On the Street

New York is a Zoo! Street Art and the Animal Kingdom

This Spring New York City had a few wild coyotes running in Central Park looking for prey.

Unfortunately the only flesh that could be hunted was one of the Lehman Brothers hiding in a cave in the Brambles since the crash and a couple of lost social x-rays looking for the old Tavern on the Green. More plastic than meat.

In fact New York has it’s share of wildlife, and I don’t just mean the Annual Zombie Crawl or Amanda LaPore, or even Macy’s One Day Sale. Since the early 2000’s the D.I.Y. kids fascination with putting lifelike animals on every available surface has continued unabated, and street artists have similarly loosed plenty of birds, frogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, wolves, squirrels, bees and multiple other species onto our streets. The occurrence of lifelike and fictional animals has been frightening, adorable, educational, and enjoyable.

One theory for the reappearance of the natural world in such numbers on our street walls (yes, there are theories) is rooted in native people prophecies that the animals are spirits coming to reclaim what once was theirs. Looking at how humans are rapaciously mucking up the natural world, I don’t know why they haven’t started diving at our necks already.

So, perhaps all of these street art animals are here to remind us how vital it is for us to to re-connect with them and live in harmony with each other. For instance, I give the squirrels and pigeons of our city much credit for making it here; Tough, resilient, and cranky, they may be the original New Yorkers. I’ve learned so much from them. When a pigeon refuses to move from the spot on the sidewalk where she is waddling I smile and walk around. New York is hers as much as it is mine, dammit.

The images below, some previously published on BSA and some brand new, are a tribute to both the artists and their subjects.

Pigeons (Photo © Jaime Rojo)
Actual New York pigeons (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Yote Love
Yote (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST is king only he needs a kiss.
QRST is actually Prince Charming. Kiss him and you’ll see. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Elbow Toe
Elbow Toe (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Roa
Roa (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent
Hellbent (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia (Photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gaia (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pork, Mint and Serf (Detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pork, Mint and Serf (Detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mother Wolf (Photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mother Wolf (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shin Shin
Shin Shin (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Veng is a Walrus
Veng  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Yote
Yote (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia
Gaia (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Yote
Yote: A Star is Born (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Read more

Logan Hicks in Paris Spraying Stencils on the Street for Show

The Bearded Brooklyn Brotherman Readies His Solo Show at Galerie Itinerrance

Brooklyn-Street-Art-header-WEB-Logan-Hicks-itinerrance-June2010_long-road-header

Sunday afternoon stencil artist Logan Hicks had to “take it outside” – so often the case with artists who use cans to create.

The artist who employs the dissapearing
The artist who celebrates the vanishing point perspective is framed here by the streetscape of Paris.

His intricately cut stencils were there for any passerby to see as Logan set up shop on the street, carefully placing layer after layer, strategically sticking a bit of blue gaffers tape here and there to keep them in place, and wielding well-rendered plumes of colored aerosol above the templates to fill the empty shapes.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks-WEB-itinerrance-June2010_3747

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks_web72-itinerrance-June2010_3725

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks-WEB-itinerrance-June2010_3719

Logan Hicks

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks-WEB-itinerrance-June2010_focused-structure
A classic stencil painting  by Logan Hicks celebrates the symmetry and rhythm of shape and pattern in this image of subway platforms.

Logan showing one of his newest pieces, "Life Line"

Logan showing one of his newest pieces, “Life Line”

Logan HicksBrooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks-WEB-itinerrance-June2010_3716

Logan Hicks

"The Long Road" by Logan Hicks
“The Long Road” by Logan Hicks

By nightfall he finished preparing his latest pieces, including his near classic “The Long Road” and a new addition “Life Line”.  Today he’s taking it inside to paint a mural inside the gallery.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Logan-Hicks_web72-itinerrance-June2010_3730

*************************************************************************

Galerie Itinerrance

(images courtesy of and copyright of Itinerrance and Logan Hicks)

Read more

Images of the Week 06.06.10

Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Dain, Bast, Bortusk Leer, Ludo, Elbow-toe, Shin Shin, Shin Shin, Tazmat, Fumero, Bast, Gaia, Yote, Lucy McLauchan, Shepard Fairey, and Mr DiMaggio

Dain
Dain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

c

BortusK Leer (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain and Ludo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain and Ludo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

j
Elbow Toe with Shin Shin, Tazmat, Fumero (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bast
Bast (photo © Jaime Rojo)

j

Summer Sweet Corn by Yote (photo © Jaime Rojo)

h
Dain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BortusK Leer (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BortusK Leer (photo © Jaime Rojo)

g
Gaia (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lucy McLauchan
Lucy McLauchan (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey
Shepard Fairey (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr DiMaggio (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr DiMaggio (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Read more

Aakash Nihalani’s Highly Decorative Stop Sign

“Stop Sign” Video

Street Art takes many turns and I frankly never know where it’s going to turn up.  Technically, it would seem that some street artists are always challenging themselves, and you, to reevaluate your core assumptions. Like this ornate sign decoration, which, by the way, does not impede drivers ability to see the message.  You wondered how this one stayed up, right? – This week it was in Dumbo, Brooklyn and at first it seemed quite impossible that it was taped to the sky. It appeared in the Images of the Week a couple of days ago – and now there is this video wending its way through the digital world.

Read more
Images Of The Week 05.30.10 on BSA

Images Of The Week 05.30.10 on BSA

Brooklyn-Street-Art-IMAGES-OF-THE-WEEK_05-2010

Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Sweet Toof, Robots Will Kill, Ludo, Clown Soldier, Swoon, NanooK, Gaia,  Faile, ROA, Shepard Fairey, Sting, Aakash Nihalani

Sweet Toof and Veng
Sweet Toof moves in next to Robots Will Kill (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ludo
Don’t pull that thing! (Ludo) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Clown Soldier's many talents
Clown Soldier’s many talents (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Swoon
Swoon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

NanooK
NanooK (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Swoon
Over the shoulder Swoon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia
Gaia (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Roa, Celso

Roa, Celso ( Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile
Amidst all these troubles and anxieties that befell Trixie, she still remembered to wear her pumps.  (Faile) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Roa
ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Don't Stop Aakash Nihalani! (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Don't Stop Aakash Nihalani! (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Look Ma, Sting is coming out of Shepard Fairey's riffles!
Shepard Fairey and Sting (a street art collabo) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

And Now This Briefs Message:

NanooK
NanooK (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof, Clint

Sweet Toof, Clint (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Read more

The Dude Company Special: New Pieces: Big Ups To BKLN

Dude’s Got Skillz

Damn, Son, some street arts artists in BK are seriously bringing it this spring, and the results are there for anybody to see in this gallery of the street.

Here are very recent stencils and wheat-pastes by one of the more enterprising new talents on the scene, The Dude Co. 
In this new series The Dude continues to pay homage to BROOKLYN, some of its distinctive landmarks, skater kids, and hip-hop musicians from all over.

Despite the subjects, none of it is POP, rather it can be startlingly sincere. In color, composition, and context you’ll have to admit he’s killing it.

It’s evident that The Dude Co. is a fan of New York, and with this new collection, some New Yorkers will undoubtedly be a fan of The Dude.

The Dude Company celebrates Brooklyn
The Dude Company celebrates Brooklyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cake and The Dude Company Collaboration
Street Art Mashup: “Ballade De Cake Nelson” He even did a duet with Cake – like Serge Gainsbourg mashed with Katy Perry Cake and The Dude Company Collaboration (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company
The Dude Company (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company (Version 2)

The Dude Company with a skater boy out front (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company
The Dude Company (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company
Ahmir Khalib Thompson known professionally as ?uestlove (The Dude Company) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company
The Dude Company in Black and White (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Dude Company Ode to Brooklyn in yet another version
The Dude Company in an Ode to Brooklyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Read more

Stuck in Love With New York’s Stickers

One of New York’s Visiting Photographers Shows His Collection of Sticker Pics

New York is blessed with thousands, maybe millions of visitors every year.  Some come for Broadway, The Naked Cowboy and Nathan’s hotdogs. Others come for the street art.  Richard Skinner from Ireland shows us the cool stickers he shot while here.

~with images and text by Richard Skinner

When I arrived in New York, although I already knew how big street art was, it still amazed me and made me happy to see it in person.

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

As I looked at all the art I noticed the mass amount of stickers covering the posts and traffic lights all over the city, and I had not really seen it documented properly before, so I started.  Walking the city for hours capturing the stickers that a lot of people in one of America’s biggest city’s fail to notice.

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

A lot of these stickers are very well designed graphically, and I try to capture them in a way that the background compliments this. Some are just plain funny.  Sometimes they can be in awkward places so to document them I took a close up. I find it interesting to spot these stickers all over the city and see the length some artists go to have themselves recognized.

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

I have much respect for all the artists involved and it’s a pleasure to document it.  I hope my photographs can make these pieces of art last longer than they might normally.

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

Richard Skinner

(Image © Richard Skinner)

To see more of Richard’s work go HERE

Read more

Roa Pulls a Rabbit out of a Hog

ROA GOES OVER SELF

While in town for his first solo show in NYC at Factory Fresh Gallery ROA has been busy getting up in Brooklyn. His new piece is nothing short of magic. In an unusual twist on a street art act usually considered a dis, ROA actually goes over himself — and transforms his gigantic hog into a dead rabbit..

Pork at the Robot (Noah Sparkes and ? ) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Roa’s original porcine portrait (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Here is the original swine portrait, which ran for more than a year solidly without interruption (with some help from Noah Sparkes in the colorful background).

ROA (Photo©Jaime Rojo)
ROA (Photo©Jaime Rojo)

And here is the brand new rabbit pulled out of his imaginary animal kingdom. Following one of his themes, ROA reveals the inner skeletal structure of the animal – it’s bit educational for those who may be taxidermically inclined.

ROA (Photo©Jaime Rojo)
ROA (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA (Photo©Jaime Rojo)
ROA (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Read more

Fun Friday 05.21.10 from BSA

Fun-Friday

Thanks to everybody for the shout-outs about Fun Friday.  We love you too.

Style Curator Natalie Kates Went to the “Street Art New York” Auction with her Video Camera

I saw her at the party/auction/fundraiser on April 24th at Factory Fresh but I didn’t know she was shooting a video!  So cool because she captured the fun crowd and the funnier DJ mixologists Sifunk and Garmunkle, who really rocked our already over stimulated brains with a rhythmic cut-copy-paste blend of funkiness. (get Paul’s New Mix FREE here) Anyway, thanks Natalie!

Free Arts NYC

And on that note, thank you to all of the street artists who generously donated their time and work and creativity to the auction, which raised $16,000 for the programs at Free Arts NYC.  Thank you also to the staff and many volunteers who helped make that show work – BSA recommends these people and these programs that provide valuable services to our neighbors and to NYC kids.  A number of Street Artist already know about their programs and have volunteered as Big Brother/Sister mentors and worked with kids and families in the programs.  Here, Cynthia and Alexis talk about their experience:



This year again, Free Arts NYC has committed to serving an additional 1,000 children to meet the high demand in New York for their programs. We hope you will consider donating today by clicking here to help them reach this important milestone and close the remaining $25,000 gap needed to expand their programs.

“UR New York” Shows You How They Do It

UR New York, true born and raised New Yorkers, not transplants like most of us, are taking their street art game another step forward in a positive way. You see their cool canvasses, but do you have any idea how many steps are involved in making a print?

Here’s a studio stop-action video that shows how the New York Duo 2Easae and Ski just churned out their first print called “Arsenic” with Art Asylum Boston.  They only made 10, but it looks like a lot of effort.  Using cans and brushes, these brothers are combining the best of their experience into their work.

Ron English Hits the Welling Court Walls Early

UR New York, Street Artist Ron English has put up a bunch of new wheat paste posters on the Welling Court Mural Project in Queens, NY. The festival starts tomorrow and already the stuff that is up is worth the trip for this community event. English is taking the opportunity to lambaste Consumerism, Greed, Militarism, Religious Hypocrisy, Romanticizing Guns, and Advertising Hammerlocks on your Head — you know, all the lite topics – with a variety of graphic lampoons a la Mad Magazine in the 70’s.ee

Ron English's new work at Welling Court Walls this weekend

Ron English's new work at Welling Court Mural Project this weekend (image courtesy Ron English)

See more pictures from Ron English’s online journal at Juxtapose HERE.

ROA on the Roof

You may have missed this, and I’m so happy with it – so that’s two really good reasons to post this new NEW YORKY video we made with ROA this week.  Have a great weekend!


BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………

Artists that were part of the “Street Art New York” Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC were Abe Lincoln Jr., Alex Diamond, Anera, Avoid Pi, Billi Kid, Bishop 203, Blanco, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK, Chris Stain, Creepy, Dain, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, EllisG, FKDL, Gaia, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Jef Aerosol, Jim Avignon, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Nomadé, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP/Peripheral Media Projects, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Rene Gagnon, Roa, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton, UR New York (2esae & Ski), Veng RWK

Read more

JMR’s got his Piece done for the Queen’s Wall

No, not Queen Elizabeth, – it’s the borough of Queens this time.
Ad Hoc Art,
with the Queen Alison Buxton and her ever-loyal servant Garrison at the helm, are putting together a very fun and expansive show on the walls on Saturday.
We know the list, and there are a couple special guests, so don’t miss it.  It’s kind of far, but it will be worth it when you get there.

I dunno, I want to try something new.  How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)
I dunno, I want to try something new. How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)

Welling Court Artists include: Alice Mizrachi, Beast, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, Celso, Cern, Cey Adams, CR, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Daryll Peirce, Don Leicht, Ellis G, Free5, Gaia, Garrison & Alison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JMR, John Fekner, Lady Pink, Leon Reid, Matt Siren, M-City, Michael De Feo, Mr. Kiji, Pablo Power, Peripheral Media Projects, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Remi/Rough, Ron English, Royce Bannon, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Sweet Toof, Swoon, TooFly, Tristan Eaton, and Veng RWK.

Read more about Welling Court Mural Project HERE

Read more

Images of the Week 05.16.10 on BSA

Our Weekly Interview With the Street

Luna Park and Billi Kid with friends at Barneys Window
Luna Park and Billi Kid with 20 street art friends custom designed the classic Eames chair for a charity auction that ultimately mentors and helps other artists: this is a view of the whole collection in the Barneys window that debuted Thursday in Manhattan. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artists participating are Aakash Nihalani, Billi Kid, Blanco, Cake, Celso, Cern, Damon Ginandes, Darkcloud, David Cooper, Elbow-Toe, James and Karla Murray, Joe Iurato, Matt Siren, NohJColey, Peru Ana Ana Peru, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stikman, UR®New York and Veng.

The Whole Window
The Eames Inspiration window (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile "Everything under the sky on the wings of Faile"
Faile “Everything Under The Sky On The Wings Of Faile” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. Kern in Belfast Photo ©Richard Skinner
Richard Skinner shot this in Belfast of a local street artist named Mr. Kern.  Plus, I like that little pod-like car in the foreground – It’s the Apple ICar !   (photo ©Richard Skinner)

Dain
It’s INSTA-MATIC!  (Dain) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile Support Single Moms
FAILE Supports Single Moms (© Jaime Rojo)

Primo
Primo sporting a Lady Gaga mask of some sort, with a curiously shaped purple friend on his lapel (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ron English tribute?
Ron English tribute? Is this what Ronald McDonald looks like after a steady diet of fast food? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile "Happens Everyday!"
Faile “Happens Everyday!” Actually, it hasn’t happened in a while (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey
Seeing all these new green leaves just make me break out into a smile. (Shepard Fairey) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

And We Are Still Finding Treasures Left Behind by Various And Gould
More construction in the neighborhood! (Various And Gould) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Aakash Nihalani, Billi Kid, Blanco, Cake, Celso, Cern, Damon Ginandes, Darkcloud, David Cooper, Elbow-Toe, James and Karla Murray, Joe Iurato, Matt Siren, NohJColey, Peru Ana Ana Peru, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stikman, UR®New York, Veng, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Various & Gould, Ron English,Mr. Kern, DAIN, and Primo.

Read more

From Right Coast to Left: The Street Art Players Overlap Sometimes

Somebody just sent us this shot of a favorite wall for Street Artists in San Francisco’s Mission District – and the thing that strikes me is it’s similarity to a big abandoned place in Soho just above Canal in Manhattan. Looks like you can see some of New York’s street artists as easily crossing the Golden Gate as the George Washington.

fsasd
Let’s see now, there’s Gaia on the left, Sean Desmond, Hugh Leeman, Shepard Fairey….

Read more