Street Art Festival

Back in 2019, Amsterdam Street Art organized a street art festival, If Walls Could Speak, that produced ten captivating murals painted on a row of large apartment buildings in Platanenweg in East Amsterdam. We had the opportunity to visit these hugely impressive murals while in Amsterdam earlier this month. The alluring image featured above  — representing Amsterdam’s free spirit — was fashioned by Netherlands-based Niels van Swaemen and Kaspar van Leek, known collaboratively as  Studio Giftig. Several more murals painted during this groundbreaking street art festival follow:

German artist Case Maclaim

Australian artist Smug One

UK-based Dan Kitchener

  Netherlands-based Sjem Bakkus & IVES One 

Netherlands-based Leon Keer

German artist HERA of Herakut

Photo credits: 1 Sara C Mozeson, 2-7 Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

The Grandscale Mural Project is once again transforming the streets of East Harlem into an oasis of beauty and intrigue. While visiting this past Sunday, I came upon dozens of completed walls, along with dozens of works in progress representing a wide range of styles and themes. Featured above is the lovely Colombia-born, East Harlem-based artist Gia Gutierrez — standing to the right of her newly-completed mural. Several more images captured this past Sunday follow:

South Bronx-raised, Puerto Rican artist Olga Correa

East Harlem-based, Stockholm-born artist Scratch

New York-based, Chilean artist Cekis

NYC-based Caryn Cast diligently at work on her portrait of the legendary singer, songwriter & guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe

NYC-born and based artist Cram Concepts

NYC-based, New Jersey-bred illustrator Anna Lustberg

BC1 and Al Ruiz collaborative mural featuring the late, legendary Tito Puente

Note: Keep posted to Street Art NYC Threads for more images from this year’s Grandscale Mural Project curated by Uptown Grand Central.

Photos: Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Since 2015, the annual SHINE Mural Festival has been transforming St. Petersburg, Florida’s coastal “Sunshine City,” into an intriguing open-air museum featuring local, national and international artists. Travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad was there to capture this year’s festival which had taken place in mid-October.

The distinctly dramatic image pictured above was painted by Berlin-based James Bullough, who is posed in front of his mural. The artist explains his choice of colors as “a subtle shoutout” to Amsterdam-based Joram Roukes whose artwork was previously on this wall. Several more images from this year’s SHINE Mural Festival follow:

LA-based, French duo 123KLAN in front of their mural

Tampa-based Sydney Prusso

German native MadC and Montreal-based Haks 180 at work

 Florida-based Tasko in front of his mural

Toronto-based Ben Johnston

Local artist Dreamweaver in front of her mural in progress

All photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad 

{ 0 comments }

Adding sixteen new murals to Downtown Cincinnati, BLINK, the nation’s largest light and art festival, took place last month for the first time since 2019. The cleverly captivating artwork featured above was painted by Atlanta-based Greg Mike. Several more murals — all captured by by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

Chicago-based Max Sansing portrays two figures “in meditation with their thoughts while looking up to the sky symbolizing the future and limitless possibilities.”

Valencia-born duo PichiAvo at work

PichiAvo, completed mural — inspired by the marble sculpture Laocoön and His Sons

Amsterdam-based  Mr. June presents “an alternative experience of the environment, which has been optically manipulated by form, colors and perspectives.”

Athens native Insane 51 portrays Euthenia, the ancient Greek female spirit of prosperity

Denver-based duo Lindz and Lamb at work on “Who Dey!” referencing the chant that breaks out after the Bengals score touchdowns at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad

{ 0 comments }

Since 2014, Waterford Walls, Ireland’s largest street art festival, has been transforming and regenerating urban spaces in Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, while inspiring and connecting communities. Earlier this month, Waterford Walls held its eighth street art festival with over 28 national and international artists creating huge murals across Waterford City and the surrounding areas.

The enchanting mural featured above was painted by the London-based French street artist Zabou with the Dublin-based French illustrator and muralist Juliette Viode. They are both captured here — posing with the local boy depicted in the mural — by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad.  Several more images from the recent Waterford Walls follow:

Ukrainian artist Andrey Palval with one of the murals from the triptych “The Birds”

Portugal-based Emanuel Barreira aka Half Studio in front of his masterly lettering

England-based self-taught artist Sophie Mess at work on her stunning mural

French urban artist GraffMatt checking out his portrait of a young woman

Paris-based South African photorealistic muralist Mister Copy at work

Brooklyn-based Italian muralist Iena Cruz in front of his mural “Out of Sight,” depicting “two vanishing polar bears… fighting to survive”

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad

{ 0 comments }

Launched in 2009, Welling Court Mural Project has transformed Welling Court and its surrounding blocks in Astoria, Queens into a welcoming, wondrous open-air gallery. Under the curatorial direction of Alison Wallis, a diverse range of artists are now busily bringing their talents and visions to Welling Court in preparation for this weekend’s festivities. When visiting on Monday evening, I came upon several artists at work and a few newly fashioned murals. Pictured above is artist, curator and arts educator Alice Mizrachi with spray can in hand. Several more images follow:

Style master Noah TFP at work

The renowned Greg Lamarche aka Sp.One

Thailand-based artist Headache Stencil

The legendary Lady Pink, close-up from her almost-completed mural

Another detail from Lady Pink’s hugely impressive and uplifting mural

Japanese artist Shiro brings new vibes to her old spot

These next few days will bring many more artists to Welling Court culminating this weekend in a two-day festival. Featuring live painting a  marketplace and more, it will take place June 25 and 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 11-25 30th Avenue.

Photos: Lois Stavsky

{ 1 comment }

Since 2015, the SHINE Mural Festival, has brought over 100 murals to downtown St. Petersburg and its surrounding arts districts. This past week, a diverse lineup of wonderfully talented artists — local, national and global — shared their talents to further enhance the streets of St. Pete. Featured above is the completed mural by the renowned German artist Case Maclaim. Several more photos, captured these past few days by Street Art NYC contributor Tara Murray, follow:

Frankfurt-based Case Maclaim captured earlier at work

Tampa Bay-based painted and illustrator Jared Wright

Miami-based Haitian-American artist Mwanel Pierre Louis

Miami-based multimedia artist Nicole Salgar

The SHINE Mural Festival is produced by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, the city’s the only 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to raising money and advocating for artists, arts, cultural organizations and creative businesses.

All photos by Tara Murray

{ 0 comments }

The first BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival, an all Black-produced event, took place from July 24th through the 31st in Detroit, Michigan. It was founded by Sydney G. James of Detroit, Thomas “Detour” Evans of Denver and Max Sansing of Chicago in response to their past experiences of participating in mural festivals where there had been a lack of racial diversity among the participating artists and too many expenses incurred by the artists themselves.

Each of the artists participating in the inaugural BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival was provided with a fee for painting, as well as free lodging, meals and transportation. In addition to live mural painting, the inaugural festival hosted artist talks, panel discussions and pop-up exhibitions.

The image featured above was fashioned by Detroit-bred and based visual artist Sydney G. James. Several more murals that surfaced last month at the BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival — all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — follow:

Nepali artist Sneha Shrestha aka IMAGINE

Chicago-based Max Sansing and Roxbury, Boston native Rob Gibbs aka Problak

West Coast born and bred Jamaican-American artist “JUST” Giovannie 

Bay Area based artist and singer Zoë Boston

Mexican artist Victor “MARKA27” Quinonez  at work

West Coast-based, self-taught artist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith aka Wolfe Pack

Photos: Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad 

{ 3 comments }

The Waterford Walls International Street Art Festival celebrated its 6th year in 2020. But it was a year like no other. Instead of taking place over a long weekend in August, it lasted for over 45 days, as artists from throughout Ireland arrived one at a time to paint their murals in accordance with social distancing guidelines. With live interviews and videos online, the festival successfully transformed urban spaces while, also, engaging the public.

The image featured above was created collaboratively by the noted Irish artists Aches and Maser. Several more images that surfaced in the 2020 The Waterford Walls International Street Art Festival follow:

London-born Ireland-based muralist and illustrator Dan Leo 

Dublin-based sign painter and lettering artist Vanessa Power

Waterford-based Polish artist Magda Karol

Dublin-based muralist and graphic artist Garreth Joyce

Irish printmaker and muralist Shane O’Driscoll

Dublin-based Niall O’Lochlainn and Waterford-based Caoilfhionn Hanton

All photos courtesy Waterford Walls; special thanks to Houda Lazrak for making the connection

{ 0 comments }

Earlier this fall, four artists — representing different Brazilian regions and ethnic-social realities — shared their talents and visions in the center of  Belo Horizonte, the capital city of southeastern Brazil’s Minas Gerais state. Coordinated by CURA – Urban Art Circuit, this group of black and indigenous artists painted distinctly graceful, alluring images onto some of the city’s tallest buildings.

The playfully intriguing mural featured above — posing questions about societal standards and expectations imposed on women — is the work of the celebrated Brazilian artist Lídia Viber, who lives on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte. Several more Festival CURA 2020 images follow:

The largest work of contemporary indigenous public art in the world painted by visual artist and activist Daiara Tukano — the first indigenous Brazilian woman to paint a gable 

São Paulo-based self-taught artist Diego Mouro — intent on showing the gentleness and affection among black men — depicts a man tending to another man’s dreadlocks

São Paulo-native, multidisciplinary artist Robinho Santana depicts a Brazilian family

Robinho Santana, closer-up

All photos by Caio Flavio

{ 0 comments }