With their vibrant colors and seductive styles, the rotating walls in Hackensack’s Union Street Park tantalize. Pictured above is T-Kid. Here are a few more captured yesterday:
Jew BT
Abe BT
Photo credits: 1, 5 & 7 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2-4 & 6 Lois Stavsky
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DDG’s 100 Franklin Street in Tribeca is now the site of a new massive mural by JR, the internationally acclaimed Parisian artist. The image is an enlargement of a photo that was originally taken in Ellis Island in 1908 and was featured in JR,’s Unframed — Ellis Island exhibit.
Installation in progress
With assistant Joshua B. Geyer taking command
The completed installation, as seen this past weekend
This same wall was the site of JR’s 100-foot ballerina, one of our favorite street art pieces of 2015. The following video by Jesse Whiles documents its transition:
We especially appreciate the new mural — and its reminder that we are a nation of immigrants — at a time when so many are seeking refuge from catastrophic events throughout the globe.
Photo credits: 1 Courtesy DDG; 2-4 Tara Murray
Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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Few Lower East Side spots are as tantalizing as the Essex Street Market. With its rich array of delicacies, it’s been one of our favorite haunts for years. And now with Gera Lozano‘s artwork gracing both its exterior and interior, it’s even more inviting! I recently met up with Lauren Margolis of the Lower East Side Partnership who gave me a bit of an update.
We love the the Essex Street Market‘s new look! What inspired the makeover?
With the development of the nearby Essex Crossing, the Essex Street Market was experiencing less foot traffic. Many people, in fact, didn’t realize that the Market was still open and functioning. We wanted to boost its visibility.
You certainly seem to have accomplished that! We street art aficionados were introduced to Gera Lozano‘s aesthetic largely through the murals she has painted with WERC in Brooklyn and Queens. We are delighted to see her work surface here. How did you decide which artist to commission for this project?
Natalie Raben, who oversaw the 100 GATES Project, was familiar with Gera’s work, and suggested that we bring her abroad for this project. And Gera was quite excited about this project when we approached her.
What about the design? How was that decided? What considerations went into it?
We were seeking an attractive, eye-catching design that represents the range of vendors at the Essex Street Market.
How have folks reacted to this transformation?
They love it. The response has been so positive. People have been commenting on it, posing in front of it and posting images it on Instagram!
What’s ahead for the Essex Street Market?
In 2018, it will be moving into the ground floor of Essex Crossing. All of the existing vendors will have a new home, and there will be space for additional vendors. Delancey Street Associates, the developer of Essex Crossing, will cover the cost of the move.
I’m glad we have Gera’s artwork in the meantime! And we look forward to seeing the art that is certain to surface there!
Note: The Essex Street Market is open Monday through Saturday, 8:00am to 7:00pm, Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm. The Market also houses Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space that is open Tuesday – Sunday from 12-6pm.
Photo credits: 1 & 5 Tara Murray; 2-4 Lois Stavsky; interview with Lauren Margolis conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky
Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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With his outstanding sense of color, style and design, Tracy 168 achieved legendary status early on in the most significant art movement of our time. The personification of wild style and the first writer to hit the subways with cartoon characters, the prolific artist wielded tremendous influence. On reviewing Tracy 168‘s work on exhibit back in 1999, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times art critic Holland Cotter had the following to say: “Tracy offers an astounding variety of styles, from 3-D to space-age spiky to Cubistic. He floats out words on cushions of colors, and ties them up in unreadable knots, festooned with tendril-like flourishes.”
When did you first get up?
I first got up with a crayon on a wall in my house when I was four years old. I remember drawing a tortoise and a hare. I lived across from the Bronx Zoo, and I always heard the sounds of animals from my window.
What about the streets? When did you first hit the streets? And the trains? When did you first hit them?
In 1969 when the Mets won the World Series, I first hit the streets. And I tagged my first train the same year. I was 11.
What inspired you to do so?
I loved the sense of adventure…the adrenalin rush. I envisioned myself as a Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn. And I loved seeing my name on the trains.
Had you any favorite spots?
I was all-city, and I loved painting anywhere with people whom I loved. But my favorite spots were New Lots Avenue and Utica Avenue on the IRT line in Brooklyn. Any train I painted there would run right away, and so I didn’t have to hang around too long to see my piece pass by.
What about crews? Did you get up with any crews?
I founded the Wanted crew. It was one of the largest crews ever, and just about anybody who was anybody of worth was in that crew. It represented Wild Style.
Had you any early role models or inspirations?
My mother, my grandfather, Jack Stewart, Michael Stewart… Michael Stewart gave his life so that others would live. After his death in 1983 — and the trials and investigations that ensued — the police were somewhat afraid of treating writers so brutally. We are the true prophets…
Any particular risky ventures stand out?
I was always wild, always doing dangerous things.
How did you support yourself back in the day? What was your source of income?
In the late 70’s, I began to create all kinds of art-related jobs for myself — painting storefronts, memorial walls, murals… I was the first writer to do that kind of thing. I also worked in an advertising agency. Jack Stewart taught me about copyrights and trademarks. He was a true mentor. He told me real stories — not the ones from Fantasy Island.
Your work has been shown in all kinds of settings across the globe!
Yes! I’ve been in museums and galleries all over the world. I was always breaking boundaries, Here in NYC my work has been exhibited in dozens of spaces including the New York Historical Society, the Brooklyn Museum and NYU.
I remember seeing your work at the Brooklyn Museum back in 2006.
Yeah! When I came by, I made some adjustments to my canvas with a paintbrush. That didn’t go over well with the security guards. They got the curator of the exhibit involved, who insisted that I couldn’t change anything, since it had already been photographed for their catalog.
Did you have a formal art education?
My education is hands-on.
How do you feel about the role of the Internet in this scene?
It can be used as a tool — if you know how to read the truth.
What’s your ideal working environment?
Anywhere outdoors. Even when I paint canvases, I like to paint outside.
What inspires you these days?
My main inspiration is to express myself and grow as an artist in a world that is reluctant to see me as one.
Are there any particular cultures that have influenced your aesthetic?
Every culture. NYC is a melting pot, and I’m in the center of it painting.
Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?
I’m not done until I’m happy. As long as I’m alive, I can improve on it. But it must have meaning and exude positivity. Otherwise, why bother?
A few years back you were reported dead. What was that all about?
If I hadn’t died then, I wouldn’t be alive now. It had to happen. When I vanished, I saw the world going in the wrong direction. This art form can save it.
How has your work evolved in the last few years?
It’s constantly evolving. This movement is to art like jazz is to music. It’s a fusion of styles and cultures that knows no boundaries. It is a universal language. And the message of Wild Style is “Be yourself. Find out what your talent is and get good at it.” I love everyone, but I will not surrender the truth and lose my integrity.
Photos: 1, 6-8 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4 & 5 courtesy of the artist; 3 Flint Gennari; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky
Note: Photos 7 & 8 were captured from Tracy’s current black book; special thanks to Flint for the introduction!
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This is the 19th in an occasional series of posts featuring images of girls — and women — who grace NYC public spaces:
D*face in Manhattan
Pixel Pancho in Manhattan
Commodore in Brooklyn
Faring Purth with Thievin’ Stephen in Brooklyn
JR in Manhattan
Photo credits: 1 & 3 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 4 Tara Murray and 5 Dani Reyes Mozeson
Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
Note: This blog will be on vacation through July 8. You can follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.
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This is the tenth in a series of occasional posts featuring images of children that have surfaced on NYC public spaces.
BK Foxx with JMZ Walls in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Joe Iurato and Logan Hicks at the Bushwick Collective
Ernest Zacharevic — based on photo by Martha Cooper — in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Swoon in Red Hook, Brooklyn
Long-running Cekis in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Rubin 415 and Joe Iurato with the Welling Court Mural Project in Astoria, Queens
Photos 1 Courtesy of John Woodward; 2-4 Tara Murray; 5 Dani Reyes Mozeson and 6 Lois Stavsky
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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Recently released by Dokument Press, RUBIN NEW YORK SCANDINAVIA is a stunning survey of Rubin‘s distinct abstract and geometrical artworks that are rooted in traditional graffiti. With dozens of images documenting Rubin‘s journey — from Sweden, where he grew up, to NYC, where he is now based — Rubin New York/Scandinavia offers an overview of the works of an exceptional artist, who has brought a singular beauty to our NYC landscape.
The book’s succinct text by Björn Almqvist introduces us to Rubin’s experiences as a child of Finnish immigrants who made their way to Sweden in search of work. The alienation that Rubin felt among Swedes, along with the stark grey concrete walls of the housing complex that enveloped him, were calls to pick up a can and make a mark.
Inspired by Scandinavian design, Rubin has developed a unique aesthetic that uses geometrical, symbols in lieu of letters. With his splendid craftsmanship and unique aesthetic, he transforms the gritty language of graffiti into his own distinct expression that is as effective on the streets of the South Bronx, as it is inside a church yard or on the outside of a Manhattan boutique.
Rubin New York/Scandinavia also provides us with a handsomely curated survey of Rubin’s studio work that has been increasingly making its way into galleries.
Rubin New York/Scandinavia is a splendid ode to a distinctly wonderful artist. Its NYC release took place last month at WallWorks, where the artist’s works remain on exhibit through June 29th.
Images
1. & 2. Brooklyn, 2014
3. Brooklyn, 2014
4. Gothenburg, 1989
5. Brooklyn, 2015
6. Gallery nine5, 2014
Photo credits: Tony “Rubin” Sjöman and Mika Tuomivuo; all photos courtesy of Dokument Press; book review by Lois Stavsky
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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The most riveting graffiti spots are those we almost never discover on our own. Located in tunnels, abandoned buildings, rooftops and hidden passageways, they tend to host some of the most creative, innovative writing — from tags to pieces — to be found anywhere. We recently had the opportunity to visit such a spot — the SGK Pit — in Newark, New Jersey and speak to Torch Fuego who has established an office there.
Can you tell us something about this spot! What an amazing oasis of creativity and escape from it all!
It was founded over 25 years ago by several Old School writers, and it quickly became — largely under the direction of SGK crew founder Syko — a key spot for writers to practice and learn from one another.
And what does SGK stand for?
Style, Gifted, Knowledge…and more!
Who were some of the writers who frequented it? Were they all locals?
Among the NJ writers were: Syko, Rime, Carmelo “Snow” Sigona, Teck and Lesk — who made me an SGK member. But folks also came from other places. Bom5 used to come down from the Bronx.
How and when did you discover the SGK Pit? And what was your first impression of it?
Baye took me there when I was about 15. I thought, “Wow!.” I couldn’t imagine that such a place existed.
Do any particular memories stand out?
The few graffiti battles that turned into brawls…lots of parties…and the first time I saw the deer and red foxes that also call this spot home.
And just what is your role here now?
For several years it had been abandoned. But it has recently been revitalized. And — together with Zew — I basically maintain it. I keep it tidy. I make sure the walls are clean. I introduce new members to old heads, who can pass down knowledge to them. Basically, I want to maintain it as a “practice sanctuary.” And as Syko handed down the torch to me, I feel a huge responsibility.
That seems like quite a responsibility and quite a bit of work!
Yes! I’ve sacrificed my day job for this. But it’s worth it!
No doubt!
Note: You can meet Torch at a special event today — Saturday — from 1-6 pm at Shorty’s. And tonight — starting at 11pm — Clearport Events will host a graffiti after-party at Port-O-Lounge, 286 1st Street in Jersey City, to benefit The Artchitectz, a program that teaches youth creative skills. Check out Torch’s Instagram for additional info.
Photo credits: 1, 3 & 4 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 5 Tara Murray; photo two features work by Lesk, with Erizl to his left; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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We recently had the opportunity to speak with writer and photographer Yoav Litvin about 2Create, his ongoing project and upcoming book on creative collaborations.
We love your recently launched 2Create Facebook Page and Group. Can you tell us something about the concept behind 2Create? What is its mission?
The aim of 2Create is to study and promote teamwork and fellowship as it showcases the art of collaboration. Folks tend to place far more emphasis on competition than on collaboration. But so much more can be accomplished if we work together.
Yes! We tend to glorify individualism, particularly in the West.
And my point is that when two people create, it is greater than two. 1 + 1 is not 2, but something more. The duo is the basic unit of a collective. And we need to look at forming collectives as a means to solve our societal problems.
One of your initial projects, related to this larger one, is your upcoming book, 2Create: Art Collaborations in New York City. Can you tell us something about it?
Yes. It will be released by Schiffer Publishing this fall. It showcases the works and processes of nine pairs of NYC graffiti and street artists. Each duo consists of two artists whose unique styles came together to create a larger-than-life work of street art in a NYC neighborhood. The book focuses on the backgrounds, techniques, and collaborative processes of the featured duos.
What spurred you to produce this particular book? What was your impetus behind it – in addition to promoting the concept of collaboration?
There were a number of factors. I was interested in expanding the documentation that I began in Outdoor Gallery New York City by getting to know more of my favorite artists – like Cekis and Rubin. But most of all, it was a project that enabled me to further develop myself as an artist by integrating my background in psychology, my passion for progressive politics and my respect and love for graffiti and street art in NYC.
What were some of the challenges that you faced in the process?
Identifying artists who could work well together and produce first-rate artwork was the initial challenge. I also had to gain their confidence and access to their relationship so that they would speak freely about the process. And some of the artists were quite shy – which was an additional challenge. And, then, for some of the works I had to secure walls, materials and more.
What’s ahead for 2Create? Where are you going with it?
I want to continue documenting and interviewing duos that work together in a wide range of scenarios: visual arts, dance, music and more!
How can we become engaged with your project? Can we contribute to it?
You can Like the project on Facebook and share your own collabs and connect with others here. You can also follow it on Instagram and on Twitter.
It sounds great! And what a wonderful concept!
Images
1. Dasic Fernandez with Rubin 415
2. Icy and Sot
4. ASVP
5. Jilly Ballistic with Al Diaz
6. Alice Mizrachi with Trap IF
7. Logo design by Dan Michman
Photos © Yoav Litvin; Yoav in conversation with Lois Stavsky, Tara Murray and City-as-School intern Sol Raxlen
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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This is the second in our series of NYC couples that were spotted around town. Pictured above is Dasic Fernandez as seen at the Bushwick Collective. Here are several more:
D*Face at the Bushwick Collective
Mr. Nerds at the Bushwick Collective
Jorit Agoch and Leticia Mandragora in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Faith 47 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Sipros, as seen earlier this year at the Bushwick Collective
Photo credits: 1-3 Tara Murray; 4-6 Lois Stavsky
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
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