All posts tagged: David Puck

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.09.24

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.09.24

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

When surveying the current crop of street art here and in other cities around the world, we wonder where the political will has gone – the one that seemed much more confrontational and conflicted in earlier years of the modern movement. The once fiery, in-your-face spirit seems to have mellowed and become pleasant and pleasing. One theory that pops up regularly when surmising why there is a lack of conviction in street messaging, even as wars break out and the wealth gap widens everywhere you look, is that there is no such thing as anonymity as there once was. Privacy has almost completely been allowed by the citizenry to be eroded.

With a default Digital ID following your every movement and transaction, the means for someone to triangulate a particular data point are so sophisticated that if you speak out or actually challenge the status quo, you will probably be traced. Hell, any Twitter storm can produce an army of motivated detective volunteers to doxx someone who has offended social media “norms,” and we use that term loosely.

Your 13-year-old nephew Lucas can easily unearth someone’s personal details without breaking a sweat, and he doesn’t even have a laptop. 20 years ago, a graffiti or street artist could assume some modicum of anonymity, but in practice, the current crop uses the streets as a marketing extension of their Instagram account, an expression of their online personas, studiously and clearly spraying @ tags and websites on their street pieces to make sure you can find them.

So if you are pissed off at the system, you probably think twice before you put it on the streets these days unless it is a screed sprayed with a fire extinguisher that is largely untraceable – or something like that. In the case of whoever sprayed “Rishi Sunak is a Rat-Faced C*nt” on a wall, you may even inspire a punk ditty.* For many right now, activism is not even the point.

Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring David Puck, Shok1, Epic Uno, Par, Kitsune Jolene, Smug One, Trasher, V. Ballentine, Inker, P.T., King57, FUP One, and Cope Doz.

V. Ballentine (photo © Jaime Rojo)
V. Ballentine (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Epic Uno (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SHOK1. Hit The North Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dog with tags. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
INKER. AGAIN JACK. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smug One. Hit The North Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smug One. Hit The North Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smug One. Hit The North Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
P.T. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KING 57 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kitsune. Hit The North Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
PAR (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Trasher (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unknown photographer. *This raw scrawled sentiment, appearing in a few places now as sort of campaign perhaps, could even inspire the punk-style anthem linked here. Or the other way around. See reference in essay above.
FUP ONE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
COPE DOS (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Williamsburg Bridge. Brooklyn, NY. June 2024. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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“You Are Not Alone” and Walls of Connection: How Murals Can Unite City Dwellers

“You Are Not Alone” and Walls of Connection: How Murals Can Unite City Dwellers

When you live in a big city, you are quickly aware that it can be a lonely place, and the feeling of isolation can be very strong, even though you are surrounded by people. When you suffer from a mental illness, that feeling can be compounded. Walls often symbolize division, but street artists and muralists know that their work on walls can often bring city dwellers together, and the “You Are Not Alone” mural project takes that fact and creates an environment of connection and hope.

This non-profit public art initiative has brought artists worldwide to create murals that spark conversations about mental health, fostering a sense of solidarity and community. What began with three murals in Brooklyn in 2019 has slowly grown into a global movement, boasting 65 murals across various continents. With unique style and messaging that reflects our various backgrounds and experiences, it reminds passersby that they are not alone in their struggles.

Vexta (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The origins of the project trace back to co-founder Samantha Schutz’s memoir, “I Don’t Want to Be Crazy,” which details her experiences with anxiety. Drawing from this deeply personal inspiration, the murals are visual testimonials of the power of vulnerability and shared human experience. Artists like Jason Naylor emphasize that “when you walk by a mural, you are involved,” making every viewer participate in an ongoing mental health dialogue. Whether a high school collaboration or a professional installation, each mural is a beacon of empathy and support.

Special projects have further cemented the impact of this initiative. In New York City, a 160-foot collaborative mural at The Seaport, art installations at NAMI Walks, and partnerships with organizations like Priority Bicycles for a postcard campaign have amplified the reach and resonance of the murals. These efforts not only claim urban spaces but also create inclusive environments where mental health conversations are encouraged and destigmatized.

David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The 2024 mural collection continues the tradition, showcasing diverse artistic voices and messages. From whimsical illustrations to profound statements, these new murals invite you to reflect on our shared humanity. As artist Adam Fujita puts it, expressing pain and suffering through art is a cherished outlet, sometimes transforming personal turmoil into public solidarity.

Hom Sweet Hom (photo © Jaime Rojo)

NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. Its programs and services are led by trained individuals with lived experience—people who understand what you’re going through because they’ve been there, either as someone living with mental health issues or a family member, friend, or other supporter. Everything it offers is available free of charge to anyone who needs it!

Mental health conditions can affect anyone at any time. If you or someone you care about is in need of support or information, contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) Helpline at 212-684-3264 or helpline@naminyc.org.
Visit naminyc.org to learn more about how they can help you.

Sara Lynne-Leo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Juan Carlos Pagan (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Olga Muzician (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Peachee Blue (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ross Pino88 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
YI Desing JP (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Studio162 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

To learn more about You Are Not Alone, and to see how you can get help or how you can contribute to their project click HERE

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BSA Images Of The Week: 10.22.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 10.22.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Sometimes, this frog feels like the water seems to be getting a little warm if you know what I mean. Our minds are being strained daily by a laundry list of stressors, not the least of which is neverending war. It is almost like it is profitable for industry. Also, it is surprising how many initiatives have been approved and passed during new periods of crisis ever since 9/11. Why does it seem like a new normal is introduced every two years? Meanwhile, the House is not in order, doesn’t even have a leader, 2 of the Orange man’s lawyers plead guilty this week, Biden’s giving 100 billion to Ukraine and Israel,

Meanwhile, people are still buying pumpkins this year for Halloween, the leaves are starting to turn yellow and orange, it is raining for the 7th weekend straight, and street artists and graffiti writers are keeping the streets alive from Grand Army Plaza to LES to Bushwick to Midwood to da Bronx. We have noticed several portraits and figurative works that ring true – and photographer Jaime Rojo shares some of them below.

So here’s our weekly interview with the street, this time featuring Calicho Art, David Puck, Mort Art, Le Crue, Andaluz the Artist, Humble, Miki Mu, Blanco, SEF, J. Novik, Hu, Carnivorous Flora, Mue Bon, Girlty, Manuel Alejandro, and Al Ruiz.

SEF portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SEF portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SEF portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Al Ruiz portrait of Maya Angelou for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Andaluz The Artist. “Abuelita” for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Manuel Alejandro for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Girlty for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mue Bon for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Calicho Art for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Carnivorous Flora for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Therapeutic Murals for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Humble for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Miki Mu quotes John Lennon for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Le Crue Eye for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mort for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bianco for Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
J. Novik. Work in progress. Some artists are real lambs. Underhill Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. MTA. New York City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.25.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.25.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Be it ever so! The long summer days, the walls awash with fresh paint, the overspray and splatter a Greek chorus to cheer our hero/shero. Oh!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Jason Naylor, Lexi Bella, Homesick, David Puck, Calicho Art, Atom, Hops Art, Caty Wooley, DLove, Stem and Thorn, Minvske, Jappy Agoncillo, KMS Crew, Vargas, Nicky Doll, Kanoy Muse, Bipolar, Nataniel Marreo, Voice, Mista, Carli Tops, and Pamela Rosenkranz.

Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Calicho Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vargas for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DLove (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Atom (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jappy Agoncillo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jappy Agoncillo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Minvske for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bipolar (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stem & Thorn for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stem & Thorn for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Caty Wooley (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nataniel Marrero for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nataniel Marrero for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
VOICE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KMS Crew (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MISTA for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Carli Tops for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pamela Rosenkranz for The High Line Park. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.11.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.11.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

The 66th Annual Puerto Rican Parade will loudly, buoyantly, exuberantly traverse and sway along the iconic 5th Avenue in Manhattan today. Subsequently, numerous Brooklyn neighborhoods will burst into a party with lively street festivities and impromptu fiestas adorning sidewalks, sitting on stoops, and hanging out on window ledges. A collective joy and relief are in our hearts across the city this weekend, stemming from the restoration of clear air in the city; after a disheartening episode of a Dystopian Orange haze that tainted our skies for days this week.

Forest fires in Canada had blown smoke down the Hudson River to surprise everyone, and flummox many. The consequences forced people to illuminate their homes during daylight hours and drive their car with headlights on. This extraordinary event posed a threat to both the well-being and livelihoods of countless individuals, with people working outside at great danger. However, for those who turned to our local National Public Radio (NPR) station for insight, rather than talking about construction workers, municipal employees, or street food vendors, their primary concerns were remote work arrangements, ordering from Doordash, and worrying about the smoke’s effect on dogs during their daily walks. The poor and working class are routinely erased from public discourse, which is why unmediated street art often does the work.

Currently, the cityscape is adorned with captivating street art and mesmerizing murals, offering a wide array of entertainment, education, and aesthetic gratification. We hope you take pleasure in exploring photographer Jaime Rojo’s compilation.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Maya Hayuk, Below Key, Little Ricky, Mint & Serf, Billy Barnacles, Homesick, David Puck, Panic, IMK, Aidz, Robert Vargas, Salo Panto. Artistcjg89, Herman, Gabe, Tank, FLWR, and Sasha Colby.

David Puck’s tribute to Sasha Colby #transisbeautiful #pride2023 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hek Tad send Love to the Purto Rican community celebrating their culture and heritage today in NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Robert Vargas. “Heritage & Power”. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FLWR (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MINT SERF (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MINT SERF (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MINT SERF (photo © Jaime Rojo)
IMK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
GABE TANK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Memorial Wall. R.I.P. Johny & Anthony. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Maya Hayuk. Herman. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Little Ricky (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Below Key (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swirly Brooklyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artistcjg89 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artistcjg89 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Billy Barnacles (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Salo Panto (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Salo Panto (photo © Jaime Rojo)
AIDZ PANIC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HOMESICK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. East River, NYC. June 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week 06.04.23

BSA Images Of The Week 06.04.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Remember last summer when you realized it was already August, and you didn’t go to the beach or for a hike yet? I vow not to let that happen this summer. New York is full of summer fun opportunities; getting outside the city, even for a day is revelatory. If you want to catch street art, step outside in many neighborhoods across the five boroughs. If you want your art viewing experience to be accompanied by live Hip Hop performances and plenty of places to grab a drink amongst the live aerosol painting on the street, just go to the Bushwick Collective’s annual block party, which is happening right now.

As we enter Immigrant Heritage Month, the city is absorbing our newest immigrants, or trying to. “There are now about 45,800 migrants – or about half the city’s shelter population – spread between hotels, respite centers, transitional shelters, humanitarian relief centers and upstate hotel rooms,” says Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom. The official number of arrivals is estimated at 72,000 people. The mayor and governor are taking heat for not doing enough or doing too much or for asking communities to find space for all the new folks arriving by bus from the southern border – with the latest announcement of a 500-cot shelter in a JFK warehouse this week. If the humane view of the story isn’t enough for you, then perhaps you will be comforted to learn that new arrivals accounted for a major portion of US economic growth in the last 12 months. Ask Forbes, or the US Senate. The open secret is that Western societies have been benefitting from the contributions of immigrants for decades. We shudder to read verbiage that attempts to dehumanize these humans, who are the living example of those seeking the “American Dream”.

Similarly, we shudder to see campaigns to humanize the robot “dogs”, like this puff piece in the New York Post featuring an office visit to normalize them – in fact using one to create a painting.

“The robots march across canvasses with paint-covered paws.

Pilat’s works have become a favorite of Silicon Valley’s tech arrivistes.”

Uh, it’s not a dog, and it will probably be weaponized against you in the future. C’mon Sport! Let’s play catch!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Skewville, Matt Siren, David Puck, Martin Whatson, Loose, Anso, Rham Bow, Narol, Forever Up, Fuckz, 156 CRU, Ebony, Aims Pukers, Feye, and Sper.

We start the collection this week with this new one marking the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride month by David Puck, honoring drag persona Sasha Colby, as curated by The Dusty Rebel (WIP shot). David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artist, model, and sometimes canvas Rahm Bow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Narol (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Forever Up (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ANSO LOOSE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
You Are Not Alone (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FUCKZ (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)
156 CRU (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Norwegian street artist Martin Whatson is in town. He’s been painting since the early 2000s and is known for his distinctive style that combines traditional stencil techniques with graffiti and urban art elements. Martin Whatson (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Martin Whatson. Detail. In collaboration with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Martin Whatson. In collaboration with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Matt Siren sidebusts Optimo NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
AIMS PUKERS. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FEYE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SPER (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Upstate, NY. May 2023.(photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.29.21

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.29.21

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

A new hurricane, a new school year, a new variant, a new governor, a new fall of Saigon, and a new anti-vaccination song from rock guitar god Eric Clapton, who doesn’t want you to put suspect chemicals into your body. Presumably, cocaine is still okay, however, if you want to get down, down on the ground.

The summer storms keep coming, and yet somehow so does the incredible show of creativity on our streets; the celebration of murals and graffiti burners and painters and sculptors and characters and opinions and cogitations. However hot and steamy and hard New York can be sometimes, it also is positively ebullient and inspiring. We know our many differences are our greater asset, our combined aspirations a stunning new possibility.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring A. Smith, Captain Eyeliner, China, Cody James, CP Won, David Puck, Gabriel Specter, Huetek, Iquene, Jason Naylor, Jitr!, Amanda Valdes, Lorenzo Masnah, M.R.S.N., Not Your Muse, Peachee Blue, Sara Lynne Leo, Sasha Velour, Say No Sleep, Tyler Ives, and Winston Tseng.

CP Won (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Say No Sleep (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Say No Sleep (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Say No Sleep (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Winston Tseng (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Sara Lynne-Leo in collaboration with Tyler Ives. “Remedial Purge” (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Captain Eyeliner (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
A Smith (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Specter (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Huetek. Detail. Work in progress for The Bushwick Collective 10th Anniversary edition. (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Cody James. Work in progress for The Bushwick Collective 10th Anniversary edition. (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. Work in progress for The Bushwick Collective 10th Anniversary edition. (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
China (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Jitr! (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Iquena (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Not Your Muse (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Peachee Blue (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Amanda Valdes (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Masnah (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
M.R.S.N. (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artists (photo @ Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.22.21

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.22.21

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Did you catch the celebrities singing in Central Park last night before the rains of Hurricane Henri reached New York? Talk about electricity in the air! New York is a magnet for a pretty face, it would appear, and a grizzly or wild one too; and our street art proves it. Just a quick survey of murals in Brooklyn this week turns up many a fun face.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Adam Fujita, Anthony Zpadilla, CP Won, Damien Mitchell, David Puck, Dwag Star, Jeyde, Lorenzo Masnah, Mister Alek, NotBanksy, Numak1, Outer Source, Outer Source, Reme821, Sef01, Sipros, United Crushers, and Vers718.

David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sef01 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mister Alek for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Numak1 for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Reme821 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CPWon (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Damien Mitchell (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lorenzo Masnah for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lorenzo Masnah for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fujita (photo © Jaime Rojo)
We can’t read this tag…help please. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Outer Source (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vers718 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dawg Star doggie style… (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeyde (photo © Jaime Rojo)
United Crushers (photo © Jaime Rojo)
#notbanksy (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Anthony Zpadilla (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Manhattan. August 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Mid-Summer Discovery: Burgeoning Magnet Wall in Manhattan Boasts Bounty

Mid-Summer Discovery: Burgeoning Magnet Wall in Manhattan Boasts Bounty

We like findings spots that feature walls slammed with street art in a most organic way, the aesthetic signature of a current ecosystem mid-evolution. These spots are often a magnet for street artists to get up in NYC, L.A., Berlin, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, Barcelona, Mexico City, Miami, Boston, London, and beyond. Usually illegal, they allow the artists a quick way to safely leave their imprint on the chaos of the city, a welcome to international artists on their spraycation as well as locals who relish the feeling of standing among peers. The art is usually limited to small original pieces, stickers, and posters, wheat pastes.

De Grupo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We call them “magnet walls” – and NYC has had its share of them. Now, however, they are increasingly endangered because of Gentrification and the voracious real estate market in the city with its apparent never-ending appetite for building new soaring soul-free glass towers. One spot is still welcoming artists to its walls: Freeman Alley. This favorite enclave, composed of two long walls along a narrow corridor in the Lower East Side, is constantly updated in an organic way with contributions by local and international artists. We have surveyed it for years, often publishing our findings in the popular “BSA Images Of The Week.”

C0rn Queen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Last week we rolled by the alley again and to our surprise, we discovered a gate ajar; one that leads the lobby of a relatively new hotel. Usually locked with a code, this secret Bowery spot instructs guests to enter through the alley. Once inside, they’re greeted with a nicely landscaped, small-scale courtyard leading to a lobby. Surprisingly, it is now bursting with new stickers, posters, stencils, paintings, collages, wild imaginings. Technically, this is a legal magnet wall – but most of the artists whose work is on display here can also be found illegally on the walls of the alley.
Here’s a fresh selection just for you:

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Drecks (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dewei (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dewei (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dewei (photo © Jaime Rojo)
General View (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eye Sticker (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Timmy Ache (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Timmy Ache (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Timmy Ache (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (the fire hydrant is real) (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Voxx Romana (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Little Ricky (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic (photo © Jaime Rojo)
General view (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vegan Club (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Poor Mike. Probably feeling sad about labor conditions in sweatshops. Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Early Riser NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sticker Maul (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sticker Maul (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Make Art!
Savior Elmundo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
RAD and friends (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.08.21

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.08.21

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

We pause to thank Mother Nature and the graffiti gods for blessing New York with an embarrassment of riches this summer. Amidst the swirling skirts and thunder thighs and sins of youthful exuberance, we are counting the beat of the street and the creative spirit that runs wild with or without permission.

Movie recommendation: Summer of Soul is the inspirational movie of this season, placed in the context of 1969 and timeless in its cultural resonance to 2021.

It’s been a hammering of the psyche again this week, as national and international news fixates on unvaccinated Covid patients flooding hospitals everywhere. Few mention that the price of vaccinations is gently bumping upward; a new subscription you didn’t realize you bought into like Netflix. Need a booster?

The art on the streets is banging onward, though, with new kids bringing the jokes, and the feels. OGs are up as well, including some people who have been on the street since we went off the gold standard – 50 years ago this week.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring A Lucky Rabbit, Acne, Bastard Bot, Cern, Chris RWK, David Puck, Jason Naylor, Michael De Feo, Sac Six, The Daffodil Project, We The People, Acne, Bastard Bot, M, Praxis, A Very Nice, Say No Sleep, Damien Mitchell, Sonni, Bisco Smith, NYCM2, BK Foxx, 2MUCH, Hink, Smile.

David Puck & Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
A Lucky Rabbit (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Acne (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cern (photo © Jaime Rojo)
We The People (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Chris RWK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bastard Bot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
M (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Avery & Say No Sleep (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Damien Mitchell (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sonni & Bisco Smith (photo © Jaime Rojo)
M2 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sac Six (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Foxx for JMZ Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
2Much (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hink (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hink (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smile (photo © Jaime Rojo)
This isn’t street art, but the artist who designed the new logo for the 2021 campaign of New Yorkers For Parks organization The Daffodil Project is. To celebrate their 20th anniversary they invited Michael DeFeo to illustrate their poster inviting volunteers to join in and add to the more than 8 million bulbs already planted throughout NYC parks. There’s a little bit of irony here as in years past we have documented this same artist’s work illegally placed on bus shelters and the old and now retired phone booths. Think about that for a minute. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2021. Brooklyn, NY. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.25.21

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.25.21

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week.

Can you feel the power of July’s full Buck Moon that arrived this weekend? Not to be confused with the full buck-naked moon; those are the guys climbing the fence to skinny dip in McCarren Pool.

Looks like the new George Floyd statue in Flatbush, Brooklyn got defaced by racists but will be restored and move to Union Square in Manhattan. The vandals must have been mad about all the confederate statues that have been coming down around the country.

You’ll be thrilled to learn that two self-driving cars were tested in New York this week, and no skateboarders or seniors were mowed down. The footage looks pretty tame, to tell the truth. Let’s try the test on any average drunken Saturday night and see how the rabble-rousers fare. Truthfully, a driverless car is exactly the way it feels taking a yellow cab sometimes.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Adam Fu, Adrian Wilson, Allison Dayka, Baston, Captain Eyeliner, City Kitty, Comik, David Puck, SEK@DX, Denis Ouch, Duel Heck, Flore, Foxito, La Plaga Invade, Lorenzo Masnah, Lunge Box, Rex Bantron, S. Cifu, Sinclair The Vandal, Sticky Monger, Sule Cant Cook, and Westgard.

La Plaga Invade with The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Ouch (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Ouch (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Ouch (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Ouch (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Duel – Heck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Duel (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Duel (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Foxito. We haven’t seen this lady on the streets in quite a long time… It could be argued that we do see reflections of her policies on the street regularly. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sule Cant Cook (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rex Bantron with The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Allison Dayka (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Captain Eyeliner (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adrian Wilson with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Masnah with The Bushwick Collective, (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Flore & Westgard (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Citi Kitty & Lunge Box (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Baston & Sinclair The Vandal (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinclair The Vandal (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sitcky Monger. “We have a communication issue and I don’t like it” (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fujita (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fujita (photo © Jaime Rojo)
s.cifu with The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mike Raz (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Comik (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DEK2DX (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2021. Brooklyn, NY. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: A Collection Of PRIDE

BSA Images Of The Week: A Collection Of PRIDE

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising in the West Village in Manhattan, we are giving the spotlight this Sunday to the many artworks that have been created by dozens of artists from all over the world in the city over the past weeks. Some of them are commissioned works and others are illegally placed on the streets, regardless of who made them or under whose sponsorship they were created or if they were placed illegally the important thing is to realize that the struggle for recognition, acceptance, and justice didn’t just happen because somebody was willing to give that to us.

It happened because a lot of people before us dared to challenged the establishment and fought to change the cultural norms, the laws in the books and ultimately the perception from the society at large. People suffered unspeakable evil and pain at the hands of unmoved gatekeepers and power brokers. People died rather than living a lie. People took to the streets to point fingers at those who stood silent when many others were dying and were deemed untouchable.

People marched to vociferate and yelled the truth and were arrested and marked undesirable. Many brothers and sisters who were much more courageous than we’ll ever be, defied a system that was designed to fail them and condemn them. Restless souls confronted our political, business, media and religious leaders right in their front yards with the truth and never backed down.

So we must pay homage to them. We have what we have because of them. We owe it to them and we need to understand that it was because of their vision, intelligence and fearless actions that the majority began to understand that without them and their help we would never get equal treatment. Equal rights. Equal opportunities.

So yes let’s celebrate, dance and sing together but let’s feel the pain of those who can’t join in on the celebrations because today still they are on the margins, hiding in the shadows, being cast out from their families and communities and even killed and tortured. Let’s remember that the job isn’t done, indeed far from it. Many countries still have in their laws harsh punishment for those that don’t conform to their established norms. Let’s keep the fight on, the light on, the courage on, the voices loud and the minds open. Happy Pride.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street (or boardwalk), this time featuring Aloha, Buff Monster, David Puck, Divine, Fox Fisher, Homo Riot, IronClad, Jason Naylor, Joe Caslin, JPO, Meres One, Nomad Clan, Ori Carino, Royce Bannon, Sam Kirk, SAMO, SeeTf, and Tatyana Fazlalizadeh.

seeTF portrait of Taylor & Lauren with Meres One’s heart shaped rainbow. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homoriot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Joe Caslin. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The Dusty Rebel. Hope Will Never Be Silent. In collaboration with #KeepFighting (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Buff Monster. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Aloha for Art In Ad Places in collaboration with The Dusty Rebel. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Royce Bannon (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeremy Novy (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JPO. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeremy Novy (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jess X Snow for Art In Ad Places in collaboration with The Dusty Rebel. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homo Riot & Suriani. “Pay It No Mind”. Mural restored. The image on the center is of Marsha P. Johnson 1945 -1992. She was a founding member of Gay
Liberation Front. She was an AIDS activist with ACT UP and co-fonder
of S.T.A.R. (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries). Miss Johnson was in the forefront during the Stonewall Inn Riots fighting for gay rights when gays didn’t have any rights and they weren’t fashionable and “scrubbed clean” for their prime time on T.V. Suriani used Mr. Richard Shupper’s portrait of Ms. Johnson (pictured below) as an inspiration for his art. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Iron Clad (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nomad Clan. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)

From Tatyana about this piece: “Some of Us Did Not Die. We’re Still Here. – June Jordan, Black, bi-sexual, activist, poet and writer. .

Last fall I met with members of @griotcircle, a community of LGBTQ+ Black and brown elders for my residency with @nycchr. I got to speak with them about their lives and some things that came up were the challenges of being Black and gay in New York years ago, like having to travel in groups because queer folks would be attacked for walking alone. Or not being served at restaurants because they were also black. “

Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SAMO. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sam Kirk. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ori Carino. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Meres One. WorldPride Mural Project Initiative. The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. Manhattan, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fox Fisher for Art In Ad Places in collaboration with The Dusty Rebel. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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