity event to open next Friday, April 17, at the Vazquez at 93 Forrest Street in Bushwick. Among the three dozen participating artists are: Damien Mitchell, Eelco, Ghost, Li-Hill, Mr. Prvrt, Rocko and Rubin. The artists are asked to envision the future of Brooklyn metaphorically or literally. I am also curating a show called Good Times Bushwick for Bushwick Open Studios opening on Friday, June 5 at Express Yourself Barista. It will include a gallery show, outdoor murals, along with a day party and a barbecue.

Wow! It sounds great! Good luck with it all!

Interview by Lois Stavsky with Houda Lazrak

Photos: 1 and 3 (close-up of panel for Brooklyn is the Future) courtesy of the artist; 2, 7 & 8 Lois Stavsky; 4 & 5 Dani Reyes Mozeson and 6 Tara Murray

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Keith Haring: Heaven and Hell at Skarstedt in Chelsea through April 18

April 8, 2015

Unlike so many of Keith Haring‘s playfully iconic works that exude a child-like innocence, the huge works on exhibit in Heaven and Hell largely suggest an eerie darkness and unfettered eroticism. Here’s a sampling:

Wide view of two untitled works, 1984

Untitled, 1985

Untitled, 1984

Heaven and Hell remains on exhibit at Skarstedt at 550 West 21 Street through next Saturday.

Photos of images: 1, 4 and 5 City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; 2 and 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson. Note: First photo is a close-up from the huge mural below it (R).

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Silent Music on NYC Streets: Zeso, Andre Trenier, Kingbee, Pose2, Chemis, Meres, Slone, See TF, Shiro, Manny Vega, Sonni and more

April 6, 2015

In an eclectic range of visual styles and themes, music makes it way to NYC walls. Here is a small sampling:

Zeso, close-up from huge mural in Bushwick

Andre Trenier, lead artist, in the Bronx

Kingbee, Pose2 and Chemis in East Harlem

Meres, Slone, See TF, Shiro, IZK and more in Bushwick

Close-up

Manny Vega in East Harlem

Sonni in Bushwick

Mike Brown on the Lower East Side

Unidentified artist in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Photo credits: 1, 2, 5 – 9 Lois Stavsky; 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 4 Tara Murray

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Magda Love: From Buenos Aires to Brooklyn

April 3, 2015

Argentine artist Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love shares with us some of her early experiences and impressions of NYC in this second in our series of interviews with artists born abroad who have made NYC home.

When did you first visit New York City?

I first came here in 2000 with a bag and $300. My uncle had paid for my ticket.

What was your initial impression of this city?

I wasn’t impressed! I was raised in Buenos Aires, a similarly large city. And large cities don’t move me that much. I’m far more impressed by nature. And I always thought of Europe as far cooler than the United States, as Europeans seem to value culture more than Americans do. London seemed like the ideal place to live because I was into fashion at the time.

Why, then, did you decide to stay in NYC?

Just about everyone was telling me that NYC is the place to be, and then four months later, I was married.

How did your family feel about your move?

My mother was very supportive. She raised me to be independent. She, herself, is very adventurous.

What were some of the challenges you faced when you first came here –before you were married?

My biggest challenge was finding a place to live. When I first arrived, I called a friend I’d met in Argentina and I spent my first two weeks in her place on Roosevelt Island. There was a huge snowstorm at the time. I can’t forget that! I had never seen snow in Buenos Aires. I then worked in a hostel on 106^th Street and Central Park West in exchange for a place to sleep. After that, I just crashed in lots of different spaces, wherever anyone had a spare bed.

That must have been difficult.

Yes, I remember spending an entire night on a computer in Times Square checking for possible rentals. For a while I ended up renting a room in Alphabet City. It was in the Projects on Avenue D. I didn’t even know what the Projects were. And there I was — walking around in a fur coat! And as my Spanish is so different from that of the people living in the Projects, I could barely communicate with anyone. And, of course, dealing with paper work that any newcomer to the US has to deal with is always a challenge.

How did you meet your basic expenses early on?

I first worked in a coffee shop, and then I worked as a bartender. I also sold some clothes I’d made to Patricia Field. Back in Buenos Aires, I designed fashion.

Have you encountered any prejudice here?

Not here in NYC. Living in this city is like living in a bubble. But when I’m with my son – who is biracial – outside of NYC, I do feel prejudice.

How has your artwork evolved or changed since you moved here?

It changes all the time. I feel that I’ve grown tremendously. Being around so many talented artists – especially those who paint on the streets — exposed me to so much. It has helped me develop different techniques.

Have New Yorkers been receptive to your artwork?

Yes. I’ve been fortunate.

What would you like to accomplish here?

I’m eager to paint a huge wall. I want to collaborate with some of my favorite artists. And I’d love to have a solo show. Actually, my goal is to conquer the world!

What do you miss most about your native country?

I miss seeing my brother’s kids grow up and I miss the countryside.

Do you see yourself living here on a permanent basis or returning to your country?

I’m here to stay!

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky and City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; photo credits: 1, 2, 5 & 7 Zachariah Messaoud; 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 4 Tara Murray & 6 Lois Stavsky

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RAE on the Loss and Retrieval of his Trunk in Trunk Work

April 1, 2015

On exhibit through April 19 at 34 1/2 Bayard Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, RAE’s brilliantly idiocyncratic Trunk Work celebrates the retrieval and contents of RAE‘s trunk from his former Brooklyn studio, while chronicling the events related to its loss and rescue. Graphically and conceptually engaging, Trunk Work wittily defines the mood and culture of the Brooklyn environs that housed RAE‘s trunk, as it showcases a range of RAE’s rescued and new works.

For four years, you couldn’t gain access to your trunk. What exactly was inside it?

Various artworks, notebooks, sketches, implements and a range of personal items.

How did you lose access to it?

I had been maintaining a studio in a Flatlands, Brooklyn apartment building. But as a result of tenant complaints, I was forcibly removed. Barred from entering the building, I had no way to retrieve my trunk.

What kinds of complaints might these tenants have had?

They didn’t like my taste in music; they complained that it was too loud. And the noise from my art practice bothered some. Finally, when a microwave I was using to melt some materials exploded, the landlord decided that he’d had enough of me.

How did you finally retrieve your trunk?

This past August, cracks were discovered in the building’s facade and the entire building was evacuated. Amidst the chaos of it all, I was able to retrieve my trunk from what was once my studio.

We’re so glad you did! What a story! And what an amazing recreation of it all!

In true RAE fashion, Trunk Work is far more than an art exhibit; it is a totally immersive experience. Set in a Chinatown basement at 94 1/2 Bayard Street, right off Mulberry, it continues through April 19, Thursday-Sunday (except for Easter) from 1-6pm.

Photos 1-3 and 5 by Lois Stavsky; 4 by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Street Art Prankster Hanksy Brings The Best of the Worst to NYC: Frank Ape, Lexi Bella, Cosbe, Miss Zukie, CB23, Magda Love, Meres, Russell King, Col, UR New York, Mr. Toll, El Sol 25 and much more

March 30, 2015

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

CB23

Magda Love and Hanksy and more

Meres and more

Russell King, Col and UR New York

Hanksy

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