All posts tagged: Crash

BSA Images Of The Week: 05.18.14

May 18, 2014 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Here our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring AEON, Arturo Vega, Bio Tats Cru, Balu, Bifido, COL Wallnuts, Crash, Federico Cruz, JMR, Kram, Kronik, Labrona, LMNOPI, Meca, Moby, Muro, Nick Walker, Stinkfish, TRN, Txemy, and Vexta.

Top Image >> Rooftop piece by Crash, Bio Tats Cru and Nick Walker. The shot was taken from a higher rooftop. A straight shot would have landed this photographer in the slammer and that would mean missing happy hour. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash, Bio Tats Cru and Nick Walker. Detail. Same piece as above taken from the street. See what we meant? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bifido new piece in Naples, Italy. “Don’t Forget to Play” (photo © Bifido)

TRN…what can we say? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Moby…yes that Moby. “Receiving” Dedicated to the memory of artist Arturo Vega. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Moby. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Balu (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ever feel like you need a mint? Vexta (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A clamoring collaboration of color from Txemy and Muro. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Txemy and Muro collab. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Why, you little green eyed devil, you. KRAM (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Labrona new piece in Montreal, Canada. (photo © Labrona)

Detail of a wall with a variety of wheat pasted art. Artist(s) Unkown, though we think we see Stinkfish in there. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cruz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stinkfish . Meca . Kronik (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JMR and Col Wallnuts revisit the spot where a JMR rode for a few years, and now expanded and redefined it. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

LMNOPI (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Brooklyn, NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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Crash and Remi Rough “Flow” at Dorian Grey

January 25, 2014 Artists

Remi Rough and Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A Bronx-born bomber of the past teams up with a graffuturist from South London in this small gallery show in Manhattan’s East Village entitled “Flow”.

John “Crash” Matos has been a student and pioneer in pop, graffiti and Street Art over his 30+ years as an artist and here he takes his inspiration from the next generation Remi Rough when coupling his distinctive style with the abstract and the third dimension.

Now considered part of the geometric school of graffiti and Street Artists in Europe and the US sometimes referred to as graffuturism, the graffiti roots of Remi enable him to bend his forms to intersect and ride with the more curvilinear and cartoon inspired Crash.

While it is a side by side hanging collaboration of individual styles for much of the show, the vibrational strength arises from the union when the two are able to do as the show title suggests, creating an intersection through seamless collisions and sheer layering that complement the visual vocabulary of both.

Remi Rough (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash and Remi Rough (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Remi Rough (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Remi Rough and Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Flow” is currently on view at the Dorian Grey Gallery at 437 East 9th Street in New York City until February 23rd, 2014.

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Talking With Crash About Popeye and The Houston Wall

March 20, 2013 Artists, Interview

He first wrote “Crash” on New York streets and trains in 1974 but he still finds ways to entertain and challenge himself artistically. Now managing a successful gallery career that has him globe trotting much of the year, John Matos considers himself a closet pop artist, and the similarities to Lichtenstein and Rosenquist are always there, along with his nostalgia for pop iconography. But at his heart he’s still a graffiti writer from the South Bronx and that’s why he invoked the collaborative energy of the Tats Cru and other friends when putting up his latest public work – a mural for the Houston Wall now on display in New York’s lower Manhattan at the corner of Bowery.

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A week after completing his part of collaboration on the same wall for photographer Martha Coopers’ birthday with artists other old school train bombers and friends, Crash hit this wall hard like Popeye, the sailor man. “The mural on Houston Street – an accomplishment for sure,” says Crash as he surveys the expanse that took about a week to complete and that will run into summer for everybody to see.

Brooklyn Street Art: Can you talk about the piece that you just finished?
Crash: When I was approached to paint it, I felt the weight of over 30 years of painters that I’ve admired and felt it an honor to be someone to be added to that group. The piece was meant to depict the mix of Pop and Graff/Street art and how it’s developed in the last 40 years.

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: How did Popeye work his way into the show? Is he an old friend, or does he just have a good PR agent?
Crash: I wanted to do a very Pop image that is known throughout history…I thought that Popeye would be a cool image. I painted Popeye recently for an installation at a museum/foundation in Switzerland and the beauty of nostalgia hit home, so I thought, “Why not do it again?”

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Did you have any help on this job?
Crash: Basically I had some young people come in to help block out areas of the wall using a simple acrylic enamel – which would make it mush easier to fill and blend the spray paint with. With them I was able to basically fill in about half of this incredibly large wall on the first day. Then on Thursday, The Tats Cru rolled by. They are family, so they came by and they helped some with the stars and stripes motif on the right side of the wall. Otherwise it was all me for three long days, but it was great fun and it always brings me back to the early subways…awesome.

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: You did a cool collaboration on Martha Cooper’s birthday wall with Daze last week. Do you remember the first time Martha photographed your work?
Crash: The first time Martha photographed me was at her studio, I think in 1980 or ’81 – and she has photographed me ever since – a long association for sure

Brooklyn Street Art: Have you seen any good graff or street art recently?
Crash: There is some great art being made all around the world. There are so many artists out there and I don’t want to let any one out, so I don’t want to list any names and miss somebody.

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bristol based Street Artist Nick Walker stopped by to see Crash at work. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Photographer Joe Conzo’s reflection in a car window as he chats with Crash. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Getting the shot. Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Images of the Week 03.10.13: Happy 70th Birthday Martha Cooper

March 9, 2013 Artists

“I can’t believe it. I never expected this, ever.”

The Houston Street Wall was the site of a sidewalk surprise birthday party Saturday for photographer Martha Cooper, who was planning to stop by for what she thought would be a new mural shoot. The world famous graffiti photographer had no idea that artists How and Nosm had begun masking the letters of her nickname out of their mural at 7 a.m. to prepare for an all-star cast of some big graffiti and street art names from the last 4 decades to create a larger-than-life birthday card for her.

Thanks to speedy social media, a sunny early spring day, and her stature as an historic photographer of fortitude and integrity, the impromptu guest list ballooned throughout the day for this street side celebration, while the boisterous honking New York traffic rolled by.

Above: Happy Birthday Martha Cooper (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The “Marty” wall begins at the Houston Wall in NYC as How and Nosm buff their mural and mask out her name. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

By the time Martha and her cousin Sally arrived with wall organizer Meghan Coleman just after noon, the “MARTY” letters had already been half completed and she stood staring with mouth smiling and agape, waving at the cluster of photographers shooting her atop the Houston Street meridian. A second later she was laughing and racing across the street, camera in hand, ready to capture the painting action and get mobbed with well wishers. Cooper confessed to being pretty overwhelmed by the sight of her name so big. For her part, Sally, a confidant and buddy since they attended grammar school together in their hometown of Baltimore, busted out into tears.

How & Nosm at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Just inside of one day the famed wall that has hosted the likes of Haring, Scharf, Fairey, and Faile was suddenly regaled in eye-popping color and a variety of styles by Lady Pink, How and Nosm, Bio from Tats Cru, Freedom, Free5, Crash, Daze, Terror 161, Faust, and Aiko – producing a head spinning and sweet greeting to a person whom they all respect and admire for her work and determination. In addition to the steady flow of fans, writers, artists, bloggers and photographers asking to have a photo taken with one the few photographers of New York’s 1970s subway graffiti scene, a number of friends stopped by to have some birthday cake and watch the painting – like Wild Style director Charlie Ahearn, his brother artist John Ahearn, hip-hop photographer Joseph Conzo, and master sculptor Simon Verity, among others.

The brand new “Marty” mural is up for an incredibly short time, possibly only days, so if you have an opportunity or inclination, catch this personal and public display of affection for a lady who helped us all appreciate art in the streets.

Bio from the Tats Cru at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash shows his sketch for his portion of the wall. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko(photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Martha (center) arrives and gets a big surprise. Flanked by Meghan Coleman on the left and Cousin Sally on the right. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Davide (Nosm) greets Martha. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faust at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Freedom at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Freedom signs a book and talks to a young admirer. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Daze at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Terror 161 at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bio at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A possible devotee of the Seapunk movement walks past “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A New Yorker captures the action from the comfort of his taxi while waiting for the light to turn green. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bio does the official birthday wish.”Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

How & Nosm at work. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aiko at work, or rather, her shadow. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Laboutins and aerosol make a riveting combination for Aiko. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

All the artists with Marty. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Marty poses for us. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BSA loves Martha Cooper. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko. (photo © Leah )

The final shot. “Marty” at the Houston Wall in NYC; A tribute to Martha Cooper in collaboration with How & Nosm, Faust, Freedom, Terror 161, Bio, Daze, Lady Pink, Free5, Crash and Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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BSA in New York Issue of Graffiti ART Magazine

March 2, 2013 Artists

The French contemporary art magazine Graffiti ART has just released their New York issue, giving an overview of historical and current players on the graffiti/street art scene in New York City. Along with profiling the work of people like Keith Haring, Patty Astor, Crash, Dan Witz, and How & Nosm, you’ll find a nice piece about your favorite street art blog, Brooklyn Street Art (BSA).

Special thanks to editor Samantha Longhi, who once wrote a regular column here on BSA with her Top 5 Stencils of the Week, for her inclusion of us in this issue, and to BSA readers for your continued support. We appreciate the recognition for our work and labors of love.

GraffitiART issue #17 on news stands now. (photo © courtesy of Graffiti ART)

BSA shares the spread with some true leaders At149th Street in the New York Issue of GraffitiART. Thank you to Martha Cooper for the photo! (photo © courtesy of Graffiti ART)

Click here for more on the Graffiti ART Magazine New York Issue.

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Carlo McCormick at Nuart 2012

November 17, 2012 Artists

One of the best parts about a celebration of Street Art culture like Nuart in Norway is that there sometimes is an opportunity to speak with and listen to people who make it their mission to put it into context. New York art critic, curator, editor, and writer Carlo McCormick has an exhaustive knowledge and enthusiasm for the scene that evolved on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 1970s and 80s concurrently with the evolution of graffiti into a celebrated art form. As Street Art continues apace, having perspective on some of its precursors is imperative and McCormick knows how to bring it alive.

An moment of elation with Carlo McCormick while he addresses the Nuart audience in his keynote presentation Re:mark. (image still © Nuart 2012)

To hang out with Carlo on the street is a joy because he can ground your current observations with his knowledge of their antecedents and yet become as equally appreciative of the new artists on todays’ scene whom he hasn’t heard of. During this talk he gave this year at Nuart in a very conversational somewhat meandering unscripted way, Carlo reveals the mindset that is necessary to keep your eyes open and appreciative of the new stuff without feeling territorial or enslaved to the past. We appreciate him because he recognizes that the march of graffiti, street art, public art, and it’s ever splintering subsets is part of a greater evolutionary tale that began before us and will continue after us.

Carlo speaks about New York artist Haze and the distinct parallels between corporate branding with the practice of developing and distilling one’s tag for repetition on the street. (image still © Nuart 2012)

Carlo at ease, conversing with you. (image still © Nuart 2012)

During his presentation McCormick dedicates a significant portion of his remarks to the historical practice of subverting advertising and official forms of messaging – referring to the Situationists, “détournement” and similar methods of playing with perception and turning it on it’s head. Here is an uncredited image from his presentation of a Times Square scene where artist Yoko Ono’s billboard toyed with the perceptions that the Vietnam war was inevitably unending while also alerting a compliant citizenry to it’s role in the matter. (image still © Nuart 2012)

“As I do my best as a really bad scholar to investigate this history of graffiti and mark-making – kind of prior to the official history – the greatest evidence that I find of stuff is in the real canon of fine art photography. Just about every famous photographer turned – I mean it’s not incidental – turned their attention to this illicit anonymous practice., ” Carlo McCormick at Nuart.

Welling Court: A New York Mural Block Party Like No Other

June 27, 2012 Artists, NYC, On the Street, Queens

The community mural: A time honored urban tradition rooted in local flavors and tastes. Every major city and many small towns have them and most people who live near one of these colorful creations also have stories they can tell you about them. Apart from the graffiti scene or the Street Art scene, Allison and Garrison Buxton have one focus in mind when curating artists into this neighborhood in Queens to paint for the third year in a row: The nexus of community and creativity.

El Kamino. Work in progress. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The styles, perspectives, and command of the aerosol can may vary, but the enthusiasm and refreshing lack of attitude at this non-commercial weekend event are undeniable. This year the number of participating artists grew to over 90 and the number of dishes served by neighbors on folding buffet tables in the middle of the street was probably 10 times that. It’s easy to see that this working class neighborhood full of racing kids on bikes and people posing for photos in front of murals is one true definition of New York today. For this sunny summer event, it’s the electricity of live creativity on the street that draws people out to talk with each other.

ENX tagged by Free 5 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Free 5 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Flying Fortress at work with MOST (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris and Veng from Robots Will Kill (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gilf! at work. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

UR New York (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

See One . Too Fly (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Yok at work with Never. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sheryo at work. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

The duo called Sinned at work. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sinned (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. Kiji at work. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Score (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Queen Andrea (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Alice Mizrachi takes a break to chat with photographer Martha Cooper. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain steadies Billy Mode (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Feral at work. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

LMNOP (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

For more photos of completed murals on Welling Court 3 click on Images of the Week 06.17.12

Thank you to Garrison and Allison Buxton for their indefatigable efforts to bring the community of artists together. Thank you to the families and business of Welling Court for opening their doors and their walls to the creative spirit.

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Dorian Gray Gallery Presents: Hank O’Neal AKA XCIA “Street Artists Unite” A Group Exhibition (Manhattan, NYC)

June 21, 2012 Artists, Events, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, Opening

XCIA

Fun Friday 06.15.12

June 15, 2012 Artists

1.   Wilson Picket Live “Land of 1000 Dances”
2.   Northside Festival in BK
3.   Flying Fortress at Mighty Tanaka (Dumbo,BK)
4.   Welling Court is Back! (Queens)
5.   Broken Crow at XYand Z Gallery (Minneapolis)
6.   THEN ONE Solo Show in Philadelphia
7.   Street Artist MART in Buenos Aires
8.   Doze Green. Luminosity in the Dark Rift. (VIDEO)
9.   Baze and Dot Boy “Tranier la Nuit” France. (VIDEO)

It’s Friday! Wilson Picket’s here to help you get out of your chair and shake your sexy hips and wave your hands in the air. Let’s go to the land of 1,000 Dances!

Northside Festival This Weekend in Brooklyn

We begin our weekend of festivities by inviting BSA peeps to to come to Williamsburg for ART, music and more…

Skewville on The Superior Wall for BSA at Northside ART 2011 (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this event click here.

Flying Fortress at Mighty Tanaka (Dumbo,BK)

Flying Fortress wants you at Mighty Tanaka Gallery for the opening of his solo show “The One Man Army”.

For further information regarding this show click here.

Welling Court is Back! (Queens)

Garrison and Alison Buxton have pulled together some great community-based artifying in the past, and this year is the Third Edition of Welling Court, a very informal opportunity to see the work of peeps across the spectrum. Come to Queens to experience the true meaning of arts, artists and the community action on the street. Not corporatized or commercialized, everybody is welcome so put on your platform rainbow sneakers and leave the attitude at home.

Artists included this year are: Abe Lincoln, Jr., Alice Mizrachi, Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Billy Mode, Caleb Neelon, Celso, Cern, Christopher Cardinale, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, CR, CRASH, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Deb Yoon, Don Leicht, El Kamino, Ellis Gallagher, Free5, Fumero, Gaia, Garrison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JAZ, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Fekner, Katie Yamasaki, Kimyon Huggins, Lady Pink, Leon Reid IV, Lopi, Mensen, Michael Alan, Never, OverUnder, Pablo Power, Peat Wollaeger, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Rene Gagnon, Richard Nugent, ROA, Royce Bannon, Sinned, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Subtexture, Thundercut, TooFly, Veng RWK, The Wretched Rapture Crew, Zam, and Zéh Palito

For further information regarding this event click here.

Broken Crow at XYand Z Gallery (Minneapolis)

“We Did What We Could” is a funny name for a show but that’s how they hang. Here’s an interview with John and Mike for the show that opens tonight.

Also happening this weekend:

In Philadelphia the WP Gallery is proud to present THEN ONE Solo Show. The opening party is this Friday at 7:00 pm. Click here for more details about this show.

Street Artist MART will premiere his solo show on Saturday at the Honeycomb Gallery in Buenos Aires, Argentina with an opening reception starting at 7:00 pm. Click here for more details about this show.

Doze Green. Luminosity in the Dark Rift. (VIDEO)

Baze and Dot Boy “Tranier la Nuit” France. (VIDEO)

AD Hoc Art Presents: Welling Court 2012. (Queens, NYC)

June 5, 2012 Artists, Events, NYC, On the Street, Opening, Queens, Street Art Festival

Welling Court

3* Saturday, June 16th, 12-9PM: 3rd Annual Welling Court Mural Project; Queens, NY

AD HOC ART CONTINUES MAJOR PUBLIC MURAL PROJECT COMPRISING 60+ INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS REPRESENTING OVER 50 YEARS OF STREET ART

— An Art Event Celebrating the Streets, Solidarity, Community, and Culture —

FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/events/407797092587142/

WHEN: Opening Saturday, June 16th, 2012 from noon until 9pm.
Afterwards: viewable 24/7/365, so enjoy!

WHAT: The community of Welling Court in Queens, New York first asked Ad Hoc Art to help them spruce up their neighborhood in 2009. Ad Hoc Art rose to the occasion in May 2010 organizing a project fitting for the diverse, enthusiastic, and energetic inhabitants. One year later, Ad Hoc assembled another spectacular crew of legendary and groundbreaking artists spanning more than 50 years of activity for the 2nd Annual Welling Court Mural Project. Now in its 3rd year, the project has received remarkable global acclaim and continues to garner support and momentum as more walls, artists, and enthusiasts compound those previous successes.

This third round is not to be missed as ever-more art and eyes visit this Queens gem. To celebrate, the community’s annual block party again coincides with the project’s opening, featuring cuisine and music from the ethnically diverse and multi-talented hosts. Whereas this tiny neighborhood is providing some major hospitality, it cannot provide for the attendees en mass, so please think of this as a big social-picnic-potluck-art-fun-action and bring some of your favorite tasty foods, beverages, or other contribution to share with your fellow revelers. Kind of like camping, but in the city. Pack it in, pack it out.

If you would like to offer help or assistance to the artists, items always useful are: beverages, exterior bucket paint, paint rollers/brushes, spray paint, acrylic paint, exterior primer, etc. If none of those suite your fancy and you would like to contribute some funds, we will be taking donations at the event.

Volunteers Needed: If you would like to help out in another fashion, there are many ways to get involved. As The Welling Court Mural Project is an all-volunteer event, from the project organizers to the people who help spread the word and take care of the artists & attendees, to the artists creating the work, we need your help to make it as amazing as possible. For volunteer questions and interest, please contact us at info@adhocart.org

The project transforms several city blocks into a 24/7 street-level gallery, bringing art from around the world directly to the heart of this community and NYC. Renowned artists with deep roots in the street movement have created site-specific works for this project and many will showcase various creative sundries for your perusal. This new array of visual experiences provides fresh contexts for how people working, visiting, and living in this diverse cultural gem of Queens think about and interact with their environment.

Artists Include: Abe Lincoln, Jr., Alice Mizrachi, Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Billy Mode, Caleb Neelon, Celso, Cern, Christopher Cardinale, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, CR, CRASH, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Deb Yoon, Don Leicht, El Kamino, Ellis Gallagher, Free5, Fumero, Gaia, Garrison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JAZ, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Fekner, Katie Yamasaki, Kimyon Huggins, Lady Pink, Leon Reid IV, Lopi, Mensen, Michael Alan, Never, OverUnder, Pablo Power, Peat Wollaeger, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Rene Gagnon, Richard Nugent, ROA, Royce Bannon, Sinned, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Subtexture, Thundercut, TooFly, Veng RWK, The Wretched Rapture Crew, Zam, Zéh Palito, & more.

* In addition to the murals and festivities, there are special events and projects happening throughout the day with…

** Music to boot{y}!!!
Some of Ad Hoc’s favorite DJ’s blend sublime block party beats to tickle your eardrums and keep you moving all day long. Bring food, water, dancing shoes and prepare for seeing some great art & shaking some body parts.

WHO: Artists + The Community of Welling Court + You + Ad Hoc Art

WHERE: 11-98 Welling Court {@ 30th Ave & 12th Street}, Astoria, Queens 11102

TO GET THERE:

* By Public Transit: Take the N or W train to 30th Ave. Then: 1) walk 10-15 minutes or; 2) take the Q18 west down 30th Ave to 12th St. You are there!

* By Car: Here is a link to the street map: http://tinyurl.com/2e7whgo

YOUR ATTENDANCE AND COVERAGE IS ENCOURAGED & INVITED.

Dorian Gray Gallery Presents: GroupGraff: 30 Years of Public Dialogue (Manhattan, NY)

April 27, 2012 Artists, Events, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, Opening

Dorian Gray Gallery

30 years of Public Dialogue

Exhibition Dates: April 13 through May 16, 2012
Reception April 28th, 5-8 pm. RSVP

Dorian Grey Gallery presents an exhibition spanning thirty years of pivotal graffiti artists and writers whose work have helped define the medium and style. Featured works include such iconic New York names as Keith Haring, LA 2, Futura, Richard Hambleton, COPE 2, & CRASH. International artists such as Bansky and DOLK are paired with the modern innovators XAM, SeeOne, Penn & AVone.

The Dorian Grey Gallery, 437 East 9th Street between 1st Ave and Ave A., NY, NY
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12a-7p.
Subway stop: #6 Astor Place. Free Admission.
CONTACT: Christopher Pusey, 516-244-4126, info@doriangreygallery.com
Official Dorian Grey Gallery music site: www.crackedlatin.com

“Poorhouse for the Rich” Revitalized By The Arts

March 28, 2012 Artists, Bronx, Events, Features, NYC, Opening

A block-long limestone mansion originally built as a welfare hotel for the retiring rich invites streetwise Graff artists and others to gild it’s decayed rooms, raising it from pigeon-infested squalor. Call it “This Side of Paradise”

Enter a discussion about the impact of the modern Street Art movement and someone will inveigh with swollen gravitas that Street Art has the power to “activate” or “re-vitalize” a previously moribund space, to bring it to life. Aside from sounding like part of the gentrification process, the “activate” argument is meant to tip on its head the impulse of simple-minded dullards who opine that Street Art and it’s cousin graffiti are pure social disease and degrading to the foundations of city life.

Opening in April in the Bronx a similarly anti-intuitive project invites artists of the street to create new life in a decaying mansion and the looking-glass contradictions are as rich as those of the benefactor for whom the aged home is named. The Andrew Freedman Home, with it’s Italian Renaissance details and stepped back grandeur along the Grand Concourse and a mile south of Yankee Stadium, acquired its landmark status in 1984 – the same year it breathed it’s final breath as a retirement home for the rich who had fallen on hard times.

When the building’s namesake, a New York millionaire businessman and colleague of the corrupt Tammany Hall, died as a confirmed bachelor in 1915, he wanted to make sure the money he left would keep the wealthy feeling wealthy after falling in the poorhouse. He simply didn’t want his peers to suffer no matter their financial plight so his wealth commissioned this mammoth home with roughly twice the space of the White House to give these deserved folk a good life in their later years, with servants. Beginning in the Roaring Twenties and over the next six decades, with hallways as long as 22 Town Cars, the ground-bound ship liner swam with former Cunard attendants serving the mostly white seniors as they dined in red and black Chinoiserie style, thumbed books in the library, played sport in the billiard room, and bobbed in the grand ballroom.

“I think that you cannot help but be struck by the bizarre nature of the enterprise because it was class solidarity. He was less concerned with the indigent poor than protecting his own class who had fallen on hard times,” exclaims Manon Slome as she frames the ridiculous circumstances that kept “members” well heeled into their twilight.

Slome is President and Chief Curator of No Longer Empty, a contemporary public art organization that takes empty buildings that are often in disrepair and revitalizes them with site-responsive contemporary art exhibitions. Together with the Mid Bronx Senior Citizens Council, the non-profit that has owned the 117,000 square foot complex since 1984, No Longer Empty is curating a 32 artist show that for two months will offer curious visitors the first peek at the decrepitude that is slowly being enlivened. Since bidding farewell to their last upper crust in the early 1980s, the crusty decay of walls and ceilings has been curling and peeling and dropping to the floor. With artists interpreting the history and memories of the place along with their own take on the economics involved, the results are definitely site specific.

As she talks about the new show “This Side of Paradise,” Jeanette Puryear, Executive Director of Mid Bronx Senior Citizens Council, reflects on how she used to watch the games and social activities in the grassy gardens of the home from the other side. “We began across the street when the council started in 1973. I came aboard as a staff person in ’77 and I used to look down on the parties that they had on the lawn here. I just thought it was a wonderful building.”

Discussing the selection of No Longer Empty (NLE) as partner to the arts community and curator of the new show, Puryear feels like it is a natural accord. “The idea, our collaboration, really came about when I met Manon and she talked about NLE’s interest in revitalizing communities and it really fit very much with our mission of comprehensive community revitalization.”

Justen Ladda. “Like Money, Like Water”. Eventually this installation in progress would be black lit. The blue tape affixed to the walls is to economize and will not be a part of the installation. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This may come as news to some that graffiti kings like Crash and Daze were called upon to do community revitalization in the same borough where leaders once reviled their painting style. With a few heavyweight street art and graffiti names bringing these rooms to life, it’s interesting to see their role as one of contributing in a positive way here where the emergence of a global “Wildstyle” graffiti first blossomed while entire neighborhoods burned.

“At the same time in the late 70s and early 80s when this home’s original purpose was failing you had the rise of Bronx graffiti,” says curator Keith Schweitzer, who introduced Crash, Daze and Tats Cru alumni How & Nosm to Slome, each taking one of the rooms and bringing it to life. Schweitzer sees many parallels in this Bronx tale as he reflects on the role of the artist rising from the ashes of the burned-out neighborhoods then and an art show in the decay of this home now. “At that time you had things like Fashion Moda in the Bronx, which sort of incorporated graffiti into a contemporary art exhibition and these conceptual spaces that Street Artists and Graffiti artists participated in. And it all happened at the same time.”

Slone brings the stories full circle as she excitedly relates the multiple arts and education projects currently afoot in the home, including many with a social mission of building community and connections within it. “When we started selecting and inviting the artists, we steeped them in the history of the home. The goal was really to create a fusion of the history of the home and the nature of the history of the Grand Concourse and the present day realities of the Bronx. And that fusion was really the creative springboard, if you like, for most of installations in the exhibition.”

Whatever role you assign the artist in this clubby home of decay, the experience of discovering these complete room installations is at times reflective, sometimes illuminative, and often revitalizing to the spirit. It will depend on the definition of paradise.

Adam Parker Smith. “I Lost All My Money In The Great Depression And All I Got Was This Room”, 2012. Installation in progress in collaboration with Wave Hill. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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This Side of Paradise will open on April 04 at 6:00 pm. For further details about this exhibition click here.

With special thanks to President and Chief Curator Manon Slome and Curator Keith Schweitzer of No Longer Empty for their generous access to the installations in progress. To learn more about No Longer Empty click here.

BSA would also like to extend our gratitude to Jeanette Puryear, Executive Director of Mid-Bronx Council for taking time to answer our questions. To learn more about Mid-Bronx Council click here.

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