East Village

Inaugurating its New York space with a sprawling, hugely impressive exhibition of a broad range of works by the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Brant Foundation has brought the spirit of the legendary artist back to the East Village. Curated by Brant Foundation founder Peter M. Brant with Basquiat scholar Dieter Buchhart and organized in collaboration with the Fondation Louis Vuitton, the exhibition, itself, is a cause for celebration. The image featured above, “Untitled,” was fashioned by the artist in 1981 with acrylic, oilstick, and spray paint on wood, A few more images featuring Basquiat’s raw and largely irreverent aesthetic, captured at this splendid exhibition, follow:

Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown), Acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on canvas, 1983

Big ShoesAcrylic, oilstick and collage on canvas, 1983

Hollywood Africans, Acrylic and oilstick on canvas, 1983

Irony of a Negro Policeman, Acrylic and lipstick on wood, 1981

Arroz con Pollo, Acrylic and oilstick on canvas, 1981

Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump, Acrylic on canvas, 1982

The exhibition continues at the Brant Foundation, 421 East Sixth Street, through May 15. Although admission is free, reservations are necessary.

Photos of images 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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Shoot the Pump, a wonderfully engaging exhibit featuring an eclectic mix of works in a range of media by two dozen NYC-based artists, continues through November 4 at Bullet Space, an urban artist collective at 292 East 3rd Street. Curated by Lee Quiñones, Alexandra Rojas and Andrew Castrucci, it is largely a pean to the ubiquitous fire hydrant and its massive significance to the lives and minds of NYC kids. Pictured above is Pink Pump fashioned with acrylic on canvas by the legendary Lady Pink. Several more images follow:

Barry Hazard, Water Main, Acrylic on wood, 2018

Martin Wong, I Really Like the Way Firemen Smell, Acrylic on canvas, c. 1988

John Ahearn, Point Guard Renzo, Acrylic on reinforced plaster, 2018

Bobby G, Superzentrierte, Oil and aluminum paint on canvas, 1983

Alexandra Rojas in collaboration with John Ahearn, Installation; Hydrant water on oil shellac and reinforced plaster, 2018

Lee Quiñones, Trepidation, Metal cans, wood, 2018

Bullet Space is open Saturday and Sunday from 1 – 6pm or by appointment — 347.277.9841. Check here for a full list of the artists on exhibit. Most of the artists, explains co-curator Alexandra Rojas, have strong roots on the Lower East Side, as Bullet Space continues to keep its culture alive amidst the rapid changes in the neighborhood. Lee Quiñones, in fact, lived in the building where Bullet Space is housed.

Photos of artworks 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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Launched by artists and arts educators Max Frieder and Joel Bergner aka Joel Artista, Artolution is a community-based public art initiative with the goal of promoting healing and positive social change through collaborative art making. For two weeks last month, Artolution directors, Max Frieder and Joe Artista — along with members of the local community — worked with LGBTQ+ students from NYC’s Harvey Milk High School and with students facing such challenges as autism and down symdrome from the Manhattan School of Career Development. The results are remarkable!

Planning session in progress

Young artists at work

Discarded objects become not only an art installation, but musicial instruments, as well

Segment of final mural

Completed mural

A cause for celebration

The mural can be seen on 5th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues in the East Village.

Photos by Tara Murray

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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Representing a diverse range of styles and sensibilities, several new murals have surfaced at First Street Green Art Park on the corner of Houston & 2nd Avenue.  The image pictured above was painted by Bangkok native Gongkan. What follows are several more:

NYC-based Sean Slaney and Angry Red

NYC-based Ryan Consbruck aka Special Robot Dog

Queens-based Brittany

Alexandra Evans (L) and Poem One (R)

Will Power at work on LOVE YOUR SELFie

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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To the delight of us graffiti lovers, First Street Green Park has been showcasing artwork by a range of first rate, often legendary, graffiti writers and muralists. The image featured above was painted by Andre Trenier  and Zaone. What follows are several more murals that surfaced at last month’s Summer Classics Block Party hosted by DJNY Art:

Albertus Joseph and Jaylo YNN, tribute to the late Sean Price

Jeff Henriquez at work on tribute mural to the late Guru of Gang Starr

Wore IBM does Rakim

Graff masters T Kid and Doves at work

T Kid‘s completed piece

Completed Doves piece

And on Friday — September 8th — DJNY Art will be hosting “Welcome To The Lab,” a Pop Up event for Nike and Sneaker Lab at Van Der Plas Gallery, 156 Orchard Street on the LES.

Photos: 1, 2, 4, 6 & 7 Lois Stavsky; 3 & 5 courtesy Kate Storch

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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PAUL-RICHARD-GENTLEMAN (1)

Opening this evening at 212 ARTS is DRIP, a solo exhibit by the iconic NYC-based artist Paul Richard. An outstanding representational painter, Paul Richard is best known to us street art aficionados for his drip paintings that surface on NYC sidewalks. While visiting the exhibit yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak to 212 ARTS gallerist, Marc Leader.

This is such an elegantly handsome show! What spurred you to feature an exhibit of Paul Richard‘s works?

Paul has been an iconic figure in NYC culture for over 20 years. Although low-key, he is also subtly prolific. And this is his first NYC exhibit in five years.

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How did you decide which artworks to include in the exhibit?

About one year ago, Paul and I began discussing the concept of an exhibit featuring his work at 212 ARTS. Then Paul ran with it. He created a few dozen new works, and together we decided which ones to feature.

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How many are included in DRIP?

There are two dozen works of varying sizes.

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It is always a thrill to glance down to the pavement and come upon one of Paul Richard‘s iconic faces!

Yes! Even before he first moved to New York in 1997, Paul Richard recognized that people constantly scan the ground in front of them — making it the perfect place to find an audience.

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It’s great to see your gallery continue to bring a diverse range of first-rate artists — who remain active on our streets — to its East Village home. To what do you attribute its success?

It’s the passion we bring to our projects.

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Photos of artworks and interview by Lois Stavsky

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The once-dreary trailer on East First Street — where the Lower East Side meets the East Village — has again been redesigned under the curatorial direction of Jonathan Neville, Joshua Geyer and Matthew Denton Burrows. And we love it! Pictured above are Hydeon and Sticky Monger at work. What follows are several more images — some of the artists captured in progress and others of the completed pieces.

Ian Ferguson aka Hydeon and Stickymonger, as seen this past week

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Jenna Krypell

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John Exit aka scrambledeggsit at work

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John Exit aka scrambledeggsit, as seen this past week

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Grimace NYC at work

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Grimace NYC, as seen in the bright sun this past week

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Kat Lam aka Lamkat

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Photo credits: 1, 4, 6 & 8 Tara Murray;  2, 3, 5 & 7 Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from Wide Walls 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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Last Tuesday, First Street Green Park — on the corner of Houston Street and 2nd Avenue — was home to a buoyant celebration of International Hip-Hop Day. Hosted by PeepThis and organized by Anthony Bowman and Kate Storch, the event featured legendary graffiti artists, along with hip-hop and DJing pioneers. The mural pictured above was painted by T-Kid. Here are several more images we captured:

Jerms

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Doves

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Lady K Fever at work

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Andres Correa at work, to the left of Kool Kito

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Marcelo Ment — in from Brazil

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La Femme Cheri, Ree and Theresa Kim aka Resa Piece

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The crew

Hip-Hop-International-Day-artists

Other featured New York graffiti and street art legends included: Will Power, Flint 707, Nic 707, Keo, Omni and Frank Wore Croce. The hip-hop music — featuring DJ Grand Wizard Theodore and DJJS1 — was broadcast live on Damatrix Studios.

Photo credits: 1-4 & 7  Lois Stavsky 5 & 6 Tara Murray & 8 Karin du Maire

Note: Hailed in a range of media from Wide Walls 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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Under the direction of Centre-fuge Public Art Project co-founder Jonathan Neville, the once drab trailer on the south side of East First Street is continually reinvented. Here are some images from its current transformation:

Staten Island-based Kwue Molly with the Ology Collective — Col, 2ease & Ski

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Brooklyn-based Julia Cocuzza with J Mike Kuhn on her left

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J Mike Kuhn

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Ogie 

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Damien Miksza

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Check here for information on how you can submit a proposal to paint on the East 1st Street Trailer.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Back in 2008, First Street Green converted a derelict building lot at 33 E. 1st Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side into an open art space. In collaboration with NYC Parks and Partnership For Parks, it has successfully incorporated the lot into First Park.

These days, First Street Green provides a wide range of cultural activities and programs in First Park by engaging with artists, architects, cultural groups and community members. It has also become a favorite destination for us street art aficionados, as it has evolved into an intriguing outdoor gallery featuring some of our favorite artists and introducing us to others. Pictured above is a segment of a collaborative mural created during #WeSpyNY, a community workshop conducted by Swiss pop artist Santhori. Here is a small sampling of other works that were seen earlier this month:

Bosnian artist Vedran Misic

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Murrz

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Bronx-born, Copenhagen-based artist, musician and activist Peter Missing, close-up of huge mural

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Melbourne-based artist Stuart Ringholt

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 Photo credits:1-4 Lois Stavsky & 5 Tara Murray

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