Walls

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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With their seductive colors and striking styles, the graffiti that surfaces in Gefafe, Madrid always tantalizes. The image featured above was fashioned by Tras, CZB. Several more images that I captured while graffiti-hunting in this southern Madrid city follow:

Rikams and Riser

Nak2, MKC 

Rojas

Seka and Rojas

Yenis

NKS

Okas Oner

Photos: 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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From her strikingly expressive stickers and wheatpastes to her distinctly alluring mural art and paintings, Eye Sticker creates a wonderfully diverse range of visually seductive artworks. I was delighted to recently have the opportunity to interview the talented artist.

When and where did you first get up?

It was in 2020 on the streets of the Village, where I was living at the time. I put up a sticker of an eye. That was the first time I ever shared anything in a public space.

What inspired you to do so?

It was something that I’d always wanted to do. And during the pandemic, I finally had the time to do it. I love street art, and I wanted to be part of the scene.

And why an eye? What inspired that?

Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica inspired it. I was drawn to its eye.

Have you any preferred surfaces?

I love smooth surfaces – as smooth as possible – in high traffic spots. I like hitting the Williamsburg Bridge

Would you rather work with permission or without it when you’re out on the streets?

Without it! I love making art anywhere, but if what I’m doing is legal, it doesn’t feel like street art.

Does any specific work you shared on the streets stand out to you?

My most meaningful one was the Trump troll wheatpaste. I designed it back in 2020. It was the biggest street art piece I’d done to date and getting it out there made me feel like a real street artist.

What about experiences or encounters while getting up? Have you any particularly memorable ones?

Yes! I was about to put up a new piece at Freeman Alley late at night when a homeless woman with luggage approached me. Something about her terrified me. I started to run and she ran after me. I then tried to distract her by pointing to the sky. I said, “Hey, look at that!” She did and I quickly made my escape!

Do you prefer working alone or with others?

I generally like to work alone, but I like collaborating with other artists on stickers. Among the artists I’ve collaborated with are Chris RWK and ButtSup.

Have you exhibited your work in gallery settings? If so, where?

Yes! I’ve exhibited in several places. Among them are: 17 Frost, Artel, All Street, The Glass Box Gallery, 188 Allan Street and One Art Space.

Have you any particular cultural influences?

Urban architecture and urban life, in general, are my biggest influence. I used to work as an architect.

How do you feel about the movement of street art and graffiti into galleries?

I like it! It gives me an opportunity to meet new people who have similar sensibilities.

And have you any feelings — positive or negative — regarding the engagement of graffiti and street artists with the corporate world?

I have no problem at all with it, so long as what is being promoted aligns with my values. It’s great for artists to get to do what they love to do and get paid for it!

How does your family feel about what you are doing?

They’re my biggest fans.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

100%. I also work as a designer.

Have you any other avid interests?

Vegan food.

How do you feel about the role of social media in this scene?

I hate that we artists need to engage with it.

Have you a formal art education? If so, do you value it?

Yes. I studied Architecture at Shenkar College in Tel Aviv. And I do value it because it helped me develop a good sense of design.

When you paint murals – as you’ve begun to do recently – do you work with a sketch-in-hand or just let it flow?

I work with a sketch, but I would like to be more spontaneous.

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece? 

Yup! I won’t stop working on it until I am.

How important is commercial success to you at this point in your career?

At this point it isn’t important. Right now my focus is on gaining experience.

Are there any particular challenges that you’ve had to overcome these past few years?

Yes. I was sick with Lyme disease for over two years. It affected every aspect of my life, including my art. It made my art darker.

As an American/Moroccan/Israeli artist, how have the recent events in the Middle East impacted you?

It took me over a month to overcome the initial shock as to what happened in Israel on October 7. My entire body was in a state of shock. And once the reality had set in, I felt I had to get a message out on the streets. Inspired by the kidnapped posters I began seeing taped onto all kinds of surfaces, I designed my own featuring a real baby who had been kidnapped – covered by a strip of tape. I then began posting them in public spaces.

What’s ahead?

More solo shows and more large murals. It’s been wonderful to paint on the streets here in Downtown Brooklyn and to have the opportunity to engage with passersby who have shown me so much love!

Note: You can find out more about Eye Sticker and visit her shop here.

Eye Sticker interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with Rachel Alban and edited by Lois Stavsky

Photo credits: 1. 6, 7 & 8 Lois Stavsky; 3, 4 & 5 courtesy Eye Sticker 

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