mural art

Zio Ziegler Launches New Mural and PBteen Collaboration at Tribeca’s Hudson River Middle School

May 30, 2014

Celebrated for his tantalizing murals characterized by bold, primeval graphics, West Coast-based Zio Ziegler is one of our favorite artists. We’ve been huge fans since we discovered his distinct aesthetic on the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn over a year ago. A self-described entrepreneur, as well as an amazing artist, Zio Ziegler recently worked with PBteen to design a collection of bedding, backpacks, murals and more. We were delighted to meet him this past Wednesday evening at I. S. 289 in Tribeca, where he had been working with students as a visiting artist. Zio’s newest installation that was created for Hudson River Middle School was on view, along with selections from his just-launched PBteen collaboration. City-as-School student/intern Michelle Natanzon also had the opportunity to ask Zio a few questions:

What inspires your art?

My art is my personal response to the world. It comes from my soul. Literature is also an influence. I am trying to be less linear and more natural in my expression. The children here are wonderful teachers!

How does working on a project for Pottery Barn differ from painting in your studio?

It is a matter of putting my art on a different kind of canvas. I need both experiences. I love working on projects.

What about companies? Have you any feelings about working with private businesses?

I don’t think of it in terms of “selling out.” It’s about using leverage with companies as a way to canvas the world. It gives me the opportunity to share my art with people who would not otherwise experience it. But I certainly would not change my style to fit the demands of any business.

What about the streets? Would you rather work in your studio or paint on the streets?

Both. I like them both. I try to achieve a balance.

What has the experience of working with Pottery Barn been like?

PBteen has been really great! (Excuse the shout-out!) It is an ideal partnership. Pottery Barn, itself, started from a garage and is now global.

Note: You can meet Zio Ziegler tomorrow — Saturday afternoon — from 3-5 at PBTeen-NYC, 1461 Second Avenue and 76^th Street.

Photos 1, 3, and 5 courtesy of PBteen; photo 2 of Zio at Hudson River Middle School by Lois Stavsky; and photo 4 of Michelle interviewing Zio by Houda Lazrak

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Puerto Rican Artists Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo and COCO144 Paint a Homage to Oscar López Rivera at East Harlem’s Camaradas El Barrio

May 29, 2014

The following guest post is by Yoav Litvin, the author of the recently released Outdoor Gallery – New York City, a book on contemporary NYC street art and graffiti.

Today, May 29, 2014, marks the 33^rd anniversary of the incarceration of Oscar López Rivera. Born in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico in 1943, Rivera moved to the United States at age 9. At 18, Oscar was drafted into the United States army, stationed in Vietnam and awarded the Bronze Star for his service. After the war, Oscar returned to the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and found it in a dire state: the community was plagued with drug addiction, vast unemployment, inadequate health care and poor education. Profoundly affected by the condition of his community, Oscar became a community organizer and activist, working towards equality.

In a highly political and controversial trial, Rivera was sentenced to a total of 70 years in prison for numerous felonies, including seditious conspiracy for his actions resisting the forceful authority of the United States over Puerto Rico. Rivera was accused of being a member of FALN, the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional (Armed Forces of National Liberation), which had been linked to dozens of bombings aimed at raising awareness of Puerto Rico’s situation. Notably, the authorities were never able to tie Rivera or any of the other defendants in the case to any bombing. In 1999, President Bill Clinton offered clemency to Rivera and 15 additional Puerto Rican Nationalist members of FALN. However, Rivera rejected the offer because it was not extended towards fellow prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres, who was subsequently released in 2010.

To mark the 33^rd anniversary of the incarceration of Oscar López Rivera, Puerto Rican NYC-based artists COCO144 and Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo painted a collaborative mural in his honor at Camaradas El Barrio in Spanish Harlem, NYC. I recently interviewed both artists:

Why did you create this mural? What is its message, and whom do you aim to reach?

Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo: I was asked by Orlando Plaza, the owner of Camaradas El Barrio, to create a mural dedicated to Oscar López Rivera. I immediately thought of COCO144, a fellow Puerto Rican artist and friend I have worked with on multiple exhibitions since 2005. COCO’s work has always had a political dimension, and he has been an advocate for writers of the aerosol movement since its beginnings in New York City in the late 60s and early 70s. When I asked him to paint the mural, he agreed on the condition that we work on it together.

The mural’s message is ultimately for the viewer to determine. The piece we did obviously advocates for Mr. López Rivera’s release, but to COCO and me it is more. It’s an intergenerational dialogue representative of our artistic freedom; it is our inheritance as sons of the Puerto Rican diaspora in New York City and the world. My hope is to increase awareness about Oscar López Rivera’s case and reach the younger Latino youth in the city. As Puerto Rican artists and writers in New York, we have been instrumental to the development of the city’s progressive social-fabric since the industrial boom of the late 1800’s. We continue that historic legacy, but instead of rolling cigars or sewing clothing, we’re creating art.

COCO144: Eternal (Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo) approached me with the idea of painting a homage to Oscar López Rivera and, in turn, I asked him to collaborate. I feel that painting the mural at Camaradas El Barrio is another vehicle of reaching out to the public and, specifically, the establishment’s patrons. Its message is that after 33 years of incarceration, Mr. López Rivera should be set free.

How does Oscar López Rivera’s legacy affect your life — in general — and your artistic practice, in particular?

COCO144: I draw parallels with the legacy. First, there have been a number of Puerto Rican nationalists who have been treated in the same manner — or worse: Don Pedro Albizu Campos, Lolita Lebron, Oscar Collazo, and Alejandrina Torres, to name a few. As a Puerto Rican, their treatment carves into my soul. That they are restricted in expressing their national pride contradicts the US constitution and its foundations. Artistically? Everything in life affects me on that level!

Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo: Since my early childhood, my father taught me the history of Puerto Rico and its colonial relationship with Spain and the United States. It’s a lifelong dialogue. We would discuss it while I was sorting my baseball cards. It’s part of our condition as human beings. Oscar López Rivera is another political prisoner in this long colonial relationship, but he is still alive! We have a chance to help free him and continue to fight for the freedom of all political prisoners who strive towards a just and democratic reality. Engaging my history is part of my artistic practice. Without it, my work would not exist in the same way and I would not be the same person.

What do you perceive as the role of art and creativity within NYC’s Puerto Rican community?

COCO144: There shouldn’t be restrictions for art and creativity for Puerto Ricans — or for anyone — in NYC or anywhere. Puerto Rican artists have organized and created workshops/institutions for the arts in communities like El Barrio, Loisaida (the Lower East Side) and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We have, also, done so in other parts of New York, the United States and the world.

Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo: Art and creativity are at the very center of our culture. Art is our embassy. Arte es nuestra embajada. As Ana Lydia Vega, the Puerto Rican writer, once wrote, “Literature and art in Puerto Rico have to take the place of embassies and consulates…” Our artwork has been the embassy and consulate in New York and throughout the world. Art and creativity were at the center of the writing movement in New York City. Puerto Ricans contributed to the establishment of the writing tradition at its inception. We developed the art form and continue to propel it forward. One example is the artist Jean Michel Basquiat. Of Puerto Rican and Haitian heritage, he started as a writer in NYC and developed into one of the most influential artists in the world. Art and letters are our specialty, and they’ve travelled beyond the walls, trains, galleries and museums to become a global phenomenon — the foundation of a whole global industry and community. There’s not one writer in the world who can’t trace his/her roots back to New York City. It’s in every line of a writer’s signature, handstyle, tag, or piece. It’s our legacy.

A LA LETRA, an exhibit featuring new works by COCO144 and Fernando Ruíz Lorenzo, will open on Sunday, June 8, 6-10 pm at Camaradas El Barrio‘s Emperial Gallery. The artists’ new mural honoring Oscar López Rivera will be officially unveiled at the opening.

You can check out Yoav Litvin’s interview with COCO144 here.

Photo of the two artists in front of their mural by Yoav Litvin; mural close-up, completed mural and Camaradas at night by Vin Zarate.

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Meres and Zimad in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

May 13, 2014

The following guest post is by Rachel Fawn Alban, a NYC-based photographer, arts educator and regular contributor to untapped cities.

Yesterday afternoon, Jonathan “Meres” Cohen and Zimad — whose talents graced the walls of 5Pointz for over a decade — were busy at work near the J Train’s Halsey stop painting a mural for 3rd Eye Sol. Founded by artist Jose Castillo, 3rd Eye Sol hosts exhibits and events and offers free workshops and children’s arts programming. Here are a few images of the artists and their wonderful work:

Meres at work

Zimad at work

Meres and Zimad together

Completed piece

All photos by Rachel Fawn Alban

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Speaking with El Niño de las Pinturas

September 2, 2013

Based in Granada, Spain, the wonderfully talented and passionate artist Raúl Ruiz, aka El Niño de las Pinturas, visited NYC earlier this summer. I met up with him at the Bushwick Collective – where he was painting with Rimx – and then caught up with him at 5Pointz, where we spoke briefly.

When did you first get up?

Back in the 90’s. I was 11 when I brought graffiti to my neighborhood in Granada, Spain. I began the usual way — by tagging and bombing.

What inspired you?

The movie Style Wars introduced the culture to me.

What is the attitude of the authorities in Granada to graffiti?

The government makes it tough. The fines for doing illegal works are excessive. It’s difficult to paint anywhere without the owner’s permission. And even when I had the owner’s permission and he loved what I did, I was forced to whitewash the wall.

How does your family feel about what you do?

At first, they didn’t like it. They told me to paint only canvases. But now they take pride in what I do.

Any thoughts about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries?

It’s okay. We artists need money to live. But when our art is in a gallery, it’s no longer graffiti. Graffiti is made in the streets for all people to experience. And we we must always remember to respect our masters — the streets. The streets are the inspiration and source of it all. If we lose the streets, we lose the way.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

Everything I do is art.

Have you a formal art education?

I studied fine arts for a year and a half. But I didn’t need teachers. I have masters — the streets.

Are there any particular cultures that influence your aesthetic?

Granada is a fusion of cultures, so my primary influence is the human culture. But there are definite Moslem influences to my aesthetic.

What inspires you these days?

Everybody I meet. And the natural world inspires me, as well. I love animals.

Are you generally satisfied with your final piece?

I am, but when I look at it, I feel like I didn’t create it.

Where have you painted?

Here in the US, I’ve painted in San Francisco, Santa Fe and NYC. I’ve also painted in many other countries. Among them are: Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Germany, Hungary, Belgium and France.

Any favorite place?

I love them all.

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

Whatever role society has imposed on the artist — the artist needs to break away from it.

Any thoughts about street art bloggers?

They need to know the artists. Many don’t.

What about the graffiti/street art divide?

It’s not important. We use the same gallery — the streets. But in some way street art gave legitimacy to graffiti.

What’s ahead?

My art will evolve as I experience more. And I will continue to develop my own distinct style.

Interview by Lois Stavsky; photos 1. El Niño de las Pinturas at 5Pointz by Tara Murray; 2. with Rimx at the Bushwick Collective by Lois Stavsky; 3. with Rimx in Bedford-Stuyvesant, courtesy Rimx and 4. with Danielle Mastrion in Bushwick by Tara Murray

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“Los Muros Hablan NYC” in East Harlem and the South Bronx: Axel Void, Pastel, Celso Gonzalez & Roberto Biaggi, Viajero, Rimx, Betsy Casañas, LNY, Jufe and Elian

August 29, 2013

From August 19 – August 25, Los Muros Hablan, an international urban arts festival, gave a voice to silent, empty walls in East Harlem and the South Bronx. Presented by La Repuesta, a leading Puerto Rican cultural space, Los Muros Hablan NYC, featured a wonderfully eclectic group of global artists.

Axel Void, 201 East 103rd Street in East Harlem

Pastel, 138 Street & Grand Concourse in the South Bronx — close-up from huge mural captured via instagram

Celso Gonzalez and Roberto Biaggi, 54 East 116th Street in East Harlem

Viajero, 2022 Third Avenue in East Harlem

Rimx,154 East 100th Street, as seen in progress last week

Betsy Casañas, 1664 Park Avenue in East Harlem

LNY, 195 East 100th Street in East Harlem

Jufe, 2018 Third Avenue in East Harlem

Elian, 138 Street & Grand Concourse in the South Bronx

Photos by Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky; keep posted to our Facebook page for more images of the completed murals from this week-long Los Muros Hablan NYC event presented in collaboration with Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito and El Museo del Barrio.

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Speaking with Ever

August 18, 2013

A masterful muralist and inspiring thinker, Argentinian artist Nicolás Romero aka Ever has graced countless cities throughout the globe with his wondrous vision. Earlier this summer, he stopped off in NYC, where he painted on a rooftop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. That’s where I caught up with him.

When did you first start getting up?

I was 16 and into hip-hop. The first time I got up was with two friends in our school’s bathroom. We thought we were so cool. Then whenever I took my dog for a walk, I did throw-ups around my neighborhood.

So your neighborhood was your main canvas back then?

Mostly for bombing, but it made me nervous.

When did you become serious about it?

When I met Jaz and other members of DSR. They were professionals. They took street art and public art seriously. I started to share a studio with Jaz and began to think of myself as an artist. In 2003, I started making portraits.

How did your parents feel about what you were doing?

My parents encouraged me. When I was seven, they introduced me to Van Gogh and Goya. I became obsessed with Van Gogh because he cut off his ear. I had a problem with my ear, so I identified with him. When I was thirteen, I began taking art classes outside of school.

Did you continue to study art formally?

I studied architecture at the university for a few months, but it wasn’t for me.

Who are your inspirations? Any particularly artists?

I have many. I’m inspired by Mexican muralists — the way their art reflects the people and their social consciousness. I’m also inspired by such artists as Van Gogh, Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon.

What is your main source of income these days?

Half my income is from commissions and the other half is from sales.

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

It’s okay. I’d rather sell my work in galleries than do commission pieces for corporations.

Have you had any negative experiences while getting up on the streets?

The mural that I did in Lima, Peru was censured. I was accused of glorifying Communism. The image on the mural was changed, and it is no longer mine.

You’ve painted in so many cities. Have you a favorite one?

Paris. There is an openness there.

Any thoughts about the graffiti/street art divide?

I don’t see it.

How has your art evolved since you began painting murals?

I’ve become more abstract and I’ve begun to think of the body as “just a dress to use on Earth.” My portraits no longer have eyes. And I’ve begun to use religious symbols obsessively in my work, even though I don’t believe in a traditional God. My work has also become more socially conscious.

What inspired that?

Before 2009, I was apolitical. But in 2009, I lived in Paris, and I began to think of art as the means to inspire societal change. The revolution must start here — on the walls.

Interview by Lois Stavsky. Photos of Brooklyn rooftop and Baltimore mural by Lois Stavsky. Final image of wall in Santurce, Puerto Rico — which I caught only at the beginning — courtesy of the artist.

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Bushwick Graffiti Mural Tribute to NEKST Takes It to the Next Level: Pose, Dabs Myla, Rime, Dmote, El Kamino, Vizie, Wane, Revok & more

June 30, 2013

An astonishing array of first-rate murals have transformed three Bushwick blocks into a spellbinding tribute to the late graffiti writer NEKST. Here’s a selection of the varied, strikingly stylish murals — many fashioned by MSK members — that recently surfaced in the vicinity of the L train’s Morgan Avenue station.

Pose

Dabs Myla

Rime aka Jersey Joe

Dmote

Skrew

Fas and El Kamino

Vizie

Steel

Trav

Owns

Omens

Wane

Revok

Keep posted to our Facebook page for more outstanding Bushwick NEKST tribute murals.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Brooklyn-based Artist Joshua Gabriel Fashions Two Elegant Murals in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

June 25, 2013

The corner of Myrtle Avenue and Spencer Street in Brooklyn’s historic Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood is now home to two huge distinct murals. The works of Brooklyn-resident Joshua Gabriel, they exude a soulfully mystical aura. We spoke yesterday to the artist about these distinct works.

We’ve been captivated by these walls since you began fashioning them awhile back. How did they happen — at such a well-traveled intersection?

The owners of International Stone Collections, a custom stone artisan shop at 703 Myrtle Avenue, had placed an ad on Craigslist seeking an artist to create a “textural mural.” I wasn’t exactly sure what a textural mural was, but I brought it my portfolio, and I was hired.

Wow! Had you worked on the streets before?

I had gotten some stickers and posters up — mainly promoting my music events — but, no, I never painted a public mural before.

What was the experience like?

At first, I was somewhat self-conscious. I had some anxiety about working in public. The entire process is definitely more challenging than working in a private space. But then I came to love it. I loved the engagement of the passersby.

What was that like?

In the past year, since I began these murals, hundreds of folks have stopped to talk to me. The Hasidim — whose presence seems to be increasing in the neighborhood — ask questions like, “Are you allowed to do this?”… “Do you make a living from this?” The local teens love it and ask me to do their tattoo for them. Artists speak to me about the process. And long-time local residents keep thanking me! Everyone has been respectful.

What’s going on here?

The murals weave together patterns and images from nature — such as the ripples in water, the textures of leaves, the shapes of clouds with figurative elements, including a giant lion’s head, a sea of eyes, and a pair of ancient Egyptian heads. It’s my subconscious at work!

Have you a particular message or theme that you wish to convey?

The corner of Myrtle Avenue and Spencer Street is the intersection connecting three diverse communities. Pratt art students, born and bred Bed-Stuy residents and members of Williamsburg’s Hasidic populace all meet here. The theme of my work is that all of us — despite our differences — are interconnected.

There’s quite a bit of mixed-media here. What materials did you use?

I used exterior paint, spray paint and over 100 metallic paint markers.

There are lots of shades of blues and metallics here. Can you tell us something about your choice of colors?

The wall had originally been painted dark blue, and I liked the way it looked. I decided to repaint in a similar color, and I chose to work with metallics because I love the way they pop out.

Did you work with a sketch-in-hand?

I don’t work with sketches, but I do use photo references. And I always have notes with me. The actual process, though, is spontaneous.

Have you any influences? Or artists who particularly inspired you?

Alex Gray is a definite inspiration. Others include Keith Haring and my mother, Rochelle Marcus Dinken.

Are you satisfied with the results of these murals — your first public artworks?

Yes. I’m quite critical of my works, but the reaction has been so positive. And they do look cool!

You can view the murals and meet Joshua Gabriel at a reception to be held this Thursday, June 27, 5-8pm at 703 Myrtle Avenue.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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A Whirl of Walls Marks Welling Court Mural Project’s Opening Festivities: with Icy & Sot, Chris Cardinale, Vexta, Cern, Queen Andrea and more

June 16, 2013

The Welling Court Mural Project officially launched its fourth year yesterday with a wide array of wonderful walls fashioned by a remarkable range of artists. Here are a few of the dozens that continue to alter the visual landscape of this Queens community:

Icy and Sot — wall in progress

Korel and Honexl Xi

Christopher Cardinale at work

R. Nicholas Kuszyk

Vexta at work

Cern

LMNOP

Queen Andrea

You can help fund Ad Hoc’s wonderful work in collaborating with members of the Welling Court community and the dozens of artists who made this project possible by making a donation here.

Photos by Tara Murray

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Speaking with Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love

June 5, 2013

During the past few weeks, Argentinian artist Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love has brought beauty and intrigue to Brooklyn’s Pacific Street with her inventive and infectious murals. We recently met up with Magda and had the opportunity to pose a few questions to her.

When did you first share your vision in a public space?

The first time was earlier this year in Miami’s Arts Wynwood District.

What inspired you to do so?

I was offered a wall, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity. Growing up in Argentina, I know just how strong the impact of public art can be.

Any early memories of it?

I mostly remember the political slogans that surfaced throughout my native Buenos Aires.

What is your preferred medium for getting up on the streets?

I love wheat pastes. Its ephemeral nature adapts beautifully to the environment. And it keeps on evolving.

Have you a formal art education?

Not a formal one. But my father is a sculptor, and I grew up among artists. From an early age, I assisted my father in his studio. He used to tell me, “Magda, you have a special eye, and it will take you far.” And by age 18, I was working as a fashion designer and photographer and running my own business.

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

Just about all of it! When my 9-year-old son isn’t in school, he’s often with me in my studio.

Have you exhibited your work in galleries?

Yes. I’ve shown my work in Buenos Aires, New York and in Miami. I had a solo exhibition at Gowanus Print Lab here in Brooklyn. And I’ve also participated in group shows at the Scope Foundation, Miguel Paredes Gallery, Peanut Underground, BOOM, The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition and The Urban Folk Art Gallery.

What is your main source of income these days?

Art sales and commissions.

Are there any particular themes or ideas that drive your work?

I’m particularly interested in the connections we forge among one another and how we treat each other.

How has your art evolved through the years?

It has reflected my personal growth, as a woman and as a parent.

Do you prefer working alone or collaborating with others?

I haven’t yet collaborated with anyone, but I’d love to.

Do you work from a sketch or do you just let it flow?

I don’t prepare a sketch – but I do have some images with me to give me a basic idea of where I’m going. But once I begin, my work takes on a life of its own.

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

I know the next day.

Any favorite artists – particularly among those whose work you’ve seen on the streets?

Swoon, Rone, Roa, the Fleshbeck Crew, Reka, Lamour Supreme, Faile and Herakut come to mind.

What about cultures that have influenced your aesthetic? Are there any particular ones?

Certainly the Argentinian sensibility and its general openness to art. And from my father I developed a love for traditional German painters.

You moved to NYC 12 years ago. How does the general attitude towards art differ here from back home in Argentina?

Back in Argentina, people are more appreciative of art. There is more emphasis on culture, in general. And there’s more of a collective consciousness that its culture reflects. In Argentina, just about everyone goes to art fairs, not just a select few. But I do love the mix of cultures, along with the art that this mixture produces, here in NYC.

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

I don’t know if we can change the world, but we can make a difference.

What’s ahead?

I begin working this week with 5^th graders at PS 127 on an indoor mural project. This – I hope – will be the first of many collaborations in an educational setting. And I want to keep working on the streets and travel more in the years ahead. I’d also love to participate in street art festivals and events.

Tomorrow — June 6 from 7:00 P.M.- 8:30 P.M. — you can meet Magda, see her new works and view her mural room at Brooklyn’s NU Hotel, as she celebrates the unveiling of her murals commissioned by the Pacific Street Association.

7:00 P.M Meet-up in lounge of Nu Hotel

7:30 P.M. Walking tour of murals

8:30 P.M. Q&A and NU Hotel mural tour with Magdalena

R.S.V.P. to Events@independentcollection.com

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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