BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
For the last 10 months this initiative to bring Street Art and public art to the forefront of the conversation in New York’s capital has been a boon to discourse, unusual during a period of retrenchment and an ongoing financial crises that is rocking every segment of society in the US. After years of incremental cuts to arts programming in public schools and cultural institutions at every level, it is a perfect opportunity for artists to re-assert their voices as this Street Art movement continues to evolve and develop in an organic way. Ironically this scene with roots in graffiti has shape-shifted and its emergence looks like a democratic movement, messily yet constructively filling a creative void for this new generation while the budgetary axes continue to fall around them.
As Street Artists have been installing their new works on walls around Albany these past 10 days or so, the common story one witnesses is the level of engagement of adults and kids stopping on the sidewalk, in their cars, watching the process, photographing and discussing the art, and exploring the creative process. Some folks have even become assistants to the artists, creating a sense of ownership, and yes, community. There is obviously more to this evolving story, and we’ll continue to track it.
Below are photos from photographer Jaime Rojo to give you an idea of the wealth of creativity that is alive in Albany at the moment. And we commence with our weekly interview with the street this week featuring Broken Crow, Chris Stain, Gaia, How and Nosm, Joe Iurato, LNY, Nanook, ND’A, NohJColey, OverUnder, Radical! ROA, Shin Shin, and Wing. First, we go to church with Joe Iurato.
Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gaia and Nanook (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NohJColey (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NohJColey made one of his most expansive and eclectic sculptural installations yet inside St. Joseph’s church. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NohJColey (photo © Jaime Rojo)
LNY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Broken Crow called a quorum of penquins to hold a discussion on weighty topics of the day . (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Broken Crow worked overnight and completed this elk downtown on Mikes birthday this week. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Broken Crow is literally stopping traffic on Second Avenue with this powerful stencilled piece. People are jumping out to take pictures of this and question what it might symbolize. The puncturing of the foreground plain with the spilling of “blood” from the carcass is a temporary and powerful effect that will last only until winter. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Broken Crow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
A bird in the hand from GAIA (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Birds of a different feather from Street Artist Radical (photo © Jaime Rojo)
N’DA (photo © Jaime Rojo)
How and Nosm (photo © Jaime Rojo)
How and Nosm (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shin Shin and Wing (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Radical (photo © Jaime Rojo)
This new large scale mural created by Street Artist Chris Stain is at the entrance of the New York State Museum, where many presentations and symposia have been taking place since Friday under the “Living Walls : Albany” auspices. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
