Shiro

The walls in the vicinity of McGuinness Boulevard and Clay Street in Greenpoint continue to showcase a diverse range of vibrant graffiti. Here are a few captured this past week:

Justin Phame and Bella Amaral

Justin-Phame-and-Bella Amaral-graffiti-NYC

Shiro2ESAE and Yes One

shiro-2esae-yes1-graffiti-greenpoint-nyc

Noah TFP

Noah-tfp-graffiti-nyc

Wolf 1 AOK

wolf-graffiti-nyc

Tone MST

tone-mst-graffiti-greenpoint=nyc

Photos by Lois Stavsky 

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We’ve been noticing more and more subway trains on walls down in Brooklyn and up in the Bronx.  Here’s a sampling:

Damien Mitchell for the Bushwick Collective

"Damien Mitchell"

Downer Jones in Bushwick

"Downer Jones"

Bella Amaral in Bushwick for JMZ Walls

"Bella Amaral"

Danielle Mastrion in Bushwick for the Dodworth Street Mural art project

"Danielle Mastrion"

Dek 2DX in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx

Dek2DX

Shiro in Bushwick for JMZ Walls

Shiro

Cern in Williamsburg

Cern

Photos: 1, 2, 4 and 6 by Lois Stavsky; 3 by Tara Murray; 5 by City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud and 7 by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Sometimes they last for months; other times for weeks or even just days. But the graffiti that surfaces on Bushwick’s walls, particularly on those streets off the L line, are among NYC’s best.  Here’s a small sampling of what we captured last month:

Denver-based Home

HOME

Owns

"Owns graffiti"

Rath

Rath

Spot KMS captured at work; completed piece here

Spot

Yes1 captured at work, with Shiro to his right

"Yes1 and Shiro"

Gusto

Gusto

Vers

Vers

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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The ingenious InstaFame Phantom Art, conceived and curated by Nic 707, continues to bring old school writers — along with newer ones from NYC and beyond — back to the trains.  Here are a few images captured on recent rides:

Paulie Nassar and the legendary TAKI 183  — with background by Nic 707

Nassart-and-taki183-subway-graffiti-

Anjl

Anji-graffiti-1-train

Nic 707

Nic-707

Praxis

Praxis-stencil-art-on-subway-1-line_edited-1

Shiro 

Shiro

Nic 707 and TAKI 183

Nic707-taki183-graffiti-MTA-subway-train-NYC

TAKI 183 with background by Nic 707

Taki183

Photo credits: 1 & 7, City-as-School intern Tyler Flores; 2 – 6, Lois Stavsky; 8, Nic 707

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Shiro-yes-one-Per-one-dero-graffiti-new-jersey

In Bergen County, New Jersey — where public space is generally a blank canvas — the township of Hackensack boasts some first-rate graffiti.  Here’s a sampling of what was recently seen on a spot off the train tracks:

Shiro 

shiro-graffiti-art-hackensack-nj

Per1 and Dero

Per1-Dero-graffiti-New-Jersey

The Bronx Team

Bronx-team-Cru-Hackensack-graffiti

Pure1

Pure1

Tiws and Enue

tiws-and-enu-graffiti-NJ

Musa

Musa

Shiro with Part One

Shiro-and-Part-graffiti-Hackensack

Rath

Rath

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson; first photo features Yes1 to the right of Shiro.

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Featuring a wondrous array of characters in a diverse range of styles, What a Character — curated by See One — continues through September 11 at Low Brow Artique. Here are a few of the characters — from the comical to the surreal — that greet you:

Patch Whisky, Tripping Faces

"Patch Whiskey"

Reno Msad, Multiple Personalities

"Reno Msad"

Chris Cortes, Dragon

"Chris Cortes"

Royce Bannon, Ride or Die

"Choice Royce"

PlasmaslugIntergalactic

Plasmaslug

Shiro, Pillow

Shiro

Also featured are works by Cern, Epic Uno, Marka 27, Sheryo and the Yok.  Low Brow Artique is located at 143 Central Avenue in Bushwick.

Photos of images by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Zeso

Earlier this year, over a dozen first-rate graffiti writers refashioned Long Island’s Oil City Skate Park. Under the curatorial direction of Zeso and his partner, Nino, the Oil City Skate Park Jam transformed the huge indoor venue into a graffiti wonderland. Here are a few more images that I captured while visiting last Sunday:

Shiro and Yes1

"Shiro and Yes1"

Zeso and Soir 2

"Zeso and Soir"

Skize

Skize

Hoacs

Hoacs

Just

"Just One"

Zimer

Zimer

Zeso

Zeso

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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gallery nine5 will host a block party this evening — from 6-8pm — to celebrate the transformation of its gallery walls into a vibrant, magical public sphere. Here are a few recently captured images:

Vor138‘s completed piece with TATS CRU on the left and Bisco Smith to the right

"group ink"

Vor138

Vor138

Shiro at work

"Shiro at Gallery nine5"

And her completed piece

Shiro

Ket — who has been transforming his original piece with political references and names of victims of violence and war; it’s certain to look different this evening from the close-up captured here!

"Alan Ket"

And the always-wonderful Rubin415 at work on Monday

Rubin415

gallery nine5 is located at 24 Spring Street, and if you can’t make it this evening, you can check out the site-specific exhibit through July 30.

group-Ink

Photos: 1-4 by Dani Reyes Mozeson; 5-6 by Lois Stavsky

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Speaking with Shiro

June 25, 2014

Huge fans of Shiro’s vibrant, playful aesthetic, we were delighted to meet up with her this past week at SoHo’s gallery nine5, where she will be participating in the gallery’s summer show, GROUP INK.

Shiro

When and where did you first get up?

Back in 1998 in Shizuoka, Japan.

What inspired you at the time?

I remember seeing a video with graffiti as the backdrop. I was impressed!  And soon after, I saw the movie Wild Style.

Any early memories stand out?

I remember having to create my own tools. I couldn’t get hold of any spray paint in aerosol cans at the time, and so I had to be inventive. I mostly used hair spray and mosquito spray containers that I filled with paint.

How did your family feel about what you were doing?

At the time my mother didn’t understand it, but now she appreciates it.

Shiro

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

When I am in NYC, 100%. But back in Japan, I work as a nurse, and I can’t devote as much time to my art as I would like to.

Wow! A nurse and a graffiti writer!

Yes, a nurse heals, and so does art.

Have you exhibited your work in galleries?

I’ve shown my work in galleries in the U.S., Germany and Japan. And I’ve participated in projects in India, China, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines.

Have you any thoughts about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries?

I’d rather paint on a wall than on a canvas. But when I create work for galleries, I learn and perfect new techniques.

shiro-yes1-tone-sans 2

What inspires you these days?

I’m inspired by my own experiences in different situations…and by my imagination. In my art I can be anything!

Are there any particular cultures that have influenced your aesthetics?

The entire graffiti and hip-hop culture, along with, I suppose, my Japanese roots.

What is the riskiest thing you ever did?

I hadn’t planned it to be risky. But back in 2002, I found a deserted wall in Forest Hills, Queens that I thought would be the perfect canvas for me.  As I began painting, a group of boys suddenly appeared and stole my spray paint. One of them had a gun. Soon they were hurling stones and although they weren’t aiming the stones at me, some rocks did hit me and injured me.

Gee, that sounds traumatizing. Do you generally paint alone?

I love painting alone. I am very independent! But I’ve also painted with crews and collaborated with other writers.

Shiro

What are some of the crews you’ve painted with?

TDS (The Death Squad), SUG (Stick Up Girlz), FX and UZNJ (Universal Zulu Nation Japan)

What’s it like being a female writer in what is so much of a man’s world?

I forget about gender when I’m painting. It’s irrelevant.

Do you work with a sketch in hand or do you just let it flow?

Sometimes I work with a sketch; other times I just let it flow.

Shiro-and-Ree-graffiti-NYC

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

I mostly feel very happy with it!

How has your work evolved through the years?

It is more detailed, and I paint more quickly. I’ve developed much better can control than I had earlier.

What’s ahead?

I just got my artist’s visa, and so I’m looking forward to spending more time here.  I will just go with the flow!

Note:  Shiro will be participating in gallery nine5‘s summer show, GROUP INK. Along with TATS CRU, Bisco Smith, Alan Ket, Vor138 and Rubin415, she will be transforming the private space over at 24 Spring Street into a public one. It all begins today, Wednesday, June 25 with TATS and bare walls! Keep posted to our Facebook page for updates.

Photos: 1. Welling Court Mural Project, Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2. 5Pointz, Tara Murray; 3. With Sans, Tone and Yes One in Greenpoint, Dani Reyes Mozeson 4. With Meres and Demer at 5Pointz, Dani Reyes Mozeson & 5. On uptown wall with Ree on right in Inwood, Lois Stavsky

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Meres

On November 19, 2013, 5 Pointz, the world’s aerosol art Mecca, was whitewashed overnight.  Its heartless destruction profoundly saddened not only the artists who called it home and those who traveled there from across the globe, but all of us who loved the creativity and camaraderie that 5Pointz represented. Currently on exhibit at the Jeffrey Leder Gallery, just a short walk from the site of the “art murder,” is W H I T E W A S H.  Curated by Marie Cecile-Flageul, it features the works of nine aerosol artists and two photographers.  Here’s a small sampling of what is on exhibit:

Another by Meres One

Meres

Christian Cortes

"Chris Cortes"

Zimad

Zimad

See TF, close-up 

"See tf"

Shiro

Shiro

Also on exhibit in W H I T E W A S H are works by AuksHans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Orestes Gonzalez, Poem and Topaz.   The exhibition continues through June 8 at the Jeffrey Leder Gallery. Located at 2137 45th Road in Long Island City, the gallery is open Friday – Sunday 12-6pm and by appointment, 917 767 1734.

Photos of artworks by Lois Stavsky and City-as-School intern, Dea Sumrall

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