April 2011

Street Artist Ethos Surreally Big in LA

Street Artist Ethos Surreally Big in LA

Bryson Strauss and the L.A. Art Machine keep an eye on global art phenomena and support the ongoing conservation of Los Angeles’ substantial outdoor mural collection, continuing to promote a vital art community on all levels. This week they hosted Brazilian Street Arts Ethos to come and paint and the results have been giant! Talented photographer Carlos Gonzalez jumped into some very tricky spots to get you these dynamic process shots of Ethos in action.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-01

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-02

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-03

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-04

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-06

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-07

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-740-Claudio-Ethos-copyright-Carlos-Gonzales-April-2011-09

Ethos (image © Carlos Gonzalez)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-WEB-photographer-Carlos-Gonzalez

L.A. Art Machine

Read more

Fun Friday 04.29.11

Fun-Friday

brooklyn-street-art-WEB-Bambi-Will-Kate-Royal-Wedding-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-15

Street Artist Bambi did this portrait in North London for today’s wedding – more art inspired by Will and Kate here at Artlyst.com

Royal His and Hers Prints from K-Guy

London based Street Artist K-GUY plays with Wills and Kate with these newly released prints to celebrate their union and to poke a little fun at the same time.brooklyn-street-art-WEB-K-guy-banner-copyright-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-15

Sweet Toof solo show “Dark Horse” will merrily gallop at Factory Fresh tonight.

brooklyn-street-art-WEB-sweet-toof-banner-copyright-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-15

Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof “Dark Horse”

“Sweet Toof has developed a recurring motif that perambulates through periods and platforms – aerosol mural, oil painting, or theatrical prop –  with a certain frank guile and handmade disarming charm.” from Ready for His Closeup: Sweet Toof Sparkles at Factory Fresh (PHOTOS)

http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/?p=20505

Opening April 29th, 7-10pm at Factory Fresh
On view till May 22nd, Gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday from 1-7pm

Factory Fresh is located at 1053 Flushing Avenue
between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-17-webSweet Toof. Detail (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tristan Eaton’s “3D ArtBook” Exhibition and Book Signing at Opera Gallery

A lot of fun tonight at Opera with 15 artists signing the new book and prints to celebrate the release of the new book by Tristan Eaton – including some of your favorites …

Andrew Bell, Stephen Bliss, Kevin Bourgeois, Ron English, Mat Eaton, Tristan Eaton, Filth, Haze, Travis Louie, Tara McPherson, Kenzo Minami, Mint, Serf, Dr. Revolt & Tom Thewes

brooklyn-street-art-WEB-tristan-eaton-banner-copyright-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-15

3D Art Exhibition + Book Signing for:
The 3D Art Book
by Tristan Eaton
Friday, April 29th, 6-9pm
Opera Gallery New York
115 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212) 966-6675
The 3D Art Book & Exhibition features 100 artists including:
Glenn Barr, Craola, D*Face, Dalek, Eboy, Shepard Fairey, James Jean, Chris Mars, Mark Ryden, Jeff Soto, Rostarr, Todd Schorr, Stash, Gary Taxali, Toki Doki, Trustocorp, Junko Mizuno, Eric White and many more.
Sponsored by: Prestel Publishing & Thunderdog Studios

Exciting Interview with Ben Eine in Los Angeles!

What’s this “Birther” Thing All About?

The rabid pursuit of President Obama’s birth certificate has puzzled many thinking people while the topic is repeatedly brought up during street marches and demonstrations – finally pushing the President himself to hold a press conference about it this week. The astro-turf  fingered crowds in the streets during last years Health Care debates in the US pretty much revealed their base disagreement with all things Obama with their hand held signs that couldn’t be described as anything but racist – “off message” for the insurance companies but “on message” for the yahoos who took their buses. We know this “birther” movement won’t disappear because of the poisonous legacy of racism in our history, but we are thankful for the strong clear thinking of people like Goldie Taylor (video below) who helps us place current events in context.

Read more

Ready for His Closeup: Sweet Toof Sparkles at Factory Fresh

Sweet Toof Brings the Bling to Brooklyn

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-10

A detail from Sweet Toof’s new show at Factory Fresh, opening tomorrow. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Street Artist Sweet Toof’s new show, “Dark Horse” at Factory Fresh opens wide to a mouthful of gleaming new pieces as the artist debuts his first New York show solo, having previously been a part of the Burning Candy Crew with Cyclops and Tek33.  A little frisky in the Brooklyn streets, we find that Sweet Toof is exploring more than the usual territory and challenging himself artistically, always with a healthy glob of humor.  Yes, the pink gums and pearly whites continue to have prominence in each piece, but their permutations progress at a dizzying pace.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-1All along the gumline. Sweet Toof pimps the alley wall with some help from some friends from the hood. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof has developed a recurring motif that perambulates through periods and platforms – aerosol mural, oil painting, or theatrical prop –  with a certain frank guile and handmade disarming charm. Some of the new tableaus of madly grinning top-hatted drivers atop skeletal stallions are pure Dickensian wonder with animated allusions to extreme social conditions and the play of comically repulsive characters. Others touch on graffiti vocabulary and pop/advertising culture with cheerfully mocking glee, the winking enthusiasm and poppy color trumping your worries that it isn’t making any sense. All tolled, it’s a bit of a romp and a promise of tasty treats to come – and if you arrive early you’ll receive your own set of gold sweet teef atop a popsickle stick.

On the day we visited the gallery the place was a divine chaos of paint and construction materials, with works-in-progress laying on the floor waiting to be completed or hung. The partially lit space proved a helpful foil for the spooky pimped-out characters on the canvasses – the sort you wouldn’t trust with a bottle of milk.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-5

Sweet Toof . Come in. We are open. It is sweet inside. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Factory Fresh shopkeeper Mr. DeVille, looking very trim and sunny, murmured something about the current artist-in-residence being on a roof somewhere and after further inquiry, Mr. Toof appeared promptly with a warm and genial demeanor. After a brief tour we took to the street to watch him work. He told us a bit about his work and the upcoming show, after starting with the topic of weather of course.

Brooklyn Street Art: How has your experience been so far in Brooklyn?
Sweet Toof: I have really enjoyed it. The rain some days and then sun. But I can’t complain. I have just been eyeing out all these spots but yeah it has been really good. The weather has been very unpredictable but today is a beautiful day and I love Brooklyn.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-4

Sweet Toof . Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Is there a difference between working in Brooklyn and working in London?
Sweet Toof: There is a little difference. I mean it’s quiet interesting. This is Bushwick and in London, in East London there is an area called Hackney Wick. That’s an area where a lot of people have been painting but they are cleaning it up now because of the Olympic buff – It is almost like a sister of Bushwick because of all the lofts spaces in warehouses and factories where people now live. So it is a similar type of vibe but I like the character here and the architecture.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-2

Sweet Toof . Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: And the people?
Sweet Toof: Yeah I forgot the people…my experience with the people so far is that everyone is really friendly and it is almost like everyone seems to be willing to help and in London none really says hello but here people would say hello…you’re engaged. Brooklyn is more engaging even when you go to the shop and you have been there for a couple of times people recognize you and they start talking and so it feels quite like a community.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-3

Sweet Toof . Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Tell us about the use of gold dust in your work. Have you always used it?
Sweet Toof: Yeah I have used it before on paintings. I’ve used gold pigment, I’ve been using quite a bit of glitter and gold dust just to give it a little bit of extra “bling”. I like that whole sparkly thing, the way the light hits it and it gives it just like another layer in a way. But I just like to mix things up. Even pearlescent paint and I like all sort of paint; oil paint, bucket paint, spray paint – I love it all. But the pearlescent glitter is just like another element within that. You know I think teeth are like jewelry anyway but just with that extra bling, you know when you see people’s teeth and are like pearls.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-6

Sweet Toof . Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Have you been to the south of Mexico and seen the Day of the Dead festival?
Sweet Toof: No but I’m intending to go to Mexico quite soon. I’m fascinated with the Day of the Dead and all of that stuff. It is almost like it has been with me since art school. Since I came across the old woodcuts and the imagery of Guadalupe Posada. The thing I like in Mexico, unlike in England, is that they celebrate death and in early age you are given these candy sweets and they eat it. It’s almost like you enjoy your days and you sleep when you are dead in a way. But death is not just doom and gloom.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-11

Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-7

Sweet Toof. Work in progress (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Tell us about your sense of color. Where do you get your inspiration for bright colors?
Sweet Toof: England is very gray. I mean you do see color but I just sort of respond to the environment that I’m in but I love color anyway. When painting out on the streets I used to like the spontaneous part of it about not seeing your colors when you are painting in the dark. You’ve got a rough idea about what the colors are or you have written the colors on the can or you can see the tones in the dark, but then when you are in the studio and you are mixing your colors it’s almost like you have that whole understanding of color – and it’s the same in print making. You might look at the sky and you think “how I’m going to get that intensity?”  It is about looking at the contrast with all the different hues and understanding color, which I think, comes from oil painting a lot but also from mixing colors for the stuff on the streets as well so you understand how the colors work.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-8

Sweet Toof. Work in progress (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Would you like to talk a bit about you not being part of Burning Candy or is that a sore subject?
Sweet Toof: No, not really. I left last September on my own decision but I really wouldn’t want to go into the politics of it. I just got to the time where I had to get on with my own stuff. I wish them all the best and I wouldn’t want to bitch. I want to keep it simple and getting my head down.

Brooklyn Street Art: What would you like to happen on Friday at the gallery for your show?
Sweet Toof: I’d like for everyone to have a good time and enjoy. Bring people together and just let people mind their own minds about it. It’s one of those things where you never know how people would react to stuff but I want people to enjoy.

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-15

Sweet Toof in Brooklyn with a roof top reflecting pool (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-14

Sweet Toof transforms FF backyard with minty fresh breath (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-16

Dude is so tall you need a ladder to floss. Sweet Toof at Factory Fresh. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-12

Sweet Toof. Action shot! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-13

Sweet Toof  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-sweet-toof-jaime-rojo-factory-fresh-gallery-04-11-web-9

Sweet Toof’s party favor for the early birds at Factory Fresh (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof
“Dark Horse”

Opening April 29th, 7-10pm at Factory Fresh
On view till May 22nd, Gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday from 1-7pm

Read more

Black Book Gallery Presents: The London Police & Handiedan “Amsterydynasty” (Denver, CO)

“Amsterydynasty”
brooklyn-street-art-the-london-police-black-book-gallery-Handiedan

Black Book Gallery presents
The London Police & Handiedan
“Amsterydynasty”

Opening reception May 14th at 7pm – Open to the public
Artists in attendance

May 14, 2011 through May 31, 2011

Denver, CO (April 20, 2011) – Black Book Gallery is at it again for the month of May, delivering some of the most accomplished and established international street artists in the world to Denver. It’s pretty incredible, actually, to think of the shows Black Book Gallery has already produced this year… and 2011 isn’t even half over. We’re talking repeatedly on beat with the likes of gallery exhibitions found in major art hubs: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and the UK. Only these shows require no major travel at all. Pay attention Denver, contemporary and urban art-loving fans; history is happening NOW and it’s all for you, so tuck away any excuses not to attend Black Book Gallery this month, mark your calendars for May 14th and treat yourself to a seriously special collaboration with The London Police and Handiedan! Artists will be in attendance.

Chaz and Bob Gibson make up The London Police, a widely-known and well-respected duo from England who combine styles on every piece they produce, often mixing in a tall portion of antics and mock-seriousness along the way. In fact, their work is largely created from the dynamics of their friendship, which is a result of two small-town artists who continue to share an insatiable desire to work big and leave their mark. Since the beginning, which was back in 1998, Chaz and Gibson have clicked not only with each other, but with the international, contemporary and urban art world. Unknowingly and out of pure satisfaction to create and collaborate, the two began by traveling into London from their nearby homes tapping into the big city energy and laying down what at the time was not so common large ink drawings on the street surfaces of London and later, Amsterdam. In a well-timed series of events, Chaz and Gibson soon found themselves propelled into a lifestyle of global travel, art-making and art-showing, where The London Police emerged as major icons in the street and graffiti art movement over the past decade, their influence still potent to this day.

On their upcoming Denver show, Chaz says, “In the collaboration work between Bob and myself we have tried as ever to mix images and impressions of Denver and USA with the world of the LADS (TLP characters). As always its a pure pleasure to be exhibiting our work in another great American city. Denver has always been in my heart ever since Heather Locklear joined the cast of Dynasty and I asked my mum and dad if I could have a lock on my bedroom door.” Bob responds with this, “I was more into ‘Dex Dexter’ in Dynasty to be honest. A dark, manly, well-dressed smooth operator who taught me the value of strong business etiquette and oily seduction.”

The name of the show is called “Amsterdynasty.” Chaz explains by saying, “Working life for an Amsterdam artist is a potent mix of love, obsession, sweat and tears. An everyday soap opera in the windmill-strewn, wooden-shoe-wearing canals and alleyways of Holland’s capital, not too dissimilar from the popular Denver-based soap extravaganza that was ‘Dynasty’.”

In addition, The London Police are working with Handiedan on an all black and white show. This is a departure from Handiedan’s normal work that is usually full of color. Although, she reports excitement that the black and white challenge is taking her back to her roots in photography.

Handiedan’s feminine and sensual content will be an interesting, uniquely bizarre, counterbalance to The LADS characters. The boudoir aesthetic Handiedan chooses, also mixing in bits from classic tattoo culture and fantastical collage, arouses a certain tenderness that accompanies the subject matter. Handiedan pays big respect to women and sexual expression in general by using pin-up shapes, reframing the notion of a modern goddess. Not only are the female forms attractive to view, Handiedan’s collage work is a highly enjoyable experience in-and-of-itself. It is delicate and ornate, incorporating vintage details and tactile pieces of history. Handiedan is from the Netherlands and sites cultural periods, especially in Europe, as a major influence in her work.

Truly, do whatever you need to do not to miss this show; it will be a mash-up of high creativity and well-developed style from far off and exotic places!

Amsterdynasty will feature original artwork and prints:

Handiedan Giclee Print – Details coming soon
The London Police Screen Print – Featuring the image above – Details coming soon
Handiedan X The London Police “Dog Days” Collaboration Screen Print – Information HERE

Handiedan Originals
The London Police Originals
Handiedan X The London Police Collaboration Originals
If you would like to receive an online preview of available artwork please use the contact page to notify us.

Read more

Tony’s Gallery Presents: Bortusk Leer “Bortusk Took a Trip” (London, UK)

BORTUSK LEER

“Bortusk took a trip”
6th May – 5th June
opening May 5th 6-9pm

Tony’s gallery is delighted to present ‘Bortusk took a trip’, the first solo show by UK artist Bortusk Leer. Since bursting onto the art scene in 2007, Bortusk’s naively spray-painted and marker penned monsters have become a common sight on the streets of London and New York . For the inaugural exhibition at Tony’s, Bortusk Leer will present a site-specific installation alongside a selection of recent paintings and sculptures.

‘Bortusk took a trip’ invites the viewer into the inner reaches of Mr. Leer’s psychedelic mind and takes you back to the fun and carefree days of our childhood. Transforming the gallery space into his private playground, we are invited to experience it as an opportunity to step out of the doom and gloom of our daily routines. An exhilarating mixture between a funfair, cartoon and rave party feel, the show’s only intention is to put a smile on your face and brighten up your day!

Bortusk has named his style ‘art comedy’ and dedicates himself along with a growing team of admirers and pasters to spreading the smiley faced, lolling tongued, and googly eyed LOVE around the world….Bortusk’s heavily satirical work and recognisable paste ups using newspaper as the support and method of spreading his own message, highlights an ongoing concern to challenge the idea of traditional mass media and mass produced objects. These acts of mischievous sabotage using obsolete objects and materials represent in fact another unconventional choice of his to use low-tech procedures to emphasis the often ephemeral nature and lifespan of these randomly applied paste-ups within our urban landscape.

These garishly coloured characters have travelled by sea and air to reach walls as far away as Auckland , Alaska , Jodphur and Barcelona and catching a glimpse of one of these little creatures in a dark corner or grim alleyway always brings a familiar friendly face to these far-away lands. These characters always seem to make themselves at home in their surroundings, be it taking a yellow cab in the Big Apple or tucking into a bratwurst in Berlin .

Over the past 3 years Bortusk Leer has exhibited in several London based group shows such as The Alternative Philosophy at Leonard Street Gallery and Mutate Britain at Cordy House with an array of big names in the street art scene. During the course of these shows his work has strayed into the realms of video, collage and sculpture, re-awakening an interest in 3D and installation art. Also in 2009 Bortusk’s monsters were made into ‘Street Monsters’, a series of 2 minute animations which were commissioned by the BBC.

Bortusk Leer shows no signs of slowing down, currently working on his first solo show in New York and cooking up some plans for further television take over. This top hatted avenger is only just warming up.

Tony’s
68 Sclater st | London |E1 6HR
0203 5565201
www.tonysgallery.com
info@tonysgallery.com

Bortusk Leer
brooklyn-street-art-bortusk-leer-tonys-gallery

Read more

London West Bank Gallery Presents: “Urban Invasion” A Group Show (London, UK)

LWB
brooklyn-street-art-london-west-bank-galleryLondon West Bank (LWB) is a brand new gallery opening in London on
Thursday 28th.
www.londonwestbank.com. It’s a great space so please come down and
support the team involved in converting the old bank on the corner of
Westbourne Grove, Chepstow Road and Pembridge Villas, W11. To get an
invite RSVP to guestlist@londonwestbank.com

As an opening night teaser London based Street Artist K-GUY will be releasing a his ‘n’ hers special royal wedding commemorative mini print to celebrate the big occasion.
Limited to 40 prints at only 40 quid a pop available on the night….
and as a little incentive the first 10 people through the door get a
free one.

brooklyn-street-art-k-guy-hers-london-west-bank-galleryK-Guy “Hers”

brooklyn-street-art-k-guy-his-london-west-bank-galleryK-GUY “His”

Read more

Holdup Art Gallery Presents: “Hi-Graff” (Los Angeles, CA)

Hi-Graff
brooklyn-street-art-hold-up-gallery-Hi-Graff-web-Frontbrooklyn-street-art-hold-up-gallery-Hi-Graff-web-back

“Hi-Graff” is an installation-based street art exhibition that explores the concept of Graffiti as a contemporary art movement… 

The exhibition, which opens on May 7th 7-11pm, showcases graffiti in its most original form –collaborative murals applied directly to walls.  Though LA has seen hundreds of street art exhibitions in the past 5 years, there has always existed a growing disconnect between the artwork shown in the gallery shows and what these street artists produce on the streets. “Forcing a street artist to produce canvas or panel works as the only way of showcasing in a fine art gallery seriously compromises the quality of work, and direction these artists are taking.  We wanted to open up our walls to these artists so the final product will closely mimic the actual art production of these artists on the streets, in an in-door environment” (Curator Lee). This allows the audience to truly understand and juxtapose where their talents and aesthetic differences lie.  For “Hi-Graff”, Hold Up Art has brought together over 20 street artists to produce 10 separate collaborative murals highlighting unique trends and styles in Graffiti.

The artists that were selected for “Hi-Graff” embody a range of styles and techniques, showcasing the varying stylistic directions taken by contemporary graffiti artists.  As with any art movement, Graffiti has evolved much since it had truly taken a hold in Los Angeles back in the 80’s.  According to Curator Brian Lee,  “We are now entering into a high point, the embellishment period, in the artistic movement of Graffiti.  Not only are we witnessing the rise of a third generation of graffiti writers, a generation that actively looks forwards as much as it does backwards, but the public perception and reception of graffiti has grown increasingly warmer.  With the release and world wide success of the movie “Exit through the Gift Shop,” Museum retrospectives on Street art as a culture like at the MOCA, and the ever present force of street art designers like Shepard Fairey–designing for everyone and everything from album covers to billboards for the Grammys–street art has permeated into every facet of American youth culture”  (Curator Lee).

“Hi-Graff” Details
Opening May 7th, 7-11pm
On Display May 7th-June 2nd, 2011

Read more

Street Artist Purth Takes “The Deleras” Cross Country

The fine artist and Street Artist named Purth has been completing an urban installation of her family this winter in Austin, Boston, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, and New Orleans . Not literally her blood relatives, the oversize portraits of females are mirrors of her emotional journey and echoes of relationships she may have experienced coupled with ones she is creating for her future. Coupled with bits of prose that ground them somewhat, these women are strong and searching.

This kind of internal migration is not unusual for a painter in scanning the horizon for something however the actual physical distance run, with it’s long spaces of time and travel in between, is.  It’s also something that Street Artists around the globe are setting a new standard for by completing installations in towns and cities around the globe much like a campaign. In her dog-eared travelogue, Purth carries ruddy hued people from her fluid imagination and raises them amidst abandoned rubble; high enough to be seen from a distance.

brooklyn-street-art-purth-McGrath-1-webPurth “The Deleras” group in an abandoned train yard east of Boston. (Photo © Heather McGrath)

Having completed roughly the first half of the installations for “The Deleras Project”, she shares these images before Purth hits the road again to complete it with installations in Oakland, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati.

With the completion of “six months on the road, (with) snow storm & tornadoes endured, a car accident survived, and life affirming environments broken into,” the artist took a moment to chat with Brooklyn Street Art about her project:

brooklyn-street-art-purth-2-web

Photographer Heather McGrath and a friend assisting Purth after installing The Deleras. East Boston (Photo © Purth)

Brooklyn Street Art: Who are the individuals depicted on your paintings?
Purth: Each piece was created from different sources of inspiration: references of old photographs I’ve been collecting for years, reflections … perhaps of someone’s lover, someone’s child. There will be ten once the work is completed, all of women, young & old, scattered across the country, & each installed with a single stream of thought. The writing is sourced in a very similar way … some pulled from found material, some from the words I was lucky enough to hear uttered; fragments to create a whole. I guess in my mind, they have become the women they are now. Completely independent of the remnants that built them up or who they are to me personally. I hope that for them … the right to stand on their own.

brooklyn-street-art-purth-McGrath-2-web

Purth. Detail of Delera. Abandoned brewery directly across from the Roxbury projects in Boston. (Photo © Heather McGrath)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Purth-Quote-2-April-2011

brooklyn-street-art-purth-Fein-web

Purth in Cincinnati. A slightly damaged Delera (due to bad climate conditions). She is included “as she is beautiful” (Photo © Zach Fein)

Brooklyn Street Art: Why are you traveling around the country putting them up on abandoned walls and buildings?
Purth:
Abandoned spaces have a pronounced hum to them. They are shed, in a sense, but are still heavy with profound undercurrents that I believe can be tapped into … & reinvented. It seems completely fitting for me to search out these spaces as possible locations for the work even if they ultimately make home above, along side, or in areas close by. In regards to the distance covered … we have gaps that need to be bridged. I see them as shepherds and black sheep. It’s my responsibility to find them home.

brooklyn-street-art-purth-Ashmore-web

Purth. “Opal” “I swear there are diamonds …. hundreds of them …
everywhere” East Austin, on the corner of E6th & Chicon. (Photo © Andrew Ashmore)

brooklyn-street-art-purth-smith-1-web

Purth. “Patricia the Beater” “I will grow …fiercely, love”, New Orleans. (Photo © Zack Smith)

Brooklyn Street Art: What is the genesis of this project?
Purth: The first, Delera, was created at an intense, pivotal moment in my life. I became very weak around the end of 2009 and I began painting her like a child screaming at an overbearing parent. In the simplest sense, I was depicting the strength I needed to rediscover in myself. Once she was suspended and I saw her upright for the first time, she literally took my breath away. Something so intimate, so tender, and so sincere towering over me … it was like gold leafing vulnerability and then lighting the shit on fire.

She was the first, the idea for the others quickly followed.

brooklyn-street-art-purth-jaime-rojo-web

Purth. “Lu” “Take my breath away”. Brooklyn, NY. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Purth-Quote-1-April-2011

brooklyn-street-art-purth-1-web

Purth took this shot a few weeks into her trip hoping this would be her home for the next five months. (photo © Purth)

Read more

Liqen Converts a Crashed Plane into a Fish Tail on Oaxacan Beach

Lou: It’s the American Dream in a goddamn gym bag!
Hank: You work for the American Dream. You don’t steal it.
Lou : Then this is even better. “

In the book “A Simple Plan”, by Scott Smith, a trio of friends discovers a small crashed plane with $4.4 million stuffed in a gym bag in this moral tale of greed and opportunity. Without knowing how the plane dropped from the sky, the people on the ground are left to their own devices.

Street Artist Liqen discovered this aviatory carcass on Ventanilla Beach in Oaxaca Mexico and wondered what treasure it once carried and why it stood alone on the otherwise pristine white sands of the riviera. As an artists’ imagination will do, he made a story and converted the carcass of the plane with his paint brush into a fish tail.

brooklyn-street-art-liqen-ventanilla-oaxaca-mexico-3-webLiqen. Ventanilla, Oaxaca  (photo © Liqen)

I did this “fish tail” in the ecstasy of the transformation, a comprehensive intervention of the stupid and amazing reality that happens at the hands of art, nature or magic. At the end of my story this fish-plane was eventually caught and died in ‘Ventanilla’, ” says Liqen.

The tail of of the fish plane now has the figure of what could be a indigenous fisherman with spear in hand, ready to haul the oversized catch. But the story does not end there.

brooklyn-street-art-liqen-ventanilla-oaxaca-mexico-2-web

Liqen. Ventanilla, Oaxaca  (photo © Liqen)

According to website Vagabond Journey, the plane once carried a cargo of marijuana and was shot down six years ago.  According to local reports, narcos came with a truck to retrieve the payload immediately after it hit the sands and some locals filled their backpacks with whatever was left, which was a lot. “Whoever got over there got enough to smoke for two years,” a hotel owner is quoted as saying.

In the case of our friend Liqen there wasn’t a rich bounty that we know of. What we know however is that he couldn’t resist the urge to give the remnants of the plane a lil’ pimpin’ and he shares the following images with you here.

brooklyn-street-art-liqen-ventanilla-oaxaca-mexico-4-web

Liqen. Ventanilla, Oaxaca  (photo © Liqen)

brooklyn-street-art-liqen-ventanilla-oaxaca-mexico-1-web

The left wing remains, while the engine appears to have been removed. Liqen. Ventanilla, Oaxaca  (photo © Liqen)

In this video on Youtube, a commenter offers an alternate story on the circumstances of the plane’s crash. “It was a Colombian drug shipment that was intercepted by the Mexican army. the drugs were pushed out over the Pacific, they ditched in the ocean and crashed on the beach and got away before the Mexican army, navy or air force could get there. The only part above the sand as of April 2009 is the left engine and wing – the fuselage is completely buried.”

Read more

Prestel Publishing and Thunderdog Studios Present: Tristan Eaton’s “3D ArtBook” Exhibition and Book Signing at Opera Gallery (Manhattan, NY)

Tristan Eaton
brooklyn-street-art-tristan-eaton-3d-art-book-prestel-opera-gallery

3D Art Exhibition + Book Signing for:
The 3D Art Book
by Tristan Eaton
Friday, April 29th, 6-9pm
Opera Gallery New York
115 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212) 966-6675
15 Artists will be signing 3D Art Books & Prints:
Andrew Bell, Stephen Bliss, Kevin Bourgeois, Ron English, Mat Eaton, Tristan Eaton, Filth, Haze, Travis Louie, Tara McPherson, Kenzo Minami, Mint, Serf, Dr. Revolt & Tom Thewes
The 3D Art Book & Exhibition features 100 artists including:
Glenn Barr, Craola, D*Face, Dalek, Eboy, Shepard Fairey, James Jean, Chris Mars, Mark Ryden, Jeff Soto, Rostarr, Todd Schorr, Stash, Gary Taxali, Toki Doki, Trustocorp, Junko Mizuno, Eric White and many more.
Sponsored by: Prestel Publishing & Thunderdog Studios
Read more