Rimx

When Don Rimx began painting his portrait of Nuyorican poet Jesús “Tato” Laviera last month, I had the opportunity to speak to the poet’s sister, Ruth Sanchez Laviera. “Don Rimx represents my spirit and my brother’s spirit,” she said. “As soon as I met him, I knew he was the one to paint a mural honoring my brother.” And last Saturday, Oct. 28th, after the mural was officially unveiled at Taino Towers and 123rd Street was renamed for Jesús “Tato” Laviera, I posed a few questions to Rimx:

Your mural depicting Jesús “Tato” Laviera is wonderful. When were you first offered the opportunity to paint his portrait?

I was contacted about a year ago.

Can you tell us a bit about your process? What steps did you take to make this happen?

I began by reading or watching every interview I could find that had been conducted with Jesús “Tato” Laviera. I spent time at Hunter College’s Centro: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies reading Jesús “Tato” Laviera‘s poetry and whatever literature and criticism I could find by him and about him. I came to understand and appreciate just how important a voice he was in the Nuyorican movement. I even had the opportunity to  live in the same apartment in Taino Towers that Jesús “Tato” Laviera lived in and to speak to many folks who knew him.

How about the painting itself? How long did it take you?

I worked 12 hours a day for five days.

And the mural unveiling, along with the renaming of this corner? What was the experience like for you?

It was wonderful! I feel so blessed to have experienced it all. Among the speakers were City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Maria Cruz, executive director of Taino Towers. There was also a poetry reading, along with reminiscences by family and friends.

Congratulations!  We are so happy that this opportunity came your way. It’s great to have your vision and talents shared with us — once again — here in NYC.

Photos: 1 & 2 Lois Stavsky; 3 & 4 courtesy of the artist; featured in the third photo are: Ruth Sanchez Laviera to the left of  Don Rimx and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to his right

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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Rimx-street-art-wynwood-miami

In collaboration with the Mana Urban Arts Project, the Bushwick Collective transformed Wynwood’s former RC Cola Factory into a Mecca of first-rate street art and graffiti. During Miami Art Week, celebrated artists from across the globe painted alongside local Miami and NYC-based artists. Here are a few more images from among the dozens of murals I saw last week while visiting Wynwood:

London-based James Cochran aka Jimmy C

"Jimmy C"

London-based Shok1

Shok1-street-art-wynwood-miami

NYC-based Giz RIS

giz-graffiti-wynwood-miami

NYC-based Lady Aiko

aiko-wynwood-street-art-miami

Dutch artist David Louf aka Mr June

Mr-June-street-art-wynwood

Miami-based Hoxxoh

Hoxxoh

West Coast-based Christina Angelina

christina-angelina-wynwood-street-art-miami

First image is a close-up from a huge mural by David Sepulveda aka Rimx

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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"Rafael Sliks"

While in Miami this past week, I had the opportunity to visit the grounds of the Jose De Diego Middle School. On the edge of Wynwood, its students are among the city’s most economically disadvantaged.  Over 600 youngsters, who had been deprived of an arts education due to insufficient funding, now attend a school that is also a wondrous outdoor museum. Curious about it all, I spoke to Don Rimx, one of the many artists who had participated in the school’s amazing transformation.

Reka-street-art-wynwood

How did you become involved in this extraordinary project?

Soon after I moved to Miami, I met Robert Skran of WynwoodMap.com, a site that documents the public art that surfaces in Wynwood. A few months later, he invited me to participate in this particular project, the RAW Project, in partnership with the Wynwood Arts District Association.

Bikismo

What was the goal of this project? Did it have a particular mission?

One goal, of course, was to transform a drab, blank concrete canvas into a vibrant outdoor gallery. It was also conceived as a means to raise funds to enable the school to restore its arts program that had been lost to budget cuts.

MTO-Paola-Delfin-street-art-wynwoood

When did the actual painting begin?

We began in November and most of the murals were completed by early December.

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How did the students respond to the entire process?

They loved it. They were fascinated. They loved watching us paint, and they kept on asking us questions.

mad-steez-axel-void-street-art-wynwood

What kinds of questions did they ask you? 

Questions like: Why are you painting this? Where did your idea come from? How do you do this? How long will it take you to finish it? Why are you painting sticks?

Rimx

Back in December when Art Basel was in town, the school’s makeover attracted so many street art aficionados and art lovers. What’s happening these days?

The entire community loves the murals. The art on these walls have brought us all closer together. When I pass by, I often see teachers taking students on tours of the murals. The kids are always interested in learning something new about them and about the artists. And because so many of the artists traveled to their school from across the globe, there is so much to learn!

diana-contreras-street-art-wynwood

This really is fabulous! It would be wonderful if the Jose De Diego Middle School could serve as a model to other schools — on all grade levels — everywhere!

Hox-Jose-De-Diego-Middle-School-street-art-Miami

The murals pictured above are just a small sampling of what can be seen on the walls of the Jose De Diego Middle School:

1. Brazilian artist Rafael Sliks

2. Australian born, Berlin-based Reka

3. Puerto Rican artist Bikismo

4. French artist MTO (left) and Mexican artist Paola Delfín

5. Norwegian stencil artist Martin Whatson

6. West Coast-based Madsteez (left) and Miami-based Axel Void

7. Puerto Rican artist Don Rimx currently based in Miami  — with son, Kye, standing on bottom right. (I’d asked him to take me to his favorite mural!)

8. Miami-based Peruvian artist Diana Contreras

9. Miami-based the Hox

Photos and post by Lois Stavsky

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This is the eleventh in a series of occasional posts featuring the diverse range of trucks and vans that strike our streets.

Wane in Manhattan

"Wane graffiti"

Cone in the Bronx

cone-graffiti-truck-bronx-nyc

Magda Love in Bushwick for JMZ Walls

"Magda Love"

Crane in Washington Heights/Inwood

Crane

 Rimx and Seel in Bushwick

rimx-and-seel-van-NYC

Sienide in the Bronx

Sienide

Photo credits: 1. Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2-4 and 6. Lois Stavsky; 5. Tara Murray

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The walls along Meserole and Waterbury in Bushwick and on and near Borinquen Place in Williamsburg have become canvases for an extraordinary array of magical murals. They are among the highlights of the Juicy Brooklyn Art Festival launched by Exit Room. Here’s a sampling:

Spain-based Muro and Txemy

Muro-and-Txemy-street-art-Bushwick-Juicy-Art-Festival

Chilean artist Dasic Fernández

Dasic-street-art-Bushwick-NYC

Mexican artist Werc

Werc

Bogota-based Stinkfish

Stinkfish

Argentinian artist Ever at work with Zio Ziegler

Ever-and-Zio-Ziegler-street-art-Bushwick

Close-up from huge collaborative mural by Puerto Rican artists Rimx, SON and Ricardo Cabret

"Rimx, Son and Ricardo Cabret"

Mexican artist Marka27, close-up

Marca27-street-art-close-up-Juicy-art-Festival-NYC

The Juicy Brooklyn Art Festival begins today, Thursday June 5, at 270 Meserole Street in Bushwick and continues through Saturday. Keep posted to our Facebook page for images of more magical murals that are surfacing along Meserole and Waterbury.

All photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson — except for Stinkfish by Lois Stavsky

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"Exit Room"

A wonderfully diverse group of artists have been busy these past 10 days fashioning the walls of Exit Room in preparation for tonight’s opening of Track 1, the first in a series of short exhibitions. Here’s a sampling of what’s been going down:

Esteban del Valle

"Esteban del Valle"

Viajero

Viajero

Nicole Salgar

"Nicole Salgar"

Marka 27

"Marka -27"

 Ramiro Davaro

"Ramiro Davaro"

Rimx

Rimx

And here’s a close-up of a collaborative work in progress that we captured last Thursday:

Sonni, Marka 27 and Carlos Pinto

"Sonni, Marka 27 and Carlos Pinto"

Other featured artists include: Chuck Berret, Ricardo CabretChris RWKAdam Dare, Jeff Enriquez, Art by KenNepoJohn Paul O’Grodnick and Gio Romo. There will also be a live musical performance by Mike Larry Draw X 86 SUPREME. Tonight’s opening takes place at 270 Meserole Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn from 6 – 11pm.

All photos of artists at work courtesy of Dariel Mtz and Zoe; photo of Sonni, Marka 27 and Carlos Pinto collaborative work in progress by Lois Stavsky

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This is the fourth post of our occasional series featuring some of the curious characters that have found a home in NYC ‘s open spaces:

R. Nicholas Kuszyk aka R. Robot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"R Robot"

Jeromy Velasco in the East Village

"Jeromy Velasco"

Malarky and Gold Peg in the East Village

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Harlenquinade in the East Village

Harlequinade

 Sheryo and the Yok in the East Village

Sheryo-and-the-Yok-street-art-NYC

Rimx in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on the grounds of Exit Room

Rimx-street-art-NYC

Photos of Jeromy Velasco and Malarky & Gold Peg by Dani Reyes Mozeson; all others by Lois Stavsky

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Dariel Mtz and Zoe Beatwoman

The brainchild of Dariel Mtz and Daniela Croci aka Zoe, Exit Room is more than just another art gallery. Located at 270 Meserole Street, minutes away from the Montrose Ave. stop on the L train and next door to the Well, it serves as an incubator and showcase for film productions, spoken word performances, musical presentations, as well as for visual art. The current exhibit, Outsight In, features works by RimxDanielle Mastrion, Nepo, Ricardo Cabret and Cern — all providing “insights through outside perspectives.”  Here’s a sampling:

Danielle Mastrion

"Danielle Mastrion"

Nepo

Nepo

Ricardo Cabret

"Ricardo Cabret"

Cern, close-up

"Cern"

Rimx, close-up

"Rimx"

Exit Room is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 8pm; keep posted to Exit Room’s Facebook page for news of upcoming events, including a video program on Thursday, January 16.

Photo of Dariel and Daniela by Stefano Ortega; Rimx, courtesy of Dariel; all others by Lois Stavsky

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This is the fifth in an ongoing series featuring the range of faces that surface daily in NYC’s open spaces:

Rimx in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Rimx

Axel Void in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Axel Void

Danielle Mastrion painting young Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai at the Bushwick Collective

Danielle Mastrion

Ever in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Ever Siempre

Andre Trenier in Inwood, Manhattan

Andre Trenier

Nicer, Tats Cru at Hunts Point in the Bronx

Nicer

Photos of Rimx and Axel Void by Tara Murray; of Danielle Mastrion and Ever by Dani Reyes Mozeson and of Andre Trenier and Nicer by Lois Stavsky

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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

Axel Void

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

Pastel

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

Celso Gonzales and Roberto Biaggi

Viajero, 2022 Third Avenue in East Harlem

Viajero

Viajerto

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

Rimx

Betsy Casañas, 1664 Park Avenue in East Harlem

Betsy Casanas

LNY, 195 East 100th Street in East Harlem

LNY

Jufe, 2018 Third Avenue in East Harlem

Jufe

Elian138 Street & Grand Concourse in the South Bronx

Elian

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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