fine art

Speaking with Onur Dinc

May 29, 2013

We discovered the wonderfully talented Onur Dinc while he was painting over at 5Pointz during his recent visit to NYC. We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak to him before he returned to his home in Switzerland.

Your artwork that has surfaced here at 5Pointz is exquisite. Have you a formal art education?

I apprenticed as a painter in my late teens. Then I studied set-design for four years in Solothum and graphic design for another three in Basel.

And when did you begin sharing your talents in public spaces?

Five years ago. That’s when I met Wes21 and KKade of the Schwarzmaler collective

We’re so glad you guys met! How do you feel about working outdoors in the public sphere?

It’s great. I love it, and I love meeting the many people who stop by.

How does your family feel about what you are doing? Are they supportive?

At first my parents didn’t encourage me. They were quite concerned. My dad, who had emigrated from Turkey to Switzerland, worked in a factory his entire life and felt uneasy about my not having a steady job. But these days, everyone in my family is proud of me and supportive.

What is your principal source of income these days?

Selling canvases and prints.

What about exhibits? When did you begin exhibiting your work in galleries? And where have you shown it?

I began six years ago when I was 27. I’ve exhibited in all of Switzerland’s major cities and in Germany.

Who are some of the artists who have inspired you?

The late Swiss painter, Ferdinand Hodler, and the contemporary Australian artist, Jeremy Geddess, come to mind. The American painter and photographer, Chuck Close, and the people around me — like Wes21, Schwarzmaler, Jörg Müller and Rodja Galli — have also influenced me.

What about artists getting up in public spaces? Have you any favorites?

I think Roa is wonderful. His skills are remarkable.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in all this?

There’s too much information out there. There’s lots of dope work, but there’s also too much trash.

Any thoughts about artists — particularly street artists – working with corporations and brands?

I’ve done it, and I don’t like it. I often felt like I was selling myself.

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

I see the artist as society’s commentator and conscience, as well as its mirror.

What’s ahead?

I’d like to continue doing what I’m doing now. Painting both in my studio and in public spaces, exhibiting and traveling.

Good luck and we are eagerly awaiting your next visit to NYC.

Photo of Onur and Wes21 at work by Lenny Collado; all other images are courtesy of Onur.

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Gorey and Paris’s PAL Crew on Lower East Side Streets and at Klughaus with Sunday Closing Party

May 17, 2013

The French NYC-based artist GOREY and Paris’s prolific PAL Crew, consisting of HORFE, CONY, TOMEK, SAEYO, MOSA, ESSO and SKUB, have brought their expressive aesthetic to the streets of the Lower East Side and to Klughaus’s pop-up location at 154 Stanton Street. A closing reception for the exhibit PALINGENESIS — that showcases the artists’ rebirth as evolving fine artists — will be held this Sunday, May 19 from 2-6pm.

On the streets — at Suffolk and Stanton

Close-up from huge mural on Attorney and Delancey

Gorey in the gallery

Photos from the streets by Lois Stavsky; image of Gorey in the gallery courtesy of Klughaus

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JR and José Parlá at Bryce Wolkowitz and on Chelsea Wall

May 13, 2013

We love JR and José Parlá’s The Wrinkles of the City, Havana not only for its exquisite beauty, but also for the artists’ mission. While in Cuba last year, JR and José Parlá’ interviewed dozens of senior citizens, whose portraits made their way onto Havana’s walls. Twelve of them featuring JR’s masterful photos fused with José Parlá’s stunning calligraphy can be seen through July 12 at Bryce Wolkowitz in Chelsea. Here are a few from this must-see exhibit:

Man with Can

Elio Milanés

Rafael Lorenzo and Obdulia Manzano

Alicia Adela Hernandez Fernández

And a close-up from huge outdoor mural featuring the regal Leda Antonia Machado

Also outstanding is a short, moving documentary on view at the gallery at 505 West 24th Street in Chelsea.

Photos of images by Lois Stavsky

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Speaking with Saber

May 2, 2013

Back in 1997, Saber achieved legendary status as a writer when he completed the largest graffiti piece ever created. On the bank of the Los Angeles River, it was almost the size of a professional football field. Since, he has achieved great acclaim for the works that he has also created indoors – his mesmeric paintings that fuse his extraordinary calligraffiti techniques with his fine art painting skills. While visiting his current exhibit at Opera Gallery the day after it opened, we had the opportunity to speak to Saber.

When did you first get up in a public space?

I was around ten years old when I tagged a bench in Glendale, my home town. I got scared and I wiped it off. I did this about ten times.

What inspired you at the time?

The first time I saw Belmont tunnel, I was blown away by its complex wild styles.

What about shows? When did you first exhibit your work?

Back in the late 90’s in a terrible t-shirt store.

You’ve sure have come a long way. How did you hook up with Opera Gallery?

Through Ron English. We’ve been good friends for about ten years.

Do you have a formal art education?

I tried art school briefly and soon realized what a waste of time, money and energy it was. It’s a scam. I got a crash course in art doing graffiti. Graffiti informed me. And my parents are artists. I was always painting.

Any thoughts about the graffiti/ street art divide?

I love it all. Street art is more accessible and graffiti is about style and getting up. Your signature is the essence of your life, as it lives on long after you do. Wild style is the true heart of street art. “Street art” is just a general term.

What is the riskiest thing you ever did?

Having a child. She’s two years old.

What do you see as the future of street art and graffiti?

Street art is going far more mainstream. Graffiti goes in cycles; that’s what makes it graffiti.

What do you see as the role of artist?

To reflect back on society.

The exhibit continues until May 11 at 115 Spring Street in SoHo.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Speaking with Reka

March 22, 2013

An original member of Melbourne’s legendary Everfresh crew, James Reka graces public spaces in dozens of cities throughout the globe with his splendid, surreal – ever evolving – aesthetic.

When and where did you start getting up?

I started when I was in high school. Back in 1999. I was doing traditional graffiti at the time — just wrecking shit with a bunch of local guys.

Ah! So that explains your name! What stirred you to hit the streets back then?

I was inspired by what I saw catching the train to school every day. And I grew up in the suburbs with the whole hip-hop and skateboard culture. I also loved the thrill of doing something illegal.

We associate your street art with characters rather than with traditional graffiti. When did characters become an essential part of your work?

By 2001-2002 I was already into characters. I always felt happier with characters than with traditional graffiti.

Have you a formal art education?

I consider myself a self-taught artist and I’m proud of that. I did, though, take some courses in graphic design.

Have you any preferred surfaces? Spots?

I like anything with character that already has texture. I love abandoned places, particularly those with character and history.

Any favorite cities?

I’d say New York City and Berlin. I like cities with history.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art these days? Any other passions?

Just about all of my time is devoted to art these days. I think about it every second. If I weren’t making art, I’d be making electronic music.

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

I’m fine with it. Selling my art in galleries provides me with the income I need to fund my projects on the streets.

What about working with brands? Is it something you would do?

Working with brands can taint your image. But I’m okay with it, so long as I believe in the brand.

You have exhibited your work in dozens of galleries. We are so glad that you continue to maintain such a strong presence in the streets. What motivates you to do so?

I love surprising people and sharing with them my representation of the human form. When my work is out on the streets, it reaches lots of people and opens their eyes to another way of looking at things. And that’s important to me. I also love working on a large scale and using my surroundings to my advantage.

Have you any thoughts about the graffiti/street art divide?

It’s easier for street artists to get their work into galleries, and it’s understandable that graffiti artists would resent that.

We’ve noticed just how much your art keeps evolving. Your current style and choice of colors are quite distinct from last year’s. Your flow is looser. We’re curious about that!

Well, I’m rarely satisfied. And I’m always trying to expand my vision. My focus now is less about the figure and more within the figure. I find that using natural, earthy colors gives my work a more human element.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in all this?

Mixed. On the positive side, it’s a great promotion tool, as it makes it easy for an artist to get his work out. On the other hand, it make it all too easy to access information. It’s too easy to know what other artists are doing.

What’s ahead?

Traveling. I’d like to visit Brazil and I’d also like to paint in more rural areas and on larger walls. And I’d like to focus more on fine arts.

Good Luck! And we’re looking forward, of course, to your next visit to New York City.

Photos by Dani Mozeson and Lois Stavsky; the second image is of artwork currently on exhibit at Bold Hype Gallery, 547 W. 27 Street in Chelsea

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CYCLE at Weldon Arts in Bushwick and on NYC Streets

November 23, 2012

Long acclaimed for his iconic graffiti, infectious images, and skilled graphic design, Cycle continues to gain recognition and respect in the fine art world. His current solo exhibit at Weldon Arts, CYCLE: Myth, Science, and Color, features a range of work from bold, cartoony images to fanciful, conceptual narratives — all attesting to Cycle’s versatility and talent. Here’s a small sampling: