This is the eighth post in an occasional series featuring artwork on NYC shutters:
Sweet Toof on the Bowery for the LISA Project
With Darkclouds
Ben Eine in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx
Ramiro Davaro in the Bronx for the Tag Public Arts Project
Kashink in Bushwick
The Drif on the Lower East Side for the LISA Project
Buff Monster on the Bowery
Photos 1, 2, and 7 by Tara Murray; 3 and 4 by Lois Stavsky; 5 and 6 by Dani Reyes Mozeson
{ 0 comments }
This is the fifth in a series of occasional posts featuring the range of curious characters that have found a home on NYC streets:
Buff Monster in Little Italy
Federico Massa aka Cruz in Bushwick
Nepo in Bushwick
Nemo — in from Italy — in Williamsburg
Pose in SoHo
stikman in SoHo
Unidentified artist in Brooklyn
Claw Money in Midtown Manhattan
Photo of Pose by Lois Stavsky; all others by Dani Reyes Mozeson
{ 0 comments }
With cameras in hand, Leanna Valente has spent the past 15 months photographing graffiti writers and street artists in progress. She now has over 400 photos signed by the artists. I recently had the opportunity to speak to Leanna about her brilliant Instant Art Exposure project and more:
Have you any early memories of graffiti or street art?
I remember first seeing graffiti as a young child. It was right down the block — under viaducts and bridges — from where I grew up in Buffalo. I loved it at first sight!
Have you, yourself, done any graffiti?
When I was about six, I attempted some bubble letters. And I still give it a try while doodling on a napkin!
What about other art forms?
I’ve been doing art – of one kind or another — for as long as I can remember.
Any particular styles or genres?
Mainly mixed-media works of acrylic, spray paint, fabric and photography.
Have you shown your work in galleries or formal settings?
I started showing in galleries in 2003 while living in Atlanta. I also showed in Miami, in Southern California, in Buffalo and at alternative spaces in Brooklyn in 2010.
Have you studied art in a formal setting?
I’m basically self-taught. I’ve studied art informally at FIT here in NYC and at the Atlanta College of Art/SCAD when I was living in Atlanta, Georgia.
Can you tell us something about your photography projects?
My series Extreme Fashion Window Design in NYC focuses on extreme fashion window designs in Manhattan portraying the glamour and grit of the city. Another series Trashion focuses on the exclusive branding found in our city’s trash. And my Instant Art Exposure project documents NYC’s street art and graffiti scene.
You are obviously quite passionate about street art and graffiti.
Yes, I have been addicted to it for as long as I can remember, and I officially started documenting it in 2007. I love its unique beauty and grand size. It’s gutsy and challenging. Just seeing it gives me an adrenalin rush!
I can relate to that! When did you begin this NYC project?
I became avidly serious about it about 14 months ago at Welling Court while watching Kingbee paint. He was the first to sign a photo.
And we all love your shots that the artists sign. It’s a brilliant concept. I wish I had thought of it myself! Did anything in particular inspire it?
Through documenting street art, graffiti and art/fashion mixes for my blog, I became even more interested in documenting the artists “in process.” It became my way of paying respect to them and the hard work they put into each piece on the walls. I felt that it was a unique and personal addition to the black book. And when artists began to respond enthusiastically, I continued.
Where is the project headed?
Well, people keep on asking me what I’m doing with it. Originally I was just doing it for myself. It was meant as a personal diary of photos to hang on my wall. But artists I’ve photographed and other people in the scene have suggested that I follow up on publishing a book and launching an exhibit that feature the works. And so in addition to what I do with my standard photography equipment, my primary focus now is on this project. Talks are now in the works for a series of books, gallery shows and select prints. I will never sell the originals, but I will choose, with the assistance of the artists, a select number to make into prints.
That sounds great! Who are some of the artists have you photographed?
They range from such legends as Blek le Rat, Lady Pink, Charlie Ahearn, Lee Quinones, Crash, Futura and Kenny Scharf to contemporary masters such as Shepard Fairey, Logan Hicks, Sp.One, Wane, Chris Stain, Billy Mode, Stik, Stinkfish, RWK and Icy and Sot. And I can’t imagine ever stopping!
Note: You can follow Leanna on Instagram at @leannav & #instantartexposure, in addition to her blog and her soon-to-be-launched website www.instantartexposure.com.
Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky.
Leanna’s photos: 1. Buff Monster 2. Veng RWK 3. Hoacs 4. Queen Andrea 5. Rubin & Joe Iurato
{ 1 comment }
A range of curious characters have found a home on the streets of NYC. This is the second of our occasional series:
Buff Monster in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Nathan Mellott in the East Village
Nepo in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Craig Anthony Miller aka CAM in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
KingBee in the East Village
One of the 13 Portals in the East Village
Photos of Buff Monster and Nepo by Tara Murray; of Nathan Mellott and KingBee by Daniel Reyes Mozeson; of Craig Anthony Miller and Portal by Lois Stavsky
{ 0 comments }
Opening Saturday night at Spoke Art NYC is Meet Me At Delancey / Essex, featuring a diverse range of works by over 20 artists living and working in the greater NYC area. Curated by Jennifer Rizzo, Meet Me At Delancey / Essex is a celebration of community that brings together both emerging and established artists working in a variety of styles and genres, including many who have been active on our streets. The image above, Mars Bar RIP, was fashioned by the wonderfully talented Logan Hicks. Several more follow:
Ian Ferguson aka Hydeon, Busy Train Over the Bridge
Dennis McNett, Thunder Being
Aaron Li-Hill, The Last Flight
Swoon, Subway Windows
Among the other artists — whose works have also surfaced in public spaces — featured in this handsome exhibit are: Olek, Beau Stanton, Buff Monster and Ellis Gallagher. Meet Me At Delancey / Essex, where street, lowbrow, pop surrealism and new contemporary genres meet at Spoke Art NYC, opens with a reception this Saturday from 6-8 pm and continues through March 25th at 210 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side
Photos courtesy Spoke Art NYC
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.
{ 0 comments }
Home to such projects as 100 Gates and Market Surplus, the streets and venues of Manhattan’s Lower East Side have introduced us to new talents, while showcasing some of NYC’s most prominent graffiti artists and muralists. Artists are now invited to submit ideas for an entire mural — or a segment of it — to be painted on the western façade of Essex Crossing‘s site at 145 Clinton Street that will be home to 107 market-rate apartments and 104 below-market-rate units. Check the Request for Proposals (RFP) for all the details and requirements. You have until December 15th to submit it.
The image featured above was painted by Gera Luz. Here are several more that have surfaced on the Lower East Side within the past year:
Buff Monster for Market Surplus
Photo credit: QuallsBenson
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.
{ 0 comments }
This past Sunday, we had the opportunity to meet up with Joshua Geyer, one of the curators of the current installation on the 69th floor of 4 World Trade Center. Curious about it all, we posed a few questions to him:
We’ve been seeing more artwork by street artists indoors these past few months — in a wide range of unlikely settings — than on the streets. Whose concept was it to turn this floor into a showcase for street art and graffiti?
Several executives who work in this building had visited the World Trade Gallery awhile back, and they loved the art that was exhibited there. It was their idea to invite street artists to paint on this floor.
And how did you become involved with this project?
Last March, I had curated an exhibit at the World Trade Gallery that featured works by over a dozen street artists. And so I was invited back to work on this project.
Which of these artists did you, personally, engage in this project?
The artists I invited to paint here include: Icy and Sot, Sonni, Cern, Fanakapan, Rubin, Hellbent, Buff Monster, Chris RWK, Jackfox, UR New York, Erasmo and Basil Sema.
How did you decide which ones to invite?
I chose artists I know — whom I’ve worked with in the past — whose art would work in this particular setting.
Did this project present any distinct challenges?
This was the first time I’d ever worked with other curators. That was a definite challenge, as we didn’t all have the same vision, and each one of us worked independently. I generally curate on my own. And when I work with Centre-fuge Public Art Project, every decision is made collaboratively, and we are all pretty much on the same page. But I did learn about different approaches to curating a space and navigating my way through different visions.
Who were some of the other curators?
Among them are: Caitlin Crews, Sean Sullivan and Bobby Grandone
Within the past few weeks, there have been quite a few discussions about the need to financially compensate all artists for work they do within corporate settings. What are your thoughts on this issue?
I absolutely agree. Unfortunately, the art world doesn’t always come through. Creatives can be easily exploited. And if this doesn’t change, we will continue to lose many talented artists. But lots of positive things are happening now in this space.
Can you tell us about that?
Yes. Many students — from local elementary schools to the Parsons School of Design — have visited. They’ve had the opportunity to meet artists and speak to curators, and their response has been great. I look forward to more school visits. And I am hoping, of course, that the artists who painted here will attract clients and gain future opportunities.
How can folks visit this space? Is it ever open to the public?
I will be giving weekly tours. For specific information and to set an appointment, I can be reached at Tower4Arts@gmail.com. I would love to have schools — and art teachers, in particular — reach out to me.
And what about you? What’s ahead for you?
Later this spring I will be joining several artists — including Vexta, Faith47 and Alexis Diaz — on a trip to El Salvador facilitated by the United Nations. I will be doing a photography workshop with kids, and we will be wheat-pasting their photos outdoors. And currently I’m working with No Longer Empty, with plans underway for an exhibit in Brownsville.
That all sounds great! We’re looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
Note: The images featured in this post were among those curated by Joshua Geyer. Keep posted to the StreetArtNYC Facebook page for additional images of artworks in this space.
Images
2 Josh standing next to Chris RWK
3 Buff Monster, with fragments of Hellbent to the side
4 Cern
6 Jackfox
7 Sonni
Photos & interview by Lois Stavsky
{ 0 comments }
Still out there each day with camera in hand documenting what has surfaced overnight, photographer Allan Ludwig aka Elisha Cook, Jr recently shared with us some of his thoughts on the changes that he’s witnessed in his downtown Manhattan neighborhood and more:
You’ve lived here in Soho for decades. At what point did the changes in your neighborhood become most apparent?
Around 2003, I noticed that the new stores in my neighborhood were — for the most part — only selling expensive items. I no longer recognized my neighbors’ faces on the streets. Tourists and shoppers were everywhere. I knew then that I must turn my lens onto the graffiti and street art here before it all disappeared.
And what are some of the changes that you have observed in the street art that surfaces here these days?
It has largely lost its edginess. Much of the street art here has gotten exceedingly commercial. It’s often difficult to tell the difference between what is sanctioned and what is done without permission. Street art and ads have become increasingly interchangeable. And too many “street artists” these days seem to use public space primarily to promote their gallery shows.
What do you suppose has caused these changes?
The monetization of it all. And I feel that the street art festivals have not only legitimized an underground movement, but have created an elite — not all that different from the mainstream art world.
We’ve noticed that you tend to focus your camera on illegal works, particularly tags and bombs. Why is that?
Because they are real and raw. I love their poetic spontaneity. I can feel the artist’s pure passion and love for it.
Not everyone would agree with you! Any thoughts about Mayor de Blasio’s proposed efforts to keep the city graffiti-free?
I don’t see any point to it. It’s a misdirected use of funds. The money should be used, instead, to help the homeless.
We noticed that you were daily documenting the impromptu David Bowie memorial in front of his home. Did you know Bowie personally?
I live just down the block from him, so I’d see him from time to time around the neighborhood. But, no, I didn’t know him personally. I would simply nod in acknowledgement and respect when I saw him. I sensed that he was my kind of person. But I did not want to invade his privacy.
And what about the memorial? What spurred you to photograph it daily and in such detail?
I loved it! I loved that it was spontaneous and inclusive. There was no hidden agenda!
Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with Tara Murray
All photos by Allan Ludwig aka Elisha Cook, Jr, except for the first one — featuring Allan alongside Buff Monster — which was photographed by Julie Dermansky; photo 3 features Dylan Egon; photo 4 features Dee Dee and photo 5, Dasic Fernandez
Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.
{ 4 comments }
