All posts tagged: Dirty Bandits

“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: 02.04.24

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.04.24

Oh, You Flatter Us.

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

It’s always a fun week when The New York Times quotes Brooklyn Street Art, like today’s riveting analyses of one New York celebrity outlaw everyone can agree upon, Flaco the Owl. So this week, we will not insult the corporate legacy press because we are in league with them, obviously.

Here is our weekly interview with the street: this week featuring Faile, Homesick, Below Key, Degrupo, UNO, Dirty Bandits, Pear, MeresOne, Qzar, BG183, NYC Hooker, Tats Crew, Albertus Joseph, Rari Grafix, Notice, Toney, Fear, Horn, Lare, and OTM Crew.

Albertus Joseph. OTM Graff Crew. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Albertus Joseph. OTM Graff Crew. MeresOne. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MeresOne (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MeresOne. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits / Your Are Not Alone Murals. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NYC Hooker. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 / Tats Cru. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Below Key (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NOTICE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Faile (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
QZAR. LOVE. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DEGRUPO. VISION. HOMESICK and friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Degrupo. Pear. Lare. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TONEY. HORN. UNO. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TONEY. HORN. UNO. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Winter 2024. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That’s very important for you to know.

Whether or not one suffers from mental health issues, knowing that one doesn’t walk alone on a scabrous path is comforting. Feeling supported, especially in times of crisis, brings assurance and healing to our anxieties and despairs.

Adam Fu. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We are living in a tumultuous time when people are being shot at or killed for having the misfortune of making a seemingly innocent mistake such as ringing the wrong doorbell or turning into the wrong driveway or working in your own yard with a leaf blower or getting into the wrong car at a parking lot or asking your neighbor not to shoot his gun from his porch or for being mistaken as a shoplifter. In Manhattan, an individual was murdered in the subway after a fellow passenger placed him in a chokehold apparently because he was made uncomfortable by the individual’s rambling, loud musings while suffering from mental health issues.

Alanna Flowers. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We’re now being traumatized almost daily by news reports of mass shootings, vigilante shootings, and murder. Sometimes we simply feel that we are not safe anymore. When we talk about mental health, we should broaden the discussion to include all of us, not just those with acute symptoms but all of us who are affected by what we experience, see, and read. Our mental health is affected directly by the violence being perpetrated upon others.

The collective YOU ARE NOT ALONE MURALS has been very active in bringing the issue of mental health and its importance to the forefront of the conversations with large murals on the streets of NYC. Here they produced ten murals created by a diverse group of artists, all using the same color palette while addressing the importance of community, belonging, and support with a single and simple phrase: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Cris Pagnoncelli. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)


If you are in any need or are in crisis emotionally or psychologically, or you simply would like to speak to someone, please call the numbers below. You can do it! You can do it, sis. You got this, bro. We love ya!

  1. New York City: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provides a 24/7 Mental Health Hotline for New Yorkers who need immediate help. The hotline can be reached at 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355).
  2. United States: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7 across the United States. The lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
  3. International: The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is a global organization dedicated to preventing suicidal behavior, alleviating its effects, and providing a forum for academics, mental health professionals, crisis workers, volunteers, and suicide survivors. The IASP website offers a directory of crisis centers and helplines around the world. The directory can be accessed at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/.
Indie184. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Marco Santini. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rich Tu. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sally Rumble. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Space Type. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Manhattan, NYC. May 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Selection Of New Works at Welling Court 2022 in Queens, NYC

Selection Of New Works at Welling Court 2022 in Queens, NYC

Rocking this little neighborhood since 2009, The Welling Court Mural Project in Queens, New York brought a bevy of old skool and new again this summer to add to the collaborative art project that cheers the locals and thrills visitors. By now, you could call it historic, with writers from the OG crowd like Tats Cru, Lady Pink, John Fekner, and Chino giving their best alongside a slew of newbies in the mural art scene. Alison Wallis is the sole director these days, and her roots with the graffiti and street art community go deep, which means a well of trust is involved.

Too Fly. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As she scans the list of artists who have given of themselves to this neighborhood for more than a decade in this community project, Wallis writes in the manifesto: “with early career, mid-career, and burgeoning young artists to help foster beauty of all life, peace, and support for all people of any race, belief, and/or sexual identity around the globe.” Once again it is good to see the many ways a community can join together in an evolving and inspiring collective statement that integrates positive social change via the culture of street art.

Headache. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. Dirty Bandits. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fujita. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Caleb Neelon and Lena Mac. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danielle Mastrion. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Alice Mizrachi. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ashsaint. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pinky Weber. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Chino. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Harbor Arts. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Daze. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 Tats Cru. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JCorp. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Slow. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The Fuhgeddaboudit Bodega. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.24.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.24.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Jesus it’s rough out there! Throwing a frisbee could cause a heart attack in this heat wave. This situation is like the polar opposite of a winter snowstorm that forces everyone to stay inside their apartments. Believe it or not, in this city we have such extremes. We gave you Trump and we also gave you Bernie Sanders, for example.

Trying to think happy thoughts on the street despite the crushing debilitating heat and we are greeted by a mopey Gen Z guy carrying a sign that says “this is the coolest summer of the rest of your life”. Thanks, Senor Killjoy.

The good thing, and we insist on concentrating on these good things, is that New York is positively swimming with gorgeous young things who are traipsing through the streets in barely there gear and you don’t even need to buy pot to get high now because the streets are swirling with it. Also, you can buy pot anywhere; in a curbside truck, on a brownstone stoop, from a Nigerian guy out of a suitcase on the sidewalk on Canal street, even at your grandma’s Saturday canasta match.

$100 two years ago is worth only $85, but our parks are still free and full of leafy trees and concerts and theater and city pools are staying open extra hours to cool off. Burning Spear, UB40, Animal Collective, Sharon Van Etten, The Decemberists, Khruangbin, Erykah Badu, Shakespeare in the Park, anybody? We always sit on a blanket outside the gate and enjoy the music nonetheless – you can too. Also, as a reminder, we are not at war with each other – all us different races and religions. That’s all a huge lie on the TV machine. New Yorkers actually like each other.

Our street art as usual is off the hook. This week it seems a little bit cuddly, to tell the truth.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Rambo,Hiss, Dirty Bandits, Modomatic, Neon Savage, Muckrock, You Are Not Alone, Third Rail Art, Rari Grafix, OH!, Drama, and Banksy Hates Me.

Prolly not. Banksy Hates Me (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Been seeing these at your summer picnic? Modomatic. Bug 015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Is this a three layer strawberry cat cake? Hiss (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits in collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals and East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rambo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Oh, what DRAMA! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MuckRock (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MuckRock (photo © Jaime Rojo)
OH! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Neon Savage (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Third Rail Art and Rari Frafix (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2022, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Welling Court Mural Project NYC – 2021

Welling Court Mural Project NYC – 2021

The Pandemic is still raging. Sorry. But New York is OK.

John Fekner. That’s right… Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Meanwhile, artists are still getting up and we must continue living even if we have to take extra precautions and listen to the science and to those who care.

Dirty Bandits. That’s right too! Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This year’s Welling Court festival in Queens took place under the same health measures as last year. There wasn’t a big block party. The artists painted at their own pace and time sometimes only one alone at the compound – sometimes two at a time.

For the moment, the big gatherings and week-long shenanigans are gone due to Covid. Here are some selections of this year’s proposals and some from previous years that we missed either due to weather, traveling, or simply because those darn cars are always parked in front of the murals.

Crash & Joe Iurato. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kimyon 333. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danielle Mastrion. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Epic Uno & Col Wallnuts. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Too Fly. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jim Rizzi. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Daze. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Souls NYC. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeromy Velasco. 2019 Stonewall Commemoration. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JCorp. 2019 Stonewall Commemoration. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bella Phame. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jessie Novik. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vudu Child. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinned & Ria. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tats Crew. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sash. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeff Henriquez & Dirt Cobain. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pinky Weber & NYC Hooker. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2021. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone

You are not alone. It’s a simple phrase that offers a lot of comfort in difficult times.

For one long, horrible year we’ve been bound to each other by one single catastrophic event: Covid-19. The Pandemic brought so much pain, despair, loss, urgency, clarity, and fear. It forced the invincible to their knees. It didn’t discriminate by class, social status, ethnic groups, skin color, or wealth. A Pandemic that crossed borders and forced us to withdraw almost completely from normality.

Throughout all of this, many of us, millions of us, never felt alone – and that kept us hoping for the ray of light. Hope for the day when we won’t be hearing the sound of sirens from emergency vehicles. Hope for the day when we’d be able to reunite with our loved ones. Hope for a day when going outside wouldn’t feel like risking death. Hope for the simplest of pleasures.

The Pandemic also exposed all of us to see the immense disparity between rich countries and poor ones. A vast and deep fissure in our humanity was exposed to the whole world when we saw images of people being left to die on the sidewalks, alone in nursing homes or their own homes, due to negligence, incompetence, or lack of resources. It may be years before we realize the damage of the Pandemic. At the least, we hope we have learned that we are not alone.

Dirty Bandits with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 05.12.19

BSA Images Of The Week: 05.12.19

You are not alone.

In an era where people may feel more under attack, more alienated, more disconnected from one another (despite “always on” connectivity), comes this new campaign from Dirty Bandits, “You Are Not Alone”. New York walls have been popping up recently (see above) with this message and somehow it completely resonates, hopefully just in time to remind someone struggling.

Brooklyn based lettering artist Annica Lydenberg of the design company Dirty Bandits tells us that this was an idea she came up with her best friend who had recently published a memoir about living with anxiety disorder. The he murals are intended to have broad appeal and offer support to anyone who feels misunderstood, victimized, or abandoned.

She tells us that people need to know “they are not the only ones struggling with mental health. My wish is to be seen as an ally, for not only mental health, but to the many communities who do not feel supported.” She says the campaign is not strictly commercial, although it is certainly not anonymous and some funding came from a media concern. But we agree that it is a very worthwhile message, can actually help people and if you want to learn more go HERE.

As long as we are on the topic, please call these numbers right now if you need help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotline numbers:
http://suicidehotlines.com/international.htm

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Suicide Hotline
1-866-488-7386

Teen suicide hotline
1-800-USA-KIDS (872-5437)

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).

So here’s our weekly interview with the street, this time featuring Abe Lincoln Jr., Adam Fu, Cash4, Dirty Bandits, Elms, Icy & Sot, Jason Naylor, Mad Villain, Maia Lorian, Rude Reps, SAMO, Sinned, Smells, Soar, UFO907, Victor Ash, and Winston Tseng.

Top image: Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Winston Tseng (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Victor Ash for Street Art For Mankind. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fu for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ufo 907 & Heck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rude Reps (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinned (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mad Vaillan (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cash 4 . Smells (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cash 4 . Soar (photo © Jaime Rojo)
One smile, four eyes. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elms with friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Abe Lincoln Jr. in collaboration with Maia Lorian. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Samo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Seen on the streets of Manhattan…you’ve been warned! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Abstraction. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA “Images Of The Year” for 2017 (VIDEO)

BSA “Images Of The Year” for 2017 (VIDEO)

Of the thousands of images he took this year in places like New York, Berlin, Scotland, Hong Kong, Sweden, French Polynesia, Barcelona, and Mexico City, photographer Jaime Rojo found that Street Art and graffiti are more alive than every before. From aerosol to brush to wheat-paste to sculpture and installations, the individual acts of art on the street can be uniquely powerful – even if you don’t personally know where or who it is coming from. As you look at the faces and expressions it is significant to see a sense of unrest, anger, fear. We also see hope and determination.

Every Sunday on BrooklynStreetArt.com, we present “Images Of The Week”, our weekly interview with the street. Primarily New York based, BSA interviewed, shot, and displayed images from Street Artists from more than 100 cities over the last year, making the site a truly global resource for artists, fans, collectors, gallerists, museums, curators, academics, and others in the creative ecosystem. We are proud of the help we have given and thankful to the community for what you give back to us and we hope you enjoy this collection – some of the best from 2017.

Brooklyn Street Art 2017 Images of the Year by Jaime Rojo includes the following artists;

Artists included in the video are: Suitswon, Curiot, Okuda, Astro, Sixe Paredes, Felipe Pantone, Hot Tea, Add Fuel, Hosh, Miss Van, Paola Delfin, Pantonio, Base23, R1, Jaune, Revok, Nick Walker, 1UP Crew, SotenOne, Phat1, Rime MSK, Martin Whatson, Alanis, Smells, UFO907, Kai, Tuts, Rambo, Martha Cooper, Lee Quinoes, Buster, Adam Fujita, Dirty Bandits, American Puppet, Disordered, Watchavato, Shepard Fairey, David Kramer, Yoko Ono, Dave The Chimp, Icy & Sot, Damien Mitchell, Molly Crabapple, Jerkface, Isaac Cordal, SacSix, Raf Urban, ATM Street Art, Stray Ones, Sony Sundancer, ROA, Telmo & Miel, Alexis Diaz, Space Invader, Nasca, BK Foxx, BordaloII, The Yok & Sheryo, Arty & Chikle, Daniel Buchsbaum, RIS Crew, Pichi & Avo, Lonac, Size Two, Cleon Peterson, Miquel Wert, Pyramid Oracle, Axe Colours, Swoon, Outings Project, Various & Gould, Alina Kiliwa, Tatiana Fazalalizadeh, Herakut, Jamal Shabaz, Seth, Vhils, KWets1, FinDac, Vinz Feel Free, Milamores & El Flaco, Alice Pasquini, Os Gemeos, Pixel Pancho, Kano Kid, Gutti Barrios, 3 x 3 x 3, Anonymouse, NeSpoon, Trashbird, M-city, ZoerOne, James Bullowgh, and 2501.

 

Cover image of Suits Won piece with Manhattan in the background, photo by Jaime Rojo.

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The Power Of Words on the Streets, A Recent Survey

The Power Of Words on the Streets, A Recent Survey

Much art in the streets is often for aesthetics – whether figurative, representational, or abstract. With roots in graffiti and often influenced by advertising, political protest, and pop culture, you will always find text messages as well.

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Whether small missives or massive billboards, direct or somewhat cryptic, many these days are in opposition to current political leaders or critiques of social, political, economic issues and systems. Others are just about love. Whether or not this collection is a true measure of the Vox Populi, it certainly can give you a meaningful survey of opinions on the streets.

Adam Fujita . Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist in Mexico City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rob Sharp (photo © Jaime Rojo)

John Fekner (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Fujita . Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dave The Chimp in Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Anida Yeou at Art Central Art Fair in Hong Kong. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Fujita . Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

American Puppet. “Love Breeds Love”. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mind The Heart Project (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sammy (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

XEME in Hong Kong. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

My Life In Yellow (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

WRDSMT (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sam Durant (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sozi36 in Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Individual Activist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Fujita (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Camo Lords (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

Megzany (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Dare (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Laser 3.14 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

 

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BSA Images Of The Week: 10.01.17

BSA Images Of The Week: 10.01.17


BSA-Images-Week-Jan2015

Clearly we cannot bury our heads in the sand anymore, for those of us who are tempted to. We try to make light of things here or at least add levity, but right now many of our community in NYC are desperately worried about family members in Puerto Rico, and aid has not been getting to them after the storm.

While it is a relief for many to find that Trump is actually one of the most ineffective leaders in terms of getting major legislation or many of the pillars of his anti-everybody-except-the-rich agenda passed, that same ineffectiveness puts citizens in harms way – as appears to be happening right now on that island of US citizens of 3.4 million. When 55% of the island doesn’t have drinkable water, you know a human disaster is close. Meanwhile Trump is tweeting from his golf course in New Jersey to insult a mayor on the island.

New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito is on top of the situation but cannot countenance the response from the feds: “I wanna cry. This is worse, not better, 10 days in. And Sr. Trump’s fragile ego is what is driving policy. Criminal.” she says in her latest tweet

At the recommendation of Lee Quinones, a proud New Yorker, Puerto Ricano, and NYC train writer of the 1970s and 1980s – here are some charities you can contribute to:

Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Adam Fujita, CB23, Ces53, City Kitty, Dan Witz, Dirty Bandits, GIZ, Jazz Guetta, Kafka is Famous, MRVN, Myth, NeverCrew, Smart, Stray Ones, and Such.

Top image: Adam Fujita . Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kafka Is Famous (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

MRVN (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ces53 . Smart . Giz . Such. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Giz. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Such. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ces53. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

City Kitty (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jazz Guetta. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stray Ones (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

cb23 with friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nevercrew in Kiev for Art United Us.  (photo © Nevercrew)

Mind The Heart Project (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Utitled. The Last Picture. Hudson River, NY. 2017 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.11.17

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.11.17

BSA-Images-Week-Jan2015

“Yes, I’m an infowarrior,” says the African American yelling about how CNN is promoting Sharia Law in downtown Manhattan for the #MarchAgainstSharia and a short distance away someone is wrapping the “Fearless Girl” statue with a black burka. The infowarrior is wearing a red “Make America Free” baseball hat and very much seems like he might be gay. And then your head explodes.

Welcome to the “Disinformation Age.”

But New York is waaaaaay too diverse to even countenance this weird new wave of anti-Islam sentiment and the counter-demonstrators with their signs dwarfed the haters– and being good liberals, they probably invited them to come over for dinner after all that yelling.

Otherwise the weather has been gorgeous and Street Artists have been getting up in New York, when they are not too busy fighting about the David Choe wall and calculating new ways to spray over it. We have brand new mural works from people like Dasic, Cekis, and Case Maclaim, and there is a lot more political content in the new free-range Street Art that we are seeing, with much of it focused on the corruption at the top of the national government, racism, environmental matters, the growing police state.

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is today down 5th Avenue, with people celebrating – and also fighting over the “freedom fighter”/ “Terrorist” Oscar López Rivera, who was going to be the Grand Marshall but whom will now simply be a marcher. And Lucy Sparrow tells us that “Vagisil” and champagne are the two big sellers at her temporary bodega under the Standard Hotel that is 9000 items made entirely of Felt. Our own story on that this week, so there’s something to look forward to, along with 90 degree weather and more brain-frying tweets from 45 in the White House while the Congress is emptying all the cupboards, privatizing everything that used to be the people’s and leaving the back door open for banks.

Other than that, everything is dope!

So here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Adam Fujita, Beast, Blanco, Brandon Garrison, Cekis, Dasic, Dirty Bandits, El Sol 25, FKDL, Jetsonorama, Jerk Face, Joe Iurato, Logan Hicks, Mataruda, Mr. Toll, Myth NYC, Opiemme, S0th1s, and She Wolf.

At the top: Dasic and Cekis collab for The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dasic in action. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

S0th1s (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato and Logan Hicks restored collab for The Bushwick Collective Block just in time for the block party 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

FKDL for The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Roof top view of The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

She Wolf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brandon Garrison (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Trainwwg (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Fujita and Dirty Bandits. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Blanco has a new piece about prison and police reform, including advocating for the closure of New York’s Rikers Island. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mataruda (left) and Jetsonorama (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth and She Wolf collab. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jerk Face (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Disney Dollars (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Opiemme in and abandoned USA base in Ligure, Italy. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. Toll (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Beast (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Bushwick, Brooklyn. June 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 


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