An image of a brand new piece by Brooklyn’s Own DAIN for his new solo show tomorrow in Paris.
DAIN’s new show is opening Thursday at Lebenson Gallery
Click here for the rest of an interview with DAIN published today on Elle’s website
Image courtesy the artist.
The original graff spot of the same name was founded in 1993 by Pat DiLillo and the pioneering aerosol artist Michael “Iz The Wiz” Martin, who recently passed away. Created as a safe place to promote legal aerosol art in New York City, the Phun Phactory allowed many a newcomer to practice and perfect their skills in a supportive environment, frequently working side by side with veterans. The Queens factory building in Long Island City across from MoMA/PS1 became a free public outdoor art exhibit and is considered a landmark. The original site, now known as 5 Pointz, passed from their hands by the end of the decade.
Saturday a large corrugated metal wall, 3 sides of a block in an industrial site in North Brooklyn, feted newbies and old skoolers to “Old Tymer’s Day”, a gathering of aerosol artists who began riding trains and spraying tags during a time in the city’s recent history when the hand-lettered graffiti style defined the urban environment and spawned an international youth culture infatuated with all things New York City.
Because of we’re kind of ignorant about graffiti at BSA, rather than concentrate on too many individual pieces and artists, we wandered the scene meeting people and listening to the DJ beats, soaking in the sun, and feeling a little bit of the magic. It was a hot and humid day and most people moved slowly to endure the heat, enjoying hanging out, trading stories, talking about technique, walking over to the barbecue, and taking a seat behind the wheel of a classic convertible. The vibe was nice and the feeling of community and creativity was in the air.
Jeremy Vega, the Director of the Phun Phactory, says that very soon a new Phun Phactory will headquarter itself in Williamsburg and will make available more than 500,000 square feet of public space for artists of all mediums to showcase their artwork legally. Judging from the number of young people we saw hanging out Saturday, the new generation will be in attendance.
This crew of stylish people spontaneously jumped together for a photo as soon as they saw the tripod. In front of this piece by CANO were Boltism, KCONE, Atom, CANO, Vic, and Chino.
Sitting on a loading dock, these two stayed cool and did tags in a black book. They said their names are Mary Kate and Ashley.
The barbecue was open and working, and one guy was making mixed fruity drinks in a blender! Sharp knife too.
Had a really nice conversation with this guy, who was waiting for his 18 year old son to bring by his paint so he could start his piece. His name is Zord AKA ZD, G+F, TDT, Tns, R+W, MPC. He said he was the king of the BMT, J and M lines circa 1985-1990. We discussed his Kiss action figure collection that got thrown away, Satanism, addiction, opinions on the differences between graffiti and street art, film school, and peace and love.
This was an impromptu (and shaded) area for blackbooks, which people brought to be signed and traded back and forth discussing.
Nothing like a robot dance and some heavy metal air guitar for fun on a Saturday.
(all images © Steven P. Harrington)
Dan Witz
Dan Witz "In Plain View"
Wednesday June 30th 7:00 pm
Spoonbill and Sugartown
218 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718/387-7322
www.spoonbillbooks.com
Dan Witz: “In Plain View” — 30 Years of Artworks Illegal
and Otherwise is the first and long overdue monograph
on the work of Dan Witz. A benefit of having one of the
most sustained careers in street art, if such a thing exists, is the degree of growth, freedom and experimentation that such an extended period allows. Another advantage would be the influence of the aesthetic environs within the changing cultural landscape, especially if you happen to work in New York City.
From the no-wave and DIY movements of New York’s Lower East Side of the 70’s, through the Reaganomics of the 80’s to the flourishing of graffiti art in the new millennium. Whether stickers or paste-up silk-screened posters, conceptual pranks and interventions, or beautiful tromp l’oeil paintings, the medium is inspired as much by the nature and subject of his art as by the mutating urban conditions in which the piece is executed.
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Besides obvious craftsmanship, the artwork of Dan Witz evinces a rigorous conceptual framework. This framework not only opens up a dialogue with graffiti and street art which dominate the urban environment, but also allows for the retention of clear and open lines with the canon of art history.
Dan Witz, born 1957, Chicago, IL, attended Cooper Union in New York City’s East Village. In 1982 he received a NEA grant and in 1992 and 2000 fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts. His first book, “The Birds of Manhattan” was published in 1983 by Skinny Books. Solo exhibitions include Semaphore Gallery NY (1985,1986), Clementine Gallery (1996), StolenSpace, London (2007); DFN Gallery NY (2003-5, 6, 7, 8, 10) and Carmichael Gallery, LA (2009). Group exhibitions include: Buying Time: Nourishing Excellence, Sotheby’s NY(2001); and Fifteen, NYFA Fellows at Deutsche Bank, NY (1999). Submission (curated by Juxtapoz) Fuse Gallery NY (2005); From The Streets of Brooklyn, Think space Art Gallery, LA (2009) and Beach Blanket Bingo, Jonathan Levine Gallery NY(2009). Dan lives and works in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Dain “Born Again”
Dain (Image Courtesy of the Gallery)
Opening June 24
6 to 9 pm
After two very successful New York shows, Brooklyn born artist DAIN, makes his first solo show in europe at the Lebenson Gallery in Paris. His love for old Hollywood glam is evident in all his work. This, along with his roots in graffiti, create a gritty yet classy street art style . ” BORN AGAIN” will bring back to life an era long gone..”
http://www.lebensongallery.com/
56 rue Chapon
75003 Paris
Tel :
+33 (0)9 81 88 75 61
Ouverture Du mardi au Samedi de 11h à 19h
Tuesday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm
Inside of two minutes, Retna puts the lie to some of the street’s arguments about the legitimacy of these three routes that the creative spirit can follow. Turns out that walls only divide.
The quality of line and rendering continues in this 12′ x 8′ large metaphor that incorporates a human figure with other symbols of explosives in some sort of race against time. If the missing fingers are any indication of this guy’s safety record, you may want to run.
An entirely hand painted wheat-paste of this size is fairly rare in a street art vernacular that looks increasingly mass produced, but a small number of the new generation are distinguishing themselves from the pack in this way – QRST, Gaia, Cake, Over Under, and others come to mind. This is not simply a linotype that’s been inked and printed – there is only one of these and yet a strong rainstorm could crumple it. It’s fragility in a hostile street environment makes it even more curious, and makes the viewer feel like they have experienced something individual, impermanent, irreplicable.
Thematically, this Street Artist never makes it easy for you. His pieces can feel like a frustrating riddle, but the level of industry shows that he’s not simply doodling; there is a message or two or five – maybe intended only for the artist. But in the street art world messages are often shrouded and left for you to determine. Even one of Street Art’s older relatives, graffiti, can be so stylized that only the writers’ peers can decode it. Ah, well. When it comes to the work of NohJColey, we’ll keep listening.
Urban Planning is a soaring and shiny term hinting at civic consideration that is sometimes employed in the sales mix by regal real estate developers and audacious architects eager to win approval for new projects in the modern city. Sustainable Development and Urban Renewal, somewhat less glamorous and less sexy for press conferences, actually take into account the needs of all citizenry and are the province of a thankless few policy wonks taking the long view of a liveable city.
In parts of cities that suffer from decay and lack of investment, adapting urban renewal initiatives can incorporate abandoned housing stock and match it with the needs of a population, strengthening and enriching a city at a foundational level. For a number of years Street Artists in the slums of São Paulo have used their art on the street to draw attention to the plight of people they feel are overlooked and ignored when urban plans are being laid. 
In this brief video, Street Artist Mundano draws our attention to an abandoned hotel in São Paulo that is home to hundreds of families who, although at risk in decaying conditions, consider it a welcome alternative to being homeless. The video, directed by Rodrigo Piza Levy is a simple statement by artists whose eyes are open, punctuated by beautiful children and all they represent.
Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Hellbent, Faro, Bast, El Sol 25,Vending Van, Faile, Maiden Hell, Over Under, Shin Shin, QRST, and Royce Bannon
El Sol 25 (Photo © Jaime Rojo)
Royce Bannon is online this month at The Source with an interview with LA sunshine muralist Mr. Chor Boogie. The very personable Boogie talks about his work and his historical influences. If you look further into his copious body of work, it reveals a seamless relationship between his technical abilities, his emotional life and his spiritual view of the world.
Gifted in the art of self expression, Chor explains his work like this,
“I describe my style as the Omega Abstract Expressionism of A Street Romantic Voodoo with Emotional Landscapes of A Melodic Symphony through Color Therapy: 50% mind + 50% heart = 100% body + 100% soul = 200% spirit +an infinite universe= A Chor Boogie creation. See, when it comes to style I believe in originality and do not consider my work Graffiti. It’s art; I am a artist; and when it comes to the culture I would just love to see cats creating their own ways, meanings, and philosophies behind their work instead of following the flock… hence the fact of being original.”
Read more in the interview online at The Source here
Chor Boogie will be on the East Coast next month when he participates in the new installment of Electric Windows in Beacon, New York.
Royce Bannon’s interview with Todd James appears in the new print issue of The Source.
DRAW
Draw
| DRAW is the largest contemporary drawing exhibition to emerge from New York City. It is a must-see art exhibition featuring original drawings by more than 350 artists influenced by the illustration, graffiti, tattoo, literature, design, animation, skateboard, music, psychedelic art worlds. The show is a tribute to the often-underrated but fundamental building block of visual and graphic art: the drawing.
Artists whose original works are in the show include : Chris Johanson, Terence Koh , Dan Colen , Aurel Schmidt , Benjamin Cho , DAZE , R. Crumb, Alex Grey, HR Giger, Clive Barker, Robert Williams, Mark Ryden, Wes Lang , Eric White , Rich Jacobs, Barry McGee , Rick Griffin, Ron English, Neck Face, Tim Biskup, Ed Templeton, Benjamin Cho, Mark Gonzales, Jack Rudy, Derek Hess, David Byrne, Mark Dean Veca, Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) , Kevin Long/Spanky, Hank Williams III, WK Interact, Jose Manuel Schmill, Shawn Barber, Doze Green, Kevin Llewellyn, Bast, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Greg Lamarche, Kostas Seremetis, Swoon, Tom Sachs, and hundreds more. After four years of gallery exhibitions, DRAW will have it’s museum debut at Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico, one of MexicoCity’s finest museums. The opening is on June 19, 2010 and will exhibit through August 15, 2010. To coincide with the exhibition, the museum will be publishing a book for worldwide distribution to contemporary museum bookstores around the world. Carlo McCormick, one of the most respected art writers and curators in the U.S. will be writing an introductory essay for the book. DRAW is curated by Erik Foss and Curse Mackey with guest curators Tim Barber, Miguel Calderon, Lisa Lebofsky, Jacaebor Kastor, Justin Giarla, Jamie O’Shea, Matt Campbell, Damian Weinkrantz, Les Barany, Sto, D* Face, Jonathan Levine, Tony Cox, and Anonymous Gallery Founder and Director, Joseph Ian Henrikson. Anonymous Gallery’s curatorial contributions include artists such as: Bast, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Greg Lamarche, Tom Sachs, Kostas Seremetis, and Swoon For more information, please contact info@anonymousgallery.com or visit www.anonymousgallery.com or visit http://www.fusegallerynyc.com/DrawTour/tour.html |
| A N O N Y M O U S G A L L E R Y www.anonymousgallery.com www.anonymoushop.com info@anonymousgallery.com o. 646.238.9069 |
You guys are good! And so many got so close in guessing the full list of “Eyes” last week.
So here are the answers:
But don’t feel bad if you didn’t get them all – nobody did. Our winner is Sandrine from Montreal, Quebec, who was the first person to guess 7 out of 8 correctly (she guessed #4 was Neckface). Congratulations to Sandrine and your original and signed piece from Chris of Robots Will Kill will be in the mail Monday!
Thanks everybody who participated. We’ll have another contest soon!
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Read about the Mighty Tenaka show here.
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Read about the Pandemic show here.
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Read about the Crest Hardware show here.
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Yo homey, still doing a Snoopy dance on the subway this morning because your favorite Street Art blog was up on HuffingtonPost.com yesterday. Arianna Huffington is one of the few straightforward truthtellers in a storm of darkness year after year, and this is like when it is your turn at Double Dutch and Malcolm McLaren happens to be walking up your block. Okay, big difference is I don’t wear striped red disco shorts and grew up on a farm upstate and never heard of Brownsville or Buffalo Girls till “Duck Rock” came out —but otherwise it’s totally the same yo.
Leave a comment at Huffington Post and tell them how good BSA is at swinging those ropes! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/blog-watch-brooklyn-stree_n_615922.html
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY