Walls

Fusing the wild style graffiti style he had mastered while growing up in Denmark with a contemporary fine art sensibility, Mikael B creates sumptuous murals, characterized by bold shapes and mesmerizing colors. He was recently invited to paint the exterior of Art Share L.A., a nonprofit organization that supports Los Angeles-based artists by providing a creative environment for them to live, work, develop, perform and exhibit. Pictured above is one side of the huge 9,300 sq. ft space. Several more images follow:

The artist at work on one segment of the mural

And here on another segment

While taking a moment’s break

The completed project

Photos courtesy of the artist

You can follow the artist on Facebook here and on Instagram here.

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Hundreds of intriguing characters swarm the streets of Athens. Those pictured above were fashioned by Barba Dee, RKuan and Dreyk the Pirate. Several more follow:

Dimitris Dokos

Anna Dimitriou

N Grams

Enas Kanenas

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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From Sonke‘s droopy-eyed ladies to Lotek‘s socially conscious troublemakers, dozens of girls have found a home on Athens’ walls. The image pictured above was fashioned by Athens-based Sonke Wia. Several more follow:

Athens-based stencil artist Lotek

Athens-based, Polish native Dimitris Taxis

Athens-based Refur

Athens-based Antonis Hambas

The prolific Athens street art pioneer Achilles

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Featured above — in this second post documenting the range of faces that have surfaced in Athens public spaces — is the work of the noted Greek artist Ino. Several more seen last week follow:

Athens-based Achilles

Unidentified artist(s)

Athens-based Exit

Montreal-based Waxhead

Athens-based Neid

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Teeming with intrigue, the streets of Athen, Greece showcase a range of gritty, authentic artworks. Few surfaces remain untouched! The image pictured above was painted by the prolific Athens-based Achilles. Several more images of faces encountered last week follow:

Also by Achilles

Athens-based Atek

Spanish artist Borondo

Maz

Note: This is the first of several post on Athens street and graffiti.  Special thanks to Vassia of Alternative Athens and to my StreetArtNYC Instagram followers for introducing me to this city’s vibrant street art scene and identifying the many artists whose works grace these streets.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Whereas street art makes its way onto a range of public surfaces in Tel Aviv, it is far less prevalent in Jerusalem.  But hidden alleyways and spaces off the main roads, along with Mahane Yehuda — Jerusalem’s marketplace — host a range of intriguing pieces. The image pictured above was fashioned by Haifa native Maayan Fogel. Several more images I recently encountered while wandering the streets of West Jerusalem follow:

The itinerant Jerusalem-based Elna of Brothers of Light   

Brazilian artist Manoel Quiterio

The prolific British-Israeli muralist Solomon Souza

Solomon Souza‘s rendition of  Amar’e Stoudemire — as seen at the Mahane Yehuda Marketplace, as it was closing

Random installation in the art-friendly Nachlaot neighborhood

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Rarely bare, Tel Aviv store shutters largely host a motley range of characters. The shutter featured above was fashioned by Kristopher Kotcher aka Frenemy, a freelance illustrator and street artist from Austin, Texas currently based in Tel Aviv. Several more TA shutters, showcasing a variety of images, follow:

Haifa-based visual artist and graphic designer Erezoo

Tel Aviv-based visual artist Roee Shachar Jakubinsky aka B.T.W Binksy

Be’er Sheva-native, Tel Aviv-based visual artist Wonky Monky

Tel Aviv-born and based illustrator and street artist Dora Suger Minks

Tel Aviv-based illustrator and street artist MitzGZR

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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For the past month Brooklyn-based Sara Erenthal has set up base in Tel Aviv. What follows is a brief interview with the intensely committed multi-disciplinary artist:

What brought you to this region? 

It is where I was born, where I had left my religious upbringing and where, six years ago, I had my first art exhibition. And for the past several years, I’d wanted to return to share my art with the ex-Orthodox community and participate in the vibrant, expressive street art culture here.

Can you tell us a bit about the difference between “getting up” here and back home in Brooklyn?

There is more  freedom of expression on the streets here, and because I’m here for a limited amount of time, the experience has been far more intense.

What have been some of the highlights of this trip?

Visiting and painting in Bethlehem, my first time on the “other side,” and having the opportunity to exhibit my artwork here at the Red House Shapira in South Tel Aviv. And the amazing feature article in Haaretz by Tamar Rotem was, also, a highlight.

Can you tell us a bit your exhibit “Re-Cover” here at the Red House Shapira.  How did it happen? 

Shortly after I arrived in Tel Aviv, I visited the Red House Shapira, a unique space — housed in a historic building — known for its commitment to promoting diversity in the arts. There I met Oren Fischer who invited me to showcase an installation of new works created from found materials in the neighborhood.  My intent was to mirror the diversity of the neighborhood in a unified fashion, while giving new life to discarded matter.

What were some of the challenges you faced in making this happen?

The major challenge was the short period of time I had in pulling it all together. Both Tamar Rotem and Max Streetwalker offered me assistance in the logistics of collecting the varied materials and bringing them over to the studio. I am so grateful to them for their help. And, of course, I could not have accomplished this without the studio space that the Red House Shapira provided.

Congratulations! I look forward to seeing your work in similar installations in other cities, including, perhaps, NYC!

Note: “Re-Cover” can still be seen tomorrow, Sunday, from 11:00 to 17:00; Monday 12:00 to 19:00 and Tuesday 10:00 to 19:00 at the Red House Shapira, Israel MiSalant 39 in Shapira, Tel Aviv.

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky

Photo credits: 1 & 2 Lois Stavsky; 3 Yonatan Ruttenberg and 4-6 Sara Erenthal

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This is the second in a series of occasional posts showcasing the range of faces that surface in Tel Aviv public spaces.  The image pictured above was painted by Tel Aviv based artist Daniel Liss aka Monkey Rmg. Several more that I’ve recently spotted follow:

Shahaf Ram aka Jack TML

Yarin Didi

 Tel Aviv-based Itamar Paloge aka Faluja at the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station 

Tel Aviv-based Ana Kogen at the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station 

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Located just steps away from Israel’s controversial “Separation Wall,”  Banksy‘s Walled Off Hotel claims to offer the “worst view of any hotel in the world.”  That may well be, as the mammoth wall, even when covered with art, remains ugly and a sore reminder of the imbalance of power in the region.  But the hotel’s interior is a visual delight. Splendidly curated, it is also a fascinating foray into the roots of this 100-year, seemingly endless, conflict.

What follows  are several images captured from the hotel’s meticulously maintained lobby — or piano bar :

A variation of Banksy‘s iconic flower thrower

Banksy‘s take on the Biblical verse, “The lion shall lie down with the lamb”

A statue warding off tear gas

The following documentation of the struggle is among the exhibits on view off the lobby

And alongside the hotel, a friendly Wall-Mart, where graffiti supplies, stencils and a motley array of items can be purchased:

Curious as to what local residents think about it all, I spoke to 30-year old Naji, who grew up in a nearby refugee camp. He had the following to say: When Banksy first came here over ten years ago, I welcomed him  Some people here didn’t. They felt any attempt to “beautify” the wall trivializes its impact on our lives. Tourists come and go, but we have to look at it forever. But I, myself, feel grateful to Banksy, because he has brought attention to our cause. When people visit the wall to photograph it, they see how high it is, and they can get a sense of what our lives are like living under martial law. And my advice to the artists who come to paint here is: Get to know us first. You need to connect to us, as we feel disconnected from you. As far as The Walled Off Hotel, I’m of two minds. On one hand, it doesn’t represent my culture. But I like that it attracts visitors from all over the world and and that Banksy continues to employ many Palestinians.

The museum and art gallery are open to non-residents every day from 11am – 7:30pm.

Note: The second floor of The Walled Off Hotel is home to a gorgeous exhibit, curated by Dr.Housni Alkhateeb Shehada. of works in a range of media and styles fashioned by contemporary  Palestinian artists.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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