A native of Binghamton, New York, noted sculptor John Ahearn gained recognition in the 80’s for his remarkably life-like, colorful casts of residents of the South Bronx — the community in which he chose to live and work. We recently sighted two of his astonishing installations — fashioned in collaboration with Rigoberto Torres — on the exterior walls of two South Bronx buildings. A homage to the community, these pieces transform both the buildings and their surrounding landscape into a celebration of local life. More after the jump!
Icy and Sot, two brothers from Iran, have gained international recognition for their expressive stencil art. Gracing public spaces in their native city of Tabriz, as well as in Tehran, their stencils reflect everyday realities and fantasies. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Icy and Sot during their visit to NYC.
What brought you to NYC?
We have a solo exhibit coming up next week. We wanted to be present at the show, and we are excited to be able to paint walls in NYC. We’ve shown in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Australia and Finland, but this is our first solo exhibit outside of Iran that we will be attending.
What are your impressions – so far – of NYC?
It’s an exciting city, and it’s been great meeting so many different artists and people. We never could have imagined a place with so much street art. And so many people have been so kind to us. We especially love Brooklyn — where we are now staying — as there are so many great walls. We are thrilled to paint here.
More after the jump!
A few years back, a distinct jaw crafted onto a range of tantalizing backgrounds — signed Hellbent — began to surface on boards posted onto sundry surfaces on NYC streets. These days, Hellbent’s enticing, evolving visual rhythms increasingly grace large walls, as well. We recently had the opportunity to visit Hellbent’s studio and pose a few questions to him:
We love your wondrously inventive abstract artwork that recently surfaced on the streets of Bushwick and at Welling Court. But — I suppose — many of us will always identify you with your iconic jaw bone. Could you tell us something about it?
The idea of the jaw came to me about five or six years ago. It was inspired by a story I read about Freud’s battle with jaw cancer and how – early into his diagnosis – he was saved by a dwarf, a hospital roommate who alerted the physicians when a speechless Freud was hemorrhaging. Besides its reference to psychoanalysis, the jaw also suggests basic human functions such as speaking and eating. More after the jump!
Two sumptuous walls surfaced in downtown Manhattan earlier this week. DALeast graced the exterior of Rag and Bone with his distinct vision, and his wife, the legendary South African street artist Faith47, graced a huge wall on East 2nd Street, part of Fourth Arts Block’s public art program with MaNY.
More after the jump!
Within the last year, New York City’s High Line — a huge public park atop an elevated rail structure — has evolved into one of the city’s most intriguing open-air galleries. Stretching from Manhattan’s Meatpacking District to Midtown, it features views of an eclectic range of both commissioned and unsanctioned pieces. Here are a few images recently captured:
NYC-based artist Jordan Betten
More after the jump!
This is the third in an occasional series of images of girls — and women — who grace New York City’s walls:
Nick Walker in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District
More after the jump!
A Mecca of aerosol art, Long Island City’s 5Pointz attracts not only local artists, but also those from across the globe, offering a transitory legal home to a diverse range — from Old School graff writers to modern muralists. Here are some recent sightings:
Olivier Bonhomme from Lyon, France
More after the jump!
This is the first in a series of ongoing posts featuring the diverse range of stylish trucks that strike NYC streets:
Queens native Cern
More after the jump!
